This article was co-authored by Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a Fertility Specialist and the Founder of The Egg Whisperer Show, a fertility care program focusing on fertility education based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been featured in magazines such as People, Forbes, and Marie Claire, and she has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN. She earned an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, completed an OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School in 2005, and finished a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Michigan, where she also completed an MPH.
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Dealing with cramps, mood swings, and other unpleasant side effects of your period can feel like more than enough to handle. If you have to worry about leaking when youāre wearing a pad, it can be even worse! However, there are many tricks you can use to make sure that you have a leak- and worry- free period.
Steps
- Make sure youāre putting on your pads correctly. In order to put on your pads correctly, you have to take them out of their packaging, remove them from their wrappers, and then make sure to place them right in the middle of your underwear, so they donāt go too far up or too far down. If they have wings, then remove the wrapper from the wings and make sure you wrap them tightly around the bottom of the middle of your underwear to hold the pad in place. Once the pad is securely placed inside your underwear, you can put it on, smoothing it down to make sure everything is in place.
- Make sure to wash your hands before you put on the pad on and that you dispose of it in a trash bin after wrapping it up in its wrapper or in toilet paper.
- Some people prefer to use cloth pads over the more common pads. Though they are not said to be more absorbent, they are more environmentally conscious.
- Wear pads of correct length and thickness. If youāre having trouble with leakage and have a heavy flow, then you should aim to get pads that have super absorbency and which are as long as possible. At night, you should make sure to wear overnight pads, which are even longer; though these are quite thick, you can even wear them during the day if your flow is very heavy and you tend to leak often.[1]
- You should try to get pads with wings to make sure that they donāt move around too much and that they are tightly stuck to your underwear.
Advertisement - Consider using pantyliners for extra coverage. Some people like to place pantyliners sideways above and below their pads. This can give you some extra coverage in places where you tend to leak. You can even place some lighter pads perpendicularly to your pad to really get some extra coverage. That said, this can get a bit uncomfortable, especially if the sideways pads or pantiliners get loose, so make sure youāre wearing tight underwear and that the pads are secure.[2]
- If you always tend to leak either in front or behind your pad, you can also move it up or down a bit, depending on where you tend to leak.
- Wear thicker underwear. Another way to minimize your leaks is to wear thicker underwear that is less prone to leaks. Though this canāt protect you from leaking all together, it can help you minimize how much you leak and will absorb more of your blood if you do have a leak. Just knowing that youāre wearing thicker, more absorbent underwear can make you feel more comfortable.
- Just make sure that the underwear isnāt too loose. Looser underwear will actually make your pad move around more and will make it more likely that youāll have an accident.
- Consider wearing period panties. If you really have a heavy flow and a problem with leaking, then you can consider getting special period panties. No, this doesnāt refer to those old ugly pairs of underwear that you only wear on your period because you donāt care about what happens to them; āperiod pantiesā are a special kind of underwear that are made of three distinct layers that protect your pads from leaking. The first layer is absorbent, the second is leak proof, and the third is made of cotton. These layers breathe and keep you cool and comfy while also ensuring that you have the strongest protection.[3]
- Though a pair of period panties can cost $20-30 dollars or more, if you get just a few pairs and always wear them on your period, they can be a worthwhile investment.
- The best way to prevent leaks is simple; just apply one pad as it is, and apply a second pad .i.e, apply one pad in the start of your underwear, and another one in the end. Carry an extra bag of supplies just in case. If you want to be safe during your period, then you should make sure to be prepared with extra pads, pantyliners, underwear, or even a change of bottoms if you really need them. If you have room in your bag or locker, having a change of clothes can help you feel extra secure. Though you probably wonāt ever have to use them, just knowing that they are there can help you feel more safe.
- If youāve run out of pads or pantyliners, donāt be afraid to ask a friend or even a teacher for some backup. Remember that every millions of people have a period, and even if your friends canāt help you, they will be sympathetic. If youāre one of the first of your friends to menstruate, then you can try to ask the people who you know may be able to help.
- Donāt move around quite as much as you normally would. Though you should be able to do pretty much whatever it is you normally do when youāre wearing a pad, you should know that you will be a bit more likely to leak if youāre doing cartwheels, running around, jumping up and down, or just moving to and fro really fast. Be careful about how you move when youāre on your period, especially on really heavy days; you donāt want the movement to move your pad around or to get it to bunch the wrong way, leading you to leak.
