Decide About Using a Menstrual Cup



A menstrual cup is a small, silicone cup that collects instead of absorbing menstrual fluid and an inexpensive, Eco-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. At school or work, the last thing you need is leaks with bulky pads, or maybe you find tampons uncomfortable. It can get annoying taking up five minutes of your lunch time to change your tampon/pad as well. As well as conserving cotton, menstrual cups can be changed less frequently than standard menstrual products. If you are unsure about using a menstrual cup, read the steps below and do a little more research before deciding.

Steps

  1. Research. Find out everything you can about the product. If you are spending your money, you need to know as much about the product as you can.
    • Pros of cups:
      • Cups are inexpensive. The average woman spends about $3000 dollars in her lifetime on disposable menstrual products. The average menstrual cups costs $25-50 and can be reused for ten or more years.
      • Cups are safe and clean. Unlike tampons and pads, which can contain harsh chemicals and can harbor bacteria, cups do not encourage bacterial growth and are made of inert, medical-grade silicone, rubber, or TPE (thermoplastic elastomers). Additionally, cups also do not soak up extra moisture like tampons, so they keep the vaginal environment intact.
      • Cups are convenient. For most women, cups can be worn for twelve hours before emptying them. They show nothing outside of the body (i.e. tampon strings) and can be worn while playing sports, swimming, and sleeping without leaking. There is also no need to carry around spare supplies, as you will always have your cup with you while you're on your period. Cups can be worn before a woman's period starts, which is helpful for those with irregular periods. Menstrual cups leak 0.5 less frequently and have to be changed 2.8 less times, and they also eliminate any period odor.
      • Cups are environmentally friendly as well as body positive. The average woman uses over 16800 disposable, paper menstrual products in her lifetime. Compare that to just one silicone cup in terms of its environmental impact. And you will have to know more about your body and your period in order to use one.
      • Cups are comfortable. Most users can't feel their cups at all; it's quite possible to forget that you're wearing one. It may look big, but a cup folds up into a very small object for insertion and removal. Some women even report less cramps and bloating while using cups. The fact that they do not dry out the vagina is a comfort factor for many as well.
    • Cons of cups:
      • Cups are hands on, meaning you will get a little messier using them. They're probably not the best option for you if you are squeamish at the sight of blood.
      • Cups have a longer learning curve than other menstrual products. It can take about 3-4 cycles to get truly adjusted and comfortable with using your cup.
      • Cups may cause discomfort. Some women have discomfort from too much suction or a firm cup pushing on their bladder or rectum because of their body shape.
  2. Ask other women who have got them for their advice, or read what other customers have said about the product. The Menstrual Cup LiveJournal Forum is a great place to do this.
  3. Ask yourself why you want one. If you feel fully comfortable with purchasing and trying out a cup see these wikiHows for more information on choosing the cup that's right for you and learning how to use one.

Tips

  • Wear a back up pantyliner the first few times, in case the cup leaks a little.
  • If you do buy one, do a trial run in the house so you'll be more confident in public.
  • Unlike pads and tampons you don't have to change your cup every time you need to use the bathroom. Without this inconvenience you can get on with life as normal.
  • If you are a teenager, talk to your mom. Most likely your mom will be open to the idea and may even buy your first cup for you. She may not have heard of cups, so be sure to explain clearly what they are and why you are considering using one.
  • When cleaning a cup, make sure you clean thoroughly for continual use.
  • If you aren't sure about spending $30 on one that you may not like after all, try disposable one's like Softcup to insure that you actually like menstrual cups before spending the money on a more expensive reusable one
  • Talk to your ob/gyn before buying it, they can help you decide what is best for you and give you good information.

Warnings

  • Check you have the right size as there are mostly no return policies.
  • If you use an IUD for contraception, you should know that these cups are often not recommend to be used in tandem with an IUD. However, some companies do recommend the use of cups, and many women use a cup as well as an IUD successfully if they are careful to remove the cup gently. This will reduce the risk of accidental expulsion.
  • If you are buying them online, check with a parent first.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Decide_About_Using_a_Menstrual_Cup&oldid=319604"