Inserting tampon?

I bought a box of Tampax Pearls today. I've tried them before and my attempts of inserting tampons have been unsuccessful. I've read the paper the product comes with and the Beinggirl articles and I still can't seem to insert them. Whenever I try to insert one, I can't get it in over half an inch. I pretty sure I'm not inserting them in the correct place.

I'm 14 and I've had my period for over 2 years. I can't ask my mom or any friends because they don't use tampons. I don't have a gyn, so I'm basically trying to learn how to use them on my own. I understand that there is a risk of getting TSS, but I just want to try using tampons. I just hate how pads are bulky and uncomfortable.

PLEASE, I need help! No silly answers.
Answers:

My mother -in-law is going through the menopause and is suffering from intense hot flushes/ sweats/insomnia?

Tampon insertion can be difficult at first, the first thing I would say is to try non-applicator tampons to see if they are easier for you to use.

How to insert a commercial or organic tampon [non-applicator];
Always make sure you wash your hands before and after!

•Get into a position that is comfortable for you, standing or sitting.
If sitting then sit on the toilet, if standing try one foot on the toilet seat.
•Hold the tampon in your right hand if you are right-handed, left if left-handed.
•Use your thumb and middle finger to hold the bottom of the tampon.
•Use your other hand to hold open the labia (lips) of your vulva/vagina.
•Point the tampon towards you vagina aiming to the small of your back.
•Gently push the tampon into your vagina as far as it will go.
•Insure strings are hanging down from your vagina.
•Dispose of rubbish in the nearest bin – never flush.
•When ready to remove the tampon pull gently on the strings, down and forward – tampons should never be flushed, always bin your tampons.

Most importantly wait until you are on your period and at a time when your period is at its heaviest so the tampon can be inserted easier and so you can be sure it is the right time to insert a tampon.

Relaxation is vital, there is no such thing as being 'too tight', your vagina is naturally stretchy – remember at some point if you choose to have children a baby may well have to come out of that seemingly little hole. The best way to relax enough for penetration is to masturbate as when aroused your vagina almost doubles in size, vaginal muscles relax and your vagina produces lubrication – you may want to use KY jelly or olive oil as lubrication on the end of the tampon to make insertion easier.

It is difficult to insert them into the wrong place, down below you have three holes; the urethra (where urine and ejaculation come from), the vagina (where blood and discharge come from) and your anus (where poo comes from) – some girls do put it into the urethra, this would hurt a lot so you would know about it. It is vital you know what's what, take a mirror and look at what you have down there, it helps to relax on your bed in a position where you can look comfortably. I'd also strongly recommend you take a look at a few sites, this will help you know what is what down there – as a side note beingagirl.com is not a reliable web site for health information.

This is a very good image of a vulva (external part of your genitals) that has the vaginal opening clearly labelled for you ("vaginal orifice ") - http://www.3dvulva.com/diagrams/diag-vul...

Information on the vagina and menstruation;

http://www.scarleteen.com
http://www.the-clitoris.com
http://www.myvag.net
http://www.vaginaverite.com
http://www.menstruation.com.au
http://www.debuinc.com
http://www.mum.org
http://www.sisterzeus.com/teensection.ht...

I would say your problem is probably relaxation, but your hymen may also be getting in your way if you have one and if it is not already broken, if it is in tact it might prevent you from using internal options unless you can stretch your hymen or are willing to break your own hymen – your hymen has nothing to do with if you are a virgin or not, it is also not always painful for a girl to break her hymen.
If you don't know if your hymen is in tact you can look by sitting comfortably and using a mirror to look at your vulva (external part of your genitals) to see the vaginal opening. The hymen is different from girl/woman to girl/woman but usually if in tact it will look like a ring of flesh around the opening to your vagina; where as if broken it will look like flaps of skin around the vaginal opening. There is a good site that shows images, not photos, of the hymen so you know what to look for here - http://www.healthystrokes.com/hymengalle...

It is okay that you want to try tampons but be aware TSS is not the only risk, and you have more options than just tampons and pads.

Tampons are the most harmful menstrual options because tampons negatively affect your vaginal health (preventing self-cleaning, absorbing vaginal fluids, giving bacteria a place to multiply, leaving fibres in the vagina, introducing chemicals into the vagina) this means they can also cause vaginal splitting, vaginal infections and even prolong your periods and increase menstrual cramps. As you are in your teens you are at additional risk because your body does not have the same antibodies as adult women's bodies and your vagina is still maturing so the mucosa (skin like lining of your vagina) is more delicate so more prone to splitting and irritation.

