How did you teach your daughter to use a tampon?

My dd is 13 and this is the 2nd summer I've tried. I've explained and explained. I've pulled up a diagram on the internet. I've gone over the packet in the box. She cannot get it.

The thought crossed my mind to go in with her and put it in for her - of course, I can't do that.

I'm frustrated, but she started this morning and we're leaving tomorrow for a vacation that will include a lot of swimming.... I want her to get it....today!

Lisa

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I would tell her to read the manual - that's how my DD learned. First she didn't put it in far enough, but she learned quickly .

Mine went through an entire box of the junior ones before she got it. I think that using the ones with the tapered ends -- like Playtex or Kotex -- are easier than the ones with blunt ends like Tampax. Mostly, it's just trial and error, I think -- once they get it, they have it, you know? I hope she gets it!

YouTube - How to Insert a Tampon

OMG, nightowl, that was great!!!

That youtube was interesting. My dd wanted to learn how to use tampon but never got the hang of it. She is 24 and has never used one. Maybe I scared her when they had the problems with them. I stopped using them when the problems happened.

wait til she's older? I'll never use another after having TSS

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My DD'd (14 & 15) & I were just talking about this today.

My DD (14) said they showed them how in Health class in 5th grade.

Maybe you could ask the nurse at your doctor's office to help

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I know I'm not supposed to answer since I'm a mom of boys...oops....but I think regular Tampax sux. They do not fit me now and they did not fit me as a young teenager. The pearl are much better. I second whoever recommended a tapered end and also a plastic applicator.

If it's the applicator that isn't working for her, she could try o.b.....but I think the whole idea of those probably grosses out a teenager.

cj/

I'm 25, and I can still only use the ob ones. I think the difference is that you can feel what you're doing, and push it as a far as it's meant to go (until it stops), rather than jabbing yourself. If she's open to the idea, I'd try a box of those. Tampax ones are REALLY long. I'd also reject the 'remove and try a new one' thing the instructions recommend, because that's just going to make her sore. If it's not in far enough, push it in farther.

I love the YouTube video, by the way.

I only liked the Playtex ones with plastic. There is one grooves that make it not slippery when pushing it in.
Much easier to handle.

I inserted my daughters once & now she can do it...

LMAO I remember in high school my mom never showed me how & I tried to wear one at school. I put in in before school & hated them, because they hurt so bad, I went thru 3 classes before I HAD to take it out because it hurt so bad. I didn't wear one again for years till my boyfried (whos's my husband now) wanted me to go swimming & actually inserted it in for me, ONLY THEN did I realize you were suppossed to take both cardboard pieces out....YES thats right I went thru 3 whole classes with the cardboard applicator still inside.

WARNING: This post contains the name of a fenmale body part, if ya don't like it STOP READING!


If she's tried the ones made for teens/slender with plastic applicator and still can't get one in, it maybe wouldn't hurt for you to help her. It may not be that she can't figure it out, but she can't fit one in. Her hymen could stopping her from being able to put it in with out it hurting really bad. Sometimes the hymens opening is really small, there's a piece of skin going across the middle, or there's a few small holes instead of one bigger one. So to get a tampon in it would be very uncomfortable and hurt (because she'd have to tear her hymen). If helping her isn’t an option, maybe suggest she use a mirror (or let you look) to see if this might be the problem. I know a couple girls that had this problem.


Having her try ob tampons is a great idea (if she‘ll try them). They’re smaller then any of the others and she can feel exactly where it is at. Maybe even try a little ky on the applicator (or her finger if using ob) a couple times and see if that helps any.

What has she said is causing her difficulty? Finding where to start or being able to insert it fully? Does she get it in and it is uncomfortable?

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I had problems because of the hymen. I couldn't get the tampon in far enough because of it (Tampax was all they had back then!)... and then it was extremely painful. I think I probably actually tore it in the process. This is something to discuss further with the girls. This is perhaps what makes it difficult and sometimes painful for a first-timer?! I don't know but that was surely the case for me.

I don't have daughters but I'm remembering my first time very vividly, ouch.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did buy the tapered plastic ones. I may have to give the OB a try.

She tried it again yesterday to no avail. I asked her if she wanted me to help her and she said no. I asked what the problem was and she said she didn't know. I asked if she was trying to put it in the right place and she said yes. I then asked if she was nervous and tightening up and maybe couldn't get it in? She said maybe.

I guess we'll take some with us on vacation and see if she can do it later if she wants to. I never thought about the hymen thing....hmmm.

I rarely wear them anymore myself. I just don't see how she can make it though her teenage summers without figuring it out, but maybe at this point, it would be better just to let it go. She'll figure it out sometime...maybe...if she really wants to!

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

My sister helped me the first time that I used a tampon. She stood inside the bathtub, with the shower curtain drawn to give me privacy, but she was there to answer any questions that I had without embarassing me. Show your daughter the mechanics of the tampon before she tries to insert it herself.
(If you haven't already done that) Make sure you buy the junior or slim-fit tampons for the first time. Also, plastic applicators slide in more easily than cardboard. If necessary, you could slightly moisten the outside of the plastic applicator to make it glide in more easily. Also, make sure that she is inserting it at the proper angle. That is very important. HTH

i agree with the above poster. see if she is at the right angle- maybe have her sit on the toilet and try to insert it or standing put one leg up on the side of the tub.

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