A few months ago, I had a mom friend gush about this thing called a menstrual cup. I was like a menstrual what? She continued to go on and flat out told me you need this in your life. My first thought was yeah sure I do. So, we went on our way and the next day in one of my online mom groups, can you guess what came up as a topic of discussion? You guessed it, menstrual cups! Most comments said positive things, and then there were those like me, questioning what in the world is a menstrual cup! So clearly it was a sign that I needed to try this crazy thing out.
Picking a menstrual cup
Amazon has what seems like a million different menstrual cups, ranging from size, color, and grip. It was a bit overwhelming at first. I did some quick Google research along with reading reviews and settled on one that was for a woman who had given birth. It had a flat ribbed stem, as reviews indicated that was essential to getting the menstrual cup out. Of course, upon reading that review I was like uhh umm what?!? I would later understand what that reviewer meant. I made my selection I picked the Pixie Cup. It had good reviews, was a good price point, and I really liked that for every cup purchased they donate to a woman in need! Then I waited…
Trying it…Liking it
Finally, the day came that Auntie Flo arrived, and I was ready to test this new device out. I was also kind of excited to hopefully rid my life of tampons and pads! Upon reading the instructions…my thoughts were “I have to put that where and really is it going to fit?!” Much to my surprise yes and yes! Its flexible so upon inserting the cup you fold it and then once inserted you twist to insure a seal is made. To remove you pull on the stem, I have found it helpful to bear down and push a tiny bit. The suction is really good! Remember the comment I read about the stem…well some stems it seems have no ridges to help you hold on to the cup during removal…I can’t imagine how much harder it is in those cases to remove! I’m glad I have ridges, haha!
It took me a couple of tries to really feel comfortable with my menstrual cup, but now I really can’t imagine having my menstrual cycle without one! Seriously, it has changed the way I manage my period completely, and I haven’t had any leaks. That is a first in several years. I can wear it for up to 12 hours on light days and about 6-8 on heavy days (and I have some heavy cycles ladies), before emptying it. Which is really easy to do, just dump the contents (all that menstrual goodness or grossness however you look at it) clean it and reinsert. No more tampons or pads needed! I can wear this when sleeping, swimming, and doing everything else I do! So, if you haven’t tried this thing called a menstrual cup, you should, it could quite possibly change your whole life during your menstrual cycle.
P.S. Thank you mom friend, and sorry I thought you were a bit crazy for a minute 😉
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