Dealing with normal vaginal discharge that discolours PJ and pants

[Downandupdownandup]

Ok this has come up tonight with eldest DD who is on the verge of starting periods. (14/15). She is getting a lot of discharge and is asking about pants and PJ or staining on pants. I know there isn't a miracle solution to the problem -but I can't be the only one who suffers from discoloured pants. I have to replace them all at least twice a year. I have no thrush or STI just a heavy discharge.

She's had it for about 18 months and periods haven't started yet but......
I'm over 40 and started my periods at 16.
I have a heavy normal discharge -no STI etc but it has stained my pants and PJ for years. I hate wearing pants and PJ together. I replace pants regularly and mainly buy cheap PJ -as I think it is pick your choices -PJ they stain or you wear pants and they stain or a pantyliner. Someone suggested panty liners about 10 years ago -every day but it bugs me as I just hate it sitting there like a san towel on my pants.

Apart from steering clear on black pants -as the discharge soon bleaches them to brown crotch -has anyone come across anyway of dealing with it? Sleep nude is a solution but not for us.

I guessing nighties. But DD likes her PJ.

She has some lovely PJ and lounge wear for christmas and doesn't want to wreck them.
I said nice lounge wear over PJ and buy slightly bigger PJ so they aren't tight. etc

What does everyone else do? Sigh and the same as us. etc or some really good solution?

I think this is really common. To the extent of not even being unusual in the slightest. I wouldn't go ditching perfectly good knickers just because they have changed colour, what a waste. Just keep your nice ones for occasions when they might be seen.

Accept the stains in the pants. After all, isn’t that what underwear is for; to protect your outerwear from discharge and staining etc?

It’s a common problem; and most likely only ever seen by the individual wearing the pants (or whoever does their laundry).

Replace on a regular basis and keep ‘nicer’ pairs for intimate relation times if/when age appropriate.

I suspect that as your DD is quite late to her periods, it's coming as a bit of a shock that she has a discharge and it's on her pants. I don't mean that in a nasty way, just that she's got a lot of 'learning' to do re. being a woman!

Maybe instead of making it a huge issue, you need to reassure her that gussets never stay white, or black, or whatever. and that is OKAY :)

This not wearing knickers with pyjamas is really weird akd sounds really uncomfortable. I had never heard about this before coming to the UK. I think it's only British fanjos that need airing!

I remember seeing this brought up on a tv show from an audience member & everyone thought that a women bleaching her underwear with her discharge was hilarious.

I was mortified as I've done that as long as I can remember. It was only when I found MN did I realise this is fairly common/not abnormal.

The more we talk about & accept this, the better.

I honestly just don't get worked up about the bleaching. I have pale coloured gussets where I like the knickers but most of mine are black. Only I see the gusset. Not sure DH cares when he does the washing!

I don't wear knickers to bed, and if I wear PJ bottoms, they are baggy in the crotch.

Bleaching is natural, so I just ignore it until the knickers are holey!

I dont wear pants or pyjamas to bed
I wear liners as I don't like a moist gusset

@dementedpixie

I dont wear pants or pyjamas to bed I wear liners as I don't like a moist gusset

In my pants during the day not at night

Never thrown out pjs (not noticed it on pjs!) Or knockers because of this.

Can't worry about the staining.

I don't understand the not wearing pants in bed with PJs in conjunction with a heavy discharge issue.

I have this issue. If I wore just pj trousers they end up wet or I get wet thighs. Not pleasant at all.

Washable liners
a mooncup to deal with ovulation discharge increase.

You could use a menstrual cup to catch the discharge.

I'm not so bothered about the staining but hate feeling moist so tend to wear liners daily.

Do others do this? Can't imagine going around with a damp gusset all day. Equally I do have plenty of discharge!

Why would you wear knickers with pyjamas? Most uncomfortable & unnecessary. Maybe just more pyjama sets so they can be washed every couple of days - that's what I do - I wear about 3 sets of pyjamas in a week, and I buy about a size 14 - 2 sizes larger than I need. I wear white underpants and wash them with some Vanish powder in a hot wash.

It's not staining but bleaching really? I think it's more important that she realises this is normal. It's not like most people will ever look at the crotch of her panties.

As a side note, I have slept in men's boxers for years instead of sleep shorts etc. So much more comfortable than panties, snug enough to feel like you're wearing something. I buy these from M&S: these

“Moist” and “discharge” - I have friends who absolutely hate these words but I’m loving them! Sorry for my immaturity but I do love words “moist gusset” sounds particularly pleasing! 🤣

I agree- tell your daughter it’s normal. This is the first I’m hearing of it so it’s not commonly spoken about but I’ll be sure to mention it to my daughter at an appropriate time.

Surely the point of wearing pants is to protect your other clothes from this? It's normal, other people don't usually look at your gussets so it doesn't matter, does it?

I just live with bleached gussets! I always wear comfy cotton knickers, including with pjs (I feel uncomfortable without them). I only throw mine out when they get holey. Bleaching is fine and perfectly natural. I heard it is actually a sign of good vaginal health, it helps kill germs.

What about a few sheets of tissue paper?

I try to wear dark pants on period / expected period days in case of leaks, and light pants on other days in case of bleaching.

But if either happens, it doesn’t really bother me.

Gussets get bleached from the ammonia coming out of wee.

It's not just to do with secretions.

Years ago when at school our uniform included dark green knickers. The gusset would end up a yellow-green shade from bleaching. That was when I was 11-13 just before periods started and it was purely from the tiny bit of wee that you get even when drying after a wee. :)

@BitOfFun

I think it's a bit of a non-problem, tbh, unless you are going to be sitting in positions which display the crotch? I've certainly never thrown out perfectly good pyjamas for this reason.

Same here! Not sure what the problem is. Would def not wear panty liners. They don't sound "healthy".

The only time it peed me off was with any sexy underwear but that should've be a problem with your daughter yet.

I've gone through the menopause so don't get it anymore, so when doing the washing it's easy to see whose black thongs are whose! The one with the brown bleach "stain" are my teenage daughters.

For goodness sake, I wouldn't advise wearing a tampon. Why are we women so ashamed of our bodies! Camel toes (fucking hate that phrase) etc.

We all have vaginas and we all have discharge!

No it’s not from wee

It’s just from the ph of natural secretions of women of childbearing age

Agreed it’s a bit of a non issue. Can’t believe you throw away pants twice a year because of it!

It’s just part of having a vagina!

@PinkPlantCase

Agreed it’s a bit of a non issue. Can’t believe you throw away pants twice a year because of it!

It’s just part of having a vagina!

You see =you are probably right. She's not embarrassed. It is "normal" and natural for us any way.

I've just never discussed it before -for years, I thought it was just me. Built up courage to go to a GP and have loads of tests and was told it just "my normal". I've actually raised it for the first time with a friend in RL tonight and she suggested change pants x 2 a day -so she wears a fresh pair in the morning and changes when she gets home (she has a similiar problem) -who knew!! and soaks them in water.

For my the stain doesn't take long to go through and I just feel self conscious about it -ok not stain -I should call it what it is bleaching !!!

@Downandupdownandup if it bothers you , you need these.

Cotton, plastic-free and just like a gusset but you thrown them away and not your pants.
www.natracare.com/products/liners/natracare