- That said, you shouldnāt feel like you have to skip gym class or spend all day sitting in a corner feeling miserable when youāre on your period. In fact, exercising can help reduce cramps.
- Wear darker, looser clothes. You will worry less about leaking if youāre wearing clothes that are less likely to display your leaks. Darker clothes wonāt show any potential stains you get, and youāll also have to worry less about staining lighter clothes and not being able to get them clean. Looser clothes will also make you feel less self-conscious about the fact that youāre wearing a pad and youāll be able to move around more freely.
- Though you donāt need to wear frumpy clothes during your period and you should feel beautiful all the time, if you wear darker clothes, then youāll be less worried about having an accident.
- Go to the bathroom more often. Another way to make sure that your pads donāt leak is to go to the bathroom more often than you normally would. Take a trip to the bathroom every hour or two to change your pads or just to make sure that everything is running smoothly. This is a great way to prevent any leaks before they happen. Youāll know exactly when itās time to change your pads and will feel safe and protected.[4]
- If you have to go during class, donāt worry about your teacher getting annoyed; if you ask nicely and donāt make a habit of it thirty days a month, everything will be just fine.
- Sleep on a darker blanket or old towel. If youāre worried about leaking at night, especially if youāre having a sleepover at a friendās house, then you can lie down on an old blanket or even an old towel that you donāt care about as much. This way, you donāt have to worry about staining the sheets and you can sleep soundly without checking the sheets too often. This can help you sleep soundly and feel less self-conscious about leaking.[5]
- Think about: the worst case scenario is that youāve leaked on the sheets and someone else finds out about it. Itās likely that only another person will find out, and they will completely understand what happened, so you really have nothing to worry about.
- If someone sees the bloody sheets, they will understand what happened, too. Donāt worry so much about what can happen and focus on having a sound, restful sleep.
- Be proud of your period. Your period should not be something youāre embarrassed about, whether you have a little leak now and again or not. You should be proud of this aspect of your changing body and know that this is something that many people have. Talk to your friends or even your family members about your period and see that you have nothing at all to be ashamed about because itās perfectly natural.
- Sure, if you leak in public, it can be embarrassing for a minute or two, but you shouldnāt go out in public feeling scared when you have your period because youāre afraid you could leak at any minute. Donāt let your period prevent you from living your life.
- If you really find that you canāt feel comfortable when wearing a pad, then you can see if using a tampon or menstrual cup is more comfortable for you. Though you have to change tampons every 8 hours at most, and menstrual cups every 10 or so hours, they can help prevent leakage and may feel more comfortable than pads.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
- An alternative would be to try folding several squares of toilet tissue and placing it inside of your underwear. This acts as a catch-all barrier. You can change it every time you go to the bathroom.[6]Thanks
- Avoid consuming wine, salt, spicy food and caffeine as it can increase your cramps[7]Thanks
- Wearing long shirts can be helpful if you are to be faced with a "spot"Thanks
Warnings
- Make sure to change your pad every so often, or if you find that it is almost all "used up." Wearing a dirty pad could pose a health risk, not to mention a nasty leak. It is recommended that you change your pad every 6 hours for a light or regular flow or every 3 hours for a heavy flow.Thanks
References
- ā https://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/pads.html
- ā https://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/pads.html
- ā https://www.bedsider.org/features/878-code-red-how-to-deal-with-period-leaks-and-spotting
- ā https://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/pads.html
- ā https://www.bedsider.org/features/878-code-red-how-to-deal-with-period-leaks-and-spotting
- ā https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a62182/best-period-hacks/
- ā https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a62182/best-period-hacks/
About This Article
To prevent a pad from leaking while youāre on your period, make sure itās in the right position in the middle of your underwear. You can also place pantyliners sideways above or below your pad to give you extra coverage wherever you tend to leak. If you have trouble with leaking from a heavy flow, use super absorbency or overnight pads, which are thicker and absorb more fluid. In addition to using the right products, try changing your pads as often as every hour so they donāt absorb too much blood. For more tips, including how to use period panties for extra protection, read on!
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