Tampon and Pads Questions...

[askingalways]

I've realised that I have never really talked to another adult woman about using sanitary protection. I just kind of picked it up from the puberty book I was given at 11 years old. I worked out tampons for myself when I was at high school and have just carried on with my own strategy.
So now as a grown up I thought I would crowd source some information.I had always been fine using tampons during the day and one pad overnight. However since my last pregnancy my period has been much heavier overnight and I end up waking up several times a night with the 'wet the bed' feeling and have to change my pad.
Is it ok to use tampons all day and all night? I always thought you needed a break from tampons each day but I can't find anything to back that up? What's a typical routine!?

You can wear them for up to 8 hours overnight. I put one in just before bed and take out first thing in the morning. If you feel more secure use a pad too as back up

Yes you can use them overnight. I've been using a mooncup after having my baby as my periods got heavier too. They're brilliant.

It's fine to wear tampons overnight but you may want to consider a mooncup as they hold much more than a tampon so I didn't ever leak

You might want to consider a noon cup - they’re a small silicon cup that you insert into the vagina. I’ve found them really, really reliable. You take them out every 8 hours, and rinse them out. Then you sterilise at the end of your period.

The initial expense is greater - around £30 - but I’ve have mine five years now so far cheaper than tampons and pads, also much better for the environment!

I think you’d have to have a really long got flow to just have a tampon overnight. You’ll need a night time pad too.

Thank you everyone. That's really helpful.
So I don't need to take a break from Tampons at some point during my cycle?
I'll investigate mooncups when I've got my head around my cycle again, thanks.

I hate pads so I only use tampons. You can use one for up to 8 hours, so o I always change just before bed and then again first thing in the morning. Never heard of needing a break each day. Why would you?
I'm on the pill though so I have a withdrawal bleed not a proper period, and it's fairly light.

I'm fine using just a tampon overnight. Regular tampax pearl never fail me.

No you don't need a break. Change them regularly and remember to remove the last one at the end of your period

I used a femmecup after pregnancy as they're softer than the mooncup and easier to break the seal when needed. I found that the mooncup was too hard on my newly pulverised muscles (about 6 months down the line)!!

God knows where I got the idea of a break from @happymummy12345 - the perils of having rubbish female role modes when growing up!

Tampons are fine over night. Depending how heavy you are though, you may need a pad as well.

I use night time pads at night just to get a bit more of a 'confident' feeling - I have expensive tastes in bedsheets!

I haven’t used pads for at least 16yrs, always non applicator tampons for me no problem at all.