No. Before tampons were made, women used menstrual (sanitary) pads. It is far and away the most widely used method of menstrual management.
Menstrual pads have been mentioned in history as early as the 10th century in Ancient Greece, where a woman is said to have thrown one of her used menstrual rags at an admirer in an attempt to get rid of him.
Before the disposable pad was invented, most women used rags, cotton, or sheep’s wool in their underwear to stem the flow of menstrual blood. Knitted pads, rabbit fur, even grass were all used by women to handle their periods.
Read more about The History of the Sanitary Pad at Femme International.
Check out these 15 Things Women Actually Used Before Tampons Came To The Rescue compiled by TheThings.com.
Not all women use tampons. It is a personal decision that you should feel comfortable with and make on your own. Here are some guidelines, along with the descriptions and diagrams in the tampon product you purchase shared by Pamf.org.
Learn how to insert a tampon, including tips and tricks to make the process simple and comfortable at Tampax.com.