Dear New Student,

Menstrual flow often stops in water.

To feel safe, protected, and comfortable in and out of the water when you have your period, consider the following options. You may decide to change what you do depending on the heaviness of your flow, how you feel that day, and what is important to you.

Some women choose not to swim when they are menstruating. Maybe a discussion with your teacher might open up the path to understanding. Perhaps you and your instructor could find common ground: being present to learn the strokes on the edge of the pool (and not being marked absent); or, making up the sessions at another time when you don't have your period. Regardless of the gender of your instructor, s/he is usually used to dealing with these kinds of concerns. (If you feel uncomfortable, remember that men are more often than not the sons of mothers, brothers of sisters, husbands of wives, or fathers of daughters.)

Other women find that tampons do the trick. Tampons are easy and accessible, and take less effort to use with practice. Of course, they're not foolproof because, sometimes, there's leakage when a woman comes out of the water. To help safeguard against this possibility, a woman can put in a new tampon before she swims and then replace it with a new one right after she finishes swimming. Between changes, to be discreet, she can grab a towel whenever she comes out of the water to help feel more at ease. Reading Virgin is eager to use tampons, but worried about hymen and Tampons or pads? in Alice's Sexuality and Sexual Health archives may speak to some of your concerns.

There are other less well-known alternatives: cervical caps, diaphragms, and menstrual cups, all of which serve as menstrual receptacles. With these methods, you learn, with experience, to sense when they need to be emptied. Then you remove the barrier, wash it, and re-insert it. Diaphragms or cervical caps are fitted by nurse practitioners and gynecologists, and also would give you another contraceptive choice (used with spermicidal jelly or cream) if you have intercourse. If you are a Columbia student, you can make an appointment with Primary Care Medical Services by calling x4-2284. The menstrual cup is available over-the-counter. You can read more about it in The ins and outs of menstrual cups -- How do they differ from tampons and pads?.

Alice hopes this information is useful to you in your swimming (pur)suits.

Alice

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