Can You Swim On Your Period? Your Ultimate Guide

Can I go swimming during my period? If you’re new to the menstrual cycle game, this might be a question on your mind, especially during beach season. While many might wonder about this answer to the question during the warmer months, there are millions of people who travel throughout the year, and those travels often lead to a beach or pool. Young girls might have this question, but many older women don’t know the clear-cut answer to this question. We’re ready to answer this question for everyone today!

The short answer is YES! You can swim on your period. 

Popular Myths:

1. Your Period Will Attract Sharks:

One myth states that a female shouldn’t go in the ocean while she’s on her period because her day at the beach will suddenly turn into a “Jaws” film. Let’s be very clear. Going into the ocean while on your period WILL NOT attract sharks more than usual.

2. The Period Stops in Water

The second popular myth states that your period stops while you’re in a pool. We’re not sure what kind of magical powers or sorcery this pool is performing on your body, but your period does not stop in a pool. 

For some reason, society likes to put parameters on women. They tell us there are things we can’t do when in fact, we can! Your period can’t physically stop you from doing anything, and swimming is just one of the long list of everything we can do. When it comes to swimming, all you need to do is ensure you’re wearing the proper hygiene product to keep you covered. 

How to Prepare for Swimming on Your Period

Just think, you’re lounging by the pool and decide to hop in for a cool down only to find a trail of menstrual flow following you. How embarrassing! Although the shark myth may be debunked, no woman wants a bright red warning signal chasing you around.  When it comes to swimming, all you need to do is ensure you’re wearing the proper hygiene product to keep you covered. 

1. Choose the proper product for swimming

Your first choice when choosing the proper product for swimming on your period might be a tampon. A popular option, this usually allows you to wear whatever kind of bathing suit you’d like. While this is true, change your tampon immediately after getting out of the water. It is possible for the tampon to absorb some of the water in the pool or ocean and you definitely don’t want to let that sit inside your body, so it’s best to change as soon as possible. 

Tampons might seem ideal, but their thicker counterparts, pads, definitely aren’t. Because of their thickness, they can easily prevent you from wearing the kind of suit you want, which leads us to #2. 

2. Purchase Period Swimwear

Unfortunately, for the pad-wearing gals out there, traditional pads are a no-go with swimming or water sports. The pad just cannot sustain that much water, and it can easily spill out of your suit while sunning or lounging. And if you don’t use tampons or like to use tampons while swimming, what are you supposed to do? Thankfully, the right women with the right tools were sick of this problem and invented the first-ever panty-lined period swimwear.

Instead of compromising your bathing suit, why not choose from cute, stylish options that will keep you leak-proof for as long as you need? We all love options, choose between classic one-piece period swimwear and two-piece bikinis? When it comes to Ruby Love’s two-piece suits, the choice is yours. If you’re feeling fun and flirty, your options range from ruffles and flowers to eye-catching geometric patterns. While the bottoms might be your highest priority, we never sacrifice style! Relax all day long comfortably without any leakage.

Each piece is lined with durable, strong PantyProp technology. This technology lines your swimsuit with a built-in absorbent organic cotton gusset, perfectly angled to collect your flow. The dri-tech mesh technology seals in anything unsightly and lets you have your day at the beach worry-free.

Alternatives to Tampons While Swimming On Your Period

While conventional tampons have been the default choice for many, a wave of alternatives has emerged, and among them is an exceptional solution that not only manages your monthly flow seamlessly but also ensures a leak-free experience

1. Sea Sponge Tampons

If you prefer not to use tampons but still want internal protection, you can consider sponge tampons or sea sponge tampons. These are natural, reusable alternatives to traditional tampons that can be worn while swimming

2. Menstrual Discs

Similar to menstrual cups, menstrual discs are inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual blood. They sit at the base of the cervix, allowing activities like swimming.

3. Plan Ahead

If you know you'll be swimming during your period, consider timing your swim sessions for when your flow is lighter. Additionally, empty and clean your chosen menstrual product immediately before and after swimming to minimize the risk of leaks and infections.

4. Period Swimwear

As mentioned above, Ruby Love is credited with inventing Period Swimwear, a revolutionary solution for swimming comfortably during menstruation. Our swimwear has become a game-changer in menstrual hygiene, empowering individuals to enjoy water activities without the worry of leaks or discomfort. 

Remember to choose the option that works best for your body and preferences. It may take some experimentation to find the right solution for swimming during your period without using a menstrual tampon.

Read More: What Is An Alternative For Women Who Can't Wear Tampons?

Swimming Hacks While On Your Period:

Swimming is a fantastic sport that offers loads of benefits. People engage in the sport because of different reasons. Some do so to achieve their fitness goals, such as maintaining a healthy weight or building muscle strength and endurance. Should you let your period rain on your parade? Absolutely not! Keep enjoying the things you do whatever day it is with these top hacks for swimming on your period. Let's plunge right in!

Here are some of the best pointers to help keep your aquatic moves at their best level, even during your period. 

1. “Be bold" in darker-colored swimsuits.

