Periods 101
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The best of Mumsnet part 1: Period pants for your teens & tweens
As any parent knows there is no better source of worldly wisdom than mumsnet, an internet forum created to make parents' lives easier by pooling knowledge, advice & support on everything from conception to childbirth, from babies to teenagers. And mums are cottoning on (excuse the pun) to the wonders of period pants for teens, pre-teens, and themselves fast. Sadly some questions do go unanswered, so we are here to pick up the slack. Read our answers to some top questions from mumsnet…
Mumsnetter Question 1: Are period pants good for teens?
"My 11 year old just started her period. She's OK, think it's a bit grim and a nuisance but I've reassured her that whilst they can be a PITA it's totally normal and there lots of different types of sanitary products she could try to see which she finds most comfortable.
She's been using some panty liners as they seem to fit better in her underwear, she said the body form ones were too big and uncomfortable.
I've been looking at period pants? Are they any good for pre teens? I can't see too many aimed at younger women."
&SISTERS Says: Period pants are amazing for tweens and pre-teens! Our XS-S comes in at a 6-8 which is perfect for a lot of tweens. When all you want to do is forget about your period pants really do feel like the most natural option!
Mumsnetter Question 2: What do you do with used period pants?
"My 13 year old has just started and I think period pants may be the way forward for her. She is a young 13 and isn't coping well with the whole thing and I think period pants will be easier at school.
I'm not sure she will cope with the rinsing at the moment. If she puts them in a bucket with cold water at the end of the school day and I do a machine wash each evening, will that be ok rather than rinsing? She also stays late at school some evenings for sport etc so may need to change during the school day. Can used period pants be stored in a waterproof bag until the end of the day?"
&SISTERS Says: Period pants are super easy at school and a great option for tweens! Lasting for up to 10 hours in our case, she might be able to get away with putting them on in the morning and wearing the same pair throughout the whole day. That said, if she has a heavier flow she might need somewhere to pop the used ones and change mid day. In this case any bag is perfect. Period pants will dry well so they won’t feel soggy to touch but you don’t want the upper-side of the pants to come in contact with light fabrics straight after use as there may be some blood transfer. If she is feeling a bit nervous/shy about her period we would recommend making sure you have something discrete!
If she is nervous about rinsing she needn’t worry too much! It is a recommended step as it can help prolong the lifetime of the pants but for people who aren’t there on dealing with period blood yet you can just pop them straight in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes (just remember no fabric conditioner!).
Mumsnetter Question 3: Can you wear period pants all day?
"I’m looking into period pants for my 15 year old and wondered firstly if anyone has any recommendations (she has a couple of days of pretty heavy flow so I wasn’t sure how effective they would be?) and secondly advice on the practicalities - presumably you wear one pair all day?"
&SISTERS Says: This depends completely on the flow! Our pants last for 4 tampons worth of absorbency which is generally equivalent to 10 hours, but if she would ordinarily replace tampons more than that then your teen would probably have to change during the day.
Mumsnetter Question 4: Do period pants leak?
"My girl has just got her first period. I want to make the whole thing easy for her so I got various san pro options for her, including period pants, which she really likes. I thought the period pants would be particularly good for night time. I personally use a tampon overnight for the first couple of nights as I hate that feeling of blood seeping out and potentially leaking. But I don’t really want dd to use tampons overnight, particularly that she sleeps for a lot longer, so it doesn’t seem like a good idea.
Anyway, the bit I am getting to is that she used the period pants last night and found them really comfortable but even though her period is pretty light, she got a bit of blood leaking out the back - sorry, TMI but you know how it kind of runs between your bum cheeks when you are lying down... Are there any solutions to this!?!?"
&SISTERS Says: Sounds like the absorbent core in your period pants don’t reach far enough back. We build our pants with absorbent cores almost to the waistband to prepare for exactly the running through your bum cheek problem!
Why Choose Pants from &SISTERS?
Our period pants have been designed with 3D anti-leak technology & to respect your vagina’s natural pH as they’re hypoallergenic. Made from 96% organic cotton & 4% elastane while the absorbent core is 97% organic cotton &3% polyurethane so they have a little bit of stretch and a lot of absorbency power.
And for those who are looking to have a more sustainable period, one pair of period pants prevents 400 plastic disposables ending up in landfill over their 100 wash lifetime. They’re a zero-waste period game changer.
Stay tuned for “The Best of Mumsnet Part 2: Period Pants for Mums on The Go” where we’ll be tackling questions from the mums in the room!
More questions? Get in touch at support@andsisters.co.uk.