Tampon risks;
http://www.spotsite.org
http://www.tamponalert.co.uk
http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro
http://www.seac.org/tampaction
http://cookiepuss.tripod.com/tampons.htm...
http://www.frontiernet.net/%7eruthb/tamp...

If you do want to try tampons I would highly suggest not using commercial tampons like Tampax because these are made from synthetic materials that not only are more absorbent but also harsh so upping the risk of TSS and vaginal splitting, these also contain chemicals that can cause health problems and can interfere with the normal pH of your vagina thus increasing your risk of TSS and vaginal infections. Instead try using organic tampons that are made from 100% organic cotton and are not chemically treated or bleached, alternatively try using sponge tampons or homemade tampons that may also be easier for you to use.

Organic and sponge tampons;
http://www.natracare.com
http://www.lunapads.com
http://www.jadeandpearl.com
http://www.tampontification.com...
http://www.organicessentials.com...

I would highly suggest you look at getting yourself a menstrual cup or a softcup, menstrual cups are internal like tampons but unlike tampons they are safe, hygienic, environmentally friendly and cheap, they can also be left in for up to 12 hours without leaking, including when you go to bed, for sports like swimming and before your period is even due. Menstrual cups have money back guarantees too so you can try them and return them if you don't like using them.

Menstrual cups;
http://www.divacup.com
http://www.softcup.com
http://www.thekeeper.com
http://www.mooncup.co.uk
http://www.lunette.fi

As for pads you might want to look at other pad options, I am taking an educated guess that you are using commercial pads such as Always or Kotex, these can feel bulky and uncomfortable because they are made from synthetics that stop air getting to your genitals so they can make you feel sweaty and irritate your skin. There are organic pads that are a little better, but you might want to look at cloth pads that come in all different shapes and sizes including even padded panties, you can make your own cloth pads too; they are a lot more comfortable than commercial pads.

Cloth pads;
http://www.lunapads.com
http://www.gladrags.com
http://www.reddyspads.com
http://urban-armor.org/urban-armor...
http://www.hagrag.bigstep.com
http://www.pleasurepuss.com
http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro/reports/mak...
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/baby/pad...

When using tampons be sure not to use tampons when you are not menstruating, also be aware that you should not use tampons when you are sleeping not just because of the length of time they will be in but also because when laying down blood does not flow down so tampons will absorb more discharge/vaginal fluids. Change your tampons every 4 hours, if you find the tampons are still dry or white then use a lower absorbency if you need to change sooner then increase the absorbency – always use the lowest absorbency for your flow, this means changing what absorbency you are using throughout your period.

If you have any more questions feel free to e-mail me from my profile, good luck, and seriously try looking at safer menstrual options.

Why do I get a pimple in the same spot on my chin every few weeks or so?

Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Some women prefer to place one leg on the toilet seat or tub, while others prefer to squat down. After you find a position that is most comfortable for you, hold the tampon with the fingers that you write with. Hold the middle of the tampon, at the spot where the smaller, inner tube inserts into the larger, outer tube. Make sure the string is visible and pointing away from your body.
With your other hand, open the labia (the folds of skin around the vaginal opening) and position the tampon in the vaginal opening.
Gently push the tampon into the opening, aiming for the small of your back. Stop when your fingers touch your body and the applicator, or outer tube, is completely inside the vagina.
Once the applicator or outer tube is inside of you, use your index finger to push the inner tube (the tube where the removal string is connected) through the outer tube.
Once the inner tube is all the way in, use your thumb and middle finger to remove the applicator or outer tube. Make sure that the string hangs outside of the vaginal opening. Later, when you are ready to remove the tampon, hold the string and gently pull it downward until the entire tampon is out.
If the tampon is inserted correctly, you should not feel it. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, you may have inserted the tampon incorrectly or the tampon may not be placed far enough into the vagina. If this happens, just remove the tampon and start again with a new tampon. Remember that practice makes perfect. If you don't get it on the first try, your second try will most likely be successful. Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, relax and try again!

Growth?

I was 12 when I first got my period. When my mom found out she gave me the paper and she told me what to do. If it is still confusing ask your mom to help you understand it better even though she doesn't use them. Maybe she used them once. GOOD LUCK!

is it normal to urinate during sexual intercourse?

