My 10-yr-old is a competitive swimmer and recently started her period. What is she supposed to do during swim practice (one very active hour/day) and swim meets? She is really opposed to the idea of wearing a tampon, and I'm not sure I want to encourage that yet anyways. I have read that flow slows/stops when swimming; its that logical? I really don't think its reasonable for her to sit out for a 3-4 days every month.
An aside: I have no idea why she started her period so early. (I was 13-14.) She is an active, normal weight, average height girl. She eats most of her meals at home that I prepare, often with locally-grown organic beef and chicken. We buy conventional dairy. However, she isn't a big dairy consumer (not an avid cereal eater). She does get a sweet treat per day, but is physically active and definitely normal weight. We don't live near a lot of heavy industry. She lost all her baby teeth early. and has her 12-year molars, so her early development (except for height!) has been across the board.
Thanks for your sensitive thoughts, ladies. My daughter is so dismayed by this new change, and the swimming situation makes it much worse. For her first meet, we are going to put a pad on in between events. Maybe the annoyance of that will encourage her to consider tampons more seriously. Meantime, I'll go see what the drugstore has. If girls are really starting at 11 these days, I hope the personal care industry has also evolved. Thank you again.
I started my period at age 10 - and I am old enough that there were NO hormones in anything I ate or dranks. Sometimes, it just happens.
I think OB makes some smaller tampons that might work for her. I recall some itty bitty ones that I started using in my teens. I used pads when I was 10, but I didn't swin competively.
p.s. I stopped growing when my period started. I am ~ 5' - 5'1".
She is going to have to wear a tampon. She won't have any problems while in the pool (a pool of blood will not come out), but when she is out of the water, she will bleed.
They make slender tampons just for teens. I agree that she is very young, but I think that giving up swimming, or sitting out for 1 week every month would probably be worse for her than using a tampon.
Let her decide if she wants to use it. I bet she will be just fine.
First, the flow doesn't STOP just because your swimming. Well, that's what I was told a couple of years ago by my considerable older gyn. She said it may not be a heavy gush that is noticable, but it IS ABSOLUTELY there and at the very least trickling out! Thinking about this issue may have changed since then, but that said, it is a public safety issue for everyone, not to mention very gross. Do you want to swim in water with someone who isn't using flow protection? No offense intended.
Give her the choice (after discussion with a gyn, of course) to use flow protection (tampon, diva cup or something similar) or have her sit out.
edit: Somehow I missed your 'so what happened'. Sorry! You know, it may be easier for her smaller frame to use the OB type tampons where she's not trying to manuver cardboard or plastic. Plus, they tend to be shorter but wider so it may not be so uncomfortable if she has a shorter 'canal' (for lack of a better or more educated word, again, sorry, I drew a blank!).
I started at 9, and was on swimteam. ((My family on both sides are fast growers... typically reaching full height and physical maturity by 12/13... which means periods and wetdreams by age 9-10))
I just used a slender tampon. The hymen pulls away during your period... so insertion is pretty easy. The single biggest trick is the whole 'insert ALL the way, then plunge' thing... or it makes it *super* uncomfortable.
And no... bloodflow doesn't usually stop when swimming. Take it from the girl who has seen others with the "cloud" trailing out behind them. Poor things. And one girl was passing clots. The whole pool had to get shut down. Talk about mortifying. The thing is... with a tampon inserted... there's a diffusion issue that tends to keep the blood upward when you're in the water. But when you go to change it the next one (on dry land) fills "super fast"... because the blood had largely pooled upward. Just like sleeping. Most of the time people are "light" when they sleep... except for when they're NOT!!!! Which you don't want to find out in a pool.
she will need to wear a tampon, there really is no other way around it because a pad will just fill up with water and not hold the blood and she will have a trail of blood following her. just have her try them at home and let her get used to them and make sure she is putting them in the right way and just get the light tampons
Kids are starting their cycles earlier and earlier. I started mine at 11 (22 years ago) but my mom started hers at 16. Anyway- I was a competitive swimmer in school -- unfortunately, I would have her do the tampons (they make slim, light or junior that should work best for her age group as that is what I used back then). Though the flow MAY stop while swimming, not 100% of our swim practices used to be in the pool -- standing in lines, sitting on benches, etc. -- and it will FLOW during those times. The most embarassing thing would be for her to stand up off a bench and have blood on the bench under her. To this day, I do triathlons, etc. and have had my period during a few plus training....my flow does NOT completely stop while swimming as I can put a tampon in before swimming and take it out after and it does have some blood on it plus we all know there are heavier days and lighter days as well. Best wishes....I am glad I have a few more years before I have to deal with this myself (my only daughter is 3.5 -- I have 2 son as well -- 2 and one on the way)....
The average age for girls getting their period these days is 11. One generation ago, the average was 13. There is no scientific conclusive reason why this is true, only speculation.
Bleeding does not stop during swimming, it just gets washed away in the water. But there will be time waiting between swimming events, that your daughter would be embarrassed by bleeding.
