Periods and swimming

[Hydrophobic]

Does anyone have experience of using period swimsuits? My daughter is attending a birthday that will involve swimming but it is on the day her period is likely to start. Wearing a wetsuit might be an option too. Wwyd?

I haven't but I'd be all up for trying them.

The water pressure in the pool means you don't really bleed anyway so its mainly just to catch anything whilst changing/ showering/ walking to the slide.

Use a period swimming cossie. Wuka do good ones. I think she might look a bit out of place in a wetsuit

Should have said - there is an outdoor pool area with slides at the venue as well as an indoor pool. Wetsuits aren’t too unusual there although she hasn’t worn one herself before.

Following

My dd uses a Modibodi one from the teen range and been absolutely fine . We've used it on holiday and when she swims in school .

My DD swims and she uses a period costume. When she uses a wetsuit in sea swimming she'd still use her period costume under it.

My DD has a pair of WUKA bikini bottoms that she uses with any bikini top. She also wears them under a wetsuit.

No experience of period swimwear but a mooncup would work well for swimming if she's worried.

I've used the modibodi one and bled through it while swimming, I only use it as back up for a tampon now. Possibly that under a wetsuit would work though.

DD uses the Modibodi bikini bottoms with a tampon under a wetsuit, worked well.

A friend was a swimming club swimmer and used the Modibodi swimsuits but on heavy days with a tampon.

Mooncups are great but not necessarily a helpful suggestion for young teens when mum is asking about period swimwear? An applicator tampon is probably the easiest internal protection to start with if she’s interested in trying it.

Does she bleed in the bath / shower? Essentially im asking how heavy she is and how the water affects her.

My dd14 has used the modibodi swim costumes for 3/4years in regular swimming classes/training. They work great for her.
I on the other hand am somewhat heavier and bleed in the bath/shower. They don't work for me at my heaviest points.

I got my dd a period swimsuit from Sainsbury's and she loves it. She's never bled through it and it was a lot cheaper than some of the branded ones.

That's why I said I've no experience of period swimwear...
Not everyone thinks to use mooncups for swimming but in our area is it's actively encouraged for teenagers to use mooncups for swimming as they're more secure, waterproof, no dreaded wet string 😬 and obviously can be used alongside peroid swimwear to give more confidence.

It depends on the age and confidence levels of this teen, obviously. I’ve used a mooncup and I know firsthand that they’re great for swimming. But there is no way I would have felt able to use one until I got properly comfortable with my body. There was about 6 years where I had started having periods but would not have been able to cope with a mooncup. It took me 3 years to get to grips with tampons. I don’t think that’s unusual for tweens and teens and it’s one reason period underwear are so popular at the moment.

I guess I feel like it’s a bit tone deaf to talk about mooncups to a teen so young and unconfident her mother is trying to sort period swimwear for her.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with giving suggestions, not everyone has experience of mooncups or would think to use them for swimming.
Also the OP does not mention age of the teenager.
Please don't criticise other posts when someone is genuinely trying to help.

I didn’t say you weren’t trying to help. I just didn’t think it was a helpful suggestion. I guess I just assume that someone wanting period swimwear has already ruled out tampons and tampons are just that bit less intimidating than mooncups. I don’t follow your logic that people shouldn’t criticize genuine suggestions if they find them unhelpful.

Thanks all. She is not quite a teenager yet and has only had a few periods. They are regular and I would say on the lighter side of medium flow. She doesn’t seem to have much appear in the bath/shower.

I am grateful for all suggestions and it is good to think them all over. I think when she is a bit older she would be able to try a mooncup but it might be a bit of a jump to go straight to that and swimming in front of friends.

I used tampons quite quickly after starting my periods (aged 10) due to regular swimming. My 12 year old uses tampons or a moon cup, my 14 year old won’t even contemplate them.

I haven’t tried period swimming costumes but can only think that anyone who uses them successfully would have no problems swimming with no period protection at all - the costume would surely just absorb swimming pool water on entry to the pool, leaving no absorbency for blood. A bit like swim nappies, which may be great for catching poos but are not stopping wee from getting in the water!

They seem like a scam to me.

I’ve used period bikini bottoms from Ecowoman on a heavy-flow day (in the sea and pool) and they worked well with no leaks. I was very paranoid and kept checking but they were fine.

Is there a reason she won't use a small tampon ?

As she's not even a teenager yet I would think it quite normal she is not ready to try tampons?

My dd has period swimwear and it works well for her. Could even wear a pair of swim bottoms under a wetsuit if she wanted an extra layer to be comfortable but it's not necessary.

My daughter was super small in size when she started periods - right age but just in small sizes. She found the greatest success with Rubylove (was called something else initially and has changed its name over the years). She loved it as, as well as having smaller sizes, they had super colourful, patterned swimwear for young girls and teens, not the straight black like most others. She never had an issue or leak and has continued with them over the years. She would get 18-24 months out of them before having to replace, but we are in a hot country with lots of swimming. Thats also taking care of them to make them last (washing chlorine/salt water out as soon as you get home, cold wash only, no detergent etc). They are in pricier side but worth it, and shipping has always been quick- they come from US.

Should have added, while my DD now uses tampons generally (probably took her 5 years to work up to this), she refuses to wear them for swimming as she has never had an issue with her period swimwear, and says it’s better than the faff of tampons when swimming.