Period Swimwear FAQs
Can I swim while I'm bleeding?
Yes of course! AWWA period proof swimwear is designed to be used alone on your light days or as an extra layer of protection if needed. Our swimwear holds the same as 1 regular pad or tampon.
Does my period stop when I swim?
When you get into the water your ikura doesn’t stop but the blood doesn’t flow out at the same rate. This is because water exerts extra pressure on your vagina which counteracts the effect of gravity on your flow.
How does period swimwear actually work though?
There is a gusset in the period bikini bottoms that absorb your period when you’re in the water, and also when you come out of the water. When you bleed, the gusset will absorb your period blood. The leak-proof layer of the gusset is water resistant and keeps the blood inside, so you don’t have to worry about leaking.
Will people know I'm wearing period swimmers?
No! AWWA period swim does not have a bulky layer and no one will be able to tell the difference.
But I am tapu on my ikura shouldn't I stay out of the water?
Whether or not it is tika to swim on your period is very much dependant on which iwi you are from and what you were taught. Everyone is different and none are wrong. We definitely do not want to discourage you from your practices. What we do know is that some iwi definitely do bathe on their ikura in fact it was a form of rongoā for some who experienced cramping. We know that some Tupuna were comfortable in the moana but not in the awa or some were comfortable in the awa but not the moana. Another thing we know is that our Tupuna were taught to be guided by their own intuition - if it felt right then kei te pai and if it didn't feel right then stay away. Our tupuna would also sometimes stick to their own awa. Whatever feels right for you and your whanau/iwi AWWA are here to tautoko you.
