Why Your Tampon Falls Out: Tips from Aunt Vadge

Hi Aunt Vadge,

So I want to use tampons and every time I insert one, it goes exactly right. I can move around and not feel it at all but after about 5-10 minutes I can start to feel it pushing down, coming away from the top if you get what I mean? So it will not stay in place.

What do I do?

I’m 15 and a virgin.

Yours,
Falling Out

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Hi there Falling Out,

Thanks for your email. You sound like you are not pushing the tampon in quite far enough. You need to get the tampon right up next to your cervix, which is the end of your vagina.

Once it’s inside completely, the tampon will sit there, held in by your vaginal muscles in the little nook just below your cervix. How you get the tampon there depends on what type of tampons you are using.

If you are using applicator tampons, the applicator should be right inside your vagina, as far as you can go without losing your grip. Your vaginal walls don’t have a lot of nerve endings, but your cervix does – you should feel when it is near to your cervix and then you want to push out the tampon, and remove the applicator.

If you are using non-applicator tampons, you need to push the tampon all the way in, towards your tailbone. Your vagina isn’t straight, it curves backwards sort of on a diagonal.

You need to get a couple of knuckles in, your whole finger will be inside of you as well as the tampon, and once your whole finger is in, you can usually let go of the tampon.

Check out the diagrams in Vag Basics so you understand the angles.

Your vagina is always in a state of some tension, which is why tampons don’t fall out – they are held in place by always-on muscles in your vagina, however, their natural tendency is to push things out, so if your tampon is sitting in the neck of your vagina, your body will aim to push it out.

If you need any more guidance, please let us know – we are happy to help you anytime.

Love,
Aunt Vadge