You’ve probably heard of these little medical-grade silicone cups that you somehow slip into your vagina, you know, those tiny miracles that catch all of your menstrual blood, waste-free. Maybe you’ve been considering trying a cup for a while, but maybe you heard about the contraption and were horrified that the little sucker would get lost up there. I’m here to tell you that you should hop on the bandwagon, and try out a menstrual cup- I promise, the cup will NOT get lost.
But as effortless as every YouTuber and your sister’s best friend make menstrual cups out to be, they do have a heavy learning curve. Here’s a list of things you should know about adjusting to a menstrual cup.
1. The cup is a lot bigger than you think it will be, but your vagina is a lot bigger than you think it is
From all the videos I saw, I assumed that my Athena cup was smaller than what actually came out of the Amazon package. Most menstrual cups cover the palm of your hand from the top of the rim to the end of the stem. To tell you the truth, I was horrified. Even when I folded the cup, I was certain it wouldn’t fit. Low and behold, the cup fit just fine. You shouldn’t be able to feel your cup in the same way you shouldn’t feel your tampon. If you have a full bladder, you may feel an increased need to pee as the cup can press on your urinary tract, but other than that, you should be able to forget you’re even wearing a cup. Size tip: when you are buying a cup, buy the size according to if you have had a vaginal birth or not. If you have, buy the larger cup, but if not, buy the smaller cup.
Here’s the thing: your vagina is not normally longer than 5 inches if you’re not aroused. Meaning, that if you position yourself correctly, you will always be able to retrieve your cup. I repeat, the cup cannot get lost in your vagina! But, you will find that you may have placed your cup lower than where you retrieve it from. Your vagina is a slippery place and up near your cervix, your vagina becomes wider. So, naturally, your cup will move up as you walk around and sit through the day.
3. The silicone does wear down
A brand new cup has strong silicone. If you buy a more expensive cup, the silicone is typically a bit more meabale and maebality can vary cup to cup as well. But I bought a cheaper cup ($15), so the silicone was a little stiffer. When the cup first opened (you insert the cup folded and it unfolds inside of you), I felt like I had been slapped from inside. Which is exactly what happened. But, after a few cycles spent inside of you, your body’s elasticity begins to wear down the silicone in your cup and the unfolding process is much more comfortable.
People say that wearing a cup protects you from leaks, which is true, as long as you have the right suction. The whole point of the unfolding process is so the rim of the cup can interface with the circumference of your vagina. When you’re new to using menstrual cups, you have a tougher time understanding if the cup has properly unfolded or not. Most of the time, if the base of the cup is smooth, you’re safe. I didn’t know this when I first started using a cup, but an unfortunate bloody blowout inside of an SFEBB bathroom taught me this lesson rather quickly.
5. It’s a messy businessMost cup users will delete this fact, but I’m not. Yes, menstrual cups are messier than pads and tampons. They all keep blood from ruining your panties and jeans, but unlike pads and tampons, you will have literal blood on your hands changing a menstrual cup. Your first cycle with a menstrual cup will likely result in more blood on your hands than what ended up in the toilet. But, you will learn how to take out your cup in a way that the blood remains in the cup until you can properly pour it out. But after learning how to properly take out and dispose of your cup contents, you will still have some sticky fingers retrieving your cup. If you’re in a public restroom and rather not come to the sink looking like you just devoured your prey, pop a few baby wipes in your bag or a bottle of hand sanitizer.
Don’t let my honesty deter you from trying a menstrual cup though. Using my Athena cup has still been the best period choice I’ve ever made. I save myself around $10 a month since I don’t have to buy tampons, I don’t have to carry any pads in my purse or allot a certain number of tampons a day, and I’m never stressed that I will run out of period products during the day or on a trip. Because menstrual cups are made out of silicone and cannot grow bacteria, I also never run the risk of toxic shock syndrome and can easily wear my cup overnight without fear that my vagina will grow a toxic flora of parasites in my sleep. Not only does my cup save me time and money, using reusable period products saves our planet. The tiny plastic wrappers and applicators in our tampons and pads add up quickly and all of the waste that has blood on it is technically a biohazard and cannot be recycled. So, try one out! There’s 16 million options online and especially on Amazon, but I’ve seen DevaCups at Walmart and Smith’s in store. Watch YouTube, read the instructions, and hit the ground–or I guess hit the bathroom–running.