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The tween years are full of physical changes thanks to the onset of puberty. Most girls will get their first period by the age of 12. Sometimes that first period can be surprising or even a little embarrassing but having the right feminine hygiene products can definitely help. While some girls feel more comfortable with pads, others tweens might be ready or interested in trying tampons.
The first time using a tampon can be a bit awkward, so helping your daughter find the best tampon for a tween is really important. She needs to feel comfortable as she figures things out. Read on for some mom-tested and doctor-approved advice for helping your tween find the right tampon.
The first time using a tampon can be a bit awkward, so helping your daughter find the best tampon for a tween is really important. She needs to feel comfortable as she figures things out. Read on for some mom-tested and doctor-approved advice for helping your tween find the right tampon.
Preparing for tampons
It can be helpful to talk to your tween about her menstrual product options before she gets her first period. Jennifer L., a mom of a 12-year-old girl in St. Paul, Minnesota, shares that “long before her period started, we had many different supplies in a drawer. We talked about all of them and she was ready and confident. She went right to tampons. The key influence for her was that the older girls in her sport mostly use tampons, so she had heard a lot about it and that was what was normalized for her.”
In addition to talking about the pros and cons about tampons in advance, it can also be helpful to make sure your tween understands her reproductive anatomy and that inserting a tampon is a hands-on experience. If you haven’t already had a talk about reproductive health and how her system works, now is the time!
Explore other options
Every body is different, so it can be helpful to buy small boxes of several different brands of tampons and styles, so your tween can experiment with finding the one that works best. It’s a smart idea to have both applicator and non-applicator options, as well as some slender or junior-size choices. No matter what style options you offer, it is best to avoid tampons that are heavily scented, as these can cause irritation or disrupt the pH balance of the vagina.
Advice for the first time
Using tampons for the first time can involve a little trial and error, so encourage your tween to experiment at a time when she isn’t in a rush to get to school or a swim meet. Remind her to wash her hands well beforehand and to try to relax as much as possible. A hand-held mirror can be helpful so she can see what she is doing.
“You can also give her a small bottle of lube to keep with her tampons. A little drop of two can make inserting a tampon surprisingly easy,” shares Heather J., a mother of 11-year-old twin girls. You can also let her know that if one tampon doesn’t feel comfortable, there is no reason not to take it out and try another one instead.
Tampon safety for tweens
If your tween decides to use tampons, you’ll want to make sure she understands the importance of safe hygiene practices. Most experts, including the FDA, recommend changing tampons every four to eight hours, and reducing the risk for toxic shock syndrome by not using tampons that are more absorbent than needed. She should feel confident to know that tampons are safe to use when used correctly.
