Menstrual cups and dirty periods

I wanted to write this blog as I know that a lot of people with periods feel weird or unclean about using a menstrual cup. I can understand why, and it can seem strange at first, but hopefully this blog will provide some clarity. I have written about my experience using a menstrual cup, along with some tips about getting to grips with one.

I want to get this out of the way before the rest of the blog, but we need to talk more about periods! Periods are a taboo subject in society, and many of us are made to think that they are unhygienic and disgusting. Not only has this caused people to feel embarrassed while trying to shuffle to the toilet with a tampon up their sleeve, but it has resulted in a lack of discussion surrounding them. This has led to many issues, like the tampon tax and period poverty, to go unmentioned for far too long.

I think having a menstrual cup helps people become informed, confident and comfortable about their periods. For example, it can show how heavy/light a period is during certain points in a cycle; it can help a person understand their body better; it allows more usage time than a tampon or pad because they have a lower risk of TSS and hold more blood; it has a weaker odour than a tampon or pad; there is less chance of leakage; it is more natural than pads and tampons; and it is a cheaper option in the long run. 

How to use

Below are some very general instructions and tips, from my own experience, about how to use a menstrual cup.

Insertion

When you first get your cup, make sure you get the right size, of which will depend on the company you buy it from. I would recommend, the first time you insert it, to wet it with water or lube as it makes it more comfortable. Going into the shower is a good idea because everything is already wet. There are several different techniques you can use to insert the cup (see below), I find the best way is to fold it in half and push it up. It can be a little difficult at first, but you will get used to it the more you use it. When it’s in and sitting correctly, I usually tense my pelvic floor muscles so it finds the right position, which is just below the cervix. The first time you use one you’ll need to cut the stem off so it isn’t visible when the cup is inside you. It’s also important that the cup itself has unfolded inside you, which you can check by feeling the outside of the cup with your finger when it’s in your body. This is what creates the suction so it doesn’t move about.

Wearing it

When I first started using the cup it did leak a little bit, even though I thought I was using it correctly. Turns out that it wasn’t in far enough. I fixed this by, every time I insert it, clenching my pelvic floor muscles so it sits in place naturally. From my experience (of using it properly), it has been very comfortable to wear compared to a tampon or pad. It never leaks as it forms a suction at the base of the cervix, which helps to catch all the blood and stay in place (even if I sneeze). It also provides protection while swimming and exercising, and I feel much more confident wearing light clothes.

Removal

I found this difficult at first but that's only because I wasn't using it right (again). I was grabbing the stem and pulling it out, which hurt. I now know that the best way to remove it is to push down the pelvic floor muscles so the cup goes to the vaginal opening (pull down on the stem if needed); grasp the base of the cup to release the suction; wiggle it out a bit so the fingers can get a grip on the bottom part of the cup; and then with the first two fingers behind the cup at the base and the thumb at the front, fold it slightly and pull it out and away from the legs, and into the toilet. That’s hard to describe, but here is a video which explains it better. It may be sensible for the first few times to remove it in the shower so that if you do make a mess, it'll get washed away. I have found that it does get easier and less messy the more times you do it. 

This is the cup I use. It's called a Mooncup and I am size B.

 Cleaning

I just want to say that we shouldn’t ever be made to feel like our periods are dirty- they are not! They may be messy at times, but to label them as 'dirty' makes people feel ashamed and embarrassed. Periods are the most natural things in the world and I won't tolerate anyone who says they are disgusting. 

Anyway, back to cleaning. I wash my cup with water between emptying it, which is usually every 8-12 hours. I find soap irritates me so I tend to avoid this on a daily basis. Vaginas are self-cleaning, so only using water to clean it during my period is completely hygienic (my cup never smells or anything). Menstrual cups have suction holes around them which need cleaning too. I fill the cup up with water, put my hand over the opening, and squeeze the water through the holes. This cleans the holes so the suction still works. I deep clean my cup every time my period ends in boiling water for 5-10 minutes and sometimes wash it with antibacterial soap before or after I boil it, for an extra deep clean. 

When you’re in a public bathroom it's still quite easy to clean. You can wipe the cup with a tissue or wipe, or rinse it with a bottle of water. Then, when you're home, wash it more thoroughly in the sink. Having said this, I haven’t found it to be an issue as I can go 10 hours without emptying it and then wash it later when I'm home.

Fun fact: most menstrual cups hold at least twice as much blood than the average high absorbency tampon- meaning you can go for longer between changes.

Environment and cost

One of the main reasons I purchased a menstrual cup was because of how much waste mainstream products produce. Pads and tampons result in a huge amount of waste, which goes straight to landfill and further pollutes our planet. And, if you think about how many tampons and pads we use, that’s quite a lot of pollution. 

Having said this, not everyone has the option to use menstrual cups. A lot of people are forced (that is if they can even afford period products) to use tampons and pads because they are cheap and accessible.

Menstrual cups are a worthwhile investment though, they can last up to 10 years and basically pay for themselves in 1-3 months. So, if you do have a choice, I would recommend getting one! 

I think one of the main reasons why disposable period products sell so well is because society tells us that periods are repulsive and should be disposed of.  This makes it easy to use single-use products without even thinking about the environmental consequences. As I was writing this, I noticed how period products are sometimes referred to as ‘sanitary products’.  This links periods with the idea that we need disposable products to 'sanitise' ourselves from our periods as they are unclean. This obviously isn't true.

Committing to a plastic-free period might not be for everyone, but it is for me. It makes me feel slightly less guilty about the planets current state, but I know the biggest changes are yet to come. Hopefully, they do come.