10 year-olds can wear tampons, there is nothing physically preventing this. Playtex makes a slender lite tampon with plastic applicator that would be a good choice for a young girl.
Please don't let this prevent your daughter from swimming. I ended up stopping swimming lessons (that I loved) because I got my period at 13 and my mother knew nothing about tampons.
Some of the diva cup type products have really small sizes. It's been a while since I was looking at them, so I don't remember, but there have been many posts on them here. Maybe something like that, that she wouldn't have to mess with at school would be more comfortable, and you may be able to help her to some extent with it at home until she is comfortable. I just recently switched to these and love it! (Not to mention the money you save, and the wear and tear on the environment! Her health, too?) Good luck! 10 seems so young to have to be so responsible!
I started my period when I was 10. My mother also started when she was 10. Sometimes an early period doesn't mean there is a hormone imbalance or she drank the wrong kind of milk.
Using a tampon for the first time is scary and stressful. It took me a few tries to figure it out. I wish you and your daughter the best of luck.
Hi--
I didn't read the other responses, but I just wanted to throw something in. I tried using a tampon the first time (I was 12) when I didn't have my period just to see how to put it in and make sure I was doing it right. In the process I broke my hymen--just something to consider so she is prepared for that!
Oh, and my grandmother got her period at age 10 before soy, hormones in beef, etc---sometimes it just happens :-)
J.
bleeding does not stop just because you are in water. while under other circumstance i wouldnt normally reccomend a 10 year old to wear a tampon, if she wants to be able to participate in swim practices/meets, she will have to wear a tampon during those times. Maybe just have her use them during swim and at other times, just use a pad. even if you (or her) dont find it appropriate to be using tampons at her age, it is a matter of heakth and hygiene for others as well. she's not the only one in that pool! and i certainly would not want to be in a pool(or my child) with someone who was just leaking out everywhere because a pad will immediately fill up with water and wont absorb the blood. its just gross. im sorry if that comes off rude, im not trying to be i just want you to see that side too.
Updated
bleeding does not stop just because you are in water. while under other circumstance i wouldnt normally reccomend a 10 year old to wear a tampon, if she wants to be able to participate in swim practices/meets, she will have to wear a tampon during those times. Maybe just have her use them during swim and at other times, just use a pad. even if you (or her) dont find it appropriate to be using tampons at her age, it is a matter of heakth and hygiene for others as well. she's not the only one in that pool! and i certainly would not want to be in a pool(or my child) with someone who was just leaking out everywhere because a pad will immediately fill up with water and wont absorb the blood. its just gross. im sorry if that comes off rude, im not trying to be i just want you to see that side too.
I don't have official info, but my daugher (also 10) just had the nurse visit to their class to talk about periods and hygiene. The info that came home from the nurse for this said that they would not be talking about tampons because girls under 12 are not supposed to use them.
So according to this nurse, a 10 year old should not use them. That said, I would imagine if you talk to her pediatrician or a gyn, they may have info specific to her age/size, etc and may allow it with a certain brand or something. It may just be something that should be discussed on a case by case basis.
I was 10. It may be early, but it is also normal. I don't remember at what age I started using tampons, probably high school.
My 11-year-old daughter has the same situations (She is also a swimmer) and is also opposed to tampons. I have respected her decision.
Why don't you talk to the coach? I am sure it will not be the first time he(?) has faced such questions. Maybe she can do dry land workouts, some kind of cross training, on those days? It has not been my experience that bleeding stops while swimming.
I was a swimmer and started my period at age 12. My mom made it really easy by making it not a big deal to wear a tampon. 10 might be harder but I don't know. We used the slender ones and my mom helped me the first few times, then it was easy. Otherwise she would be better to stay out of the water.....blood flow does NOT stop while swimming.
My daughter found the Playtex Sport ones the easiest to insert. I also bought a small tube of KY jelly lubricant. The puts a drop on the end of the tampon. The tampax cardboard tubes were to slippery to grip and then push with blood and lubricant on them. The Playtex Sport ones have a better indent to hold and it has some pattern on it to keep it from slipping when wet with blood. We got out the American Girl Taking Care of You Body Book with the page about tampons, and she was able to get one in herself. She went through several boxes the first time since she would try to get one in and it would not work and be a bit bloody (she has super heavy flow for which the doctor finally recommended ibuprofin around the clock for the first 24-48 hours which helped wonders) and then she would throw it out and start with a fresh one. But it was worth it to me to spend some money so she could figure it out. We bought every brand in the "light flow" and she liked the Playtex Sport ones.
Early development is due to hormone imbalances. Sometimes these can be traced back to abnormal levels /output of certain hormones. You should DEFINITELY take her to a endocrinologist and have all her hormones checked. High or low levels have a definite effect on body organs and life span.
There are lots of reasons some girls develop early. Every body is different, and it may simply be "normal." On the other hand, there can be contributing factors. Studies have shown that soy formula causes girls to go through puberty early; hormones through dairy products and meat; hormones in our drinking water--you name it, there's probably a speculation somewhere. In the end, it doesn't really matter as long as our girls are healthy. :)
