Gymnastics During Period

I don't understand how girls do gymnastics with a period. I did gymnastics up to age 10. There was no way I would have been able to continue...I couldn't use a tampon until college and it was AWFUL trying to get it to work the first few times. Plus they leak! A tampon won't work 100%. I would have died of embarrassment.

In fact, had the track team at my high school not had shorts but the leotard type, I would have quit. The whole issue caused SOOO much anxiety in me as a young teen.

Nope.

In gymnastics... not only will the pad show... but it WILL (due to the impact nature of the sport) leak onto the floor, beam, or vault.

Yes.

EVERYONE will be able to see.

I'm very, very sorry... but I competed in gymnastics, and this is a huge thing that will follow her for a LONG time. Both on her team, and on other teams. Especially if she gets blood on the beam/ floor/ vault... which then the whole competition grinds to a halt as people come out and steam clean and sanitize the area.

Girls QUIT gymnastics because of becoming laughingstocks.

I'm out of the competetive world, but my son is in the rec world. It's still a huge, big, major thing.

WITH tampons... make sure she pokes the string inside, as well (to be fishe out later), because while it's not as big a deal as a bloody pad falling out, or blood squishing out... when the string shows? Expect months of being made fun of.

Don't laugh, but I just went on youtube.com and searched for tampon use for beginners and found the following link - "tampon training camp - how to insert a tampon". It is demonstrated by young teen girls like an instruction video. There are some medical designs where they show the internal structure. It was REALLY well done and very straightforward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03G9H5H89mY&feature=re...

I would say to educate her a little more about tampons...

I was terrified to use one until I had no choice but to use one. (was out hiking, started 2 weeks earlier than usual, and the only item available was a tampon my friend was carrying...)

After I used a tampon for the first time, I was DONE with pads!!! I find them uncomfortable and disgusting.

Buy her a box of light tampons, (I liked the pearl ones when I was younger...) and let her experiment with them a bit. Take one out of the applicator, and get it damp so she can see how it will expand in her body. (although, explain that it won't swell up NEARLY as much as it does in water! lol.)

This is a good link for her to check out.

http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/tampon.html

I don't think there is much of a way to get around using a tampon for gymnastics... Even during gym class in high school, I had huge issues with leaking any time I was using a pad. I can't imagine what it would be like with the much more intense gymnastics competition!

Calm her down about her fears of tampons.

There is really nothing else out there, that will give her the proper protection and not show.. Even the thinnest pads will show.. or could slip..

Work with her even when she is not on her period, to find the tampon she does feel comfortable using.

The Tampax company will even send her a sample pack for her to work with..

Our daughter was pretty young when she started.. after the first month, she told me she was "done with pads" and "wanted to learn how to use the tampons".. I stood outside of the bathroom door and gave her very explicit and detailed instructions.. She caught on really fast and has not had any problems..

funny thing, in College. there were lots of young women there that they were never taught about how to use tampons.. so our daughter was the person they turned to for help. So she would stand outside of the stalls and give them the same instructions i had given her..

She said many of them had been told by their mothers.. "Only a married woman can use a tampon!" Amazing..

Why don't you just have her use a Diva Cup? I mean, yes, there's a learning curve, but it's by far better than a pad or tampon. My daughter is very serious about ballet, and although she hasn't started her period yet, she had me buy her a Diva (well, we bought a different brand that is a bit smaller, and came in a purple color instead of just the clear ;).

The reason my daughter is even thinking of this is that she has a friend in her ballet class who had her period during their Summer Intensive program (when they're dancing 8+ hours per day), and for whatever reason was wearing pads instead of a tampon or diva cup. Anyway, this poor girl had a terrible leak that ran all the way down her pink tights to her shoes, and she had to run out of the class (that a male teacher was teaching, eeek!), and change her entire outfit. Let's just say that that experience seems to have scarred that poor girl for life, and she now wears tampons.

Perhaps you could explore with your daughter the reasons she's afraid of tampons or a diva cup, and ask how she feels about a pad inevitably leaking (gymnastics requires as much movement as ballet, if not more!), and what she would do, how she would feel if that happened. Frankly, as a mom, I'd just do what I could to save her from that embarrassment up front. Just my two cents!

The easiest I found to use are OB. They don't have an applicator so you can get them where they belong.
The first time I used a tampon was a family get together. I went to change into my swim suit and "surprise". A relative gave me one so I could swim while my clothes were washed and dryed and I did not miss out while everyone else swam. I had no real instructions but it was pretty straight forward. I have gotten ones with applicators when I needed to bum one in a pinch and I end up taking it out of the applicator and inserting it like the OBs. Those applicators are daunting and make it look so much bigger than it is.

The tampax website recommends the Tampax Pearl Lites for first time users. And the U by Kotex Teen are also slender and smooth.

I use Kotex Ultra Thin pads and they are pretty good about not showing, but the closest thing I wear to the tightness of a leotard is yoga pants. Maybe you could ask some of the older girls or one of the female coaches if they have any suggestions.

Wow, what a tough situation! I would get her Kotex pads with wings so that she has that added protection. I don't think anyone would be able to see anything. If they do, they shouldn't be--they are looking too hard! Best wishes---Maybe you could call the coach and ask them what they suggest?

I didn't read the replies, but what about reusable pads (if even for JUST during gymnastics?)

They are cloth, more comfy than the disposables, and the colors could closely coordinate or match the leotard. They're also a bit more tapered, so the outline would not be as likely to show.

I'm thinking something like this, but if you're handy with a sewing machine, you could make your own too.

http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&am...

I worry about this too! My daughter is 13, also a competitive gymnast and hasn't started yet (I didn't start until 14 and they say it's fairly genetic.)
I DO plan to show her how to use the little tampons. If she's not comfortable with that I plan to go to the coaches. They have been so awesome with everything else I'm sure they'll have great advice there, too :)
Good luck, PLEASE let us know how it goes!

I recently picked up a pack of pads for the first time in years and MAN have they changed!

I'd STILL recommend helping her get past her fear of tampons (maybe just get a box of super slim ones and leave it in the bathroom for her to TRY inserting when SHE feels like it).

That being said, I'd think, for this particular issue, a pad WITHOUT wings is best, but might be hard to find. Always Infinity is SO thin and has the texture of moisture wicking sportswear (think UnderArmor meets maxi-pad).

I'd also recommend that she head to the restroom just before she competes, clean herself, change her pad, and check that everything is in it's place so she isn't stressed about what it will look like when she pulls off her warm-up pants.

Really? If leotards are the way they used to be, there is no way a pad won't show. I was a competitive gymnast, and wouldn't have dreamed of wearing a pad under a leotard.

I still remember learning how to put in a tampon, and it was definitely difficult at first. But I think your daughter needs to know, before she decides that she's too afraid to try a tampon, that her pad is probably going to show. Try it on with the leotard and let her see. If she wants to compete during her period, she just might want to start learning how to put a tampon in.

Never heard of the Diva cup that Catherine mentioned, but that might be worth a try.