MENSTRUAL CUP REVIEW + 5W1H
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies"
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 -
Do you know that one pad contains 4 plastic bags combined? Have you ever done any calculation of how many pads are being disposed and sent into the landfill each year? If you do the calculations right, you'll end up with a humongous amount of zeros. Oh, have you heard that a pad easily outlives its wearer? Pads won't recycle for as long as plastics do. But that alone didn't stop me from wearing pads, I stopped because of innumerable reasons.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 -
Do you know that one pad contains 4 plastic bags combined? Have you ever done any calculation of how many pads are being disposed and sent into the landfill each year? If you do the calculations right, you'll end up with a humongous amount of zeros. Oh, have you heard that a pad easily outlives its wearer? Pads won't recycle for as long as plastics do. But that alone didn't stop me from wearing pads, I stopped because of innumerable reasons.
I've been wearing pads religiously since my first period at 12 like most Indonesian women do. It was love at the beginning, but those breezy periods were blatant lies. Starting at 17, I had severe rashes at the base of my thighs akin to diaper rash, but take it one level ahead. The rash which turned out to be a highly irritable eczema seem to deteriorate as I grow older. As I have investigated, the rash only came if I sat on something wet and mushy for a long period. I changed my pads every time I went urinating as a result, but it yielded in completely nothing and I still got those crazy rashes. The skin around my groin got so unbearably ugly and I just couldn't stand those any longer.
Back in 2016 I first got acquainted with a Menstrual Cup. What is it, you ask? It's a cup, shaped obviously like a cup with a stem, sort of like a wine glass but without the 'foot'. It sits inside the vagina and below your cervix. I won't lie, the idea of inserting something inside my hooha grossed me out, especially because I'm a virgin who intends to remain rightfully so until my wedding night, with the most worthy man as my husband. Even though I'm highly conservative I'm quite lucky that I'm open-minded, and that contributed to my later life-changing decisions.
At first, the Menstrual Cup gave me an impression of being a period collecting device designed only for sexually active women which wasn't me in any sort of way. It looked gigantic, like something only Caucasian women would wear, compared to my small 5'3 Asian stature. But regardless, I continued researching and found how there's almost no negative reviews from people who had worn it. Every one of the users stated that they wouldn't in any way go back to pads or tampons. But was it really that worth it, though?
Fast forward to 2019, when I really find the fact that I decided that this product could work wonders for me is inevitable. You can do sports, jog, do gymnastics, swim and even skydive with a Menstrual Cup and not leaking. I've searched up distributors for Diva Cup, Lunnette, Juju Cup, etc. but those commodities were like expensive on steroids. That was until a friend of mine introduced me to a local MC brand, which has been numerously endorsed by celebrities and flooded with all positive testimonies. I was shocked that it was so affordable and decided not to postpone the purchase after some deep considerations. The package came not long after, and I was pumped to try it for the first time.
Down here, I've compiled all the stuff that you would want to know about the Menstrual Cup. Hope it helps!
WHAT IS A MENSTRUAL CUP?
Quoting from Wiki who said that "a menstrual cup is a feminine hygiene device that is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to collect menstrual fluid and prevent its leaking onto clothes. Menstrual cups are usually made of flexible medical grade silicone and shaped like a bell with a stem". There are several menstrual cup manufacturer that uses TPE (medical grade degradable plastic). The menstrual cup itself is pretty self explanatory.
Down here, I've compiled all the stuff that you would want to know about the Menstrual Cup. Hope it helps!
WHAT IS A MENSTRUAL CUP?
Quoting from Wiki who said that "a menstrual cup is a feminine hygiene device that is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to collect menstrual fluid and prevent its leaking onto clothes. Menstrual cups are usually made of flexible medical grade silicone and shaped like a bell with a stem". There are several menstrual cup manufacturer that uses TPE (medical grade degradable plastic). The menstrual cup itself is pretty self explanatory.
WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO WEAR A MENSTRUAL CUP?
