Ahh tampons. We love them, we hate them and we need them to keep us leak free every month. I am a huge fan of using menstrual cups, but every now and then I will switch things up and use organic tampons like Kali on my cycle.
Tampon commercials make menstruating seem like a walk through a field of sunflowers. They also make it seems as though tampons are incredibly simple to use. Uh no!
Even though tampons are still the most popular choice for women to use during their period, they can be tricky. And if you are a regular user, you will all at some point experience a little tampon trouble.
Here are 7 mistakes you will likely make with your tampon while on your period:
You won’t insert the tampon far enough
We all know what this feels like. A tampon that is stuck in the shallow end of your vagina feels incredibly uncomfortable. This usually happens when the vagina is dry, or when you are stressed and tensing up down there. Even if you insert the tampon far enough, it can work its way down when there is nothing for the tampon to absorb. Often when this happens you can see or feel the bottom end of it sticking out. It may hurt when you pull it out – mainly because tampons are designed to expand inside of your body.
I know, it sounds pretty blah.
But the main thing to remember is not to reinsert the same tampon into your body – start fresh. Give your body a few minutes to flow in between tampon changes – it will be ok, I promise 🙂
You won’t wash your hands BEFORE you insert the tampon
Most women wash their hands after inserting their tampon (I hope) but, many of us won’t think to sanitize our hands before using a tampon. Even if you are using an applicator, you can prevent contamination from happening before it gets to your V. Now your lady parts are self-cleaning, but they don’t need to fight off some random infection from when you picked up your kid’s toys.
You will forget to change your tampon every 4-8 hours
You know what a moist, overripe tampon makes? A warm cozy hub for bacteria. Change that b’!
You will forget you have a tampon in completely
This has not happened to me personally. I can always feel those things no matter how comfy the brand is. But I have spoken with a few women who have – some who have even mistaking had sex with the tampon still inserted! That could literally cause a medical emergency, so please ladies, if you are forgetful you need to set an alarm on your phone. It will save you a lot of trouble.
You won’t “go with the flow” of your period
Your period, like life, goes through stages. You will have days that are lighter than others! Make sure you switch your tampon absorbency to match. The higher the absorbency, the higher your risk of getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS) so avoid using those big guys unless you really have to. Most menstrual cycles are heaviest on days 1-3, so plan accordingly.
You will fall asleep with your tampon in at night
This is a major no-no that all tampon users make at least once in their lives. It can lead to infection and will definitely piss your vagina off. Don’t let this be you.
You won’t change it after using the bathroom – particularly #2
If you are a regular tampon user than you already know that things can shift when you poop on your period. You also know that you have to remember to move the string out of harm’s way! Some women will change their tampon after going to the bathroom, either because they experience discomfort with the feeling of a wet string or because they’re concerned about the odor of urine. It really is a personal choice. However, if your tampon string happens to come in contact with your poop and rubs against the genitals, it can pose a higher risk for a genital bacterial infection. So yea, better to just play it safe, ladies.
A final tip just for you:
Inserting a tampon properly can be tricky, but it shouldn’t hurt. When in the right position, you really shouldn’t fell much at all. Everyone has different reactions to different brands, so make sure you experiment and find a brand (and size) that works.