Periods are something that I have experienced for over 10 years and had never quite got a good handle on. I felt fortunate that I didn’t have terrible cramps but when it came to feminine hygiene products I hadn’t found a solution that made me feel confident on my period. There was always a feeling of paranoia that I’d leaked or general discomfort associated with disposing of sanitary products especially whilst out and about. Overall, periods had me feeling quite fed up which was a shame since it’s not something I had a choice in. I had heard of menstrual cups as early as 2016 and quite frankly did not take to the idea, I didn’t think I would get on with it so ruled it out as an option. I liked the idea of its sustainability (I’m conscious that sanitary towels are awfully wasteful) but didn’t feel like I would happily use them month to month. Like most young ladies I doubted I’d be able to fit the cup inside properly. I also saw reusable sanitary towels made from fabric and again didn’t see them working for my lifestyle, the idea of carrying soiled towels didn’t work for me as I was someone that had super long days. I stuck to my conventional sanitary napkins for a while after just accepting the situation and to be honest dreading periods.
I had always used sanitary towels with the occasional use of tampons. I found both of them quite sucky, tampons had a seamless feel in terms of not being bulky but felt horrible if inserted or removed whilst too dry. Then pads were not as invasive but left me with a horrible damp feeling. A friend of mine mentioned menstrual cups and sold them really well, answering the majority of questions I had like “how do you change it at work?” - her answer, carry a bottle of water and she also mentioned that changing the cup whilst out was more of a rarity than something you needed to do frequently.
I thought especially seeing as I was in WFH let me give it a go and see if I like it. I ordered a two-pack from Amazon for my next cycle and gave it a try. When I first received the cups I boiled them and then tried them out for comfort, it took a couple of attempts and there is a multitude of methods for inserting - Click Here to Watch a Demonstration - so it’s a case of finding one that works well you for you. It takes a little while don’t worry. For me, I found that my particular cup felt slightly uncomfortable so I trimmed the stalk (not sure if that’s the correct term lol) but the stalkish looking stem that is at the bottom of the cup and it was spot on after that. For removal you need to break the seal and pull downwards, I personally use my thumb and index finger and pinch the base of the cup and twist which works well for me
General tips
- Carry a bottle of water with you on your cycle along with wet wipes for out and about
- Ensure the cup has suctioned onto your cervix, tug the stem/stalk to ensure its firmly in place - you don’t want the cup to ping you
- Experiment with the different folding techniques until you find one that works
- Be patient
Below I have summarised some pros and cons
Pros
- feels so amazing - I feel dry and secure all day, can place cup in and shower thoroughly
- Only need to deal with period 1-2 times a day for about 1-2 minutes at a time
- Since it’s made from silicone/plastic it’s easy to insert prior to starting of the period eg. If you’re going on a night out and think you may start
- No need to thick underwear during the cycle so if you’re going out they’ll be no VPL
- Leak proof sleep
- Get to know your body better
- Easy to clean
- An absolute dream to travel with
- Sustainable
Cons
- if you have a heavy flow it might be helpful to change 3 times a day
- Some exercises are too vigorous if the cup is already full, empty it first eg. Yoga I learned the hard way
- Learning how to insert it for yourself takes an adjustment period
Overall, I’ve been using menstrual cups for a year or so and I’m loving it. I officially don’t hate periods anymore.