How Using a Menstrual Cup Made My Life Easier

Menstruation is a natural part of our lives as women, but dealing with it every month can become cumbersome fast. The moods swings, breast tenderness, and the worries about leakage can be annoying and overwhelming.

I remember when I was just getting started with periods; I was very cautious about ensuring that I never had a leakage. So I moved from one store to the next trying to find the best pads I could lay my hands on. My experience with the pads was great; I like how I didn’t have to worry about staining my underwear and that I could wear a single pad the entire night because of the high-absorbency rates.

But I didn’t like the idea that pads kept reminding me of my periods. Besides, I lead an active lifestyle and felt as though the pads couldn’t keep up, so I decided to shift to tampons. I loved the fact that the small thing disappeared into my innards and stayed there for at least two hours. And the best part about using tampons was that it’s completely sensation-less. I admit there were times that I could use a combination of both pads and tampons to make sure that nothing was left to chance with regards to leakage. This went on for years, until only recently when a friend introduced me to menstrual cups.

At first, I was quite skeptical about the idea – imagine using a cup to hold your periods. I thought it was very uncomfortable – or even absurd. But when I heard another friend swearing by it, I decided to do my research to find out just how good the cups are. So, I took the time to do my own research, reading lots of menstrual cup reviews to gauge other peoples’ opinions. Surprisingly, most of the reviews were positive, and many women liked the fact that some menstrual cups were long-lasting and reusable, while others were disposable, among other incredible aspects.

The big shift

After going through a series of reviews, I wanted to try it. So, once I was clear about my ideal cup size, I placed an order online. I admit, it felt somewhat uncomfortable the first time. So I called my friend, and she advised me to ‘grease’ the cup (lubricate the rim with water or lubricant) to make it a little easier.

How it made my life easier

I feel like the menstrual cups are a godsend; in addition to wearing them for ten straight hours, I do not have to worry about leakages or infections. To me, that is a big plus. Menstrual cups, like tampons, are invisible. However, unlike tampons, they negate the need of having to deal with infections and accidental leakage because of losing track of how long they have been inside. I also didn’t like the idea that pads are a bit less freeing, especially while doing physical activity. Pads tend to shift. Besides, they are anything but subtle. When changing a pad, anyone close is likely to notice because of the crinkles and wrinkles.

With the menstrual cup, I do not have to deal with the toxic shock syndrome. I don’t know why, but each time I used a super absorbent tampon, I had to get a staph infection. My gynecologist thinks that the absorbency is what was encouraging the bacteria to gather around the tampon, causing the TSS. But that’s not a problem anymore because the menstrual cups ‘collect’ instead of ‘absorb’ blood. So, my risk of having toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is way less.

When I was using pads and tampons, I couldn’t think of having sex during my periods because of the discomfort and fear of leakage. But now, I can use the disposable cups while I get intimate because my partner won’t feel it and I won’t have to worry about messing my sheets.

I also like the idea that the menstrual cups are eco-friendly. I’m more of a green individual who cares about the earth. And since the reusable menstrual cups are meant to last for a long time, it means I’m not adding more waste to the environment.

Above all, I like the idea of paying a one-time price for a reusable cup. I don’t have to spend lots of money now the way I used to when I was using pads and tampons.