Starting to Douche ?

If any of you women douche, what was the reason that you started? Was it because you went thru puberty and wanted to be clean after your period, because you had become sexually active, or some other reason?

I'll be honest about it, it was peer pressure. I was in college and most of the other girls douched and they were amazed when I told them that I didn't. They talked me into buying a folding syringe and that was the start. That first time was neither post-menstrual or post coital although eventually those were the main reasons why I would use one.

I remember that I was in high school and my mom had just gotten home from shopping. There was a bag from the pharmacy and in addition to some other things was a 4 pack of disposable douche. I asked her if she liked them and what was it like, but rather than answering me told me to take one and try it. I did and then used one on occasion through high school and college.

When I became sexually active with my husband who I knew was safe I started douching. Before, That I had protected sex and only would douche after my periods. . I dont douche as often now since I am single, because I wont have casual unprotected sex.

My grandmother taught me to douche when I was about 11 or so. I remember her saying that a shower only cleans outside but I must clean inside too. It seemed exciting letting the water enter me from the enema bag and watching it gush out, like super peeing and it often felt nice too. So I still do it today even though people have said it is not necessary.

It is to be noted that women who douche have been found to have a higher incidence of uterine and tubal infections. It is simply not necessary for hygiene but it's an individual choice of course. It will not however prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases at all.

when I became sexually active I started douching before and after I got married. I dont douche as often now because I wont have casual unprotected sex.

I don't know why that makes a difference. Douching won't protect you from sequelae of unprotected casual sex.

I don't see the need for douching to be honest, and have heard that it can upset the "natural balance" of things inside the vagina. I am fastidious about bathing and showering (cleaning well externally), and haven't had any problems (odors etc.) that douching is supposed to remedy.

C.

I agree with you 100% Connie. I work in a machine shop and wouldn't think about going to bed without getting the smell of oil and odors off me. Like to feel fresh and clean when I go to bed. Sleep better too. 😃

Would love to see douching make a come back

I'm of the mindset that my vagina is like an oven: self-cleaning. That said, I do love the feeling when I'm taking a bath and the hot water enters my passage, then as I'm standing up to dry off, I can push that water out. That's all that's going in there. Water. Well, and hubby's cum.

I'm of the mindset that my vagina is like an oven: self-cleaning. That said, I do love the feeling when I'm taking a bath and the hot water enters my passage, then as I'm standing up to dry off, I can push that water out. That's all that's going in there. Water. Well, and hubby's cum.

Yeah @repressed just your usual bathing is enough. If I have a bath it is enough, and when I am in the shower my husband is there too so often and he can just swirl his fingers around in my vagina and that is all that is needed really. My mum told me never to douche because it could cause infections and the vagina can just clean itself anyway.

Although there is plenty of evidence that douching isn't needed and actually makes you more prone to PID etc I have douche led for decades and never had an issue.

I only do it once period finished not during as that's not smart and sometimes I will after sex.

I started not long after starting periods I just thought it was normal as my mom douched and we talked about it

None of us here douche. It isn't good for you. Not to say that I have never douched. My sister and I were visiting mom and dad and there was a lot of things stored in boxes. Mom told us to go through the boxes and take whever we wanted. There was all sorts of old dishes, figurines, and such. There was also old bath towels etc. In one box was a brand new jar of massengill douche powder. The yellow. It was still sealed. We remembered the smell of the bathroom growing up. So we took it and some other items. When we got home we tried it just to see. It tingled and had that scent we remembered. But that was about as far as that went.

Douching has fallen out of style, like enemas have also. If you are careful and follow directions carefully when douching, bad things rarely happen. Women used to douche to feel and smell clean and to wash out contraceptive creams and sperm and after periods. Keep the water pressure low, use a solution with a pH of 3.5-4.5 and not more than twice a week and things will be fine.

Tabitha, that reminds me of the old ads for Lysol. Massengil I could do... but Lysol? Nonononono.

Repressed Just the name Lysol scares me. LOL I would never put that in me.

It's a paradigm shift. They used to put mercury in ben-wa balls. Oh, how times have changed.

It's a paradigm shift. They used to put mercury in ben-wa balls. Oh, how times have changed.

They used to use mercury injected into the bladder through the urethra to treat syphilis and gonorrhea. YIKES.

When my MIL passed this summer, I had pantry and bathroom organzing duty. I found OTC medicines from the 60's in her bathrooms. Including a mini first-aid kit that has mercury strips in it. I kept them, but I haven't opened the tin. There's also some ointments that have mercury listed as an ingredient. (Kept those too).

