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This article was co-authored by Paige Bowen, MA, EdM. Paige Bowen is a Physical Education Teacher at Oconee County Primary School in Watkinsville, Georgia. Paige has over 20 years of physical education teaching experience. She was awarded the Oconee County Primary School Teacher of the Year for 2002-2003. She received a B.S.Ed. in Health and Physical Education from the University of Georgia in 1996 and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education in 2003 from the same institution.
This article has been viewed 47,377 times.
Having your period at school is no fun, and it may be even more uncomfortable if you need to shower after gym class while you have your period. Luckily, dealing with this situation is a lot easier than it sounds. If you are properly prepared you can enjoy gym class and take your shower with no worries.
Steps
Know the rules at your school. In some cases you may be required to shower after gym class, but in other cases it may be optional. Find out what the policy is at your school and whether they are willing to make exceptions.- Be sure to consider that you may be sweaty and smelly if you choose not to shower after gym class. Choosing not to shower works best if the activities during class do not cause you to sweat much or if you have gym at the end of the day.
- Consider talking to your gym teacher if you are uncomfortable showering at school during your period. They may let you do a less strenuous activity that will not require showering afterwards.
Understand your locker room setup. Your options for showering will depend on what kind of setup your locker room has. If you have communal showers, you will have fewer options than you will if you have private shower areas. Be sure to understand how much privacy you will have when showering when deciding on the best method for you.- No matter what your locker room is like, it is possible to shower during your period without drawing any unwanted attention to yourself, so don't worry!
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Decide on your preferred method of protection. When you get your period, you have three basic choices for how to collect the blood: a pad, which sticks to your underwear and absorbs blood; a tampon, which is a small piece of cotton with a string on the end that is inserted into the vagina to absorb blood; or a menstrual cup, which is a silicon cup that is inserted in the vagina and collects blood.[1]- You can play sports with any kind of menstrual protection, so choose whichever method you find most comfortable.
- If you need to swim during gym class, you will need to use a tampon or menstrual cup because pads will absorb water from the pool.
- If you have communal showers that offer no privacy, a tampon is probably your best option because you can leave it in while you shower and change it in the privacy of a toilet stall afterwards. A menstrual cup may also work as long as you do not have to empty it during your shower.
Keep supplies handy. Any time you have your period away from home, it's a good idea to make sure you have menstrual supplies on you. If you will be dealing with your period in gym class, it's a good idea to keep them in a discreet bag that you can bring with you wherever you need it.[2]- If you plan on bringing pads or tampons into the shower area, make sure they are in a waterproof bag. If they get wet, they will no longer be effective.
- If you use a menstrual cup, you don't need to bring any extra supplies with you, but you will need to plan on removing the cup and rinsing it off.[3]
- If you are using pads, you may want to consider packing a clean pair of underwear with a pad already applied so that you will be able to change into them quickly after your shower.
Figure out if you will remove your protection before you shower. Depending on the kind of menstrual product you use and how much privacy you have in the shower, you may choose to leave your protection in place during your shower or remove it.- If you use a tampon, you can keep it in while you shower if you wish. You may want to do this if you have a heavy flow, as it will prevent any blood from getting on the shower floor.
- If you are wearing a pad, you will need to remove it in order to shower. Depending on the size of the shower area, you may be able to keep your clothes on until you are in a private area. This will make it easy to remove the old pad.
- If you have privacy, a shower is the perfect opportunity to remove your menstrual cup at school because you can rinse it out without having to use a sink. If you are having a light flow and do not need to empty your menstrual cup, you can leave it in while you shower.[4]
- Keep in mind that if you remove any old menstrual products or put on any new ones while you are in the shower area, you will need to have a discreet way to dispose of them when you leave the shower. It's a good idea to bring some toilet paper (in a waterproof bag) into the shower area with you so you will have something to wrap up the pad or tampon in.
- If there's no room to remove your old tampon or pad in the shower area, remove it in a toilet stall right before your shower.
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Shower normally. Take a shower just as you normally would, and try not to be self-conscious about your period. Remember there is no reason not to shower while you are on your period!
Wash your genital area. To stay clean and fresh, be sure to gently clean your genital area while you shower. You can use a wash cloth or loofah.[5]- It's best to wash this area with warm water only, as soap can disrupt the delicate pH balance of your vagina.
- Always clean this area from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from your anus to your vagina.
- If you're using a communal shower, wash yourself as much as you feel comfortable doing. You can always take a more thorough shower at home, so you can make it as quick as you want.
Clean up the shower area. If there is any blood in the shower, be sure to rinse it down the drain before you leave the area.- Remember that you can avoid this by leaving your tampon or menstrual cup in place while you shower, which is probably the best option if you have communal showers.
