Once you begin menstruating, you'll need to use a pad, tampon, or both. You may want to use only pads, only tampons, or both. Most girls find it useful to use pads during days of light flow, or when their period first starts. Tampons are usually used during times of heavy flow, or while swimming and other physical activities.

Liners: A thinner pad designed for days of lighter ministration. Pad: An absorbent piece of material worn by a girl while she is menstruating, to absorb the flow of blood from the vagina.

Instructions: The following are general instructions on how to use disposable pads.

1. Remove the pad from its wrapping.

2. Remove the paper backing from the back of the pad (and wings if applicable).

3. Pull panties down to access crotch area.

4. Firmly press the pad into the crotch of your panties (middle area which touches your vagina) quilted side up.

5. Change pads every 4-6 hours. Also change your pad if you feel leaks, or it becomes uncomfortable.

Tampons: A tampon is a disposable plug that a woman inserts into her vagina during her menstrual period to absorb the flow of blood.

Instructions: The following are general instructions on how to use disposable pads.

1. Sit or stand in a comfortable position, you can try propping your foot on the bathtub, or toilet seat. Be sure to relax, this will make insertion easier. Hold the tampon by the larger tube with the string away from your body.

2. With your other hand pull back the skin around your vagina, and position the tampon in the vaginal opening.

3. Gently push the tampon into your vagina until the outer tube is completely inside your vagina.

4. Once the outer tube is inside, use your index finger to push the inner tube through the outer tube.

5. Once the inner tube is inside, use your thumb and middle finger to remove the outer tube, leaving the string hanging outside of your vagina. Removal: To remove the tampon site on the toilet, and gently pull the string until the tampon is out.

For more information about teen puberty, please visit http://www.myfirstbra.us.

Kim Shire

MyFirstBra.us is a helpful guide for preteen, teens, and parents concerning training bras, and issues surrounding puberty & breast development, in young girls ages 8-16.

MyFirstBra.us is a community project of National Webworks. All authors are from National Webworks, Volunteers, or Contracted for research and writing.

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