How Much Period Products Have Changed Since We Were Kids Is Honestly Wild

If you're preparing for your little one to get their first period, you might unexpectedly uncover some deep-seated, menstrual-related trauma that had long been buried in the crevices of your brain. For me, it was starting my period at 10, way before any of my friends, when I barely knew what a period was, let alone how to manage the heavy bleeding, headaches, and cramps that had me doubled over in pain each month.

Worrying about tucking tampons and pads into my pants and/or boots as a tween still haunts me decades later, especially since the societal secrecy, shame, and stigma surrounding menstruation still exists. Normalizing periods — and all that comes with them — is mission critical for parents and caregivers so that your child knows there is nothing abnormal, "wrong," or "dirty" about their body's natural functions.

Thankfully, one area that has seen marked improvement: period products. The bulky maxi pads with belts and wings of generations past have been replaced by options that are more comfortable and more sustainable than what you probably used growing up, and we're praising the period gods for all the positive additions to the line-up, both for ourselves and our kids.

Curious how drastically period products have changed over the decades? In many ways, we've sorta come full circle, as Lara Freidenfelds, a historian of health, reproduction, and parenting, noted in her 2009 book The Modern Period: Menstruation in Twentieth-Century America.

The homemade cloth pads worn at the turn of the 20th century would eventually fall out of favor once Kotex marketed the first disposable sanitary napkins in 1921, offering menstruators a mass-market, mess-free alternative much preferable to the old sheets or towels they'd been using for decades.

Early disposable pads were hardly discreet. In fact, up until the early 1970s, they came attached to sanitary belts, because who doesn't want to wear a pair of period suspenders every month?!

In 1969, Stayfree introduced the first modern mini and maxi pads, ditching the belts and hooks for an adhesive strip that allowed the pad to stay in place inside your underwear. Around this time, more brands started to pop up in popularity, including variations for size and flow, as well as scented options and pads with wings. Tampons also rose in popularity throughout the '70s and '80s, amid concerns over toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and the environmental impact of single-use menstrual care products.

Gen X-ers and millennials certainly had an arsenal of period products at their disposal, but that doesn't mean we were living on easy street — the stigma around menstruation remained so strong that it wasn't until a 1985 Tampax commercial gave Courteney Cox the honor of being the first person to use the word "period" on national TV. You'll probably remember the flowery ad campaigns portraying period blood as mysterious blue liquid, adding another layer to the body-based shame felt by so many period-havers.

Now, sustainability is again at the forefront, but your tween/teen doesn't need to sacrifice comfort to stay more environmentally friendly. "Period product options are now varied and inclusive of all ages and sizes, a big change from even just a few years ago," explains Michela Bedard, executive director of PERIOD, a nonprofit organization that aims to end period poverty and stigma worldwide. "Pads remain the most popular item, but increasingly period underwear is the item of choice for the first few years of menstruation, when kids are playing sports and need the ability to comfortably move."

As someone with a seriously heavy flow, I sing the praises of period underwear to anyone who will listen, especially if your cycle is unpredictable or heavy like mine. And Bedard adds, "Menstrual cups and discs are also great sustainable options that can be washed and worn for many years." According to Bedard, the organization sees more requests for these products among people in their 20s and 30s, as well as after childbirth.

There are also more options for tampons and pads, including applicator-free tampons and single-use products without potentially irritating chemicals and/or fragrance. Products designed specifically for tweens and teens’ smaller bodies are also a solid choice for optimal comfort as they grow and their flow might change.

Some tween- and teen-friendly products your little one might particularly like:

• Pinkie Pads: These toxin-free pads were created by moms and come in a range of sizes for those just entering puberty.
• TINA for Teens: This tampon starter kit removes the “terrifying” from your kid’s first attempt at tampon wear, including an insertion aid, an easy-to-use guide, and a chic little carry-all tote for seamless travel.
• RedDrop Period Starter Kits: these customizable kits include period prep info, pads and tampons, hygiene wipes, sanitary bags, even extra undies — basically anything you’d need to make those early period years far less miserable.
• Saalt Wear Teen Collection: from teen-friendly cups to leakproof briefs, this woman-owned brand has got period prep on lock.

And yeah, we've made strides in menstrual marketing, too. (Thank goodness!)

"[We're] so happy to see more inclusive, destigmatized marketing for period products in the last few years, including more imagery of menstrual fluid versus the fake blue juice that was too often used in product ads," says Bedard. "Today's younger generation is rejecting the taboo around periods, and brands are wise to use real bodies and real imagery around the experience of menstruation. Over half the world experiences periods, and it's time to be able to fully discuss and see what it's like."

Still, there's much progress to be made on the period front. For starters, it was only in 2023 when period products started being tested using real blood, calling into question the accuracy of absorbency listed for the vast majority of mass-market products.

Menstrual research is woefully lacking, and regular access to safe, reliable period products is a problem for millions of people in the U.S. What's more, 20 states charge sales tax on period products (aka the tampon tax), classifying them as "luxury" items and not the public health essentials they actually are.

Parents and caregivers can help combat the stigma by simply talking openly and honestly about periods, especially with and among those who don't menstruate. Normalizing period talk with sons, spouses, and partners is crucial; providing them with an extra pad or tampon to stash in their bags is even better, in case a friend or classmate might need one. People of all gender identities should be included in conversations about bodies. As lawmakers continue their crusade against reproductive freedom and choice, it's perhaps more important than ever to ensure your kids have a safe, judgment-free zone to discuss any bodily changes they might experience.