Pads are easier to use than tampons are, but some women prefer the cleanliness of the latter. If you've never used one before, then there are a few things you should know about how to insert them and remove them. However, the biggest thing that you should remember is that they should never hurt. Just to be safe, here are a few other tips for first time tampon users:
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1. Wash Your Hands before and after
You don't want to end up getting harmful bacteria into your vagina, which is why you should wash your hands before you insert your tampon. Otherwise, you could end up with a Urinary Tract Infection. Of course, you should wash them again after you insert it, because you don't want to walk around with blood on your hands.
2. Sit with Your Knees Wide Apart
You might have trouble inserting your tampon on your first try, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Just make sure that you sit on the toilet with your knees wide apart so you have room to insert the tampon. You could also stand while inserting it, as long as you're able to bend your legs enough to insert the product with ease.
3. Point the Tip toward Your Lower Back
Make sure that you insert your tampon with the tip pointing toward your lower back. This part may go without saying, but you should have the portion with the string at the bottom, so that you can use the string to remove it later. Don't worry about it being seen, because it's super small and can easily be tucked into your underwear.
4. Use a Mirror to Watch What You're Doing
If you have trouble inserting your tampon, all you have to do it grab a mirror. Place it in between your legs so you can see what you're doing as you're doing it. When it comes time to remove it, you shouldn't need a mirror, because all you have to do is pull the string. Just don't toss your tampon in the toilet, because it could clog it. It's better to wrap it up with toilet paper and toss it in the trash.
5. Change Your Tampon Every Four to Eight Hours
You don't want to get Toxic Shock Syndrome by leaving your tampon in for too long. That's why you should make sure to change it every four to eight hours. It's dangerous to leave it in for any longer than that, so keep your eyes on the clock during that time of the month.
6. Don't Remove when Using the Bathroom
You don't have to remove your tampon whenever you go to the bathroom. Not everything down there is connected, which means that the area your tampon is inserted into isn't the same place that your pee comes out of. They're two totally different things.
7. Pair It with a Pad
If you're nervous about your tampon leaking, then you can wear a pad on your underwear, too. It'll be extra protection that'll make sure you won't have any embarrassing accidents.
Tampons can be intimidating at first, but after a few months, you'll be able to insert them with ease and won't even realize that they're inside of you. Do you use tampons or pads?
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