It's Time to Talk about Menstrual Cups

Pads. Panty liners. Tampons. Sanitary belts.

When it's that time of the month, no option seems good enough. They all have to be changed multiple times a day and you end up shelling out a ton of cash just for something you'll throw away anyway.

What if I told you there was a better way?

I'm talking about menstrual cups.

The Menstrual Cup: The Champion of the Period Games

Imagine a small champagne glass. Now break off the stem. Now imagine the whole thing is made of silicon. There. You've got your menstrual cup. It's a firm yet flexible little cup that you can fold, insert into your vagina, and adjust it to make it deploy. You'll hear a little sucking sound if it's in there properly. That's because it uses the power of suction to stay in place.

And the best part is you only have to take it out every twelve hours.

That's right. No more worrying about toxic shock syndrome from wearing a tampon for too long. And no more worrying about whether or not you have enough pads or tampons to last the day. No more rolling up your used pad to throw away in the garbage later. After half a day, you just pull the cup out, pour the accumulated blood in the toilet, wash it off under the faucet, and reinsert it.

Washing Your Cup

Yep. You have to take the cup and run it under the tap to get out all the menses that were left behind. Now, you're thinking, "How am I supposed to wash it off in front of other people in the restroom?" My answer to that is to do that whole pour 'n wash routine before you go to work or class or wherever. Or wait until no one else is in the restroom. Or you can just grit your teeth and hope the other person isn't too judgmental.

Or you could get disposable menstrual cups. They're like regular menstrual cups but you can just throw them away and not worry about rinsing them out. Whatever way works for you. They're not as cost effective or as environmentally-friendly as the silicon cups, but disposable ones are a good way to see if menstrual cups are for you.

The Cost of Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups are a bit pricier than your standard pads or tampons. I bought mine for about thirty dollars at Walgreens. But you know what? It paid for itself in two months. And if you take care of it, your cup can last for years.

All you have to do is sanitize it before and after your period. Sanitizing is simple. Just boil it for about ten minutes. Just make sure it doesn't stay on the sides or bottom of the pot so it doesn't get scorched. And after that, put it back in its smart little bag until next month.

Yeah, but Is It Leak-Proof?

I'm not going to lie to you. In your first few months of using a menstrual cup, you're probably going to have leaks. Plan for it. Bring some tampons or pads just in case.

You just have to get used to inserting it. You fold it in half and keep it folded while you push it up into your vagina. Don't push it too high or you'll get leaks. And if it's too low, you'll get leaks. The best judge of depth is being able to just touch the little stem at the bottom of it. Using a menstrual cup is just one of those things that you'll have to learn by doing it. 

Some women never get it to work. The most common complaint is that it's uncomfortable. Or that, no matter what they do, it leaks. I'm not about to tell these women they're wrong. Every body is different and what works for one may not work for another. But after weighing the pros and cons of menstrual cups, I decided to try them, and I've never looked back.

In Conclusion

Menstrual cups are another option for period management. They're sturdy little silicon cups that can stay in place for up to twelve hours. After pouring the blood out and rinsing it, you just reinsert it and go on about your day. A menstrual cup is a bit expensive at first, but it will quickly pay for itself.