Benefits Of Using A Menstrual Cup
For many women, there isnt actually a downside to giving a menstrual cup a try. Yes, theres a learning curve, but youll get the hang of it. Then you can experience tons of benefits, including:
- cost-effectiveness- You can buy one, inexpensive cup and then not have to buy anything else. The cup will last for years before you even have to think about another purchase.
- comfort- while the initial insertion can be a little messy, once done, menstrual cups can be much cleaner and more comfortable than mama cloth, as well as the disposable products you may have used in the past.
- safety- because menstrual cups are made of food-grade silicone, you dont have to worry about toxic chemicals in your reproductive organs. No more worries about chlorine and pesticides!
Are menstrual cups comfortable? In a word: yes- once you get the hang of them. Its important to choose the right one for your body, based on your flow and body size .
If youre having trouble with getting your menstrual cup set just right, you are not alone.
This guide is an excellent resource to help you choose the right style, size, and fold for you.
What To Look For In A Menstrual Cup
Most menstrual cups could last you up to a full decade, so you should ideally find one that you’ll be happy to stick with long-term.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider looking for a cup that has a textured exterior or a pull tab at the base these features exist to make the cup easier to locate and remove.
Dr. Cummings also recommends looking into brands that offer cups in multiple sizes, so you have room to adjust if the first size you buy isn’t a perfect fit. Some brands sell combo kits that include two or more different cups, which gives you options for heavier vs. lighter flow days.
Menstrual cups are typically made out of either silicone or, less commonly, latex rubber. This goes without saying but if you have a latex allergy, be sure the cup you’re buying is safe for you.
Which Brand To Choose
There are many brands selling menstrual cups today. Important things to consider when making your choice are your safety, your convenience, and your values.
As crazy as it may sound, period products, even internal ones, arent subject to any special regulations in Europe. Misinformation about the safe use of menstrual cups is also widespread. Its not uncommon to see misleading, and at times dangerous, claims being made by inexperienced menstrual cup sellers or overzealous marketeers. Its always best to choose a reputable brand with official quality standards.
You will want to choose a good quality cup that is comfortable and reliable so that you can happily get on with your day. While most silicone cups are soft and squishy, some cheap cups can feel flimsy. These very soft menstrual cups dont tend to stay in place, meaning they can slip or get crushed inside your vagina which may make them more prone to leaks.
The Mooncup® is backed by over 20 years of menstrual cup expertise, customer insight and product know-how. Over two million Mooncup users swear by their trusted cup companion.
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Tips For First Time Menstrual Cup Removal
Which Menstrual Cup Is Best For Beginners
The biggest obstacle for new cup users is often getting comfortable with how to insert and remove the cup properly. For that reason, the best menstrual cup for beginners is one that has features like a pull tab or external grooves to add some grip may be desirable for newbies. For this, we believe the Flex Cup as the best for beginners but the Lily One is also a good beginner’s option .
That said, many menstrual cup brands offer multiple sizes and they generally recommend a smaller one for new users since it will likely be easier to maneuver.
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How To Take Your Menstrual Cup Out
To take out a menstrual cup, just follow these steps:
I’ve Taken The Menstrual Cup Quiz How Do I Use It
Millions of women around the world have made the switch to more sustainable and comfortable hygiene products. You can, too.
Remember the first day you tried to use a tampon? Think of this the same way, except now you’re older and you understand your body better. The #1 trick to getting it right is relaxing: Not only does do deep breaths help you stay calm, but they also relax your body, which makes it easier to insert and remove a menstrual cup.
If you have more questions after reading this menstrual cup quiz guide, we wrote a very detailed guide on how to use a menstrual cup just for people like you.
For younger users who have never used a tampon, adopting a new product may be even easier. For starters, the Casco Cup won’t chafe like a tampon, disrupt vaginal pH, and can be worn for up to 10 hours. Not only does it let you get a good night’s sleep or go for a run, worry-free, but it’s way more comfortable than leading hygiene products.
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How To Use Period Cup
Period cups may seem daunting at first, but like the first time your teenage self used a tampon, you will get more comfortable and confident with each use. Similar to the first step before inserting a tampon, you will want to thoroughly wash your hands, often suggested with fragrance-free soap. Once you are clean and ready, a few easy steps will allow you to insert and use a period cup with every cycle, saving you money, and protecting the planet from unnecessary package waste.
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Flatten your menstrual cup
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Fold your period cup in half, creating a ‘C’ shape
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Spread your legs, and separate your labia with your free hand
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Guide in the folded menstrual cup rim-first
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Allow the cup to gently unfold within you and rotate it sideways to help it spring open, preventing leakage Your unique anatomy and the shape and depth of your cervix will also determine which cup size and form fit your body best, matching a heavy flow or light cycle with the menstrual cup suited to your needs. Speak with your doctor and peruse CVS for the ideal period cup to assist you in your efforts for an easier, and environmentally friendly, menstrual cycle.
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How To Choose The Correct Menstrual Cup Size
This article was medically reviewed by Lacy Windham, MD. Dr. Windham is a board certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Tennessee. She attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and completed her residency at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2010, where she was awarded the Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, and Most Outstanding Resident Overall.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 96% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 74,252 times.