Anyone! Namely teens and adults and basically anyone who's menstruating. You may wonder, can virgins use menstrual cups? YEP! I'm a virgin myself and I fell in love with menstrual cup within my first trial. After all, Hymen doesn't have a correlation with virginity. Our hymen is naturally elastic and holey, that's why period blood can go through the hymen. Hymen can wear off in any situation, some also said that the hymen wears off as you age. A lot of women were also born without a hymen. That's why hymen SHOULD NOT be a benchmark for virginity. It's just too unfair how a woman can be a non-virgin based on her choice of period product. However, if you're still hesitant, don't wear it. If you're a fellow virgin who are looking forward to join the MC squad but are still afraid of the idea, don't be. Join a MC wearing community, look up online resources for more information, take all references you can find on YouTube (In regards, for Indonesians please don't take Dr. OZ's explanation for menstrual cups because it's so irrelevant and highly biased and even menstrual cup users are highly against it). However, there are some people who may have to ditch the thoughts of wearing the MC because of certain conditions. People who aren't suggested to use the MC are those who had just given birth and still recuperating, and those who have uniquely shaped uterus and cervix that will possibly make it harder to use the Menstrual Cup.
WHY SHOULD I WEAR A MENSTRUAL CUP?
I lowkey have a list of why I'm not on pads anymore, which I will mention below this section. Generally, pads and tampons harbor so many harmful chemicals and bleaches that are bad for our body, let alone to the most sensitive part of the body. Those chemicals when exposed for a long period of time can result in cervical cancer. And tampons, they absorb everything including the good bacteria inside the canal resulting in infections. Nevertheless, here's my list of whys:
1. Earth-Saving Mission!: As I'm writing this, I am currently living in Jakarta where all sorts of pollution is evident. Air, water, soil, noise pollution all takes part in Jakartan's daily lives. Add to it the fact that Jakarta's landfill management is nothing but corrupt, whacked and defective, then you'll end up with a melting pot of people who are highly tolerant of trashes being thrown everywhere but inside the bin. Many modern Indonesian women luckily are conscious of such things and took to a better way to save the earth while on their periods. So I tagged along the MC users for a ride and never have I gone back to wearing pads ever since.
2. Pads Are Expensive: I mean, not in the most exaggerating manner, but if you do the calculations, you'll find out how pads can be expensive. Since I turned 19, I've been paying for my monthly pad expenses which was nothing compared to what I used to spend my money on, but my sister would tag along using my pads without paying me back because she isn't financially able to do so. So let's say that I paid for 2 persons pads. When buying pads, you can't just buy one-size-fits-all pad and it's crucial that you also get the night pad, adding more expenses. While the prime investment is kinda high-priced, a menstrual cup can last up to 10 years of usage! So worth it compared to reusable pads that we continue to purchase each months. Ever since I made the switch, I literally had zero spending on pads and I can start letting my sister be responsible for her own period.
3. Comfort is #1: For all of you pad users who are reading, ya'll must be familiar with how bulky pads can be, especially overnight pads. Every night on my period, I'd go out of the toilet after my refreshing evening shower with a crinkly noise down from my crotch. It drew a lot of attention and is horrendously annoying. Besides, wearing pads often gross me out because I practically had to sit on my pile of blood for a week while feeling all wet and nasty downstairs. Also, pads usually emit a powerful stench that sends everyone to their early graves. With the cup, you can barely smell a thing.
4. Eczema: Ugh. My biggest problem. If it wasn't because of the eczema I would reconsider converting to Menstrual Cups. I couldn't tell everyone how bad my eczema is because of the pads, but believe me, it's worse than you think.
5. Leaking: I leak quite often even with maxi pads. My period blood decided to be quirky and 'deliberately' leaked whenever I'm on my beloved white jeans. I even went as far as putting an extra waterproof fabric to line my bed every night in case it leaks because if you uncover my bed sheet you'll find what would've reminded you of a murder scene.
