I was looking at my vulva in the shower with a mirror. Is that okay? Now I can kinda know how a tampon would go in. Could I have step by step how to put a tampon on?

Looking at your vulva in the mirror is totally okay! It's actually a super normal thing to do, especially when you're getting to know your body. It helps you understand how things work, and that's a good thing!

Using a tampon might seem a little tricky at first, but it gets easier with practice, I promise. Here's how to do it:

How to use a tampon

1. Wash your hands. Always do this first so everything is super clean.
2. Unwrap the tampon. Carefully take off the wrapper. Make sure the string is hanging out at the end.
3. Find a comfy position. Some people like to sit on the toilet, or squat a little, or even stand with one foot on the toilet seat. Whatever feels natural for you.
4. Hold the tampon. Hold the applicator (that's the plastic or cardboard part) with your thumb and middle finger where the narrower part meets the wider part. The string should be hanging down.
5. Relax and breathe. Seriously, if you're tense, it's harder. Take a deep breath.
6. Gently guide it in. Use your free hand to gently open your labia (the folds of skin around your vaginal opening). Point the tip of the tampon towards your lower back, not straight up. Slowly push the applicator into your vagina.
7. Push it all the way. Once the wider part of the applicator is mostly inside, use your pointer finger to push the inner tube of the applicator until it clicks or stops. This pushes the tampon itself out of the applicator and into place.
8. Remove the applicator. Gently pull out the applicator, leaving the tampon string hanging outside your body. You'll need that string later to take it out!

If you feel uncomfortable, it might not be in far enough. You shouldn't really feel it once it's in correctly. If it hurts, gently take it out and try again with a fresh one. Sometimes you just need to adjust the angle a bit. Don't worry if it takes a few tries! Lots of people feel like that at first, and it's totally normal. Just make sure to change your tampon every 4-8 hours. You got this!

If you want to track your period and learn more about your body, the Soso app has lots of info and you can log your period, moods, and symptoms there.