Sanitary towels for teens

System

I was 10 when i started and i had very heavy periods and didn't like the idea of tampons. I muddled on with towels for several years until i got into 6th form and decided to try tampons, i've never looked back.

I can't remember the brand of towel i used but they were massive!! and i was always paranoid that you could tell i was wearing one through my school trousers! Plus trying to sneak one up your sleve mid lesson so you could go to the toilet was a nightmare-much easier with tampons!

building_with_lego

GlasweJen wrote: »

I love the moxie pads and tampons. Always and the like are too plasticy and i always seem to get thrush if i use them during a period

Why would you wear them when you're not on your period?

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I started when I was 9 and my Mum wouldnt allow me to use tampons (and worryingly she was a retired nurse) as she believed wearing tampons wouldnt make you a virgin or some such rubbish.. although even when I was old enough to try them I found them too painful to wear so I stuck with towels. I've worn just about every single brand over the years but now wear Always Maxi Night, I was very heavy from the start and now I'm even more so - on bad days I wear 4 night pads at a time and have to change sonetimes every 2 hours :eek: Oh the joys of being female :mad:

Have you thought about a menstrual cup? They hold loads more than a tampon or pad. I have a friend who has fibroids and has very heavy periods- sometimes changing a nightime pad every hour :eek: and is tempted to give it a whirl. I'm not that heavy but know that on a heavy day I can empty it more often. Changed my life (and with reference to the thread title they can be used right from the menarche)

VfM4meplse

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

my Mum wouldnt allow me to use tampons (and worryingly she was a retired nurse) as she believed wearing tampons wouldnt make you a virgin or some such rubbish.. although even when I was old enough to try them I found them too painful to wear so I stuck with towels.

My Mum said the same...she was worried they might pop my cherry but I think the phrase she used was "your husband will suspect your virginity" . She also said that she couldn't use them even after childbirth :eek:.

Needless to say I got on with it myself! And my Mum, who can't resist a bargain, lets me know when they're on offer .

Wilma33

delain wrote: »

I'd just rather they knew the risks, and that they can be uncomfortable

If you can feel a tampon then it isn't in right!

patchwork_cat

I used lillets from day one, but for the last 10 years have been too heavy for even the biggest, I now have to use Tena pads and pants on my heaviest days. My DD uses both, but is using more and more tampons. How you could forget you had one in is beyond me!

delain

Wilma33 wrote: »

If you can feel a tampon then it isn't in right!

I know that, I just find the inserting and removing very uncomfortable

claire16c

Wilma33 wrote: »

If you can feel a tampon then it isn't in right!

Exactly.

I remember the first time I used one, Id already had my periods for about 2 years, and couldnt believe I had not used one before. It was great - like my period had just gone away (even though its really still there of course!).

I have never ever used a pad since, just the thought of them - ugh, just like a nappy, having to change them every couple of hours, which is not great when you are at school, you can feel them and your period, just yuck. Always prone to leaking. I think my mum just assumed because I was young Id be best off using pads, but if i have daughters I will let them know they can use either right from the start.

I sometimes wonder whether the women who have found using tampons hard because they dont feel right or painful are maybe trying the ones without applicators? Because even I cant get on with those. So for anyone who wants to try again maybe get the ones with the applicators?

balletshoes

I always use the tampons with applicators too, have never had pain or discomfort using them. I can't do the non-applicator ones though.

SingleSue

I was heavy right from the get go too (started at 11) and my mum was another who didn't like tampons and discouraged their use...also using the virginity excuse.

When I started, mum didn't have any stocks in for me to use as she thought I would be like her and not start until I was 15, so she had to call a neighbour who came down with this huge towel, a belt and a pair of very large granny knickers.....so embarrassing.

After that first period, I bought my own towels as mum didn't have a clue and tried buying the full size towels for me when they had these new style stick on ones (Vespre or something) and within a few months I bought my first pack of tampons as we were going on holiday and I hated the thought of not being able to go swimming...mum was very very annoyed with me until a friend of the family explained they were ok for people of my age to use.

Due to the heavyness of the periods on the first day, I always had to change very very regularly and have a towel as a back up...by the time of my hysterectomy, I had to use tampons and towels together at the same time, the towel or the tampon on their own was never enough, even when changed every 30 minutes (I could flood through even the most absorbant towel in 20 minutes, I even at points had to double towel with a tampon!).

Thankfully though, I had a hysterectomy done 10 years ago (at age 31), so haven't had to worry since then and as I have 3 boys, I won't have the stress of dealing with daughters having them either!

neverdespairgirl

A lot of teenagers do have lighter periods to start with, though - I started my periods when I was 14, as did my next sister, and we both had light and irregular periods for a couple of years. At the age of 33, I still have very light periods - only 3 days, and the last day's almost not there at all.

My Mama was great - suggested I started off with towels, and tried tampons when it got heavier / more regular / I wanted to do things like swimming or sailing when menstruating. She also said tampons were a bad idea at night, though.