Pardon the title, but...Fundies and tampons?

[forever ago]

I thank whatever God may exist that my mother, through all of her weirdness and random anxieties, was not a fundie. Also I never got any books, I was fortunate enough to be able to ask my mother. She's not overly fond of tampons but never had a problem with me or my sister using them... until we had to bug her to buy them for us when we were still too young to get them ourselves.

I do have friends from a fundie family though, and they were not permitted to use tampons, at least a few years ago. This may have changed, as the elder sister is now pregnant (she's a year older than me! *faints*), and was probably the type to sneak them in anyway. I wouldn't doubt the younger one uses them too, but I'm not close enough to either one anymore to really be comfortable asking them.

[lemonade]

When I was in 3rd grade a friend told me that she knew where babies came from but she couldn't tell me. I wanted to know more than anything but figured i shouldn't ask if it was something i wasn't supposed to know. Then my parents let it go too long and I didn't have anyone to ask as it seemed like all my friends knew about sex (and were doing things I didn't even know about at 11 and 12) and I didn't want them to know that I didn't know anything. I was left out on both ends.

I did know about menstruation, my mom had left a box of tampons on the counter after buying them, i can easily ask a question if the evidence is right in front of me.

[Guest Anonymous]

My mom had talked to me about periods just in case a couple of times before going to week long camps. I started in November of 5th grade and I guess totally forgot about those talks because I was totally confused when I went to the bathroom and saw blood in my panties. She gave me pads and I remember they had wings and were plastic-y feeling. I hated the wings because they itched my legs...I quickly discovered the cotton-y Always wingless ones. She never offered me tampons, but I didn't go swimming or anything while on my period until the following summer when I was staying with my sister and she asked if I wanted to use tampons, but I was scared to and waited a couple of years.

Someone said that their boyfriend didn't believe in tampons...my bf is totally disgusted by pads. I had a yeast infection from antibiotics while on my period a couple of weeks ago and when I mentioned not being able to use tampons because of it he freaked out a little that I was sitting in my blood. To be fair it grosses me out too.

[Elle]

My grandmother tried to force me to wear one of these when I started at her house;She would not believe me when i told her nobody wore those any more and had not for 30 years-she still had an old one gathering dust in drawer

http://www.mum.org/belnumod.jpg

I've used these belts before, and I'm not old. Just 30. I was in the hospital once and started, and the hospital had these things available. Undies just aren't worn much in hospitals. This belt was surprisingly comfortable, and I wish they were easier to find today. To date I've used then 4 times, and have loved them. They work really well for very heavy periods, which I've always had. I supposed for women with lighter or moderate periods, they wouldn't be a big deal.

[EllyPDQ]

I wasn't offended at all mstee. Honestly, I have been negligent in letting her get this close without a word about it and I was prepared for eleventy people to point that out. :) I'm glad this came up because I have been wondering for a few weeks now how to bring it up. I looked at a few books and they had wwaaayyy too much info. I think we should cover basic changes before introducing oral sex and IUD's, kwim?

"What's Happening to Me?" (http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-M ... 0818403128)

It's age-appropriate, informative without being overly-so, and entertaining.

I was 9 when I got my period. I was NOT prepared for it, nor was my mom, and none of my friends had gotten their periods yet so they weren't exactly helpful. She gave me OB tampons to use, without really telling me *how* to use them. It was kind of a nightmare. So y'all with kids who are getting close to that time, I don't recommend putting it off. Far better that *you* feel embarrassed and awkward than that your daughter get the fright of her life when aliens invade her body.

[formergothardite]

Until I was 21-22, I thought a man rubbed his penis (I had no clue about erections) on a woman's vulva and that was sex. Lol My dad finally sat down with my next sister and I and explained how it *really* worked. Then my husband (then-best friend) told me about orgasms and masturbation.

(fixed the comment I accidentally edited)

I didn't understand what sex was until I had it. My mom was so freaking vague about it that it wasn't even funny. And by the time I reached college I was way too embarrassed to ask anyone. And, even at that time, I didn't really watch any movies with sex scenes. I thought that a guy stuck it in one time and that both people got an orgasm right then. I had no idea about masturbation, oral sex or anything. My husband(we weren't married then) was floored I knew absolutely nothing about sex. He was all "How is that possible?!" I was very sheltered and not very curious, what can I say.

My parents were cool with tampons, though. My mom gave them to us and told us how to use them.