I dedicate this blog post to Leona Chalmers, the inventor of menstrual cups.
This article is an attempt to help a menstruator using pads or tampons switch to menstrual cups!
If you are a menstruator, stay on this page and read the whole article, it might help you make some important life decisions which may impact your life positively.
If you are a non-menstruator, still stay, read, share with those who menstruate and help them change their lives.
Certain Statistics
It’s 2020 and I have been menstruating for a whole decade now. ∴ On an average I have menstruated for 600 days.
For every cycle barring my latest one, I have used pads. ∴ On an average I have used 1440 pads.
One pad costs around 7 rupees. ∴ On an average, I have spent 10,080 rupees on pads.
These numbers would keep increasing because I am going to menstruate for at least 20-25 years more. However, there are many ways to stop it and one of them is by switching to a menstrual cup!
A menstrual cup can last up to 10-12 years. ∴ I only need 2-3 cups until I reach menopause!
On an average, a good quality menstrual cup costs around 400 rupees. ∴ I am only going to spend around 2000 rupees on menstrual products in my entire lifetime.
Even though I am not one for calculations and statistics, doing this has made me realize how eco-friendly and economical a menstrual cup is!
Until I started grad college, I had no idea about any other menstrual products apart from pads. I had heard about tampons but never used them. I had heard a few friends talking about menstrual cups in college but never got curious enough to look them up. I don’t know how I make decisions but very often it’s a flash of thought that occurs and I can’t get rid of it until I actually fulfil the task. Something on similar lines happened to me in this lockdown and I was determined to order a menstrual cup for myself. Oh wait, writing this rings a bell and I now know how this thought was introduced to me. One morning, my mother casually said to me, “You know there was an article in the newspaper about eco-friendly menstrual products. Papa has asked you to read it.” I wanted to behave as if I knew it all so I said, “Yeah, yeah I know about them. There’s no need to read that article.” I don’t remember mom’s reaction, I think she shrugged in hopelessness and continued her work. Indeed I did not read the article, but the thought had been implanted and it resulted in the purchase of my first menstrual cup!
What is a menstrual cup?
A menstrual cup is a bell shaped product which is inserted into the vagina to collect the menstrual blood unlike pads and tampons which absorb the blood. The cup is made of medical grade silicone and can be folded for insertion and removal. It can be used for 10-12 years if maintained with care. Using a menstrual cup produces absolutely zero waste. Don’t forget to boil the cup for 5 mins before and after your period cycle and store it in the cloth bag provided in the kit.
Which menstrual cup should you buy?
I bought my cup a month before my July period cycle. Before hitting the ‘confirm’ button on Amazon, I did loads of research to choose the right one for me. Since the menstrual cup comes in many sizes, it is important to determine which size would suit you the best.
Every Indian brand has categorized the menstrual cups based on different yet certain common parameters. There are various foreign brands that can be considered as well.
The 4 main factors to consider while choosing a menstrual cup are:
Your age
Your menstrual flow
Your cervical height when on your period
Whether you have given birth or not
To be honest, I did not know how to locate my cervix and don’t worry if you don’t either. All you need to do is insert a clean finger inside your vagina when you are on your period and try to reach an endpoint which would feel like the tip of your nose. Watch the videos curated by ‘Put A Cup In It’ below for more clarity.
Note: Most Indian brands have categorized the menstrual cups into Small, Medium and Large sizes. Go through the descriptions carefully before buying the product.
For the first time in my life, I was awaiting my periods. It might sound very weird but I was too excited to use this product! When I received the package, I opened it up and read through the manual. There was a point mentioned in it which I would like to bring to your notice,
“Women who have no sexual experience are not recommended to use the cup.”
But let me tell you, it’s a MYTH!!!
I am 21 at the moment with no sexual experience and I had absolutely no problem using it.
Two days before my cycle, I boiled the cup for 5 minutes to sterilize it. This is really important as you want to avoid any chances of infections. The cup did appear daunting to use because of the size and the fact that it was a foreign object that had to be completely inserted in my vagina for 4-5 days. Despite that, I wanted to try it.
Let’s skip to the period story, shall we?
It was evening at around 7.30 PM and I had finished the call with my best friend. I went to the washroom to realize that I had got my period and the excitement was unordinary!
DAY 1 of using the menstrual cup
I collected my cup from my cupboard, put it in my pocket and went to the bathroom. And here it starts.
So of course you cannot simply shove the cup inside your vagina. You need to perform art with your cup, Origami art! I tried doing the ‘C Fold’ that was depicted on the instruction sheet. It was really difficult to insert it in that form. I tried so many times but kept failing. Frustrated, I just wore a pad. I turned to YouTube again to find another way to insert the cup in. ‘Put A Cup In It’ had put up a really useful video which featured 9 different folds. Didn’t I tell you that you can do origami with your cup?!
