Periods. As women, we all have to deal with them, but what if I told you that there is a solution to make them a little less awful?
I made the switch to a menstrual cup almost a year ago, and it was a game changer for me. I went from someone who thought the idea was a bit crazy, and only for fervent environmentalists and feminists, to a firm believer in the power of the cup. These are a few reasons why I think you should make the switch.
No more running out of tampons.
We’ve all been there, ladies. Either your period catches you off guard before you have a chance to restock, or you don’t pack enough in your purse on a heavy flow day. Any way it happens, it’s not a situation you want to find yourself in. With a reusable cup, you’ll never be stuck without the supplies you need to contain your flow.
They’re comfortable.
As long as it’s put in properly (which is easy to do, by the way), similarly to tampons, you can’t feel a menstrual cup inside of you. This was something that I had a hard time believing before I tried it, but seriously, if I wasn’t the one to put it in, I wouldn’t even know it’s there.
Your wallet will thank you.
Tampon tax is a serious issue, and anyone with a uterus can contest to the outrageous amount of money spent on feminine hygiene products. This is probably one of my favourite parts of using a cup. I bought my Diva Cup for just under $40 on Amazon almost a year ago, and I haven’t spent a cent on period products since. And since my cup won’t need replacing for at least another year or two, maybe even longer, I’m saving huge money in the long run. Now you can use the money you saved on things you actually enjoy!
Less maintenance.
Typical menstrual cups hold around an ounce of fluid, and average periods are usually only 1-2 ounces per cycle. That means you can say goodbye to the issue of changing out your products every few hours during heavy flow days. The cup can be worn for upwards of 10-12 hours without being emptied, making your life way easier.
It’s not as gross as it sounds.
Speaking of emptying your cup… A lot of women who don’t use cups have a misconstrued idea that it’ll be gross, and I was one of those women before I switched. But in reality, it’s honestly not gross. I was surprised at how clean the process is.
Say goodbye to leaks.
Thanks to the fluid capacity of cups, there’s no fear that it’ll fill up and overflow, unlike tampons and pads. Not only that, but the cup forms to fit your body, creating a seal that fluid won’t leak out of. Gone are the days of having your best friend subtly check you when you stand up.
They’re the most environmentally friendly option.
Besides the box that the cup comes in when you buy it, menstrual cups are zero waste. The same is most definitely not true of any other product since tampons and pads are all individually wrapped.
They’re safe – no health risks.
When 7th grade me first heard about TSS (toxic shock syndrome), I was terrified that I was going to die from using a tampon for too long. The beauty of using a cup is that the bacteria that can cause TSS isn’t present, so there isn’t a risk. No more fear of forgetting to change your tampon!
Everyone I know who uses menstrual cups swears by them, and while they may not be for everyone, it’s definitely worth a try, because there are SO many benefits to using a cup instead of tampons or pads.