When Is the Right Time? - Santa Rosa,CA

My daughter was 11 years old when she started wearing tampons. She would wear pads at night and wake up with blood all on her pjs and the sheets. She was a wild sleeper. I told her she can not sleep on her stomach or her back when she is on her period. She tried sleeping on her side but it did not work. I bought her Tampons for teens , they also come in slender size. It was the best decision for the both of us. I did have to show her how to put it in the first time and after that she was fine.

My 12 year old and her friends all use tampons. She's a cheerleader and a pad is too bulky. I help her remember when to change it so she doesn't forget. But she's good at remembering for herself anyway.

I explained to my daughter as soon as her periods became regular enough to make it worth while. I think she was maybe 14 by that time. For most girls, tampons are easy and comfortable to use, especially if they use the ones with plastic applicators, which are easy to slide in.

However, they do need fairly specific guidance--I remember we were on a camping trip with some of her friends, and they had so many questions for me, because their moms had just tossed them the box and walked away.They wanted to know everything about how it should feel once properly placed, to whether to leave the applicator in (!)to how to know when it's time to change the tampon.

Hi R.- My mother introduced tampons to us right after we started our periods. Pads were just so gross and messy, and hard to keep a girl fresh and clean, especially in Jr. High.
I reccommend using a product called insteads. You can get them at the drug store. Target used to carry them, but it's hit and miss. Anyway, you cannot get TSS from them, and they warm and soften and shape to the inside of your body.
If your girls are going to use tampons, start with the smallest or light flow and don't go above the medium ones until they can read their own body's signs. Mine, for example, actually pushes the tampons out when the flow is too low for what I have in their. Gross, I know, but you can actually start to feel ill when you have the wrong one in their, and removing it clears everything up. I actually alternate between kotex pads (they are cotton, not plastic like always, and they are much softer and less odorous), tampons, and insteads. It just depends on how your body is doing. I also reccommend that if they drink soda, they stop, if they eat alot of junk food, they really watch their intake.
Brighter, thinner blood is a sign of a healthy body and a healthy period. They are usually shorter, too. I notice about how I feel and can actively compare it to my diet and my period. Just things to keep in mind.
As far as age, I was 11 when I started my period, and tampons were just the fix. I used them on my second period. My sister, however, did not like them for the longest time and used pads until she was in her late teens.
Buy small boxes, see what they prefer. Ob's are kind of messy, but work great. The cardboard applicators- you have to be pretty smooth with those, and the plastic applicators- I find that brand doesn't always matter, but the ones with the thinner "handle" are easier to insert while the ones that are "one size" on the handle have more absorbency and more cottom.
I hope this helps
Good luck
And don't be afraid to be bold and blunt with your girls about the ups and downs. If it's not a big deal to you, it'll just be another feminine issue to cover.
Last thought, about the diet, etc., I have noticed that my PMS is far less and I am able to get a handly on myself. The cramps are not any better or worse, but my mental state is. =)
-E. M

Hi R.,

I don't have a little girl and I don't really know the anwer to your question, but reading through your responses one thing came to my mind. It seems the biggest worry is that your daughter needs to understand how frequently to change it to prevent TSS. Have you heard of a menstrual cup? I hated tampons and bought a menstrual cup about two years ago. I love it. They are easier to insert, reusable and don't have the risks of TSS because they aren't absorbent. I have a miacup and a divacup and I love them both. They can be worn for up to twelve hours, so your daughter wouldn't have to worry about emptying it at school unless she had a very heavy flow. I've found that my periods are shorter and more comfortable since having the cup and I don't have to worry about the nasty chemicals from tampons going into my body. If you have more questions, feel free to contact me. Good luck!

-H.

I don't know the clinically correct answer but I NEVER used a pad, ever. The first time I got my period my mom showed me a tampon and how to use it and I am forever grateful that I have never had to go through the mess of a pad and that I only ever had 1 choice and that was to learn to use a tampon. The only tip I would suggest is making sure that your daughter understands to change it often so that she doesn't get TSS, I didn't know about it when I was younger and I should have. Have her read the pamphlet that comes with the tampons.

I personally started using them right away. I took ballet classes everyday and wearing a pad just didn't work...ewwww. Plus I swam in the summer a lot. I never asked, just started using them. No one ever noticed and I ended up finding out that the only reason some girls weren't using them is because they couldn't fit them in (and still can't as adults).

Using a tampon was cleaner and easy to hide when you went to the bathroom, so hence less embarrassing moments & teasing from the boys. Bringing a purse/backpack with you to the bathroom just screamed what you would be doing. A tampon you can palm or stick in a pocket.

If I was a mother to a girl, I would have her use them right away. I never saw what the big deal was...

Hi R.. I think it's dependent upon the circumstances. For most young women a pad is fine. However, with an extremely athletic girl a tampon is much more convenient for them and makes them feel more confident that they won't have leaks. My 13-year old is in a pre-professional ballet program and she started wearing a tampon almost immediately as it was the only way she could really continue dancing during her period with confidence. With her rehearsal schedule it was not feasible for her to sit it out for a week or so as the entire ballet company depended upon her being there and ready to participate. I was able to help instruct her on proper usage and it has worked out wonderfully for her. Even if your daughter is not involved in athletic pursuits, I think it would be a choice that she should be able to make if it's right for her.

yeah..I don't know about that....though I know I started my period at age 11 in the summertime and I was devastated that I could not swim....I remember it was very embarrassing for me as my mom taught me how to use a tampon...but that day when I got to swim, all of that went away and I had my summer freedom back.

