Tampon Age?

[coconotlove.livejournal.com]

If you use/used tampons, how long after you started your period did you start using them and how old were you?

My cousin is almost 13 and has had her period for a year and a half but my aunt won't let her use tampons! This isn't like a religious/moral issue, but my aunt just thinks my cousin's body is not "ready" for that? The reason I'm asking is cause my cousin was complaining about using pads when having a heavy flow and how her mom wouldn't let her try tampons.

Comments

[justjess.livejournal.com]

I got my period at 12 (or maybe 11... I was in 7th grade, either way), and I think I started using tampons around age 13 or 14... but that was because *I* was nervous about it, not because my mother was. I've only used them as my main form of flow control since my junior or senior year of high school (I'm a sophomore in college now), because I was only comfortable using them when I was swimming before that.
I think 13 is a fine age and as long as your cousin is responsible enough to change them every few hours to avoid TSS, I see no reason why her body wouldn't be ready for them - I know girls who lost their virginity at 13 and 14, so bodies are definitely ready for tampons at that age!