6. Motivating Fellow Young Women: As an avid wearer of Menstrual Cup in my 20s, I get those 'Isn't that dangerous?' a lot. In case you don't know, Indonesia is a country that upholds religious values over a lot of things. It reflected in the tendency of Indonesian women having no idea about their female anatomy despite numerous sex eds at school because apparently it was taboo to do anything to your female part before marriage. Even I've met a lot of women who didn't know that the female genitalia has 3 holes namely urethra, the vaginal cavity, and the rectum where the poop goes out from. Many women still think that you need to remove Menstrual Cup or Tampon before going to pee. Trust me, knowing our own female anatomy is CRUCIAL and there should be no taboo acting as a barrier to our knowledge about our own body.
WHERE TO BUY A MENSTRUAL CUP?
Typically for women outside of Indonesia, a Menstrual Cup can be purchased from online retailers like Amazon or Ebay or the company's website. In Indonesia however, there's only a handful of brands that you can get locally. Some self-owned companies have distributed well known brands such as Lunette (Finland), Lena Cup (USA), Organicup and Diva Cup (Canada) here in Indonesia so it's easier to find without having to travel abroad. However, those well known cups are for people with higher budget as all of them ranges between Rp. 400.000 to Rp. 700.000 and can be purchased via Higea Indonesia (click to be directed to the store). I opted for a slightly more affordable version that competes quality-wise to the famous brands and got it from G Menstrual Cup for Rp. 125.000. I'm absolutely not inserting anything questionable and suspicious inside my lady part, and that's why the menstrual cup that I purchased has gone through thorough investigations. The local cup brand that I'm using is known for its good reputation and has thousands of positive reviews from its customers, it even has a number of stockists all over the country, making it a market leader of local menstrual cups in Indonesia.
WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY MENSTRUAL CUP?
You only need to empty your MC about once every 12 hours, or depending on your flow. If your flow is heavy you may want to change it more frequently. Most people even change it only twice a day, in the morning and before going to bed. One good news is that the period fluid that the cup collected may shock you, in good terms. You'll be surprised on how small the amount of blood that you actually bleed on your period, whereas on pads you're convinced that you bleed a lot. Also, there's no deadly smell! In terms of years, a cup can last up to 10 years depending on how you take care of the cup.
HOW TO USE A MENSTRUAL CUP?
There are several ways that you need to prepare before trying out your menstrual cup for the first time, especially when you're a virgin like I am because it may sound really terrifying. What I've written below are stuffs that I came prepared with and stuffs that I experienced myself during my first take on menstrual cup. Once again, if you're a virgin about to try out MC for the first time, we're in the same page, a month ago. I went through this and succeeded, so can you!
Before I even started, I'd like to share the stories of dozens of women who had to really struggle with finding the perfect cup that works for them. Every women's different, and so is every vagina. Menstrual Cups that work just fine for me doesn't mean that it will work as fine for you, so before proceeding to buy your first MC, it is suggested that you take a Quiz that is available in Put a Cup In It's website. I will link the Quiz (HERE).
If you're pretty much convinced, follow these steps!
#1: Learn where your cervix is located! This is very crucial as this will determine what kind or brand of cup will fit you the best. Some women has a high cervix, and some women has it low and if you have a high cervix, using a cup made for medium to low cervix will cause you to 'lose' the cup during usage due to the cup riding up as you go. On the contrary, if you have a low cervix and using a cup made for high cervix, you'll end up with the bottom of the cup bulging from the opening of your vagina, even though this can be prevented by cutting the stem. To know your cervix height, simply relax and insert a clean index finger up into your vagina, carefully continue to go up until you touch something that feels like the tip of your nose or until you can't reach further up anymore. The thing that feels like the tip of your nose should be your cervix. Now remember how deep is the reach, and remove the finger. If you can reach up to the first knuckle (the knuckle closest to your fingernail), means that you have a low cervix, if you can reach up to the second knuckle, you have medium or average height and if you can reach all the way in or even further, then what you have is a high cervix. I have an average height cervix.
