What to do if you don t have an overnight pad

When I have my period, can I go a whole school day without changing the pad?
– Kim*

It's not a good idea to go an entire school day without changing pads, pantiliners, or tampons. No matter how light your flow is, or even if there is no flow, can build up.

Changing your pad every 3 or 4 hours (more if your period is heavy) is good hygiene and helps prevent bad odors. This is especially true if you'll be playing sports or rushing around from class to class.

Changing pads often also helps prevent accidental leaks. If your period suddenly gets heavier when you least expect it, you'll be wearing a fresh pad that can absorb the extra flow.

If you're worried that you don't have enough time between classes to change pads, you might want to talk to a trusted teacher or school nurse for some advice. Some students find the best time is during lunch period or when changing clothes for gym class.

Some girls feel embarrassed about having to carry around or change pads at school. If you keep pads zipped up in a makeup case, no one will see them if things fall out of your backpack. And when you're unwrapping a pad in the bathroom stall, it's unlikely that anyone is listening to what you're doing (and other girls have to change their pads and tampons too). Like anything else that can seem awkward at first, changing pads at school gets easier the more you do it.

* Names have been changed to protect user privacy.

Menstruation is a mixed blessing. On one hand, your period provides calming reassurance that you're not pregnant, gives you an excuse to skip gym on rope climbing day, and allows for some quality "spending an evening alone with Netflix Instant" time. On the other hand, it can sometimes be an embarrassingly unpredictable gurgling curse from hell — taunting you when you're trying to get pregnant, befouling your date-night panties, and inviting both shark and bear attacks.

If your uterus is like an iPod shuffle and unexpectedly goes from languid Pure Moods to Slayer's Raining Blood, and you're nowhere near your own supply of pads or tampons, fear not: You can MacGyver yourself through this.

The obvious first course of action is to locate yourself another lady of childbearing age. A coworker? Someone else who happens to be in the bathroom? Ask her for a pad or tampon. You don't even have to be cute about it; she knows what you're going through. Everyone needs to ride the cotton pony.

If you're nowhere near a lady and you're reaching Red October status, you're going to have to make your own temporary pad. If you're in a situation where you can eventually score a tampon, you can probably get by with the old "roll a bunch of toilet paper into a pad-like shape and put it in your underwear" trick. But if your leak is super heavy, or you're facing a plugging timeline similar to that of the BP spill, you're going to have to need something a little more heavy duty.

First, check your belongings for some cotton, gauze, or other absorbent, disposable, and clean material. This will be the core of your makeshift pad. If you're in an office building, check to see if the security desk has a first aid kit; there may be gauze there that can be used as a homemade pad's absorbent core. Most restaurants have first aid kits and unless they're real assholes, they should give you some gauze if you tell them you have a really gross wound that needs dressing. Is there a cheapy washcloth around? How about a thick paper towel? Get your hands on something more sturdy than toilet paper that will absorb liquid and preserve your dignity. I carry an extra pair of clean socks with me, and, in an Emergency Period Situation, one of them could theoretically be sacrificed in the name of not having a teen magazine "OMG I Had My Period In White Jeans in Front of My Crush" moment. Think like MacGyver; be creative in your hunt for something disposable and absorbent.

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Next, wrap the core — whatever you've managed to score — in toilet paper, so that it forms a pad-like shape. Be generous with the wrapping; toilet paper is generally pretty weaksauce and will fall apart.

Situate your homemade pad in the crotch of your undies, and then take even more toilet paper and wrap it AROUND the entire contraption, both the crotch of your underwear and the makeshift pad. This is key — by securing your homemade project to your underpants, it's (hopefully) less likely to shift around; it's that shifting around that tears up the paper pretty quickly. Return your panties to the upright position, wash your hands, and plan on popping back into the bathroom on the regular to make sure you're not leaking.

If you don't have an absorbent core, you're going to have to go for substance rather than style. Make the quickie toilet paper pad we first mentioned, then use another shitload of toilet paper to secure it around your skivvies. Again, you're wrapping toilet paper around the crotch of your unmentionables in order to hold the "pad" in place. Don't be shy; if you really want to give your clothes eternal life, you're going to have to mummify your panties.