Dry yourself off. It's important to make sure that you dry off your genital area before getting dressed. This is especially important if you are using a pad, as it will trap all of the moisture that is left on your skin and hair.[6]
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Decide on the best place to change your menstrual supplies. If you are using a tampon or pad, you will need to use a new one after your shower. Even if you left your tampon in during your shower, you should change it afterwards. The right place to do this will depend on the layout of your gym's locker room.- If you have a private shower area, you can insert your new tampon before you leave the area. You may even be able to put on your underwear and a new pad in the shower area.
- If you can't do this in the shower area, go straight to a toilet stall to put on your new pad or insert your new tampon.
- If you left your tampon in while you showered, you can wait until after you have gotten fully dressed to change it.
- Keep in mind that you may get blood on your underwear while walking between the shower and the toilet area with no pad or tampon, especially if your flow is heavy. You can solve this by putting a little bit of tissue or toilet paper in your underwear or by wrapping yourself in a towel and not putting your underwear on yet.
Get dressed. If you're not already dressed, go ahead and put your clothes back on. Once your underwear is on, you should be able to get dressed like you normally would.- It may be more comfortable to put on the rest of your clothes in the main part of the locker room. If you are using a pad, you may want to try to put your underwear on before you leave the shower and then put the rest of your clothes on in the changing area.
- If you left your tampon in while you showered, you can leave the shower, get dressed, and then go to a toilet stall to change your tampon.
Dispose of used menstrual supplies. Whether you changed your menstrual supplies in the shower area or somewhere else, always be sure to dispose of them before you leave the area. Wrapping them up in toilet paper will make this much more discreet.[7]- If you change your menstrual supplies in a toilet stall, there is usually a disposal container right there, so you won't have to worry about finding a trash can.
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Expert Q&A
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- QuestionDo you have any tips on how students could make friends through gym class?
Paige Bowen, MA, EdMPaige Bowen is a Physical Education Teacher at Oconee County Primary School in Watkinsville, Georgia. Paige has over 20 years of physical education teaching experience. She was awarded the Oconee County Primary School Teacher of the Year for 2002-2003. She received a B.S.Ed. in Health and Physical Education from the University of Georgia in 1996 and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education in 2003 from the same institution.
Physical Education TeacherPE class is very social. It's a great place for people to make friends because a lot of times we pair off into partners or we make groups of five or six at a time. It's trusting yourself and jumping in and not being afraid to join a group. Usually, that helps. You want to use friend-maker words with your classmates, not friend-breaker words. Use encouraging words like “great job” and “I like how you're using your fingertips to dribble.” - QuestionWhat if I forget to bring pads or tampons?
Community AnswerIf you don't have any pads or tampons with you, ask around in the locker room. Someone will have something. If all else fails, ask if you can go to the nurse's office. - QuestionWhat about bleeding in the shower? I'm worried that if my shower gets clogged and starts a pool (which it always does) then I would be standing in my blood, and I don't want to use cups and tampons. Any options?
Community AnswerIf possible, opt out of the post-gym-class shower on heavy flow days. If not, use the bathroom right before you enter the shower and clean up as much as possible. Then take a three-minute shower and get back into your clothes quickly.
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Tips
- If you are using a menstrual cup, you may be able to leave it in for up to 12 hours at a time if you have a light flow.[8]Thanks
- Change your pad or tampon every 3-4 hours (or more often if you have a heavy flow).Thanks
- You may be able to shower in your swimsuit if were in the pool during gym.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/tampons-pads-or-menstrual-cups-whats-right-you
- ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/changing-pads.html
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/02/tired-of-tampons-here-are-pros-and-cons-of-menstrual-cups/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/02/tired-of-tampons-here-are-pros-and-cons-of-menstrual-cups/
- ↑ http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/hygiene-during-menstrual-periods-10-things-you-should-know/
- ↑ http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/hygiene-during-menstrual-periods-10-things-you-should-know/
- ↑ http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/hygiene-during-menstrual-periods-10-things-you-should-know/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/02/tired-of-tampons-here-are-pros-and-cons-of-menstrual-cups/
About This Article
Physical Education Teacher
This article was co-authored by Paige Bowen, MA, EdM. Paige Bowen is a Physical Education Teacher at Oconee County Primary School in Watkinsville, Georgia. Paige has over 20 years of physical education teaching experience. She was awarded the Oconee County Primary School Teacher of the Year for 2002-2003. She received a B.S.Ed. in Health and Physical Education from the University of Georgia in 1996 and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education in 2003 from the same institution. This article has been viewed 47,377 times.
Co-authors: 11
Updated: February 11, 2024
Views: 47,377
Categories: Personal Hygiene | Menstruation
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 47,377 times.
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