#2: Sterilize the cup for 5 minutes in boiling water every time you're starting or finishing your period. Make sure the MC does not touch the bottom of the pan to prevent damage. This step ensures the Cup to be free from bacteria before it's inserted into our body. Wait for it to cool. Other way to sterilize is to use a baby bottle sterilizing machine, or dumping it inside a water-filled cup and microwaved, or submerged in a sterilizing tablet-dissolved water.
#3: Don't Panic! Relax your whole body and feel at peace. I know this sounds kinda crazy and the first time I tried relaxing, I ended up being more tensed. The key is to relax as if you're an experienced user inserting the MC that you've used every so often. If you feel panicky, do whatever brings you peace. The first time I inserted it, believe it or not, I was listening to Birdland by The Manhattan Transfer (for the love of Jazz lol).
#4: Don't force! If it didn't go well on the first try and you're already feeling sore, take a rest and try again next time. This is why I recommend trying it before your period comes so that you won't be too rushed.
#5: Try out folding methods that work best for you. There are so many options on folding the Cup for insertion. There's the C-fold, Punch-Down, Triangle, 7 Fold, Labia, Diamond, Origami, E fold, and etc. Out of all folds, the triangle fold is the working one for me because it has a very small diameter which means it can be inserted more easily because I'm very tight downstairs. Aside from learning the folds, you need also to find out the perfect position. You can half squat, get one foot resting on the toilet seat, do the Asian squat on the floor (I do that), sitting on the toilet, and many many more.
#6: Carefully insert the folded cup into the vagina, and once it's inside, try to pop open the cup by pressing the sides or the bottom of the cup, and wiggling it around. I usually get up after that and do some kegel movements as well as hula hoops. Once the cup is open, you can feel the 'POP' sensation. That simply notifies you that the cup has created a suction and you're good to go. However, some people (me included) can't feel the pop. No worries, I usually just get up and walk around and the suction will be created in no time.
#7: Once you've felt the pop, you're basically free to go and not change it until 6 to 12 hours later.
#8: To remove it, simply do a push as if you're having a bowel movement until you can find and reach the stem. After the stem is found, use the stem as a guidance to the bottom of your cup. Once you've found the bottom of the cup, pinch it until the suction releases and carefully remove it while still pinching the cup body. If you're squeamish, this can be a little hard at first, especially because I couldn't put my finger far enough to release the suction. This is why I only pinch the bottom while holding the stem with my other hand. It helps a lot.
#9: After the cup is out, dump the contents inside the loo and flush it immediately. Run a clean water over it while making sure it's clean, the re-insert it.
Tips on emptying in a public toilet:
1. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before entering a public toilet.
2. If you don't have access to clean water, use dry toilet papers or napkins to wipe off the residual content. You can also use wipes but since most wipes contain fragrance and chemicals, it isn't recommended. However, there are cup brands that also produce wipes that are designed for menstrual cups.
3. Find your usual correct position to re-insert it. You may not be able to fully squat on the floor, and that's why experimenting with other positions will do you good.
Anyone! Namely teens and adults and basically anyone who's menstruating. You may wonder, can virgins use menstrual cups? YEP! I'm a virgin myself and I fell in love with menstrual cup within my first trial. After all, Hymen doesn't have a correlation with virginity. Our hymen is naturally elastic and holey, that's why period blood can go through the hymen. Hymen can wear off in any situation, some also said that the hymen wears off as you age. A lot of women were also born without a hymen. That's why hymen SHOULD NOT be a benchmark for virginity. It's just too unfair how a woman can be a non-virgin based on her choice of period product. However, if you're still hesitant, don't wear it. If you're a fellow virgin who are looking forward to join the MC squad but are still afraid of the idea, don't be. Join a MC wearing community, look up online resources for more information, take all references you can find on YouTube (In regards, for Indonesians please don't take Dr. OZ's explanation for menstrual cups because it's so irrelevant and highly biased and even menstrual cup users are highly against it). However, there are some people who may have to ditch the thoughts of wearing the MC because of certain conditions. People who aren't suggested to use the MC are those who had just given birth and still recuperating, and those who have uniquely shaped uterus and cervix that will possibly make it harder to use the Menstrual Cup.
