Whether you call it periods, chumming, ‘that time of the month’ or whatever it is you feel like, we all know it’s not the best time for any woman out there. While most of us are provided with sanitary pads as the only option for the first time we have periods, the ‘Dora the Explorer’ side of me always wondered if there was a better, non-itchy menstrual hygiene product out there and that’s when I explored menstrual cups.
A menstrual cup is a reusable cup made of medical grade rubber or silicone that you can insert into your vaginal canal during menstruation. Menstrual Cups can hold up to 26 ml of blood and can be worn for up to 12 hours. Although, I’d recommend emptying it every 4-5 hours to avoid any infection. Unlike other menstrual hygiene products, menstrual cups are easy to use, comfortable, rash free, leak proof and last up to 5 years. The sustainability and reusability feature made menstrual cups a winner for someone like me who loves saving up those extra bucks for shopping and doing her bit for the environment.
When you look at it, it sure might seem a little scary but a menstrual cup has been my blessing in disguise for a while now and I highly recommend it to new
menstruators. Here’s how you can use one:
Step 1: Sterilize your menstrual cup using a Menstrual Cup Steam Sterilizer or Menstrual Cup Sterilizing Container. You can get yourself one from Pee Safe if you don’t have one yet. Clean your hands as well while you are at it.
Step 2: Relax your vaginal muscles and calm yourself down. It’s not as scary as it looks.
Step 3: Hold the folded cup in one hand and use your other hand to spread the labia, and insert the folded cup into your vagina. If you face any difficulty, feel free to use a water based lubricant, that should make it easier.
Step 4: Continue to push the cup up until it is fully inside your vagina. It might seem a little uncomfortable at first but don’t worry, you won’t even feel the cup after a while.
Don’t worry, the cup won't fall out. When the cup is inserted, it creates a slight vacuum that keeps the cup in place and prevents any leaks. As a result, make sure the cup pops open once it’s in your vagina and it has formed a suction with the walls of your vaginal canal.
Read everything you need to know about menstrual cups - like the types of folds, how to use a menstrual cup and how to remove a menstrual cup.
Read the Related Blog: Menstrual Cups: Everything You Need To Know
✍️ This article was curated by Ashima Chadha
