Either sit on the toilet with your knees wide apart or stand with one leg on the toilet. Remember to RELAX—try taking a few deep breaths if you need to.

Use one hand to hold the tampon at the bottom of the outer tube. Place the rounded tip of the tampon to your vaginal opening and point the tip toward your lower back. The removal string should be facing away from your body.

Take a few breaths and gently twist the applicator back and forth into the vagina, directing it toward your lower back. As soon as your fingers touch your body, the applicator is in the right place.

While holding the outer tube of the applicator, push the smaller tube with your pointer finger all the way into the bigger tube until it stops. As you’re doing this, tampon slides out of the applicator and into your vagina. If it’s uncomfortable, the tampon is likely inserted incorrectly or not inserted all the way in—you should remove it and start over with a new one.

With the tampon comfortably inside you (and the removal string hanging outside your body), carefully remove the applicator, place it in the tampon’s wrapper, and throw it in the trash. Then wash your hands.

Don’t forget to remove the tampon before inserting a new one. When it is time to remove it, pull the string downwards at the same angle you used to insert the tampon. You can either flush the used tampon down the toilet or wrap it in tissue paper and put it in the trash.