Learning to use tampax. Advice please......

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Sorry, I know this comes up frequently but I do need advice. DD is 12 and has had a couple of periods since last August. She is a competitive club swimmer and does more sport than anything else. She will need to get to grips with using tampons or periods will get in the way. She knows this but so far we have been fine and not needed them.

She has her period now and I was keen for her to experiment when there is no great urgency like a gala etc. She finds it difficult to get them in. Should she just keep trying ? Are some brands easier than others? Someone recomended compac pearl but I can only find them in a regular size. Do they do a mini/ light size?

Has anyones DD struggled initially then cracked it? I think that is what I really want to hear!

bumping as have same concern

I remember very clearly learning how to use tampons. Once I relaxed it was fine. It's the tension that makes everything too tight, if you see what I mean.

Tampax have quite detailed instruction leaflets in the boxes - has your DD you tried following these?

I only recently discovered Tampax Pearl and they are fantastic - much smoother to get in, so worth checking their website re: sizes. Maybe you can get them online?

I think just time, plenty of tampons to get it right/practise with.

Emphasise the 'if you can feel it, it's not in right' and let her get on with it. Tampax are the best for applicators IMO, they do light ones I'm sure.

position is important too, i find i am much more able to get them in the right place if i lie on my back to do it but its not always practical!

my lady gp told me to forget all the one leg on the toilet stuff...i still find them uncomfortable to this day but i find some brands are better than others. maybe she should experiment with brands too.

i could do with a small pad for my DDs tiny knickers - adult ones all too big.

My dd went off to her bedroom with a box of tampons, the instruction leaflet, a couple of theose "books for girls" and huge encouragement from me, and emerged half an hour late having cracked it (if I can be permitted an unfortunate phrase!) It too her the whole box, but she's quite relaxed and confident about it now. Pick an afternoon when dad and any little brothers are out, so she can call triumphantly from her bedroom "I've DONE it!"

I found lying on my bed helped when I was first learning, obviously I know this is no use when she's out and about but she can learn the correct way to get it in.

OP -meant to say, very happy to hear this relationship with your DD, I just had to get on with it when I was 13. My Mum gave me a 20 second chat through the bathroom door.

Applicators are great IMO.

At the risk of seeming a bit crude, have a go with a whole box of tampons and tube of some water-based lubricant?

My dd asked for those little Tampax Compak things, I bought them, she never mentioned or asked anything further, so presumably they were easy to use. She's not here at mo otherwise I'd ask her, but I'll give you her input when she turns up. (she's 16 now but started at 12).

I must admit I used them then too and thought wow this is a lot easier than the stuff we were expected to deal with. They seem easy.

I was in the same sort of position in that I was heavy into ballet at the time I started.

I locked myself in my room with some Vaseline and a box of plastic applicator Tampax.

I found that it was easiest at first lying down on the floor with my knees spread.

Can I be the negative voice against Tampx Pearl? This may be a post childbirth thing, but they seem to leak/not be as absorbent far more than regular Tampax.

I would say that the Compact applicator ones are just as easy to use as the Pearl, rather than the regular applicator Tampax.

Plus they feel really odd to remove as they just expand sideways...

But back to your OP - would suggest a standing, knees bent, bum tucked foward position, which would help with not having to push it backwards too much? (as the leaflets sugest)

Tampax used to do a regular tampon, but slimmer called the Tampax Slender. I think it's now packaged as the Tampax Applicator Mini. Might be worth trying.

Thank you everyone for such a good response.... I think that she is probably a bit fraught about using them and so is tense.

Like expat, because of the types of sports she is in to, she is going to be pushed into using them. She has read all the leaflet and got through half a box yesterday but to no avail. I am going to buy diffferent products Inc this tampax pearl when I find it plus some lubricant ( good idea trillian!)to see if that helps. I jst don't want her to be doing this just before a gala or something that really matters to her because that would be dreadful.

Vicar - I'm sure I read somewhere on s thread here about small pads for teens/ younger girls being available. I shall have a look.

Thank you everyone! Much appreciated

I'm not actually sure what the difference is between ordinary Tampax Compak and the Pearl ones. Compak do a light flow one though, think it's the one with the purple box. Definitely definitely start her off with plastic applicator ones though, they are so much easier when you're young.

She does know she's got to put the applicator inside her and THEN push the tampon in, doesn't she? Just checking because I didn't realise this when I started using them and so I couldn't work out why they wouldn't go in .

If she really can't manage it, get her to have a little feel with her fingers when she's in the bath/shower to see what sort of angle she should be putting it in at.

Compak ones are a MILLION times easier, and lubricant is a great idea.

Can't believe nobody's yelling about Mooncups yet!

Patience and practice and she'll be fine

Thank you. I have ordered compak pearl ones which are coming later. She can have a little practice.

I absolutely hooted ( I did think ohFuck!) at the thought of trying to introduce mooncups to DD!