Sanitary towels for teens

delain

I hate tampons and would encourage mine to stick with pads, I don't know why, but I don't like the whole idea of tampons!

DD1 is 9 and has started to have hairy (more than average) legs and BO. I am hoping it doesn't happen to her early because she is young for her age and I really have no idea how to broach the subject.

That said if they really wanted to try tampons I would get them some... but reluctantly.

poorly_scammo

Always wore a tampon from day one. Tried pantyliners but couldn't get on with them. Felt like I was wearing a nappy and it always scrunched up in the middle.

balletshoes

I've had the talk about body changes and periods with my DD (she's 10) and her sex education talk at school this year helped too. She doesn't want to try tampons when her periods start, even though thats all I use.

pigpen

I dont like them using tampons for at least a while.. they are not particularly healthy things.. we nearly lost my sister to toxic shock after she forgot about a tampon. I also think they need to know what their period and flow is like in order to know when to change often enough.

I did have an issue with DD1 thinking she could only wear 1 pad for the whole period!! lol.. and DD2 didnt know how to dispose of them so I found a drawer full one time :eek:

At least I know what to tell the next one! lol

ThinkingOfLinking

I started at the age of 9 and used Always Ultra. I hated them as they moved around (even winged ones) and leaked and felt like a nappy...very unhygeinic. I'd suggest trying Tampaz mini tampons (pink pack) with a liner instead. I used these from the age of 11 with no problems.

pulliptears

delain wrote: »

I hate tampons and would encourage mine to stick with pads, I don't know why, but I don't like the whole idea of tampons!

Surely thats your daughters decision though? It is her body and her period to deal with.

My Mother refused to let me use tampons, she'd go on and on about TSS etc and rather than actually sitting me down and discussing safe use of tampons she just bought pads every month and wouldn't discuss it.

The first time I flooded out of the pad was sat in assembly, I was mortified. I had to tie my cardigan around my backside and go home.

I bought my own tampons and life became easier and much less embarrassing. I wasn't constantly concerned that people could see the big bulky pad and I relaxed.

I gave my DD the choice.

delain

pulliptears wrote: »

Surely thats your daughters decision though? It is her body and her period to deal with.

My Mother refused to let me use tampons, she'd go on and on about TSS etc and rather than actually sitting me down and discussing safe use of tampons she just bought pads every month and wouldn't discuss it.

The first time I flooded out of the pad was sat in assembly, I was mortified. I had to tie my cardigan around my backside and go home.

I bought my own tampons and life became easier and much less embarrassing. I wasn't constantly concerned that people could see the big bulky pad and I relaxed.

I gave my DD the choice.

I didn't say I wouldn't allow it... I said I would discourage it but buy them if they really wanted to try them.

Before buying them tampax I would discuss with her/them the reasons why she wants them, and try another brand of pads first, and if they are leaking etc explain to them they need the correct size and to change them often enough and which points in the school day are convenient to do this.

If after this talk and a brand change they insist, they can have Tampax, no problem.

pulliptears

delain wrote: »

I didn't say I wouldn't allow it... I said I would discourage it but buy them if they really wanted to try them.

Before buying them tampax I would discuss with her/them the reasons why she wants them, and try another brand of pads first, and if they are leaking etc explain to them they need the correct size and to change them often enough and which points in the school day are convenient to do this.

If after this talk and a brand change they insist, they can have Tampax, no problem.

It just seemed a little harsh to discourage them from something based on your dislike of them is what I meant I suppose.

Amanda65

delain wrote: »

I hate tampons and would encourage mine to stick with pads, I don't know why, but I don't like the whole idea of tampons!

DD1 is 9 and has started to have hairy (more than average) legs and BO. I am hoping it doesn't happen to her early because she is young for her age and I really have no idea how to broach the subject.

That said if they really wanted to try tampons I would get them some... but reluctantly.

I didn't encourage the use of tampons very early on as, like Pigpen, I wanted them to learn about their flow etc. but a few months in was happy to let them try and according to DD2 Tampax Pearl transformed her life My mother always told me that wearing a tampon 'feels like sitting on top of a mountain' and wouldn't let me try :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
They do however wear towels at night, as do I, as I think it is too long to go without changing a tampon.

As for how you approach it, I can thoroughly recommend this book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Book-Non-fiction-Claire-Rayner/dp/0590556088/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1313874180&sr=8-6

It's a bit old fashioned but covers the basics in Clare Rayner's indomitable style, straightforward and covers everything from hair and BO all the way through to sex.

As I started my periods aged 11, from when they went into Yr 6 both DD's had a small make up bag (that they had chosen) at the bottom of their schoolbag containing a small sachet of wipes, spare knickers and a sanitary towel. It was enough to get them through a day if anything started at school and they were told that if necessary they should wrap their marked knickers in toilet paper and dispose of them in the sanitary bin. It didn't happen to either but they found it comforting to know that if needed it was there.

delain

pulliptears wrote: »

It just seemed a little harsh to discourage them from something based on your dislike of them is what I meant I suppose.

I think (I know at my school all 10 years ago lol) Tampax were seen as more 'grown up' and 'sophisticated' and a lot of girls had them to show off. I note those were the 'in' crowd which is unlikely to include any of mine in the future

I'd just rather they knew the risks, and that they can be uncomfortable, and not just think about being 'cool' or that someone can see the pad, nowadays they are very thin.

If someone can see the pad you're wearing then your clothes are too tight. lol. Now I sound like an old prude