I’m not sure how many men read my blog but ladies, this post is for you. Have you heard of menstrual cups? Are you curious about them? Here is my tell all.
Firstly, a menstrual cup is a small, flexible silicone or rubber cup that is inserted into your vagina during your period and it collects your menstrual blood. It doesn’t absorb your flow the way pads or tampons do.
INSERTION
They are really easy to insert.
Fold the cup in half, then fold it half again,and insert it into your vagina.
Once you let go, the cup usually pops into place and opens up (like a flower!) inside your vagina.
Most cups have a little piece at the bottom of the cup that will hang outside your vagina for easy removal.
Practice makes perfect! It took me two cycles to figure it out properly, without leaking. So until you get the hang of it, wear a panty liner.
SIZING
Just like a tampon, you don’t feel the cup inside you. Providing you choose the right size. Most brands have two sizes. The smaller size is for women under 30 or have never delivered vaginally or by csection, and the other is a little bigger and best for women over 30 or who have delivered vaginally or by csection.
Using the right size will prevent leakage. I turned 30 this year and I use the smaller size.
IS IT GROSS!?
Okay I’m not going to sugar coat it and this is going to get a bit graphic. The first few times, it’s pretty gross. I come from a generation that is used to tampons. Insert, remove after a few hours, flush, insert a new one.
Menstrual cups require a bit more care.
When you remove it, your period is collected into this cup. It’s pure liquid, very fluid-like, and sometimes a bit smelly. You pour it into the toilet, rinse the cup off in the sink, and reinsert it. Sometimes your fingers get a bit bloody too so be sure to wash your hands before and after.
I like to keep baby wipes on hand just to freshen up, before reinserting. The cup doesn’t absorb your period so needless to say, your lady parts are a bit bloody.
You’ll really get over this ick factor. I promise.
HOW LONG CAN I WEAR IT FOR?
Most cups can hold up to one ounce of flow. Most of the time I’ll insert in the morning and only remove it at night. I don’t remove it when I urinate or have a bowl movement. And no, it hasn’t fallen out or got lost up there!
The cup sits so low in your vaginal canal so you can’t wear it during intercourse.
REMOVAL
To remove the cup, pinch the bottom of it to release the suction and gently pull it out. Pour the liquid into the toilet, rinse out the cup, and reinsert it.
CLEANING IT
Once my period is over, I wash the cup with my vaginal wash (or you could use sex toy cleansers, too) and then I boil it for 5 – 10 minutes. I leave it out to dry and then store it back in the baggy it came in.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THE SWITCH
- Budget Friendly. You buy the cup once and it could last you up to 10 years. You save so much money because the cup isn’t something you have to purchase over and over, like pads and tampons.
- Eco-Friendly. Period products generate so much trash. Menstrual Cups are so much better for the environment
- Chemical Free. Menstrual cups are made without latex, BPA, dyes, and other harmful chemical, like the bleach found in your pads and tampons.
- Decrease your chances of TSS.
- No rashes. Come on, we all know you get diaper rash from the pad you’re wearing!
- It’s more discreet. There’s no tampon string that’ll get soaked in pee or pop out of your bathing suit. There’s no tampon or pad packaging to discard of. You don’t have to hide the cup!
- Get to know your body. Every cycle is unique. The cup will clear up all mystery about your flow. We need to know these thing. Our health is important!
- Can last up to 12 hours. So much better than running to the bathroom every 3 hours to change my tampon.
- More comfortable periods. Some women report lighter periods with little to no cramping since making the switch. I can attest to no cramping! I ain’t got none of that!
- You’ll sleep better. No more worrying about bleeding through your pad or leaking through your tampon. Menstrual cups, when use correctly, are leak-proof. Save your undies and your sheets!
- Everyone can use it! Virgins, those with endometriosis, Mothers, Non-Mothers, wide vaginas, small vaginas, low cervix! Consult your Doctor first, if you have any concerns.
If there’s anything else you need to know, that I haven’t covered. Leave me a comment below! I can answer all your questions and concerns, without holding back the gory details.
Have you made the switch to Menstrual Cups? If not, what’s stopping you?