Feminine Hygiene for Preteens - Product Recommendations?

I am a very small woman ( 5'6" & 98 pounds) but also have allergies. I like the diva cup and kotex. Personally I would call the companies that make pads and ask for samples. All they can say is no and they might send you a mixed bag of products to try.

2 moms found this helpful

Something to consider: While playtex are easier to get in, I agree, I also find them much harder to get OUT. I know that may sound weird, but I would avoid any uncomfortable situation for her.

My daughter was 13 and she absolutely wanted no part of tampons. No way in the world. Period. (No pun intended).
She is 24 now and still doesn't use them.
She is really tiny even as an adult and we never bought the "wing" pads or anything. Mini pads worked just fine for her. Some of them are so small nowadays that they are folded to nothing as far as keeping them in a backpack for school, etc, and quite absorbant.
Some of the really smaller ones actually work pretty well. There might be a little leaking at night, but we just put a towel under my daughter's sheet and she wore her period panties and jammies for sleep to keep from staining her really cute ones.
I don't remember the specific brands we used and it depended on which stores we went to. She had several that she liked.
It depends on your daughter. Mine never required anything big and bulky.
Ask the pediatrician. They might have some good ideas or even samples. You never know.
I had a hysterectomy before my daughter was close to having her period so I didn't even have a single pad or anything in the house.
It was trial and error, but we found small pads that she was comfortable with.

Best wishes.

They Always Regular ones seem to be pretty good. They have some thick ones and some thin, so make sure you look at if before you buy it. You can tell with how its wrapped how thick it is. They are in the yellow wrap (those are a little shorter too.)

Always has a great selection and are thinner then ever, she'll appreciate wings soon enough

I have always liked kotex thin maxipads or kotex pantiliners-for light days. Ob has a super small tampon that she may find comfortable too. Congrats to your daughter on this big milestone in becoming a woman!

M

Always makes a Slender Ultra Thin pad that she might find more comfortable. Regular absorbancy, just slightly smaller and more narrow. If she really hates the wings, she can cut them off. As for tampons, several brands make slender versions of those also. She might have an easier time with a plastic applicator, which should be a little smoother to use. Personally, I've always found all of those applicators to pinch and have preferrred OB tampons without applicators since I was a teen. I would stick with the pads for this first period and let her choose tampons when/if she decides she wants them. Good luck and hang in there Mama!

As far as tampons- the ones with the nicest smooth applicator is Kotex. I hate tampax applicators because they can scratch.

As a teen, it's all about preventing leaking. Nothing more embarrasing than stained pants! Always are absolutely the best in abosrbancy and comfort, but NO wings, or they'll leak. They come very thin or thick, long or short, so make sure you read the package. Always Thin ones work for heavy flow also. Always Panty liners are great for really low flow (heavy spotting) if they're the same material as the pads. They make a second kind that aren't as good. Absolute key with pads is to have tight undies. I used to cut the legs off an old pair of hose and put the panty part over my cotton bikini undies to keep the pad snug. As for tampons, I never had luck with Kotex. I started with playtex as a teen and only changed for 1 yr when I was overseas. Then it was OB, which worked well but didn't come with an applicator where I was. The playtex never ever ever leak. When they're full, they drip down the cord, so I used liners with them till I figured out my flow. They are the best and easy to put in. You do have to tug to get them out cuz they work so well.

I remember as a teen giving up the Jr. High trip - weekend on a boat - cuz I didn't know how to put in tampons. I was to embarrassed to ask anyone in my family, and I didn't want to explain to my classmates why I wasn't swimming. It's a tough thing for a kid, esp. a young one!

Always infinity are super thin and super absorbent.
The U by Kotex tampons in the black box. They also have pads. The whole line was developed for teens and young girls.
Try them. She will like them.
Try this: www.ubykotex.com/samples
LBC

My 13 year old sister in law recently had her period too. We went out and got her tampax pearls. They have a very smooth applicator, and come in "light". Or Playtex makes a "gentle glide". But I prefer tampax. Once she got the hang of them, she started using the small OB ones, but it's hard to put them in when you are just learning, IMO. Also, on really light days maybe she can use just a pantiliner and change it often? That's much more comfortable for me.

Always seems to carry an extensive product line. Hope that helps!

I have used Kotex Ultra Thin for over 10 years now and LOVE them! They are really the only pad that feels comfortable and works for me. I have never been very comfortable with tampons, even as an adult, but the Playtex tampons are what I use when I do use them. I would suggest the smallest size since she is only 10. You can go to the manufacturer's website of almost every major brand and request samples. Usually the sample packs are 1-2 each of pantiliners, tampons, and pads. That should let her try some out before you go buy a huge pack that ends up not working for her. Good luck!

I always had good luck with Always (no pun intended). They make super-super thin pads and narrower ones for teens. My stepdaughter likes Playtex Sport (I think they are designed for teens) and the Kotex U line. I'd start with pads til she's comfortable with the whole process and then graduate to tampons when she feels ready. I didn't use tampons til I was an adult (but I also didn't spend a lot of time at the pool or beach, either). I'd tried them in my teens, but didn't like them.

I have always used (except for my first 2 periods) OB tampons. They come in a very small size. I have found that the applicator tampons seem to pinch & stick and haven't seemed as absorbant. As far as pads go, I have seen some in Target that were aimed at teenagers. I would also go to the store & let her pick some out, get a big variety, so if one doesn't work well for her, she can try a different one the next day. Trial & error is the best way to find what works best for her. I remember exactly when I started (I was at girls camp-2 hours away from my mom), and it scared the heck out of me. Good luck to both of you. We've all been there & have sympathy for her!

S.