My Tampon Horror Story 💀🔪🩸

Having our monthly periods is always a hassle, especially when you’ve got beach day trips or swimming plans scheduled 🥲 and when this situation arise…. my go-to solution is a tampon!

but not wearing it properly can lead to disastrous situations which may cause unnecessary panic! And this happened to me last year, when I went swimming in the open sea in france with a tampon, and I ended up returning back to my airbnb realising that the tampon was no longer there… did the tampon just drop out and float away…? if it did, then did any of my friends see my bloodied tampon? that would’ve been so humiliating 😳 or worse still, did I lose it inside of me… 😰

I did consider a hospital check-up because if a tampon does get stuck inside of me, that’d be pretty serious and id likely have to get surgery to take it out. I decided to wait it out and see if there’s any period blood stains, which would mean that the tampon isn’t stuck inside of me and my period blood could flow normally, and THANK GOD THAT’S THE CASE 😭 anyways, the whole cause of this problem was because I didn’t know enough about tampons and wore it incorrectly, so I hope this post can serve as a guide to those who’ve never worn tampons before!

Purchasing a tampon:

✔️ Different Sizes

did you know that tampons come in different sizes according to flow absorption? it’s important to pick the right size, which should be determined by how heavy your flow is! 🩸

for me, my first 2 days of my period is usually heavier, so I’d use a (R) regular tampon, and on my 3rd day onwards, I’d switch to a (L) light-flow or mini-sized one. I also recommend starting off with L tampons because putting it in can be really painful and intimidating for first-timers, so using a mini-sized one will be slightly easier!

✔️ Type of Applicators

applicators are what helps you to insert your tampon in, and there are a few types: cardboard, plastic, etc! Plastic tampons applicators are most popular among women since they feel like they have more control over where it goes! For me, I use a tampon with no applicator, and that means I have to use my bare hands to slot it in 👆🏻 which I have gotten used to over time

Wearing a tampon:

✔️ Putting It In

my first time putting a tampon took around 30min-1h…. Yes I was so scared and it really did take me such a long amount of time to put it in while referencing YouTube demo videos 🤣 I’d recommend you to try it at home and not in a rush! you should take all the time you need to get used to it!

The most important thing to note when inserting the tampon is to relax! Pro tip: tightening your pelvic muscles for 3s helps to relax your vagina! Also, getting into position to insert the tampon can help ease into it. Some have said that the best positions are to place one leg on the toilet seat, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and bend your knees, or sit on the toilet with your legs spread wide apart! for me sitting down works best 😆

there’s a string attached to the end of the tampon which is meant to be left outside so that you can pull it out later!

✔️ Hygiene

ALWAYS wash your hands before and after with soap! (Especially if you’re using one without an applicator) you don’t wna have bacteria going into your vagina… 😵‍💫

After putting it in:

✔️ How It Should Feel Like When Worn Correctly

There shouldn’t be any discomfort when walking and you shouldn’t feel the tampon. If you can still feel the tampon, that means it’s not inserted deep enough

✔️ Duration of Wear

Best to change out your tampon after 4-6hours!!! any longer will increase your risk of getting TSS - Toxic Shock Syndrome, which is a life-threatening condition caused by bacteria going into the body & releasing harmful toxins 👿 I usually take out my tampon after swimming 👍🏻

#GirlTalk #Lemon8Lifestyle #womenshealth