I walked into the bathroom again with determination and tried the ‘Punch down fold’. Even though I managed to push it in, it was painful and I knew I wasn’t doing everything right and so removed it again. I felt dejected because I had high expectations from the product and from myself. I pinged my girlfriends about the issue and they all encouraged me to relax and not forcefully wear it. It took a few cycles for them to get adjusted as well and it is completely fine if it does not work out in the first go! I felt relieved and thought I should be patient with my body if I want it to comply with my wants. Before sleeping, I thought I should give it one last try and I succeeded! Therefore, I feel entitled to tell you the correct steps to inserting a menstrual cup into your vagina.
How to insert a menstrual cup?
Wash your hands and the menstrual cup with clean water.
Either sit on the toilet seat or stand with one leg on the toilet seat or squat, fold your cup and slowly insert it in your vagina.
Very slowly push it in, do not thrust it or you might end up hurting yourself.
Once the cup is completely inside, to make sure it is open or not, insert one finger and push the walls of the cup gently. Gently go around the cup with your finger to feel and understand if the cup is open.
Do certain adjustments and tug the stem slightly to make sure the suction has been created.
How to tell if the cup is sitting inside you alright?
The biggest feedback is that you will feel NOTHING! When you get such a feeling, assure yourself that the cup has been placed inside you correctly.
I went to sleep really happy.
DAY 2 of using the menstrual cup
I generally sleep a lot, especially when on my period, but I had to make sure I do not sleep more than 12 hours. A cup has to be emptied after 12 hours. So that anxiety woke me up on time and I went to the washroom to empty my cup and reinsert it. I was not ready for the removal and tried so hard but it was extremely painful. I went back to my room and read about it again.
Here are the top 3 things to do when you are removing the cup for the first time.
Breathe and relax because if you are tensed, the vaginal muscles would become tighter and make it even more difficult to get it out.
Take out the cup when you are showering. I tried it and can assure that the warm water helps you relax and then it is easier to remove the cup.
Lastly, cut your nails! I do not want to give any gory descriptions, so do yourself a favour and kindly cut your nails before inserting your fingers inside your vagina.
How to remove a menstrual cup?
Wash your hands.
Lubricate your vaginal area with water. (to avoid friction)
Try out different positions like you did while inserting it.
Insert your thumb and index finger to grab the bottom of the cup and slowly pull it down.
Once it is lowered, pinch the cup and allow the suction to break. Then slowly pull it out completely. It forms the ‘C fold’ when it is removed, so it can be slightly painful as the diameter is big when in that fold. If you do it slowly and patiently, you should be able to do it not only without pain but also without spilling it.
It was quite hurtful for me the first time but it is a matter of trials and errors and some practice.
I learnt so much about menstruation because of using a menstrual cup! It is the first time I ever saw menstrual blood in its original form. It is a thick, dark red colour, odourless liquid. We bleed in millilitres! The blood does not smell! Menstruators can relate to the disgusting smell that would often come from used pads, well, none of that happens when you use a cup!
How many times should you empty the cup?
On the second day, I emptied it around 4 times because I was not sure how to determine how often to do it. It would obviously vary depending on the kind of blood flow you have. I understood that I do not need to empty it so often. Remember that continuous insertion and removal can cause bruises and therefore it is advisable to remove it only when needed, which again you would understand after using it a couple of times.
I do not need to describe rest of the days because by the end of the second day, I had befriended the cup. It stayed with me for the next 2 days and I will meet it (sorry, I don’t know what gender my cup is, let me determine and tell you sometime.) next month soon.
It is indeed a wonder that you perform all of these tasks of insertion and removal without actually being able to see the process at all. It functions entirely on the basis of the sense of touch and therefore, it helps you understand and connect to your body much better.
A letter to those who menstruate.
Dear fellow menstruator,
If you have read the article so far, you know that it is not an easy task to wear a cup BUT it is definitely promising. If an impatient person like me can get well adjusted with the cup, so can you! Yes, you might hurt yourself and decide to never use the cup again and when that happens, scroll back to the statistics and think of the difference you can make to yourself and the planet. Don’t try it once. Try it a couple of times and then make a decision.
Do not fall for myths like:
You cannot wear it if you have never had sex. (You can.)
Your vagina will get loose. (Yes it will, but it will shift back to normal in no time.)
Wearing it will be painful. (If you do everything rightly, you will not even feel that there’s a foreign object inside you.)
Lastly, do you remember the times you had to cancel your swimming plans because you got your periods? Or that camping trip you missed? Or that beautiful white dress that you couldn’t wear for your best friend’s birthday party? Or were you advised not to run or play or dance when menstruating? And were you in those embarrassed situations when you had to ask for a pad from your teachers or your friends? Well, it all sounds cliché but I think you get the picture, don’t you? You will be in none of these situations once you switch to a menstrual cup! So, my fellow menstruators, order your cup today and change your life for the better!
Love, Vaibhavi
PS: I have never been so vocal about menstruation but the experience with my menstrual cup has compelled me to do so! If you’ve had a similar experience, share your stories with others and help them be the change!
Vaibhavi
Comments