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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

Tampons at 12?

33 replies

lemonmousse · 15/02/2011 09:54

My 12 year old DD started her periods last September and is coping fine with them - she is very fortunate that she never seems to suffer from period pain and just 'gets on with it' every month.
She mentioned recently that she hoped her period wouldn't arrive when we are on holiday in the summer as she 'wouldn't be able to go in the pool' - I did suggest she could try tampons and she was absolutely horrified by the idea!
Any suggestions as to how to make this less scary for her - she's already missed a couple of visits to our local pool with her friends?

OP posts:

seeker · 15/02/2011 10:00

My dd was lucky because her periods started late - she was nearly 14. I made sure that there were loads of towel and tampons of different sorts in the bathroom, and one day when she was on her own for the afternoon she practiced with tampons until she could do it. And it did take most of the afternoon, she said!

Why not let her read the leaflet and have a think about it? She's got a while til the summer to get used to the idea.

going · 15/02/2011 10:02

Has she seen the really small ones? I would buy her a pack, maybe she will pluck up the courage to try if she has them at home ready to use.

TheReturnoftheSmartArse · 15/02/2011 10:04

Encourage her to get started with tampons sooner rather than later. Honestly. DD1 started her periods at 9 which really was too young for tampons but now aged 16 she rarely uses them as she doesn't find them easy to use.

DD2, aged 13, has just started, and has already tried to use them. Not very successfully but hopefully with more luck next time.

Tampons are just so much easier for holidays and high days. And more discrete.

jenroy29 · 15/02/2011 10:04

Applicator ones are probably easier?

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 15/02/2011 10:07

DD had to use tampons from about her second period as it coincided with a big dance show she was in. I got her the Tampax Pearl applicator ones and she was fine after a couple of tries. You might want to read through the instructions with her and remind her about angling them backwards rather than straight up.

Ooopsadaisy · 15/02/2011 10:08

Hi - I'm lurking (sorry).

I have dd age 12 who is no-where near starting her periods or needing a bra. She is small for her age etc.

However she is a keen swimmer and doing her life-saving badges.

She asked to speak to me privately the other day because she is worried about what she will do when her periods start.

We talked about tampons and she, too, looked a bit alarmed.

I advised her not to think about it until she needs to because I feel she will be a late starter (I was, and my Mum also).

I'm interested in what you all have to say on the subject.

Sarsaparilllla · 15/02/2011 10:11

I remember being very scared about trying tampons myself and I started my periods when I was 11.

Suggest she tries them after she's had a nice warm bath so she's relaxed, she'll hopefully find that easier.

And definitley the small applicator ones :)

Original poster

lemonmousse · 15/02/2011 10:14

Thanks for all the advice - think I'll buy some of the slim ones and have a chat about it with her again.

DD2 is 10 and very interested in DD1's periods (to the extent of accompanying her to the bathroom) she also pinches my tampons and puts them in water to watch them expand so I may enlist her help in persuading DD1 to have a go!

OP posts:

seeker · 15/02/2011 10:49

Dd used the Tampax Pearl at first, but now goes for the won brand ones because she is a cheapskate like her mother!

jeee · 15/02/2011 10:57

I started my periods at 12 and used tampons from the outset - I'd told my mum that I thought sanitary towels were disgusting, and I wanted to use tampons. My mum was naturally worried about this, and spoke to our GP who said there was no reason why I couldn't. I never had problems.

Original poster

lemonmousse · 15/02/2011 11:02

seeker - I'll splash out on the posh ones til she gets the hang of it then downgrade her to the chaepies!

OP posts:

Original poster

lemonmousse · 15/02/2011 11:04

I mean 'cheapies'

OP posts:

amberleaf · 15/02/2011 11:07

I started quite early [11]

I used towels for the first month only and felt horrible using them, i didnt like the blob...blob....blob feeling [sorry TMI]

My mum always used lil lets so i was aware of them, she got me a box of the regular ones and told me to practice insertion, i found the non applicator ones easier, i did try applicator tampons just didnt get on with them, also found that widthway expanding ones meant less leaks and tampax expanded lengthways which led to feeling them lower down as they expanded.

I know they do mini ones these days, could you get her a box and let her practice with them?

I also used to swim a lot and didnt want periods to get in the way of this so tampons worked for me.

Enchantica · 15/02/2011 16:42

Personally, I couldn't get on board with tampons. I would try and try to use them but they wouldn't go in. In the end I had to wait until my 3rd sexual partner before I could use them (the other 2 partners had small slongs lol) but then decided I still didn't like them and went back to pads. When going on holidays where I would be swimming I would go to the doctor and she had a tablet that I could go on to stop my periods for 1 month. I think I was 15 at that point. But you may not want your 12 year old taking meds to stop her periods. Just useful to control periods when needed.

Original poster

lemonmousse · 15/02/2011 17:59

I had thought about that Enchantica but I'll only go down that route if she can't get the hang of the tampons - it would be a contraceptive pill wouldn't it? Think DH would throw a wobbler!

OP posts:

Enchantica · 15/02/2011 18:21

That's the thing, it wasn't a contraceptive I don't think. It was just a pill to stop my period for a month. I wasn't told it was a contraceptive if it was... will see if I can find the name of it. Yeah putting 12 year old on contraceptive probably wouldn't go down well :p

Enchantica · 15/02/2011 18:22

Here we go: There are several ways in which periods can be delayed. The first involves taking a drug called a progestogen.
This medication needs to be taken three times daily while the woman wants to postpone her period, and once the drug is stopped it usually takes two or three days for her period to begin again.
This treatment is not 100 per cent effective. Some bleeding will sometimes occur while the drug is being taken, and side effects such as fluid retention, breast tenderness and mood disturbance can be a problem.

amberleaf · 15/02/2011 19:26

It is a contraceptive, just taken in a different way for a different reason.

I wouldnt see that a the ideal solution.

seeker · 15/02/2011 20:37

I honestly wouldn't even think of giving hormone pills to a 12 year old.

I remember going swimming all summer long when I was a teenager (a million years ago) and I didn't use tampons until I was about 18. I wonder how that worked!

RatherBeOnThePiste · 15/02/2011 21:36

The tampons you need are tampax pearl they are definitely the easiest to get in and are applicator.

RockinSockBunnies · 15/02/2011 21:42

I used tampons from the first day of my first period at twelve. I'd been reading the instruction leaflet for months before I'd even started my periods, as well as 'examining' myself with a mirror between my legs so as to get to know my anatomy.

Would your DD be mortified if you gave her a box and a mirror and encouraged her to have a go?

ghosteditor · 15/02/2011 21:48

Can I just give a small quiet vote for mooncups? I think maybe, at 12, your DD might be a bit young for all of that, but it might be worth mentioning that it's something she could try when she's older if she'd like?

They're much less gross than towels and tampons imo - I used tampons from the age of 12 as I hated towels but have only just bought a mooncup and am one of the raving converts.

As for tampons, I was a non-applicator person as you don't have to worry about disposing of paraphernalia in school toilets.

PaperView · 15/02/2011 21:50

I still can't get the hang of applicator tampons. Just have a few different kinds in and tell her to give it a go next period. There are instructions in the pack so you don't have to embarrass one another with any details lol!

Bunbaker · 15/02/2011 21:55

"Applicator ones are probably easier?"

I don't think so at all. I could never get on with them. I always used Lillets.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 16/02/2011 07:48

It's all about experimenting and finding the right thing that suits her. Not being able to swim will hopefully give her determination.

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