Dear PLS,
Can I swim when I have my period? If so, won’t people see the pad in my bathing suit?

Signed,
Super Swimmer

Dear S.S.,
Yes, you can swim when you have your period. Getting exercise is fun and healthy, so you don’t want to avoid something you love. But a girl should wear a tampon to swim. Like a pad, a tampon absorbs the menstrual flow but it does so from inside the vagina.

A tampon is made of absorbent material that is pressed into a cylinder shape. Learning to insert a tampon takes a little practice, but just relax and be patient. Talk to your mom, sister, or someone else who has experience using tampons. Read the directions in the package and remember to change it every 4 to 6 hours.

Think Pink!
The PLS

More about periods on KidsHealth.org