WHY SHOULD I WEAR A MENSTRUAL CUP?
I lowkey have a list of why I'm not on pads anymore, which I will mention below this section. Generally, pads and tampons harbor so many harmful chemicals and bleaches that are bad for our body, let alone to the most sensitive part of the body. Those chemicals when exposed for a long period of time can result in cervical cancer. And tampons, they absorb everything including the good bacteria inside the canal resulting in infections. Nevertheless, here's my list of whys:
1. Earth-Saving Mission!: As I'm writing this, I am currently living in Jakarta where all sorts of pollution is evident. Air, water, soil, noise pollution all takes part in Jakartan's daily lives. Add to it the fact that Jakarta's landfill management is nothing but corrupt, whacked and defective, then you'll end up with a melting pot of people who are highly tolerant of trashes being thrown everywhere but inside the bin. Many modern Indonesian women luckily are conscious of such things and took to a better way to save the earth while on their periods. So I tagged along the MC users for a ride and never have I gone back to wearing pads ever since.
2. Pads Are Expensive: I mean, not in the most exaggerating manner, but if you do the calculations, you'll find out how pads can be expensive. Since I turned 19, I've been paying for my monthly pad expenses which was nothing compared to what I used to spend my money on, but my sister would tag along using my pads without paying me back because she isn't financially able to do so. So let's say that I paid for 2 persons pads. When buying pads, you can't just buy one-size-fits-all pad and it's crucial that you also get the night pad, adding more expenses. While the prime investment is kinda high-priced, a menstrual cup can last up to 10 years of usage! So worth it compared to reusable pads that we continue to purchase each months. Ever since I made the switch, I literally had zero spending on pads and I can start letting my sister be responsible for her own period.
3. Comfort is #1: For all of you pad users who are reading, ya'll must be familiar with how bulky pads can be, especially overnight pads. Every night on my period, I'd go out of the toilet after my refreshing evening shower with a crinkly noise down from my crotch. It drew a lot of attention and is horrendously annoying. Besides, wearing pads often gross me out because I practically had to sit on my pile of blood for a week while feeling all wet and nasty downstairs. Also, pads usually emit a powerful stench that sends everyone to their early graves. With the cup, you can barely smell a thing.
4. Eczema: Ugh. My biggest problem. If it wasn't because of the eczema I would reconsider converting to Menstrual Cups. I couldn't tell everyone how bad my eczema is because of the pads, but believe me, it's worse than you think.
5. Leaking: I leak quite often even with maxi pads. My period blood decided to be quirky and 'deliberately' leaked whenever I'm on my beloved white jeans. I even went as far as putting an extra waterproof fabric to line my bed every night in case it leaks because if you uncover my bed sheet you'll find what would've reminded you of a murder scene.
6. Motivating Fellow Young Women: As an avid wearer of Menstrual Cup in my 20s, I get those 'Isn't that dangerous?' a lot. In case you don't know, Indonesia is a country that upholds religious values over a lot of things. It reflected in the tendency of Indonesian women having no idea about their female anatomy despite numerous sex eds at school because apparently it was taboo to do anything to your female part before marriage. Even I've met a lot of women who didn't know that the female genitalia has 3 holes namely urethra, the vaginal cavity, and the rectum where the poop goes out from. Many women still think that you need to remove Menstrual Cup or Tampon before going to pee. Trust me, knowing our own female anatomy is CRUCIAL and there should be no taboo acting as a barrier to our knowledge about our own body.
WHERE TO BUY A MENSTRUAL CUP?
Typically for women outside of Indonesia, a Menstrual Cup can be purchased from online retailers like Amazon or Ebay or the company's website. In Indonesia however, there's only a handful of brands that you can get locally. Some self-owned companies have distributed well known brands such as Lunette (Finland), Lena Cup (USA), Organicup and Diva Cup (Canada) here in Indonesia so it's easier to find without having to travel abroad. However, those well known cups are for people with higher budget as all of them ranges between Rp. 400.000 to Rp. 700.000 and can be purchased via Higea Indonesia (click to be directed to the store). I opted for a slightly more affordable version that competes quality-wise to the famous brands and got it from G Menstrual Cup for Rp. 125.000. I'm absolutely not inserting anything questionable and suspicious inside my lady part, and that's why the menstrual cup that I purchased has gone through thorough investigations. The local cup brand that I'm using is known for its good reputation and has thousands of positive reviews from its customers, it even has a number of stockists all over the country, making it a market leader of local menstrual cups in Indonesia.
WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY MENSTRUAL CUP?
You only need to empty your MC about once every 12 hours, or depending on your flow. If your flow is heavy you may want to change it more frequently. Most people even change it only twice a day, in the morning and before going to bed. One good news is that the period fluid that the cup collected may shock you, in good terms. You'll be surprised on how small the amount of blood that you actually bleed on your period, whereas on pads you're convinced that you bleed a lot. Also, there's no deadly smell! In terms of years, a cup can last up to 10 years depending on how you take care of the cup.
HOW TO USE A MENSTRUAL CUP?
There are several ways that you need to prepare before trying out your menstrual cup for the first time, especially when you're a virgin like I am because it may sound really terrifying. What I've written below are stuffs that I came prepared with and stuffs that I experienced myself during my first take on menstrual cup. Once again, if you're a virgin about to try out MC for the first time, we're in the same page, a month ago. I went through this and succeeded, so can you!
Before I even started, I'd like to share the stories of dozens of women who had to really struggle with finding the perfect cup that works for them. Every women's different, and so is every vagina. Menstrual Cups that work just fine for me doesn't mean that it will work as fine for you, so before proceeding to buy your first MC, it is suggested that you take a Quiz that is available in Put a Cup In It's website. I will link the Quiz (HERE).
If you're pretty much convinced, follow these steps!
#1: Learn where your cervix is located! This is very crucial as this will determine what kind or brand of cup will fit you the best. Some women has a high cervix, and some women has it low and if you have a high cervix, using a cup made for medium to low cervix will cause you to 'lose' the cup during usage due to the cup riding up as you go. On the contrary, if you have a low cervix and using a cup made for high cervix, you'll end up with the bottom of the cup bulging from the opening of your vagina, even though this can be prevented by cutting the stem. To know your cervix height, simply relax and insert a clean index finger up into your vagina, carefully continue to go up until you touch something that feels like the tip of your nose or until you can't reach further up anymore. The thing that feels like the tip of your nose should be your cervix. Now remember how deep is the reach, and remove the finger. If you can reach up to the first knuckle (the knuckle closest to your fingernail), means that you have a low cervix, if you can reach up to the second knuckle, you have medium or average height and if you can reach all the way in or even further, then what you have is a high cervix. I have an average height cervix.
#2: Sterilize the cup for 5 minutes in boiling water every time you're starting or finishing your period. Make sure the MC does not touch the bottom of the pan to prevent damage. This step ensures the Cup to be free from bacteria before it's inserted into our body. Wait for it to cool. Other way to sterilize is to use a baby bottle sterilizing machine, or dumping it inside a water-filled cup and microwaved, or submerged in a sterilizing tablet-dissolved water.
#3: Don't Panic! Relax your whole body and feel at peace. I know this sounds kinda crazy and the first time I tried relaxing, I ended up being more tensed. The key is to relax as if you're an experienced user inserting the MC that you've used every so often. If you feel panicky, do whatever brings you peace. The first time I inserted it, believe it or not, I was listening to Birdland by The Manhattan Transfer (for the love of Jazz lol).
#4: Don't force! If it didn't go well on the first try and you're already feeling sore, take a rest and try again next time. This is why I recommend trying it before your period comes so that you won't be too rushed.
#5: Try out folding methods that work best for you. There are so many options on folding the Cup for insertion. There's the C-fold, Punch-Down, Triangle, 7 Fold, Labia, Diamond, Origami, E fold, and etc. Out of all folds, the triangle fold is the working one for me because it has a very small diameter which means it can be inserted more easily because I'm very tight downstairs. Aside from learning the folds, you need also to find out the perfect position. You can half squat, get one foot resting on the toilet seat, do the Asian squat on the floor (I do that), sitting on the toilet, and many many more.
