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The menstrual cup – kind to your body, your wallet and the environment!
Disgusting, unhygienic, fiddly – there are many objections to menstrual cups. But many of the women who have tested them have quickly gone from being sceptics to being strong supporters. The advantages of menstrual cups are so many that everyone should at least consider trying one. Here are our 3 tips for how to get started with a menstrual cup!
Why you should try out a menstrual cup
Kind on the environment
Towels and tampons contribute to the mountains of waste that already take up far too much space on the planet. These “disposable” products also often contain plastic, which requires energy to produce and is difficult to recycle. Of course there are reusable fabric sanitary towels, but unfortunately these aren’t very widely used at the moment. A menstrual cup can be used and sterilised month after month. A cup that’s been carefully looked after has a probable lifetime of more than 10 years.
Great economic sense
Certainly, the initial cost of the menstrual cup is the same as a few months’ worth of disposable products, but after that it’s economically a much better deal. Cleaning a menstrual cup is also pretty much free. All you need is water and soap, together with a pan to boil it in so it’s sterilised before your next cycle.
Kind on the body
Everyone who has experience of towels and tampons knows there is a risk of irritated mucous membranes and dryness in the genital area. And towels, which contain material that can’t breathe, can also create a great breeding ground for yeast infections. Of course how your body works and what you prefer is an individual question, but for many women the transition from tampons and towels to using a menstrual cup has been a major step in the right direction.
3 clever tricks for getting started with a menstrual cup
1. Choose the right size!
Most menstrual cups are available in at least two different sizes. The smaller ones are for younger women who haven’t had children. The larger ones often for women over 30 or who have given birth.
2. Practice the insertion!
Read the instructions that come with the menstrual cup to learn how to fold and insert it. If you insert it correctly it won’t leak. It takes a little while to learn what the correct position feels like. If you aren’t sure whether the cup has unfolded itself completely into place, a good tip is to rotate it 360° after you’ve inserted it.
3. It shouldn’t hurt when you remove a menstrual cup!
The trick is to release the vacuum before you start to pull it out. Either insert a finger around the edge of the cup so the air can enter, or pinch the bottom of the cup so the shape alters and the edges are released from the vaginal wall.
Read Everything You Need to Know About Using Menstrual Cups for more information on how to use a menstrual cup as effectively as possible.
