One of nature’s most reliable cycles manages to catch me by surprise every month. Yes, I am talking about my period. The sudden demand for my attention every 3-4 hours, the messes, and discomfort can seriously put a damper on my week. I spent the summer thinking, “There has to be a better way to deal with this,” and then a friend suggested that I try using a menstrual cup.
My initial reaction to this was skeptical and hesitant. I never really knew of anyone that could attest to the benefits of using the cup. Nevertheless, I said, “Why not?” and ordered a Saalt cup online. When my next cycle rolled around, I gave the cup an honest and open-minded shot… and ended up loving it! So, let’s talk about the cup!
Benefits
The cup can stay in place, protecting you from leaks for up to 12 hours! One of my favorite things about this product is that I do not have to worry about changing my tampon or pad every few hours. Even better, I don’t have to change every single time I need to use the restroom!
Menstrual cups are widely regarded as safe and effective—because they collect blood rather than absorbing it like a tampon, plus there are fewer links to toxic shock syndrome.
They are more environmentally friendly than tampons and pads. Every single-use tampon or pad that is thrown away can take anywhere from several months to hundreds of years to break down! That is way too long. Menstrual cups can be reused every day and every cycle!
Menstrual cups are very cost effective! While they seem spendy up front—my Saalt cup was $29, and other brands can cost much more—the cup will ultimately pay itself off within two or three cycles. Menstrual products are costing us a fortune already, we just don’t realize it!
Misconceptions
Menstrual cups are much more painful/uncomfortable to use than other products. I realize that all bodies are beautifully different and that my experience with the cup will not apply to all women. I can also confidently say that using my menstrual cup has been easy and comfortable. While it was a strange adjustment at first, I quickly got used to the feeling and do not seem to even notice it anymore! Compared to the discomfort of removing a dry tampon or sitting in a leaky pad, inserting and removing my menstrual cup has been a breeze.
Menstrual cups are difficult to clean and require a lot of work. As stated before, I save so much time throughout my day on period-related bathroom trips. Because of this, I don’t mind taking a few minutes to thoroughly rinse my cup at the end of the day. The most time consuming part of using a cup would probably be boiling it once or twice during my cycle. Boiling your menstrual cup ensures that it is clean of any harmful bacteria before your next use! However, this is an easy task that makes me feel even safer about using my cup. Saalt even makes a special wash solution for your cup that has great reviews!
I am grateful to have had a great experience using a menstrual cup! I want to start combating some of the stigma around it—women deserve efficient and convenient ways to manage their cycles every month!