Period Cups 101
I am in no way affiliated with Ruby Cup, I am not being paid to write about them.
I remember the first time my doctor told me to stop using tampons “why do you use those? Gross! They are so bad for you, use pads”. Confused and intrigued, I soon found myself in the depths of the internet, reading about absorption rates and the process of bleaching cotton. “DID YOU KNOW THAT A FULL TAMPON IS ONLY 45% BLOOD AND THE REST IS YOUR BODIES REGULAR JUICES?! AND NOT ONLY DOES IT SAP AWAY AT YOUR LIFE FORCE, IT EMBEDS BLEACHED FIBRES INTO YOUR WALLS?!?!”* I screamed at my mum and sister. (*PLEASE NOTE: I truly believe that I read that statistic at some point but now I can’t find the article to reference so… pretend I never said it.) Reading all of these things about tampons I was like ‘well shit… I need an alternative’, enter the period cup.
WHYYY
Hopefully by now you’re not overly weirded out by the thought of period cups, even though they have been around since the 30s, there is still a perceived “ickyness” to this method of disposal of an already taboo subject. When I first started looking into period cups, the people I told thought it was gross, and I have to admit, I too had some reservations. I have a weird thing with blood and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to handle it but as I read article upon article of ‘tampon v cup’, I knew I had to give it a go. Here is a summation;
- A tampon should be changed every 3 to 4 hours to avoid bacteria growth and odour, most cups are made from medical grade silicone and can be worn for up to 12 hours.
- Tampons absorb all fluids, meaning in addition to menstrual fluid they soak up the natural lubricants and bacteria found in the vagina. This can disrupt the pH balance causing irritation or discomfort. Cups collect fluids opposed to absorbing them.
- Tampons left in the vagina for too long may encourage an over-growth of an already present bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, when over-grown, a toxin is created that causes TSS (toxic shock syndrome). This is not the case for cups.
- Tampon fibres can embed themselves into the walls of the vagina, on removal this can cause abrasions, making it easier for the toxins to get into the blood stream and cause TSS. Again, not an issue with cups.
- Think of all of the waste created from tampons, the plastic on the box, the box, the plastic over on the tamp, the applicator if you’re that way inclined, the tampon itself.. it all goes to landfill!! Cups can last up to 10 years! Good for the environment and your back pocket, aye?
That’s all I am going to say on why cups are better than tampons, so if you want to do more research, you can find some references here or If I have convinced you that you need to try a cup, you’re looking for tips and tricks or you just downright love reading my posts regardless of their content because I am fucking Shakespeare reincarnate, read on sweet reader.
FLIPPY CUPPY
Determined to save my vagina and the planet, I set out to buy my cup. Coles, woolworths, a health food store and a couple of very judgey feeling conversations at multiple pharmacies later and nothing, I couldn’t get a frigen cup anywhere. I turned to the internet and found an abundance of cups. SO. MANY. BRANDS. I did some comparison research and decided to go with Ruby Cup because when you buy one, they donate one! I got the small size, if you’re not sure about sizing etc Ruby Cup have an extensive sizing guide! I bought the cup, I received the cup and I eagerly awaited my next flow.
Now, I am a Virgo, so you know I read every ‘how to’ tutorial on the internet and I expected nothing short of absolutely nailing my first insertion. It pains me to say friends, I did not nail said insertion. It took me a couple of tries to perfect the art but now it is super easy. So if you want to use a cup, do keep in mind that it will be a bit fiddley when you first get it, but trust me it’s worth it!! The cup turned out to live up to the hype. Easy to use (once I had the hang of it), less wastage and it has now well and truly paid for itself and saved me money on other period products. I highly recommend to all those who bleed.
GET YO CUP
I usually do my cup routine in the shower (the routine being removing, cleaning, inserting) and for a couple of reasons;
1. I can get the water really hot to clean the cup, along with a bit of Dr Bronners
2. I can get a better angle for inserting
3. Tipping the blood out is as easy as straight down the drain
4. If you make a mess it doesn’t matter cos you’re in the shower!!
Stole this graphic from Moxie..
Insertion
I either squat down really low or put one leg up on the wall, to give myself better “access”. I manipulate the cup into a v shape and use my pointer and middle finger and a little bit of my thumb to insert and do a bit of a twist. Once in, it is important you make sure the cup is completely unfolded from the shape it was bent in, I run my two fingers around the outside of the cup to make sure it’s completely open. The lip of the cup creates a seal to catch all the blood, if there is a dent in the cup, there’s no seal. No seal = leakages.
Stole this from Moxie too.. sorry..
Removal
The seal also has a suction-y effect so to remove the cup you need to break the seal, otherwise you’re just kinda pulling on the cup, tugging at your cervix and it makes me think about that Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. To break the seal, it is a cinch! Just give the cup, a little pinch! But yeh all you gotta do is pinch the sides of the cup in and that will break the seal and then the cup will be way easier to pull out.
If you have to change your cup on the toilet, please, PLEASE, make sure you wash your hands and the cup before putting it back in. Every time a dirty finger enters a pussy, a little part of my soul dies.
HANDY HINT
In the list of reasons why I do my cup routine in the shower, I mentioned how it was easy to dispose of fluid. “It’s easy to dispose of fluid on a toilet too, Jordan?!!” you may have yelled at your device while furiously shaking it. WELL let me tell you a lesson I learnt – not quick enough – when I got my cup; BLOOD IS HEAVIER THAN WATER. (“nah doi!!!” you may again be yelling at your device. ) SO HEAVY in fact, that when you tip it into the toilet, it doesn’t always go away with flushing… yes flush-ING. Multiple flushes. If you have to empty your cup on the toot and you’re at, let’s say, the largest trade only adult exhibition in Australia and don’t want a customer to walk into the toilet after you to be greeted by your remake of The Shining, I suggest putting some toilet paper down first. For some reason, probably science, it helps the blood flush away.
BOYS WHO BLEED
Lastly, I want to say, period cups may be a good alternative for boys and men who menstruate. Less hassle and possibly more discreet than having to carry around and change pads and tampons.
So that’s it, I hope you give menstrual cups a go, In my opinion they are so worth it! Play us out Anna.