I watch a lot of Investigation Discovery... if hubby ticks me off, and I don't have an icicle available, the mercury is my Plan B.

I started to douche about 6 months after I started having regular periods. I guess I was about 11. Having periods did not bother me but the funky stained panties or wearing liners even a week after the flow stopped bothered me. I knew my mom douched after her period and after sex as many if not most women did in the late 70's so I discussed getting my own douche bag. I think I posted this someplace else on ZB but I can't find it.

I wanted her to buy my douche bag without me but she insisted that I go with her to the local drug store. I remember being really embarrassed and feeling very hot. It was an old fashioned place and most of the feminine hygiene stuff except pads and tampons were behind the counter. I tried to act like my mom was buying it for herself but she kept asking me which one I liked. The sales lady knew my mom and she was understanding. She recommended a folding travel syringe and I ended up picking the same brand my mom had. Of course that might cause a problem because they would be hard to tell them apart. Fortunately, mine had a different color rubber reinforcement at the top.

To get me familiar with the process my mom borrowed a book on feminine hygiene with line art depicting a women douching in different positions. When I was finally ready to try it myself, she helped me fill the bag and add the vinegar. I had seen her fill he douche bag many times so I did not need much help. She sat on a stool in the hallway with the door open until I finished.

I don't douche. It is not needed, as the vagina is self cleaning, and it is, in fact, harmful.

I did my very own first Douche,when I was 16 years old. It was after my first sexual experince with my then boyfriend.After leaving his house I stopped at the local pharmacy.I decided to use one of the Massengil ones,and as soon as I got home,went into my bathroom.I studied the box and the directions.I then decided to use the sitting on toilet position. It felt very strange putting the nozzle into me,but then I squeezed all the fluid into me very slowly,and it felt good.That was the beginning of my douching experiences.

My wife douched at the end of her period plus did an enema at the onset and end of her periods when we first met. She told me, not long before we married, she had bad cramps and heavy flow during her periods starting around age 12 or 13. She started this routine as a young teen on the advice of the OB/GYN, her mother took her see. She was using Massengill douche power when we met in college. After college, she and my sister shared an apartment, saw the same OB/GYN, and both girls were advised to douche with warm water adding a little vinegar at the end of their periods. The Doctor also, advised both girls take a warm water enema with salt, and baking soda at the onset and end of their periods for cramps. This wasn’t new to my sister, because my RN grandmother, had taught her to do exactly what the Doctor advised, years before, and had been doing anyway, since her teens. That is, how to douche at the end of her period with warm water and a little vinegar and give herself an enema using warm water, salt, and baking soda at the onset and end of her periods starting at age 11 or 12. My wife continued this routine until we divorced and never had any problems with douching after her periods or sexual intercourse. As for enemas, she did far more enemas during foreplay, than she ever did for period cramps. Which, I soon learned after marriage, was real problem during her period, which enemas helped relieve a lot. I know, because she could be a real bitch during her period, if the cramps got to bad, and I’d ask her, “would you like an enema to help the cramps?” Almost always, she replied, “sure do.” After the enemas, I’d give her, she was back to her normal self.

Rick: the advice that your wife got is pretty good, except I learned all of those things the hard way. I did not start douching until I went away to college and it was there that I discovered that I was one of the few who didn't douche. This was the late 70s and almost every girl on our floor douched. At the time I would take a laxative for constipation just before I got my period each month. One month I was out and the only thing I got was advice from a sorority sister to take an enema. It sounded dreadful, but I tried it and never went back to the laxatives.

I remember that Massengill smell pervading the whole house back in the 60's when mom douched. I'm assuming it was after her period but that discussion definitely never came up. I can still remember that smell after decades. There is nothing like it.

Memory refresh: Just curious as I've obviously had a mom who douched during the 60's-70's and several GFs and 2 ex-wives since then. When did douching really seriously fall out of favor so that much fewer women do it these days?

Eric

I’m old enough to remember douching occasionally to clean out after a period, but I think douching was really falling out of popularity by the 1980s. Current thought is that it can do more harm than good, butt I do miss that nozzle sometimes!

I started when I became sexually active as a teen. I like to use diluted blue mint Listerine. It keep me tingling and minty fresh ??

I started when I became sexually active as a teen. I like to use diluted blue mint Listerine. It keep me tingling and minty fresh ??

Minty fresh is an interesting concept. I like it.

butt I do miss that nozzle sometimes!

There's more than one way to skin that clit, I mean cat.