What is a lady cup and why do you need one?
The other day my friend and I went to have manis and pedis together…it was a girl’s day out sorta thing. I had just lent her a suitcase for an upcoming trip and she told me I had left something in there. Quite unceremoniously, she slapped a few maxi pads on the table in front of us. I had to laugh because whenever I travel, I am sure to pack extra pads “just in case.” This time however, I told her to keep them as I don’t use them anymore. This in turn led to a lengthy, if somewhat weird conversation with my friend and the lady also sitting there drying her nails.
This post might get a bit…messy at times…so beware! Hehehe
So why don’t I use pads (or tampons, for that matter) anymore?
No, I’m not going through early menopause but have discovered a much better way to handle those um..feminine needs.
I have discovered the lady cup…a.k.a. the menstrual cup…a.k.a the Diva cup…a.k.a…you get the idea.
Have you heard of these before? They’ve actually been around for many years, but many people still have no idea what they are and are not using them! I myself was one of them…
A few years ago, I read a blog post about the Diva cup and ran straight to Whole Foods to get one. When it was “that time of the month” I practiced putting it in. I failed miserably. It just felt so uncomfortable and I was a little afraid I wouldn’t be able to get it out. So after trying it only once, I put it away inside it’s cloth pouch, never to be seen again…
Fast forward 3 years…to when I read another blog post singing the praises of the menstrual cup. I figured, it’s sitting under my sink….why not give it another go? I felt those tell tale cramps and got my Diva cup ready. This time before I used it, I read a how-to article and watched a You Tube video. It paid off! Even though I was a bit nervous at first, I inserted it properly and it felt very comfortable. After my period was over, I was so pleased with it that I took every box of pads or tampons I had and put them in a bag to donate to a women’s shelter.
So let’s get down to the bare bones of it….what exactly is a lady cup?
It’s simply a small silicone cup shaped a bit like a funnel, except the bottom is closed. It’s flexible so it can fit inside your hoo haw (technical term for a female private part.)
They come in different sizes. For example, small is for women who have yet to give birth and larger sizes are available for women who have. Back when I bought mine, it only came in clear, now it’s available in pretty colors too!
Picture courtesy of menstrualcups.wordpress.com
The trick to putting it in is to make sure you squeeze it together so it looks a bit like a taco. When squeezing, you slide it in at an angle. I think my first mistake before was putting it straight in like a tampon. This is quite different. The hoo haw is actually curved so it needs to go in on a curve. Once it’s inserted, you’re supposed to twist it clockwise to make sure the cup is open.
Now what this magical cup does is collect your blood. That’s right. To some, this may seem gross. To me, it’s an amazing way to become more in tune with your own body and monitor your blood flow. You can keep it in for up to 12 hours, whereupon you then empty it into a toilet and rinse it out for reinsertion. I tend to rinse and wash it with Miracle Soap before I reinsert.
I’ve had virtually no leaks with it although this does depend on your flow. It’s usually a good idea to wear a small panty liner on the first or second day of your period.
The best thing about this is that it actually feels comfortable. You don’t have to worry about changing messy pads, which always made me feel like I was wearing a diaper. Plus you’re helping the environment because most pads and tampons are NOT biodegradable. With the lady cup, you’re just reusing it time and again and all you have to do is make sure you clean it properly.
Another thing I like about it is that it keeps the “smell” to a minimum. This is something we don’t like to talk about, but let’s face it: blood does have a smell and when you use pads and tampons, the smell is there. This seems so much more sanitary and clean to me.
Yet another benefit: you are saving SO much money because you don’t have to buy pads or tampons again. Like I said, I do recommend panty liners, but those are pretty affordable.
So what’s keeping you from trying the diva cup or lady cup?
After reading this, the answer should be, “Nothing!”
Have you had success with the menstrual cup or other alternatives for your period?
I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below!
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
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