Q&A about puberty and menstruation with Lil-Lets expert Vicki Buffery - ANSWERS BACK

[RachelMumsnet]

We're running a Q&A this week with Vicki Buffery about discussing puberty and menstruation with your pre-teen and teenagers. Vicki is the online Agony Aunt for Lil-ets and has been answering questions from pre-teen and teenage girls and threir parents teenage girls  on Lil-Lets 'Ask Vicki' section of their website. Vicki  is on hand this week to answer any questions you may have - from  how to explain changes in her body to choosing santitary protection. Send your question before midday on 3 December and we'll link to Vicki's answers on 12 December.

Lil-lets say:
"We are proud to be the only sanitary brand in the UK to offer products designed specifically for teens. With their younger and smaller bodies in mind, the range of towels, liners and tampons are shorter and narrower than the adult range to provide the perfect fit. To make things even easier,  we have brought all of this together in a 'Teen Starter Pack' which includes 2 lite tampons, 1 regular tampon, 2 regular applicator tampons, 1 teens liner pouch, 4 day teens towels, 2 night teens towels and 1 becoming a teens booklet for advise on puberty and using the products. Everything your daughter could need is in one, discreet little bag".

For more information please visit: http:/www.lil-lets.co.uk/en-GB/Parents

[JugglingWithPossibilities]

Seems maybe I'll just tell DD that if she feels fluey or has a temp or otherwise feels ill when she is using a tampon to take it out, use a towel instead, and either go to walk in centre/ call NHS Direct/ see her doctor/ go to A & E (depending how bad she feels ?) Does that sound about right ?
I do think I might feel slightly different considering your experience and family history potatoprints - So, can see that's a really tricky dilemma you've got there.

But I wouldn't want DD to feel as fed up as I did using rubbish towels for several years before my friend told me about tampons. I think in those days (70's) tampons were only for grown-ups (like my Mum) I don't remember anyone else really explaining them to me - just my friend.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Oh I know juggling.

Swimming would be so difficult and I used to dance as well. I longed to be able to use tampons like my friends.
I think common sense is the only thing a parent needs to use and maybe just a bit of caution in the first few times of use.
I think knowing the facts helps but what you say above seems right. Not too scary which I think older girls could cope with. I'm not sure about 9 yr olds. If dd starts this young I'm afraid towels will be her only option, lol.
I must stress though, my circumstances were unusual, in that started at 9, was heavy with lots of pain. Then bloody toxic shock. (No pun).

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

I probably just need to say that it is important to change tampons very regularly and leave it at that?

[troisenfants]

I always tried to use tampons when I was younger, but just never got the hang of them, finding it difficult and even painful to put them in and when I did eventually get them in, they always popped out as soon as I started to move around leading to potentially embarrassing situations! What advice (apart from the usual try to relax and don't tense up) would you give to mums on teaching their DD's how to insert a tampon and how to position them correctly?
I would like her to have the freedom I never had.

[Notmyidea]

How can we, as mums, get them to appreciate the importance of personal hygiene;showering, frequent pad changes etc, ideally without nagging! Especially for the still-at-junior school starters who don't seem to have the vanity to care. (is it just mine?!)

[JugglingWithPossibilities]

Hmm, DD at 13 seems a little sensitive at the suggestion of using deo - as I said she's quite a private person. Any discussion of sanpro when the time comes is going to have to be delicately handled

[RachelMumsnet]

The Q&A is now closed. We'll be sending up to 20 questions over to Vicki Buffery later today and link to her answers from this thread on 12 December.

[JugglingMeYorkiesAndNutRoast]

Looking like it might be the 13th now ?

[RachelMumsnet]

@JugglingMeYorkiesAndNutRoast

Looking like it might be the 13th now ?

Sorry - there was a delay our end. The Q&A will be live later today and we'll link from this thread.

[RachelMumsnet]

Vicki's answers are now in and you can read the full Q&A here:

Q&A about starting periods with Lilets' Vicki Buffery

[JugglingMeYorkiesAndNutRoast]

Thanks to Vicki for your answers - the discussion has helped me feel better prepared, as has ordering some items from your website for DD.