#6: Carefully insert the folded cup into the vagina, and once it's inside, try to pop open the cup by pressing the sides or the bottom of the cup, and wiggling it around. I usually get up after that and do some kegel movements as well as hula hoops. Once the cup is open, you can feel the 'POP' sensation. That simply notifies you that the cup has created a suction and you're good to go. However, some people (me included) can't feel the pop. No worries, I usually just get up and walk around and the suction will be created in no time.
#7: Once you've felt the pop, you're basically free to go and not change it until 6 to 12 hours later.
#8: To remove it, simply do a push as if you're having a bowel movement until you can find and reach the stem. After the stem is found, use the stem as a guidance to the bottom of your cup. Once you've found the bottom of the cup, pinch it until the suction releases and carefully remove it while still pinching the cup body. If you're squeamish, this can be a little hard at first, especially because I couldn't put my finger far enough to release the suction. This is why I only pinch the bottom while holding the stem with my other hand. It helps a lot.
#9: After the cup is out, dump the contents inside the loo and flush it immediately. Run a clean water over it while making sure it's clean, the re-insert it.
Tips on emptying in a public toilet:
1. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before entering a public toilet.
2. If you don't have access to clean water, use dry toilet papers or napkins to wipe off the residual content. You can also use wipes but since most wipes contain fragrance and chemicals, it isn't recommended. However, there are cup brands that also produce wipes that are designed for menstrual cups.
3. Find your usual correct position to re-insert it. You may not be able to fully squat on the floor, and that's why experimenting with other positions will do you good.
FIRST TRIAL:
First trial was anything but breezy. I read everywhere that you should be relaxed in order to insert it correctly and effectively, it wasn't so easy. I tried dry-running (a term for trying on the menstrual cup before having your period) and because I'm a virgin it was so hard to slid in. I gave up on the first try feeling deadly sore and tried again the next week. It took me a total of 9 dry run attempts to find the best fold, insert it, opening it, and let it pop open inside there. By the time I told myself to relax, my body tensed up as opposed to my own command. I didn't quite get the hang of 'relaxing' while inserting my MC. I got it in eventually with several alterations, but did get a little sore after that. I deliberately waited a few weeks until my period came because I got sick of inserting it and removing it in such a short period.
FIRST TRIAL, ON MY PERIOD:
I got my period late, apparently because I was too stressed out and nervous about this new experience. When I eventually got the PMS symptoms I used to have, every day was like a ticking time bomb and when the period came early one morning in August, I grabbed my MC in a flash. To be honest, inserting it for the first time on my period was easy breezy, perhaps because I already learned how to do it before period came and because the natural lubricant which is the period fluid. I lined my underwear with a pad due to my belief that it may leak. It didn't. I was so overjoyed!
Day 2 of my zero-waste period, I took the MC for a jog in the early morning and it didn't leak, which was kinda amazing. However, when I got home from a 1 hour drive from my jogging track, I figured out that the cup has some leaking that I needed to wash my underwear right thereafter. That was maybe because I was driving a manual car which involves a lot of leg movements, and my seat was kinda too upright (I used to drive a bit reclined) that the cup stem got budged a bit and moved away from the proper position.
I heard some people had a difficulty with their MC during bowel movements. Most MC manufacturers explain that people may be experiencing dislocation of the cup when doing a bowel movement and in some very rare occurrence, the cup can get 'pooped' out alongside the real poo. I luckily didn't have that kind of problem and the cup stayed where it should be. The tip is just to apply a little pressure on the abdominal area and don't clench or push too hard, then you'll be ok. Other women would also like to remove the cup first, empty it, do the bowel movement, and reinsert it.