Ok my suggestion is to get a mirror and place it on the floor so you can see where your heading, identify the correct place and then you need to relax and tilt backwards as you insert. Sometimes if you stand with one foot on the bath, it can be tricky the first few times but its worth the effort. I also placed a small amount of vaseling on the tip, it did not stop the absorbency which also assisted.

I am a C36 in my bra size and im only ..?

It sounds like you are not inserting them into your vagina. Before trying to insert the tampon use your finger and/or a mirror to locate your vagina. Once you know the location you should be fine. Also start out with slim tampons as they may be easier to insert. As for TSS it shouldn't be an issue if you change your tampon regularly and don't sleep with them in. You may also want to get a GYN now before you have a problem. It is always good to start seeing a GYN for regular visits when you start menstruating. That also makes it easier for you if you ever have a problem (yeast infection, need birth control, etc) if you already have a relationship with a GYN.

should i go on birth control?

first of all... what size did you buy? hopefully you're starting with juniors/slims. you'll probably think it's gross but you should try using your finger to find "the correct place" first... there's only one place it can go and once you can get a finger in a tampon is not much larger. you shouldn't be trying to put it in while your not on your period, either.

I always wake up sometimes in the night thinking that my throat is swelling up i get allergies?

You might be inserting it at the wrong angle. The vagina is slightly tipped toward the tail bone, not straight up an down. I had this problem the first time I tried to use a tampon also. Try one foot on the floor and the other foot on the toilet seat. Wet your finger and insert it into your vagina; it's your body, you're allowed to do that. This will give you a better idea of the angle that you need to use. Also, the tampon goes in easier when the vagina is moist. If you are a virgin, then your hymen may still be intact. This narrows the amount of space to insert the tampon. Try using a slim tampon instead of the max. absorbancy. Hope this helps.

Bulimic or anorexic?

I tried using the tampax pearls my first time and they were just too large. I use them now and love them, but I would wait a few months. My suggetion was be to purchase the tampax compact ones. I've found that they are smaller that regular tampons. They have a ridge, unlike the pearl ones, so it makes it very easy to put in. Lol I even learned to do it with one hand ha.

I understand what your going through. If the compact ones don't work try other brands each brand is different and may or may not agree with your body. It can get frustrating! I found that after I used tampons for a few months I could use larger ones like the tampax pearls.

I wish you luck. I still don't understand how anyone can use pads, I think they are the most uncomfortable things in the world, and so messy yuck!

bed room problems?

Definitely try to position your body in different ways while attempting to insert the tampon. One leg up on the toilet or slightly bent over works well for me.

Am I going to die ?

lol girl, i had the same problem when i was your age.. and to tell you the truth, tampons were never confortable for me until i wasnt a virgin anymore.. i am not at all encouraging you to have sex, but in my case, not even the slim or junior tampons felt confortable! i tried to use them again when i was sexually active and it was a whole lot easier.. now.. what i would suggest is putting some vaseline on the tampon to make it easier to insert and make sure you are getting the plastic applicator ones not the cardboard ones, the carboard ones are harder to insert in my opinion.. you also have to RELAX! sit on the toilet with your legs wide open and point the tampon towards your tailbone.. put it in slowly till ur fingers touch your skin..and voila! the rest is easy, push it in, pull it out and only the actual tampon itself stays inside with a string hanging out to help remove it.. hope this helps!

Does pure essential oils really bad for pregnant women? All of them? Should this be avoided the whole time?

i dont get what you use the mirror for but for me just putting it in with no special positions or any thing works the best i dont even need to look just aim it toward the back and it should go into place. i use tampax pearl too...if after you got in in that half inch and you go to push it farther and it hurts that means you did it wrong it shouldnt hurt you shouldnt feel it at all

Has any female period stopped for 10yrs and then started back?

Switch to compact or "teen" size. Did you say you weren't inserting it in the right place? The only other opening is your anus. Which is tight and painful for dry insertion. IF you were actually forcing an applicator into your anus and you didn't just stop right away from discomfort and pain, it would just go and go unless you gotta go potty.

Your vagina lets it go in, is NOT a tight muscle. You can feel it as its between you soft lips, not tight and hard between you cheeks.

lay out on your bed, prop the mirror with pillows or something to hold it in place, prop your head up and LOOK at your genitils. Investigate it all over, then try the empty applicator. When you feel comfortable with insertion, try the real thing. If it doesn't feel high enough even with the smaller applicator, go to OB.