My mum had a full hysterectomy when I was baby and I don't have sisters, so my mum and her close friend decided that the best plan of attack was to buy me a range of different towels and tampons to try. Once I had made my mind up I just gave my mum the empty box so she could ensure she continued to buy me the ones I was most comfortable using, then she made sure she included them in the monthly shop and would leave them on my bed.

I felt sorry for my best friend as we were growing up as her mum still had her cycle and insisted that she must use the same towels that she did. My friend was always very uncomfortable and it was always obvious when she had her period as she'd always be pull at and trying to adjust her underwear. She ended up trying the leftover surplus that my mum had given me and eventually found something that suited her and it then took a lot of convincing to get her mum on side, in the mean time we walked dogs, cleaned cars and painted fencing etc to make some cash so she could buy her own.