Emptying your cup in a public toilet is even more awkward since you'll have to experiment to find your comfortable position. My first experience emptying it inside a public toilet was absolutely humiliating. I constantly changed positions, mainly because I'm almost only able to remove and insert the cup using the squat-on-the floor position. The first time I did the emptying in a public toilet was in a mall toilet. I emptied and cleaned it using a piece of dry toilet paper and because I was quite nervous, the cup jumped off my grip, fell on the floor and rolled out of the toilet chamber. Gosh I was so embarrassed. It luckily wasn't too far away and not a lot of people were outside at the time so I grabbed it back quickly and cleaned it all over again.
After a while, I mastered the art of wearing the MC with one leg up method, as it is easier to change in a public toilet mess-free. It was only a matter of experience, once you've become accustomed to the way menstrual cups work and how to empty it in a public toilet, you'll be doing it less than 3 minutes.
TIPS ON STARTING:
There's not much of a starting tip except for surrounding yourself in a positive, open and supportive environment. Especially when you live in a country where most people are still ignorant of new movements. Again, remember that wearing a Menstrual Cup has quite of a learning curve. Most people on average will take 3 cycles to really 'get used' to removing and reinserting the MC. Aside of all the fuss you get at the beginning, it's a complete game changer once you've mastered it. This will help you make a change towards the better! I'll never go back to pads anymore.
Lastly, be courageous! Get to know your own body, love it, and care for it.
FIRST TRIAL, ON MY PERIOD:
I got my period late, apparently because I was too stressed out and nervous about this new experience. When I eventually got the PMS symptoms I used to have, every day was like a ticking time bomb and when the period came early one morning in August, I grabbed my MC in a flash. To be honest, inserting it for the first time on my period was easy breezy, perhaps because I already learned how to do it before period came and because the natural lubricant which is the period fluid. I lined my underwear with a pad due to my belief that it may leak. It didn't. I was so overjoyed!
Day 2 of my zero-waste period, I took the MC for a jog in the early morning and it didn't leak, which was kinda amazing. However, when I got home from a 1 hour drive from my jogging track, I figured out that the cup has some leaking that I needed to wash my underwear right thereafter. That was maybe because I was driving a manual car which involves a lot of leg movements, and my seat was kinda too upright (I used to drive a bit reclined) that the cup stem got budged a bit and moved away from the proper position.
I heard some people had a difficulty with their MC during bowel movements. Most MC manufacturers explain that people may be experiencing dislocation of the cup when doing a bowel movement and in some very rare occurrence, the cup can get 'pooped' out alongside the real poo. I luckily didn't have that kind of problem and the cup stayed where it should be. The tip is just to apply a little pressure on the abdominal area and don't clench or push too hard, then you'll be ok. Other women would also like to remove the cup first, empty it, do the bowel movement, and reinsert it.
Emptying your cup in a public toilet is even more awkward since you'll have to experiment to find your comfortable position. My first experience emptying it inside a public toilet was absolutely humiliating. I constantly changed positions, mainly because I'm almost only able to remove and insert the cup using the squat-on-the floor position. The first time I did the emptying in a public toilet was in a mall toilet. I emptied and cleaned it using a piece of dry toilet paper and because I was quite nervous, the cup jumped off my grip, fell on the floor and rolled out of the toilet chamber. Gosh I was so embarrassed. It luckily wasn't too far away and not a lot of people were outside at the time so I grabbed it back quickly and cleaned it all over again.
After a while, I mastered the art of wearing the MC with one leg up method, as it is easier to change in a public toilet mess-free. It was only a matter of experience, once you've become accustomed to the way menstrual cups work and how to empty it in a public toilet, you'll be doing it less than 3 minutes.
TIPS ON STARTING:
There's not much of a starting tip except for surrounding yourself in a positive, open and supportive environment. Especially when you live in a country where most people are still ignorant of new movements. Again, remember that wearing a Menstrual Cup has quite of a learning curve. Most people on average will take 3 cycles to really 'get used' to removing and reinserting the MC. Aside of all the fuss you get at the beginning, it's a complete game changer once you've mastered it. This will help you make a change towards the better! I'll never go back to pads anymore.
Lastly, be courageous! Get to know your own body, love it, and care for it.
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