After this, you'll never forget your tampons again, will you? I mean, you have a sock in your underwear and you're walking like you have a pillow between your legs. Look at your life. Look at your choices.

Image via Shutterstock/GWImages.

How do you manage your menstruation at night-time? What advice would you give someone who just got their first period? Our readers share their tips.

1. Explore different options

My period is very, very heavy. At night I use tampons and pads and I lie on a towel. My advice is: Explore different options past pads! Don't be afraid of tampons and cups. Use what's best for you. Use overnight pads at night, lay down many towels, and try lying on your side. —Anonymous, cisgender female, 25, Manila, Philippines

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At night I use two pads so that they cover from front to back of my underwear, tampons and lie on a towel. Doubling up on pads so they covered from the front to back of my underwear really helped me, but also remember that leaks are normal and nothing to be embarrassed about - we’ve all experienced it! —Anonymous, female, 16, Ireland

My period ranges from medium to very heavy flow. I use maxi pads and put a towel on bed for medium to heavy flow nights, and wear adult diapers for very heavy flow. My advice: Buy long, winged night pads regardless of the heaviness of your flow—even a little blood can leak due to positioning. Get a large, dark towel for your bed and a mattress protector that way, you won't have to scrub your mattress if you do leak. Change pad/tampon just before bed so that you get the most out of it. Adult diapers can be a real blow to your confidence, but if you have several days of very heavy flow, they're the easiest way to get a good night's sleep without having to wake up and change every two hours. Plus, you can sleep in any position. —Adjoa, woman, 27, Ghana/UK

Don’t be embarrassed about periods, they’re a normal thing that happens! At night, I personally wear netball shorts or boy leg underwear over my normal underwear with the pad on it in case of leaks, and just for a bit of backup and peace of mind. They also make it less obvious that you are wearing a big pad! —Anonymous, female, 21, Armidale

I use a menstrual cup and I sleep naked, so I can wash off any leakage in the morning. You should absolutely use a mattress cover under your bed sheet! If it gets too dirty, you can throw that away much more easily, than clean blood out of your mattress. Always use a dark colored towel for drying after your shower, and if you’re sleeping over somewhere, ask for a dark towel, or bring your own. In a little purse you should always have more than enough tampons/pads, spare underwear and hand sanitizer in your bag. —Zsóka, female, 22, Budapest, Hungary

Always have an waterproof mattress cover, use dark towel to protect sheets until you get used to your blood flow. Overnight pads might work at first, but a menstrual cup has been the best for me. Plus, you get to know your body in the process. Periods are normal, and there is nothing wrong with managing it in a way that won't cause any harm in the long run. Even if it means getting your hands "dirty." —Laumpr, cis female, 30, Maryland, USA

3. Don’t worry about leaks

If you leak on your sheets it’s fine. Use a warm water bottle for cramps and you can drink an herbal tea before sleep for your headache or tummy cramps. —Anonymous, female, 22, Montevideo, Uruguay

I wear pads and lie on a towel if I am in someone else’s house. My advice is to be overly cautious until you know how heavy your period is, but if you do accidentally bleed onto something it’s no big deal, just tell someone. I wouldn’t wear a tampon overnight as you might wear it for longer than the recommended 8 hours which can be dangerous. —Anonymous, female, 18, North East England

Getting your period is an important milestone, and a happy one at that. I think we all talk about periods in such negative ways sometimes, that it makes it seem like the worst thing in the world, but it’s actually a completely natural thing, and so a beautiful one. I could give you plenty of advice, but the most important thing, I think, is to remember to not panic. You’ll get the hang of things. Don’t be afraid of trying out new things, finding the right menstrual products for you. Don’t be scared, you’ll figure it out. Even if sometimes there is a leak, it’s not the worst thing in the world, I promise. If the blood is fresh, wash it with cold water first and then put it in the washer. I have woken up with blood stains many times before and I’m still a perfectly normal human being. So no worries. :) —Mh, female, 24, Slovenia

Light or heavy flow? Find out more about what’s a “normal” period volume, and read up on tampons, pads and more. Everyone's period is different. Speak to your healthcare provider if you are concerned about your period volume.

Download Clue to track your period.