Is a menstrual cup right for you?
How do you know if a menstrual cup is the right choice for you? Before you think to yourself, Never will I ever!, please hear me out.
I was first introduced to the world of reusable menstrual products through my cloth diapering circles; it’s really not that large of a leap to cloth diaper and then begin to use mama cloth. I played around with the idea, but was too chicken to use anything other than cloth panty-liners (which I love). Too many bad middle school memories came flooding back at the thought of using pads for my monthly cycle (extremely heavy flow = MANY embarrassing accidents).
Enter my postpartum days, and the reality is that the thought of something is much scarier than the reality of it. Postpartum, I wore pads that made my middle school menstrual pads look like panty-liners…and I survived! As a tampon user, I started seriously considering using a menstrual cup, but caring for a newborn, and two subsequent pregnancies delayed my foray into the world of reusable menstrual products. So, when Sckoon sent me a SckoonCup to try and share with all of you, I jumped at the chance.
I could go on and on, listing environmental and health reasons for why you should consider using a menstrual cup, but most people familiar with reusable menstrual products are already aware of that information. Instead, I’ll give you my reasons for making the change.
It will save you money [in the long run].
After your initial investment, switching to a reusable menstrual cup will save you money. I spent approximately $7-10 per month when using tampons and pantyliners, which adds up to around $100 per year. Given the fact that most menstrual cups last for several years (SckoonCup should last 5-10 years), that is an excellent cost savings.
Menstrual cups are a great non-pad option for women with light periods.
I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum, having suffered both heavy, crampy menstrual periods, as well as super light barely there periods. When my period was heavy, I constantly had leaks; now that my period is light, wearing tampons is no longer an option (the cotton causes painful dryness). SckoonCup has allowed me to forego menstrual pads, once again, and have the comfort of an [almost] invisible menstrual period.
Menstrual cups are a great option for women with heavy periods.
As I mentioned previously, I’m no stranger to super heavy periods. For years, even using tampons, I would have to change every 45 minutes to an hour the first day or two of my menstrual period. Yes, my period was really that heavy. SckoonCup has the capacity to hold more than a tampon, allowing women with heavy periods to have longer stretches between trips to the ladies’ room. I can’t imagine how convenient a menstrual cup would have been for me during those heavy flow days!
Menstrual cups are discreet and save you clutter.
I know, I know, this is probably a silly one, but I had to mention it. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to ‘hide’ my box of feminine hygiene products when I was expecting guests, or how much room my box of Kotex took up in a cramped apartment bathroom. Remember when OB applicator-less tampons were all the rage? SckoonCup is small, discreet, and comes with a handy organic cotton drawstring pouch – no tell-tale packaging here.
Why SckoonCup reusable menstrual cup is the right option for me:
Because my full-term pregnancy resulted in a cesarean section, I ordered the size 1 cup (SckoonCup is available in two sizes). I had no time to think about what I had signed myself up for, as my SckoonCup arrived just days before my menstrual cycle began; I jumped in with both feet and am never looking back.
SckoonCup menstrual cup is perfect for me because I went from someone with extremely heavy periods to someone with extremely light periods. After having two D&Es last summer, I went from debilitating menstrual cramps and heavy 5-7 day menstrual periods, to someone who experiences no cramping and minimal to nonexistent flow for a maximum of 3 days. Because of this change, I’ve only needed to use menstrual pads, but had been using tampons for overnight and times when I would be out and about.
FORM
Despite having a light-flow, I still prefer to forego pads, and SckoonCup is perfect for me. Having had a c-section, I use a size one SckoonCup, but still find it to be a little large when trying to insert; this problem may be easily remedied by trying a different cup fold (switching from the Heart Fold to the Punch Down Fold).
FIT
After the initial insertion, the fit of SckoonCup was snug. I had worried that I might not be able to get a good seal because my cervix is high and tilted, but I had little to no leakage. In fact, SckoonCup fit SO well, that a couple of times I had difficulty removing it because of the suction the seal created. I will say that I was worried the stem would break off because it was stretching so much in trying to tug the cup down and out.
