WAG Menstrual protection and the young teen?

[Anna's_Mom]

OK everyone, I need recommendations. I have an 11 year old gymnast who shows every sign of starting her period very soon. What do you recommend for practice and meets? She seems so young (and tiny) for tampons, but won't pads show/move? Gym does not allow shorts and discourages underwear for practice and really discourages it for meets. For those of you who have gone before me on this one, suggestions? Helpful hints? Reassurance?

 

[bogwoppit]

http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/threads/periods-and-competitions.47006/


Lots of threads on the subject.

Welcome to the chalkbucket and to being the mother of a hormonal preteen.

 

[wheezy]

Time to wear panties.
Some girls just don't go to practice the first day, or wear shorts. For meets some girls just wear the panty liner and change between every rotation. Advil for aches and pains.
growing up is hard.

 

[gymmomx2]

Does the gym not allow shorts for anyone? At our gym, some of the younger girls don't wear shorts but pretty much anyone over 10 years old wears shorts.

 

[roll123]

Can bar shorts be worn at a meet?

 

[bogwoppit]

Can bar shorts be worn at a meet?

Under FIG rules they can as long as they are made from the same fabric as the leo. But USAG does not follow these rules. Not sure where you live, but most countries, other than the US, follow FIG.

 

[MILgymFAM]

My dd refused tampons, and I wouldn't force that issue, ever. Instead she wears pads and we bought her GK leotard briefs for under her leo. She wears slim teen pads and we haven't had a problem. Shorts were not allowed at her gym.

 

[kandkfunk]

Pads are so much thinner than they used to be that it really isn't an issue. My DD wore pads for 5 years while training and competing, even during competitions. She didn't start wearing tampons until she quit at age 16. However, her coaches required puberty age girls to always wear undergarments and shorts were allowed. She never had to adhere a pad directly to her leo. I would ask some of the moms of older gymmies at your gym, if you feel comfortable doing that.

 

[teksquad]

Recommend the same as MILgymFAM- get the under-the-leo underwear (usually skin-toned, higher in the hip area, so it doesn't poke out of the leo) and wear a pad- a pad with wings can wrap around the leo underwear and stay secure, while being hidden by the leo itself. (-:

 

[teksquad]

..and be sure there are a few pads already in her meet bag, just in case... (-:

 

[wsg13]

I was 11 when I first got my period. I was so young and no way was a
Tampon going up there! We are allowed shorts in training thank god! So I always trained with a pad when I had my period. She could ask the coach for consideration but of course there will be questions from team mates.i was lucky enough not to hit period and comp on the same day till I was 12. For my first comp I wore a thin liner and changed it half way. Sadly the next time this happened my flow was a bit heavier so I started using tampons then.

 

[billise]

My gymmie DD is only 7 but my older DD is an 11 year old competitive swimmer. Her period started a couple of months after her 11th birthday. I had previously introduced her to tampons, so when her cycle actually came on I asked her if she wanted to try them. First few months she said no, I'm just not going to practice! But last month she approached me about trying a tampon. After walking her through how to use it, she now wonders why she didn't do it sooner.

 

[Ali'sMom]

My gymmie DD is only 7 but my older DD is an 11 year old competitive swimmer. Her period started a couple of months after her 11th birthday. I had previously introduced her to tampons, so when her cycle actually came on I asked her if she wanted to try them. First few months she said no, I'm just not going to practice! But last month she approached me about trying a tampon. After walking her through how to use it, she now wonders why she didn't do it sooner.

I've talked with DD about tampons already (she's 12 next month), and she was keen on the idea (if/when necessary), until a friend's older sister told the friend that she's too young, she'll get an infection..????? now DD says "no way!". I have explained that is incorrect, so I'm just hoping that by the time it happens, she's back to being cool with the idea.
Her luck, she will get it the first time at a meet.
(At States, I ran into a woman in the ladies room rinsing out her grand daugther's leo - JUST got her period for the first time. Light colored leo. Trying to dry it in the hand dryer. I wanted to cry for the little girl )

 

[dani4]

My gymmie DD is only 7 but my older DD is an 11 year old competitive swimmer. Her period started a couple of months after her 11th birthday. I had previously introduced her to tampons, so when her cycle actually came on I asked her if she wanted to try them. First few months she said no, I'm just not going to practice! But last month she approached me about trying a tampon. After walking her through how to use it, she now wonders why she didn't do it sooner.

I think it's great that you did this, and not all moms do... I was a competitive swimmer who quit after getting my period because I couldn't figure out how to get a tampon in and it was clear that my mom wasn't going to help me.. plus I was too ashamed to ask any of the other kids for help. It's one of my biggest regrets, that I quit over that. It took me years to figure out how to use a tampon on my own. I realized later that my mom bought me the biggest tampons out there- that was incredibly stupid, for a beginner you need to get the smallest ones possible. Try different kinds of applicators, if necessary! But I had no idea, I was young and didn't have my own money for that sort of thing anyway.

 

[billise]

I think it's great that you did this, and not all moms do... I was a competitive swimmer who quit after getting my period because I couldn't figure out how to get a tampon in and it was clear that my mom wasn't going to help me.. plus I was too ashamed to ask any of the other kids for help. It's one of my biggest regrets, that I quit over that. It took me years to figure out how to use a tampon on my own. I realized later that my mom bought me the biggest tampons out there- that was incredibly stupid, for a beginner you need to get the smallest ones possible. Try different kinds of applicators, if necessary! But I had no idea, I was young and didn't have my own money for that sort of thing anyway.

 

[billise]

Well that was a fail. I was trying to quote dani4

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. A lot of moms look at me like I'm crazy when I say I gradually started talking with my DD about periods when she was 8 years old and I started having her carry supplies in her backpack when she was 10. I just don't think there is any reason for girls to be caught off guard and/or embarrassed by this stuff.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Well that was a fail. I was trying to quote dani4

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. A lot of moms look at me like I'm crazy when I say I gradually started talking with my DD about periods when she was 8 years old and I started having her carry supplies in her backpack when she was 10. I just don't think there is any reason for girls to be caught off guard and/or embarrassed by this stuff.

I agree with you!

For the past year, if DD was going away without me, or we were going on vacation somewhere that we couldn't just run to a drug store, I've included a little makeup bag that had a few pads and even a couple of tampons in it.
We are the epitome of Murphy's Law, so I've always been convinced she will get it while away without me. I was truly surprised when she came home from gymnastics camp and HADN'T gotten it - LOL!

 

[LucyTRA]

A leo liner may be less likely to poke out than underwear (I got mine from a dance website for about £8, WAAAAY cheaper than the GK ones!) and would be fine with a pad inside. There has only ever been ONE occasion that I have noticed a girl was wearing anything when we were at training and someone just quietly told her and she went and fixed it. We're a pretty close bunch and nobody really cared.

You could suggest tampons to her but there is every chance that she will struggle to use them, so its good to have an alternative. I know the first time I had to use one there was pressure because I was supposed to go swimming - I didn't insert it properly and spent the rest of the party trying to avoid sitting down!!