Use an Instead Softcup


Instead Softcups are a disposable menstrual cup brand sold in many drugstores and supermarkets. Softcups are composed of a sac and a firmer ring from a polymeric material that is also used in catheters and baby bottle nipples. They are similar in shape to a diaphragm and collect menstrual fluid, instead of absorbing it like a tampon.

Softcups can be used during sleep, sports, swimming, or sexual intercourse. Most women can wear menstrual cups longer than traditional menstrual products, they eliminate period odor, don't cause dryness or irritation, and have not been linked to TSS. Read on to find out how to use one.

Steps

  1. Try this out the first time in the privacy of your own bathroom instead of a public one. Also, although you may want to do a dry run while you are not on your period, it's generally more lubricated and a different environment down there while you're on your period. So it's best to try the first time while you're on your period. You may want to choose a light day if you're going to be out and about.
  2. Wash your hands.
  3. Unwrap the Softcup from the purple packaging.
  4. Stay relaxed and try not to tense your muscles down there. This may make it painful or difficult to insert. (Keeping your jaw slack during insertion will really help.) Be patient; the first time inserting it is always the hardest, so don't give up if you're having trouble at first.
  5. Get into a comfortable position. You may try inserting the Softcup while over the toilet. You can also try squatting down in the shower or tub, putting on leg on the edge or the toilet or tub, or laying down on the floor with your knees up and legs apart.
  6. Find your cervix. Stick a finger inside your vagina and feel for your cervix, which feels kind of like the tip of your nose. It is a small, squishy nub with an indentation in the middle. In order for the Softcup to work properly, it needs to be hooked around the back of your cervix, so you need to know approximately where it is.
  7. Make sure the opening of the Softcup is facing upwards.
  8. Squish the pink rim so it changes from its full circular shape to a more rod-like shape.
  9. Insert the Softcup. Spread apart your labia and find the opening of your vagina with your other hand. Now push the cup back towards your tailbone, not straight up. Push the cup into where you think your cervix is, which is probably as far as you can push it in.
  10. Tilt the Softcup downward and back while inserting it, and then nudge the front of the rim upward, so it hooks behind your cervix. If the Softcup is in the proper position it will be comfortable, and you won't feel it. The pink rim of the Softcup is made of heat-sensitive material, so it will adjust to your unique body shape. The SoftCup works by sealing to the vaginal walls.
  11. Leave the Softcup in for 12 or fewer hours. You may have to remove it earlier, so check it frequently the first time you use one. Softcups have a higher capacity than tampons however, and if used correctly, shouldn't leak as much.
  12. Remove the Softcup. Put a finger inside your vagina until you can feel the edge of the Softcup. Hook your finger under the rim and pull the Softcup out slowly. Make sure to keep the cup as upright as possible during removal to avoid spillage. You may want to practice removal in the shower the first few times while you get used to it, as it can get messy. If the cup is too large and hurts you at the entrance to your vagina, use two fingers to keep it pinched into its smaller shape.
  13. Crumple up some toilet paper and put it into the plastic sac to absorb the fluid. Then wrap the entire thing in toilet paper, throw it away, wash your hands, and insert a new Softcup. Or you can choose to reuse the cup. See the tips for cleaning instructions.



Tips

  • Disposable gloves work well for removal. Just put one disposable glove on your hand, start to remove cup with a finger, and as you clear your vaginal opening remove the glove and pull it over the cup. Voila! Your hand is clean and the cup is wrapped for disposal.
  • There are also reusable menstrual cups that last for years. See Use a Menstrual Cup for more information.
  • If you're in a public bathroom and you want to reuse a Softcup, you can just wipe it off with toilet paper and clean it a little better later. Or you can bring feminine wipes or bottle water with you. (Wipes would be great for your hand too.)
  • The Instead Softcup is available in one size that fits most women. Also, Softcups are fairly skinny when squeezed, and if you compare this cup to an unfurled tampon, they are nearly the same size. However, if you have a low cervix, they may not work for you because the back of the cup usually settles around the cervix, and the cup can be too long and slide down and leak for some women. In a study conducted on the instead softcup, approximately 4% of the women in the study were not able to use it because of poor fit.[1]
  • Although the company does not recommend it, you can reuse these Softcups multiple times. After removal, simply dump the cup and rinse it off in the sink (as well as rubbing any residual fluid off with your fingers). You can use a little soap if your conscience requires it, but cups do not harbor bacteria. If you use soap be sure to rinse very well because soap inside the vagina can cause Prevent Yeast Infections at Home. Many women do this will no ill effects–it's really up to you.

Warnings

  • Although they may look like a diaphragm, softcups are not a barrier method of birth control for sexual intercourse; they only enable couples to have clean intercourse during a woman's period.
  • Don't use Softcups if you are squeamish at the sight of blood.
  • Softcups should not be used if you have an IUD or intrauterine device, as it could cause expulsion of the IUD. Many women successfully use reusable menstrual cups with IUDs however.

Things You'll Need

  • Box of Instead softcups
  • Bathroom
  • Sink
  • Bottled water or feminine wipes if you're on-the-go

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/full/10.1089/jwh.2009.1929
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