FUNCTION
As I stated previously, I had little to no leakage using SckoonCup; I actually experienced more leakage with absorbent tampons than I did with the SckoonCup. I loved the fact that I did not spend my menstrual period frequenting the ladies’ room, as the Cup allowed me to go for hours between emptying.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Menstrual cups are the right choice for me, but I wonder how women with very heavy periods are able to use the cup when out and about; I haven’t figured-out how I can change my cup, without making a mess, while out and about. I’m pretty sure that more practice will make my menstrual cup experience even smoother. SckoonCup is made in the USA (awesome) and Sckoon also makes organic cotton pads (my next adventure).
Want to save 10% off of your SckoonCup purchase? Click this image to use my affiliate discount and save!
GET SOCIAL
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Thank you to SckoonCup for providing samples of the products mentioned in this post. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of the Green Moms Network, and the content and opinions expressed here are 100% my own.
This post contains affiliate links.
I’ve been using a cup for almost two years and have never looked back. I’m slowly introducing the cup to family and friends as an alternative. You’re right, you don’t have to be eco-conscious at all to try it. Some women experience a better period with it.
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I’m trying to convert all of the women I know!
I have (or had – yay for breastfeeding suppression!) rather heavy cycles. The first day I might have to empty my cup 3 or 4 times in 24 hours, after that I can do it when I get up in the morning and before I go to bed – that’s it! The cup I have, the Diva Cup, has ounce markings on the inside – it will hold as much as an ounce + before desperately needing to be emptied.
Also, a BIG yippee for no “personal dryness” after using this! Since my cycle slows to a trickle the last day or so, those tampons meant my insides felt like the Sahara for a few days afterward.
Yeah in public restrooms it can be tricky. I think I usually ended up dumping and reinserting (as opposed to a more preferable rinse). It’s not too bad. I think I have also rinsed with a water bottle if I had it. And i have hedged my bets and rinsed in sink if no one there, hoping no one would walk in and “catch me.” 🙂
The water bottle trick is brilliant! I usually have on in my purse anyway, and that would make doing a cup change in a public restroom a breeze.
You can also pee on them in a public restroom as urine is sterile.
Absolutely – the dryness issue is one of the biggest benefits of using a cup (for me)!
What about doing exercises and this is probably a weird question but does the cup ever spill “inside” you and you notice? I rarely have a period since I had the mirena but after this baby will get something different. Mirena was a bunch of problems.
The cup fits over the opening to your cervix, so I suppose it ‘sloshes’ during exercise, but it doesn’t leak from the cup outside of your body (the cup forms a seal inside your body).
I’ve been using the Diva Cup for over 8 years (aside from two pregnancies/breastfeeding) and I would NEVER go back to tampons!!! I absolutely love it. I’ve only had a handful of leaks, and all of them were my own fault. And as far as public restrooms go, because you can go so much longer without emptying them than if you were using tampons, I can usually time it so that I never even need to empty it while I’m out in public….and when I have, I just empty it without rinsing/washing and wipe the sides with toilet paper if needed and give it a good wash the next time. But honestly, I think I’ve only had to use a public restroom a few times!
I think I get nervous and change so much because of using tampons for so many years! When I do empty my cup, it’s not even close to being full — it takes a while to change my mindset 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and comment – cheers!
I’m all about the money and will never, ever go back to tampons and pads again. They’re such a rip-off!
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I’m happy you addressed the fact that they are discreet and good for women with heavy flow. I think many women dismiss menstrual cups because they feel it is a hassle or can be too messy, when ultimately you can gain additional freedoms from using them.
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The best advice a friend gave me, in terms of emptying your cup when out and about, was to keep a water bottle in your purse to rinse your cup (and hands) while using a public restroom 🙂
The best thing for me is that they don’t dry out your vagina like tampons do, especially if you’re spotting between periods.
Indeed, one gets a lot of savings with menstrual cup. This is one reason I switched. All issues about period are addressed by menstrual cup, too.
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