Periods Q&A

Here's a bit of happy news: Period Fairy has over 10k views! Yay! I'm so happy about this because it means more people are breaking the cycle, asking questions, reading about other people's experiences and getting in the know! Go you guys and gals! And seriously, thank you.

Today? Q&A! DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional in the field of health care.
Let's get started, yeah?

 

Tampons

Q: Hi... It's my first time using tampons... I can't figure out of I'm doing it right or not... I try to push it in.. But it hurts to much.... What should I do?
A:  I would ask first, in what position are you trying to insert the tampon? It is best to do it on the toilet or while standing with one leg up, say with your foot propped on the toilet seat. Relax as best you can, and insert the tampon gently (If your hymen is still intact, don't be afraid to add a little more pressure--you'll still be a virgin, I promise.) at a forty five degree angle. Your fingers should be on the grip part of the applicator. Push in until your fingers touch your skin. If the tampon is all the way in, you should not be able to feel it. Make sure the string dangles out. Again, the more relaxed you are, the less discomfort or pain you will feel. Try doing some relaxing breathing exercises first.

Q:  I was 11 when I started my period and tried tampons at 12. I felt really sick and passed out, so now I don't use them. I want to use them to make it easier for me when I play sports but I don't feel confident enough. Any tips? My mum said I could try wearing one when I'm not on my period to get used to it, but idk if that will work. 
A:  I would not recommend trying a tampon while you're not on your period for one reason: When you pull the tampon out later, it may cause vaginal discomfort and extra dryness.
Here's my question to you: Are there certain days of your period when you feel most woozy or sick to your stomach? Avoid testing tampons on those days. Wait until a day on your period when you feel your best. The most important thing you can do is relax. Give yourself a good chunk of time in the bathroom to completely relax your body and mind and then give it a try. Remember to push in at an angle towards your lower back and push it in until your fingertips touch your body.

Q: Hi! I am 12 and started my first period 4 days ago! I am very scared of tampons, and I cannot buy any lite ones from Tesco- can I just use regular- or will it hurt too bad?
A: Regular ones won't hurt you as long as you have a steady flow of blood. My advice would be to avoid using them if you're only spotting. Remember to relax and follow the instructions when you put it in to avoid discomfort.

Pro sources:
Painful Insertion
Video: How to Insert Tampon 
Not a good idea to use a tampon while not on your period.  


Social Situations

 Q:  I need a little advice. So I've read everything and I think the most reasonable place to keep tampons at school is your locker. But the thing is, at my school we all go into each others lockers to write on each others marker boards and use the mirrors and stuff so it would be hard to discreetly hide one there. Another problem is that my locker is right in front of the classroom (like you can see it clearly from inside the classroom) so if I ask to go to the bathroom everyone would see me go to my locker (they're creepy like that) and someone would definitely say something. I know you say to not be embarrassed about it, but I cant help it I'm just kinda shy.
A: I understand why you may feel shy about it! It's still a bit of a taboo, and other people can make it awkward. If you do want to be discreet about it, you could reach into your locker and take the tampon up into your sleeve while your sleeve is still in the locker. Then you could take out a tin of mints or a pack of gum, making sure that is done in plain view. People will think you stopped there for that reason. Or how about a purse or deep pockets?

Pro source: 
Using period products at school.  

Diva Cup (Answers provided by Heavan, guest author of the Diva Cup review)

Q: If you have to change your Diva Cup in a public bathroom, how do you go about rinsing it out before you reinsert the cup? 
A: When it comes to a public bathroom, I always take a paper towel that's wet with me into the bathroom so that once I dump it, I can wipe it out.

Q: What if your flow is heavy? How do you protect yourself while you rinse out the cup?
A: Diva Cup is made for heavy flows! There's no need to worry about it falling out or leaking. However, if you're worried, you can always wear a liner, and to clean yourself up, UbyKotex makes these amazing wet naps for your vagina! They have saved me so many times!

Pro sources:
The Diva Cup Q&A 

That's it for today, you crazy cats! Bring on more questions! Don't be shy. Ask me in the comments, on Facebook, Tweet me @Je55ieMullin5 or email me at jessie(dot)mullins5(at)gmail(dot)com. 

Reminder: Submission for the Period Fairy Mascot Contest ends 11:59 pm October 31, 2013! Click here for countdown, contest rules, and more details.

  
   

My First Time Using a Tampon

I was in tenth grade when I used my first tampon. I explained in this post why it was at this point I wanted to go from wearing pads to using tampons. I mulled it over for a while before I decided to use them, weighing whether or not it was worth the risk of TSS to have comfort and to feel clean. If you follow the link above, I talk about all the pros and cons there. I finally decided...Yup! Tampons.

Tampons are my friends! So cute. I want one...

I was at Walmart with my parents when I bought them. I remember saying, "I need some feminine products." Back then I was so shy about periods and thought that was less weird-sounding than, "I need some tampons."

My dad said, "What do you mean? Like makeup?"

I was mortified. And then, to make it worse, my mom said, "No, I think she means pads." 

"No," I said, "I want to try tampons this time." I also wanted to die from embarrassment because I had to say the word out loud. (Boohoo, right?)

But wait, there's more! My mom got all weird, and was like, "Do you know how to...you have to..."

"Ahh! Stop talking about it!" I said. "I'll figure it out."

And I did because the box of tampons I bought--Tampax Pearl--came with instructions (as does every box in every brand, so far as I know).


Thing is...I didn't put my first tampon in all the way. So when I stood up afterward and walked around, I could feel it. That's not supposed to happen.

And it freaked me out so much I passed out in the kitchen.

That's not even the worst part.

My boyfriend was over that day. Yup. Which, I mean, wouldn't even be a bad thing if it weren't for the following few minutes.

My mom found me on the kitchen floor, seconds after I passed out, and asked me what happened. Because I didn't wan to give her the secret real answer, I mumbled something about my period.  

She walked me into the living room and told me to lie down. My boyfriend sat down next to me and asked if I was okay just at the same moment his mom knocked on my door. I don't remember why. But she came in and saw that I looked awful and asked what was wrong. Then my mom chimed in with, "Oh, it's just woman stuff. We won't mention it in front of Gary." Gary being my boyfriend. And I know she was trying to be discreet for my sake, but I'd rather she just said it outright because the obvious secrecy was so...embarrassing. Like..duh! He knows what you mean by that. And then she said, "Maybe Gary should go home since Jessie's not feeling well."

And he left.

I'm over it now. Obviously, or I wouldn't be sharing. 

If you're unsure how to insert a tampon, like I was, here's an instructional video by U by Kotex:





Was your first time using a tampon easy or does your story sound like mine? Leave a comment below or email Period Fairy at jessie(dot)mullins5(at)gmail(dot)com!

Lots of love,
Jessie
@Je55ieMullin5