I would say..if it's not in the summer, don't worry about it till then.

I think you should give them at least 6 months to "see" how much flow is normal for them and what their period is like.
We can track a lot of health issues by our periods, when they come, and how heavy they are.

You've got a lot of great answers and I just had my 12 yr. old step-daughter(she lives with us) ask to wear tampons, I asked my SIL what she thought and she said no she wasn't ready yet.

But reading your responses have kind of eased my mind and maybe her wearing tampons is not such a big deal as I thought. She got her period at age 9 and it regulated by age 10 1/2. So technically she's had it regular for a over a year.

I think it has to do with responsibility and if your daughter is responsible enough to remember to change her tampon. With my SD we are not quite there yet, she still has to be reminded to bring her pads to school with her and places she goes when on her period.

For me, when it came to the fact that I wanted to swim in the summer and once in high shcool I had swimming for P.E. I was wearing them by age 14.

I am 55, and used tampons from the very beginning. I thought pads were yucky. Had no problems.

I never really introduced the tampon to my oldest girl (who is now almost 14) and one day she was telling me how she went swimming at her dad's house. I asked her how she did that when she was on her period and she told me she used a tampon. I was totally shocked because I have never discussed how to use them or anything. She said it took her a half hour to figure it out and she has used them a couple of times and usually only for swimming. She was 13 when she used it for the first time. I think it's great your willing to discuss this with your girl. Even if you don't, I think the girls find out how to use them when they are ready :-)

My opinion would be if she is having periods then she is old enough for a tampon. Make sure you talk to her about the importance of changing it frequently and about toxic shock syndrome. I would advise using pads at night time though. I was actually at the beach when I started my period at the age of 13, so I started using them from the start. I hope this helps.

I think it is an individual decision. My daughter started mentruating late in her 12 yr old year. She wore pads until she was 13 and a half then started using tampons. The girl has to be mature enough to keep track of the anmount of time she leaves it in.

I have 4 girls and the right time is when they are ready. There's a great book in the American Girl series, The care and Keeping of you: The Body Book for Girls. You can find it at most libraries or purchase it any book store. It talks about their hair, skin and a young women's menstrual cycle. It even walks them through on how to use tampons and much more. My daughters loved it and I've recommended it to friends and their girls loved it too. The key is for them to read it alone and if they feel comfortable talking to you then they know they can go to Mom with questions.

as soon as she wants I asked my mom on my first period, she didn't want me to but I was a swimmer and demanded it. we read the pamplet together about tss, changing it every four hours, how to dispose of it properly(not flushing septic tank) and pads at night. Then at sixteen I did the same for a friend of mine. I hope this helps...

I think it's neither age nor maturity but preference. Many younger girls find the idea of tampons 'icky' and would rather stick with pads, but there's certainly no reason a girl can't use tampons right from the get-go.

I agree that there is no reason to delay using tampons. Since it sometimes takes a little doing to learn how to get them in so they are comfortable, and you want to reassure your daughter that that adjustment time is usual, the sooner the better..then she can develop her own style and what suits her best..both my daughters used them from the beginning.

R.,
I asked my OB that same question. She said it is good to have a few periods first. That way they know what to expect and how things will go, what to use when etc.
W. M.

When i started my period, I started using a tampon. I was a dancer and there was no way I was going to rig a pad inside my leotard :-) I actually only used regular with applicators for my first cycle, then I switched to the OBs because that's what my mom used.

If they are comfortable with it they can use a tampon as soon as they begin menstruating.

If your daughter is in sports (swimming,ect...) you may want to start her with tampons sooner. I think it saves at lot of embaressment using tampons, I still recall horrible situations in gym class when I was young.

R.,
Hi...I also asked myself this question a few months ago. I found that the girl in question didn't feel comfortable using them yet (she is almost 14).She just didn't feel comfortable..& I didn't want her to feel pressured to.
When I was this age a friend of mine used tampons so I tried it. I did not like the feeling either(at the time).I didn't try again until after I had a child. Then I had No problem. Prior to this (even when using small ones) I always had a pressure that was very uncomfortable. I had thought for a long time that I just wasn't inserting them properly....I was, it was just that I was that small, and since I had not yet expierenced sex, I was too dry.....
I hope that wasn't too much info.....
I did notice that the girl(daughter's best friend) had no trouble talking to me about it but was rather embarrassed actually trying them. I told her I would purchase a couple different one's & IF she ever wanted to try them, they were there for her. I explained how they are used,and that it may be easier for her on the 2nd day(when flow is not so light) etc....She still uses pads for now but knows if she wants to try a tampon she has access to them.
This was more info then my mom ever gave me & more than her mom was willing to talk about, so I hope it will help her?
Not usre if I answered your question or not???
Hope it all works out for you, the mom's here are the best!