Like everything else you learn to do, using tampons is easy once you have a little practice. Take your tampon, relax and follow these easy steps.

1. Wash your hands

2. Remove the cellophane warpper: Pull the tear strip in the center of the tampon. Remove both ends of the cellophane wrapper. Pull out the withdrawl string, check the knot and give it a firm tug.

3. Prepare the tampon for insertion: First flare the base of the tampon by pulling the string in a criss cross motion as show in the 2nd figure above. This will make an indentation in the base of the tampon. Place your forefinger in the indentation and tighten your grip on the tampon by holding the end between your forefinger and thumb.

4. Insert the tampon: Take position, most comfortable and natural to you (eg. sitting with knees apart, squatting or standing with one foot on the edge of the toilet seat). Relax and begin to insert the tampon into your vagina, slanting it towards your lower back. The resistance you feel initially is the normal pressure of the muscles of the vaginal opening which help to hold the tampon in place after it is inserted.

Continue to insert the tampon until your finger has passed the vaginal muscle. If the tampon is going in smoothly , it indicates you are inserting it in the right direction. If at first, the tampon does not go in quite smoothly, dont' worry. Just try again.

5. Removal: Simly pull the string at the same angle the tampon was inserted. As it absorbs, a tampon softens and can be easily removed. If you feel a definite resistance when tugging at the string, it means that it is too early to remove the tampon. You can wait until it is completely soaked. If you ever have trouble finding the string, the tampon can be easly reached from a squating position, using two fingers.