Periods & Everyday Life

Q&A: Is it okay to wipe down there with baby wipes when you're on your period?

If it helps you feel more clean and fresh, that is certainly okay! There are also wipes made for women, sometimes referred to as feminine hygiene wipes. Often, they are sold in the aisle where you find pads and tampons. A few suggestions for any type of wipe that you choose: 1) choose an unscented version. Scents often cause more irritation; 2) follow the front-to-back wipe rule with these, too, and use them ONLY on the outside of your body; 3) use them only when needed; e.g. when you change your pad or tampon or even once or twice a day, but no need to use one every time you use the restroom; and 4) if they cause any irritation, make sure to stop using them right away. Other things you can do to help stay clean and feeling fresh are to make sure that you change your pad or tampon about every four hours or to take an extra bath or shower. Even just rinsing with water can help.

There are vaginal wipes available but I don’t see a problem with using baby wipes. If they are safe and gentle enough for a baby, they should be fine for a teenager or woman. You may have to use caution with scented wipes since they could be irritating.

Before I start my period each month, I stock up on wet wipes (same as baby wipes, just without the baby smell). When I’m on my period, all I really want to use are wet wipes – I know they’ll do the job and really clean things up down there. Also, they’re really refreshing. So worry not, it is absolutely okay to use baby/wet wipes when you’re on your period. All of you ladies out there who haven’t tried using wipes when your own your periods, get in those cars, drive to the store, and pick some up – they’ll change your periods for the better.