Menstrual cups are a great option to help women deal with their monthly period. Using a menstrual cup is an alternative to the traditional use of pads or tampons. Menstrual cups are available as either disposable or reusable. They come in different degrees of flexibility, sizes, colors, lengths, widths, and are made of different materials depending on the brand you select. Choosing the best menstrual cup for you requires a good understanding of the available products while considering your needs and your personal preferences.
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How To Clean Your Evercup
There are several ways to clean your EverCup. Part of our mission is to provide menstrual products and education to women in the Global South. As part of that, weve developed a Cleaning Case designed to make it easy, discreet and affordable to clean your EverCup. It is also compatible with all menstrual cups on the market.
What Will My First Period Feel Like
You may find your first period comes and goes with very little in the way of symptoms, or you may find you experience quite a bit of discomfort. Common symptoms include:
- Cramping in the lower abdomen
- Breast tenderness
- Diarrhea or nausea
- Dizziness
Most of these symptoms do not last long, and can be treated with ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain relief medications. A heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen or lower back can help ease pain in these areas. More details on menstrual pain and other symptoms can be found here .
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Insert The Menstrual Cup
Hold the cup in your dominant hand while using your other hand to separate your labia. This is when its important to relax your vaginal muscles. Slide the cup rim-first into your vagina. Your cup will naturally open as it goes in. Including the stem, it should be fully inside the vagina.
This means that the stem should be approximately 15 mm away from the vaginal opening or within the first knuckle of your pointer finger. It is okay if the cup goes in further as long as you are comfortable. How to insert a menstrual cup depends on every womans unique body shape.
Once youve learned how to use a menstrual cup properly, you shouldn’t feel your cup at all. If you experience discomfort or leaks, remove it and re-insert.
Who Should Use Menstrual Cups
Experts agree that most people who menstruate can benefit from using a menstrual cup, but it may be necessary to try a few products until you find the one you like the most. There are multiple sizes of menstrual cups available to fit different people, said Mbaye. If you’re trying to decide if a menstrual cup is right for you, Mbaye recommended asking yourself a few questions, including:
- Is a menstrual cup going to be cheaper than other options?
- Are you comfortable using it?
- Does it make sense with your lifestyle? For instance, if youre using public restrooms for most of the day, would you be comfortable emptying and washing it in that setting?
Menstrual cups do have some drawbacks and they arent for everyone. As Bobel pointed out, the biggest concern is the learning curve for effective use that can be tough, especially if you are someone who is not comfortable with their anatomy. There are other aspects that can be difficult for people to look past, including high upfront costs and the slightly uncomfortable process of inserting and removing it.
Some folks balk at having to empty the cup. How do you do that at school, at work? What if you live in a refugee camp? On the streets? For some menstruators, its not, or at least does not seem to be, practical to use a reusable product disposability is much more convenient, Bobel added.
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Firm High Cervix Cups
Pictured left to right: Lunette Alicia Cup MeLuna Yuuki
- Lunette: This is the shortest cup of this group in both sizes. If you have a very high cervix, make sure to leave the stem at least partially intact. This cup normally doesnt have any problems with opening and staying open. While it doesnt hold as much as some of the others, the Lunette seems to be a great cup for those who work out or those who need that firmness to open their cups more easily.
- Alicia Cup: This is one of the longer cups on the market. Its not actually being made anymore, but there are still some of these cups floating around for purchase. The Alicia Cup was originally available in four sizes, but only the size Small and Medium have been spotted.
- MeLuna Sport: I find that the MeLuna cups feel different between their different firmness versions and also between their sizes. The XL MeLuna Sport is a good match to the Yuuki Classic. The TPE of the MeLuna seems more rigid than the Yuukis silicone.
- Yuuki Classic: Also known as The Rock, the Yuuki Classic is the firmest cup on the market. Not only is it a little longer than the average cup, it also holds a bit more as well.
When To Take Your Menstrual Cup Out
You can wear a menstrual cup for 6 to 12 hours, depending on whether or not you have a heavy flow. This means you can use a cup for overnight protection.
You should always remove your menstrual cup by the 12-hour mark. If it becomes full before then, youll have to empty it ahead of schedule to avoid leaks.
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Advantages Of Using A Menstrual Cup
Here are a few pros for using a menstrual cup.
Lower costs and less landfill waste
Some cups are designed for long-term use even years providing significant cost savings over tampons and pads. Since you can reuse them, theres less waste to clog up our landfills and fewer trees sacrificed to make the paper-based alternatives. Keep in mind that some cups are designed to be disposable. Make sure you read the label carefully before buying if you want a reusable one.
No embarrassing odor
With menstrual cups, you wont have to worry about embarrassing odor wafting out at the most inopportune times since the fluid doesnt get exposed to air as it does with pads and tampons.
Vaginal pH and beneficial bacteria also stay in place. Tampons absorb your vaginal fluid along with the blood, which may disturb the vaginas delicate pH and bacterial balance.
Fewer visits to the drugstore.
Even if you replace your cup once a year, youll still make 11 fewer trips to the store than you would if you used disposable, paper-based methods.
More time between changes
You need to change tampons every four to eight hours, depending on flow. You can go up to 12 hours with a menstrual cup before having to empty it.
Easy to use