I tried period swimwear (here's how it went)

We asked Demi Spaccavento, founder of Bright Girl Health, to take our swimwear for a spin and prove just how mind-blowing it really is. The result? She discovered that your period doesn’t have to stop you from swimming and having fun. Here’s what she had to say. 

I tried Modibodi period swimwear and OH-MY-GOSH! It’s mind-blowing. 

Periods shouldn't stop us from living our best life! We should be able to do the same things when we’re on our period that we would do when we don’t have our period. Let’s face it, sometimes that can be challenging. Swimming during your period can be one of those challenges. When I was 12, I got my period for the second time EVER on a family beach holiday. I wasn’t comfortable with using tampons at that point so I wore pads, which also meant I couldn’t go swimming with everyone else. It made me feel left out and I resented my period because of it.  

Thankfully, period products have come a long way since I was 12 sitting on the sand alone while my friends and family were swimming in the ocean. If only I could go back in time and hand my 12-year-old self Modibodi swimwear and say, “you can keep living life on your period!”. I love that this technology can allow us to continue with life as normal even when our period arrives.  

If you’ve never tried period swimwear before, here’s everything you need to know... 

How does period swimwear work?

Period swimwear kind of sounds like magic. There is an innovative built-in lining that absorbs your period when you’re in the water, and also when you come out of the water. When you bleed, the lining will absorb your period blood. To learn more about how it works, check out this blog by Modibodi’s Product and Innovation Director, Charissa Lanham.  

Check out the swim range here

How absorbent are they? Do you have to wear anything with them?

The Modibodi period swimwear is meant for light period days and absorbs 2 tampons worth of blood. On a light day they can be worn alone, without a tampon, pad or menstrual cup. If you’re on a heavy day, you can pair them with a tampon or a menstrual cup for extra protection from leaks.

Will people be able to tell I’m wearing period swimwear?

I wore the Modibodi swimwear to a pool party with my friends and NO ONE knew I was wearing period swimwear. In fact, I got lots of compliments on my cute one-piece! The lining that absorbs your period isn’t chunky or bulky like a pad. The water-resistant layer prevents the water from the pool or ocean from being absorbed, so it won’t grow in size once you’re in the water. No one will be able to tell that this isn’t just your normal swimwear – it’s truly mind-blowing.  

How long can you wear them for?

How long you can wear your period swimwear will differ based on how heavy your flow is. With a lighter flow, you’ll be able to wear them a little bit longer. Remember, they should only be worn alone on light flow days. Wearing them alongside a tampon or menstrual cup on a heavy flow day will allow you to wear them for as long as you’re able to wear the tampon or period cup you have in. To stay hygienic and leak-free, I made sure to change mine as soon as I could after I was finished swimming so I wasn’t sitting around in them all day.

Did they dry ok or with a wet patch?

The Modibodi swimwear is made with a dry-fast water repellent fabric, so they dried quite quickly. They never dried with any kind of wet patch or stain from the period blood because the water-resistant layer doesn’t actually allow the period blood to come in contact with the outside part of the swimwear.

Then I just put them in the washing machine so they would be ready to wear again! I am so happy that there are options that allow us to swim on our period in a way that is comfortable and CUTE!

I would recommend Modibodi swimwear to anyone who wants to swim in the ocean or pool while they have their period. They’re even a great option for competitive swimmers whose swim training schedule doesn’t stop with their period. You can even wear the swim bottoms underneath your normal swimsuit for competitions. 

It’s so empowering to have products like these in my collection that allow me to carry on with life as normal with my period!        

Demi Spaccavento is the founder of Bright Girl Health, a passionate women's health educator, author and high school teacher. She is Australia’s no-filter period educator, offering our younger RED customers honest advice on periods, puberty, mental health and everything to do with tween and teen-hood.

With Bright Girl Health school presentations, Demi has presented to thousands of students across Australia, helping them to embrace their menstrual cycle. She also hosts parent and teen courses online.

Learn more about your menstrual cycle here with Demi