Don't you feel just a tad uncomfortable wearing white with Auntie Flo around? Although swimwear in dark colors won't make your menstrual accidents less likely to happen, doing so can help you be more comfortable and less anxious. This is because the deep or inky shades can provide the camouflage you need to keep your leaks discreet, should they happen.

However, you don't always have to "stay in the dark" during heavy days. With stain-resistant and worry-free Ruby Love Period Swimwear, you can stay confident. For instance, you can go light in our One-Piece Period Swimwear in Blue Waters or our Teen Period Swimwear One Piece in Out of This World, with their built-in absorbent liners and leak-proof technology. Or you can stick to the darker-hued Period Swimwear Dress in Black Sea or One-Shoulder Period Swimwear in Sage, which can hold up to three tampons' worth of protection. 

2. Indulge in "PMS-protective" food

Eating healthy is a no-brainer whether you're on your period or not. But when you want to swim when the crimson tide rises, you'll want to level up your body's defense against the usual PMS pack of bloating and cramps. Even if you may not totally do away with the whole lot, you can minimize menstrual pain and discomfort with the right nutrition. For example, eating vegetarian or having an antioxidant-rich and plant-based diet can decrease inflammation. 

Also, the high fiber in veggies can absorb estrogen and help prevent its re-absorption in your system. Although estrogen levels rise and fall during the normal menstrual process, your liver naturally pulls some of it into your bloodstream, increasing your estrogen supply and possibly worsening your period symptoms. 

Thus, on your red-letter days, choose high-fiber foods like broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, and Brussels sprouts to fight menstrual pain.

3. Ease off with pain relievers

Sometimes, period pain can be a literal pain in the neck (or elsewhere). In such cases, you may want to take pain relief medication to beat your menstrual aches. Take meds that won't give you stomach trouble, like Acetaminophen, or make you feel drowsy, like Ibuprofen. However, watch out for side effects. Before popping any pill, keep it safe by first consulting your doctor. 

4. Don't forget to stretch!

It may seem counterintuitive to exercise when you're experiencing discomfort. You may even think that you'd rather "save the pain" for when you're already in the water (it makes the pain more worth it, right?) But doing gentle stretches can be an amazing hack for swimming on your period. Studies show that light exercises can help ease tension and reduce PMS symptoms like tender breasts and abdominal swelling. They can also boost blood circulation to efficiently deliver oxygen and essential nutrients to your tissues. This can help your cells self-repair and rejuvenate faster. 

A consistent stretching routine also provides the excellent advantage of expanding your range of motion as a swimmer. As a result, you'll be able to enhance your strokes and swim more efficiently. 

5. Stick to your bedtime routine

A well-rested swimmer on her period can still function optimally with good sleep hygiene. Thus, a quick swimming on your period hack is getting more quality sleep. And quality, in this case, means quantity as well. 

Getting enough Zzzs can help your body recover, heal, and destress, helping to keep diseases and other potential health problems at bay. It also allows your mind to recharge for the next day. Without proper sleep, you won't be able to perform or take pleasure in any activity well. But the thing is, your fluctuating hormones during your monthly cycle can keep you up all night. 

An effective way to solve your sleeping woes is to maintain a regular bedtime routine. Soak in a lavender-scented warm bath, pull down the drapes, and lower the temperature. Remember to ditch your electronic gadgets an hour before bedtime to help your brain calm down. 

6. Go “extra.”

Consistently prepare for your most ardent monthly visitor by keeping your menstrual kit handy at all times. Including additional supplies to your stash can help you get ready for any possibility, such as leaks or a particularly heavy flow. Even if you're wearing a tampon, you might want to replace it often, especially if you'll be staying in the water for an extended period. Extra pads and a few extra outfits can keep you on the go, even if there's a shift in your group's swimming plans or a change in the weather that may hamper your schedule. Plus, there's always that friend or team member who may need a feminine product or two. 

7. Suit up with skinsuits!

Wearing rash guards at the pool or beach isn't uncommon. Many find them comfier because of the increased protection and fuller coverage, which makes them less self-conscious. It doesn't hurt that this type of swimwear can look a lot more chic than your average bathing suit. So, if you're a skinsuit kind of girl, swim in them to your heart's content. Fortunately, you don't have to look far for the perfect skinsuit that meets both form and function. Ruby Love's classy Period Swimwear Skinsuit in Black Sea comes in several sexy sizes, including Plus Size, to hug your body like a glove. 

8. Be confident in period wear

The most important in the list of hacks for swimming during your period is wearing period apparel. These cutting-edge clothes are carefully designed to care for your unique needs during your monthly cycle, such as preventing menstrual leaks and stains, absorbing blood and body fluids, and staying dry and comfortable—even as you swim. But not all period garments can do the job

Conclusion

To answer your question definitively, “Can you swim while on your period?” YES, YES, and YES. You can do everything while on your period, and you don’t have to sacrifice your style for it. If you’re ready to jump in the deep end during your next period, just make sure you’re covered with the full range of our period swimwear. 

Don’t let your period slow you down from having fun in the sun. This leak-proof period swimwear is the perfect option for when you want to kick back at the beach despite Aunt Flo’s constant knocking. Shop a variety of styles and colors, and never worry about your period interfering with your beach day again!