Yep, #ACupaDay is back people! We know I love my menstrual cup, and I’ve been a long time user of menstrual cups for over 2 and a half years now, so you could say that I know what I’m on about it when it comes to menstrual cup knowledge. If you’ve just got a menstrual cup and you’re wondering what the hell you’ve just got yourself into, here are somethings I hope will help:
1. Welcome to the club!
Well done on trying to lessen the impact you have on the environment. Menstrual cups are great and I really hope you get along with yours.
2. Please, please god read the instructions
Make sure you know what you’re doing when you’re inserting your cup. Fold it in on itself so that it’s about half the width, stay relaxed and insert it. You’ll probably have to figure out a new way to position yourself compared to when using tampons (believe me I tried with one leg up on the toilet seat and putting it in standing up, and I would definitely not recommend). And don’t forget that when you remove it, you need to break the seal first, otherwise it will not come out, and you do not want to just yank it out even if you could. You’ll need to hold the tail to keep it stable, and use one finger to push it in at the sides until you can feel that the tail is broken, and then you can bring it out and empty it straight into the toilet.
3. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right away
Keep trying and you’ll get there. Did you get tampons right the first time you tried them? Probably not. In fact, I’m not sure I ever did. Be patient and take your time, it’s not a race or in fact any other kind of competition. It’s just you and your vagina taking on the world! Bit much? Sorry.
You hear so many people proclaiming the wonders of menstrual cups (and I can be guilty of this sometimes too) that it can seem like they never have any issues, and this is really not the case. I have not got the suction right before so I got a tiny leak. I have put it in at an awkward angle before so that it felt uncomfortable for it a bit. The first time I went to use it, I folded it up, placed it against the opening of my vagina, panicked and put it away again. The first time I used it properly I couldn’t initially get it out and ended up naked in my bathroom shouting to my mum on the other side of the door “IT’S STUCK! IT’S ACTUALLY STUCK!”
But now, I’m used to it. Using a menstrual cup is now second nature to me. I love it and frankly hope I never have to use a tampon again (although I did very briefly but that’s another story). You’ll get there with it. And hey, if you can’t seem to get the hang of menstrual cups or just plain don’t like them, that’s okay too. It’s your vagina, and you decide what goes in it.
4. If you want to talk about it, go for it
I love talking about my menstrual cup, as is probably evident from how much I’ve written about it on the internet! But I won’t apologise for that because I’m talking about something I find exciting and something I love. And I know that others have started using menstrual cups based on what I’ve said about them, so just having a chat about something casual can be seen as a small form of activism!
5. It will get stained, and no, that does not mean it’s not clean
Over time, your cup will get a bit of a reddy-brown tinge, but that doesn’t mean that it still has blood on it. It’s the same as that tub you put something with tomato in that one time, and now it’s forever orange. As long as you keep cleaning it properly, it’s safe to use.
If you liked this post you might like: Menstrual Cup FAQs | #ACupaDay
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I needed to hear this! I've just started using one and I've been having a mare with it but I'm slowly getting used to it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dellalovesnutella.co.uk/
It can take some time, but you'll get there! Glad this was useful 😊
DeleteJemima x
I have never used one before just because I feel that it wouldn't be for me. But perhaps I should give it a go!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.emilyclareskinner.com
You should try! If you think it's not for you though, there are lots of other options for more sustainable menstrual products!
DeleteJemima x
This is really informative! I've wanted to try a menstrual cup for ages but it just seems really daunting (which sounds ridiculous when i type it out now) xx
Deletemia // https://beautiful-inspiring-creative-life.com
Don't worry, it doesn't sound ridiculous at all! I completely get it. Just take things at your own pace. I'm glad this post was useful!
DeleteJemima x