How to Insert Tampons
Overview
The decision to use tampons is a personal choice that every woman has to make on her own. Tampons give women the freedom to enjoy athletic activities, such as swimming, that pads do not allow for. If this is your first time using a tampon, it is normal to feel nervous. But once you practice using tampons, you'll find they are not hard to use.
Step 1
Become familiar with a tampon before you attempt to insert it. Remove the tampon from the wrapping. Notice how the applicator is made of two separate pieces. The bottom piece has the string hanging out of it. The top half is the part that is inserted into your vagina. Push the bottom half of the applicator inside the top half of the applicator. This is how you manipulate the applicator to release the tampon into your vagina. Discard this tampon after you experiment with it.
Step 2
Grab a hand mirror and use it to look at your vagina. Notice where your vaginal opening is. This is where you will insert the tampon.
Step 3
Wash your hands with soap and water.
Step 4
Remove a tampon from its wrapper.
Step 5
Position your body into a comfortable position for inserting the tampon. Sit on the toilet, stand up with one leg on the toilet or squat down over the floor. Choose the squatting position if you need to use a mirror to view your vaginal opening while inserting the tampon.
Step 6
Make sure the tampon string is hanging out of the bottom half of the applicator. If it is not, throw away the tampon and open a new one.
Step 7
Grasp the applicator at the bottom portion of the top half of the applicator, between your middle finger and thumb, using your predominant hand. Place your forefinger at the end of the bottom half of the tampon applicator.
Step 8
Relax your body to make it easier to insert the tampon. When you are tense, your vaginal muscles contract, making insertion more difficult. Some women find that breathing deeply helps them relax.
Step 9
Insert the tampon into your vaginal opening. Angle the tampon applicator slightly towards your lower back. Slide the applicator into your vagina until your middle finger and thumb are touching your vagina. Push the bottom half of the applicator into the top half of the applicator, using your forefinger. Once you have pushed the bottom half of the applicator all the way inside the top half, pull the applicator out of your vaginal opening. The tampon will remain inside your vagina, and the string will hang out of your vagina. Discard the applicator in a trash can.
Step 10
Evaluate if you have inserted the tampon correctly. If it is inserted correctly, it should not feel uncomfortable. In fact, you should barely feel it at all. If it is uncomfortable, you have not inserted the tampon deeply enough into your vagina. Remove the tampon, discard it in the toilet and try again with a new tampon.
Step 11
Wash your hands using soap and water.
Tips and Warnings
- Read all the directions that come in your box of tampons before attempting to insert your first tampon, so that you can gain a complete understanding of how they work.
- Tampons can increase your risk of developing a serious bacterial infection called toxic shock syndrome (TSS). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 to 2 women out of 100,000 women get TSS in the United States. See your doctor if you develop a sudden high fever, muscle aches, vomiting, confusion or a rash that looks like a sunburn after using tampons. Decrease your chances of developing TSS by washing your hands before and after inserting and removing tampons. Change your tampons after four to eight hours of wear.
Things You'll Need
- Hand mirror
About this Author
Rose Kivi has been a writer for over 10 years. She has a background in the nursing field, wildlife rehabilitation and habitat conservation. Kivi has authored educational textbooks, patient health care pamphlets, animal husbandry guides, outdoor survival manuals and was a contributing writer for two books in the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series.
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