I have been wanting to switch to a menstrual cup for some time now because of couple of reasons: I'd like to help lessen my waste and at the same time save money by eliminating the need for disposable pads and tampons. Also, ever since I had a myomectomy I became more conscious of my reproductive health, and I have heard horror stories about raw materials used in sanitary napkins that can't be good down there. My friend Alex is a new menstrual cup advocate and influenced my decision to finally go for it.
When I chanced upon the Anytime Menstrual Cup being offered on sale in BeautyMNL, I decided to go ahead and purchase one. It took me a while to decide on the size to get and I had to answer an online quiz to see what is best for me (although it wasn't that helpful because I don't know how to check if I have a high cervix) but I needn't worry about that because only Size 2 was available, LOL. Anyway, the description says Size 2 is for women 30 and above, so I thought I'll just take my chance since it's being sold at half the original price. I bit the bullet, bought it, and patiently waited.
My package arrived after two days.
It's pretty straightforward: inside the box you get the medical grade silicone menstrual cup sealed in a plastic bag, an instruction manual, and a pouch for safe-keeping. I'm not entirely sure if there's a difference in the size between this and Size 1 as I didn't see a photo nor infographic comparing the two, or if Size 1 is a bit thinner and softer, but I found the mouth of the menstrual cup I got to be thicker than the ones used in online tutorials, and looked a bit more difficult to fold.
I have been reading up a lot on menstrual cups and watching a lot of tutorials before today, and aside from first-hand tips from friends, this is the video I found most helpful:
I couldn't delay it any longer; it was getting late, I'm on the 3rd day of my period, and I needed to get on it. It's currently past midnight but I'm so psyched I don't think I would be able to sleep before writing about this. Indulge me and let me give you a blow-by-blow account of the past hour.
22:45 - I started boiling water to sterilize my menstrual cup with.
22:50 - I put my menstrual cup on the boiling water and let it sterilize for five minutes.
23:00 - As per the instructions in the video, I washed the cup with a mild cleanser and warm water.
23:03 - Stripped down to just my bra in the shower, I went to work. I squatted, tried the U-shaped fold and... Nothing happened.
23:25 - I tried squatting on the floor, I tried sitting on the toilet, I tried standing up, I tried many different kinds of folds, still nothing happened. It was getting a bit bloody. I started praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Roman goddess Venus.
23:30 - I shouted through the bathroom door for my boyfriend to bring me a mirror. Maybe it would be better if I could see?
23:45 - The bra has come off at this point. I could see in the mirror and I still couldn't do it. There were instances when I could put it halfway in but I would feel my muscles tense and I couldn't put the rest of it in anymore, and it HURT. I started remembering previous fights my boyfriend and I had. I started seeing patterns on the bathroom tiles I have never noticed before. I started getting anxious about the coming year as well as the choices I have made in life that brought me here, to this specific moment, and tears may or may not have fallen. I prayed to St. Anthony de Padua and all the other angels and saints.
23:51 - The spirit is willing but the body is weak. Squatting on the floor, feeling frustrated and alone with just my menstrual cup in a 7-shaped fold as company, I got ready to give up but for the heck of it I tried again and I swear without thinking about it I started to stand up and : POP : I wasn't holding the 7-shaped menstrual cup anymore? Instead I am seeing just the stem jutting out. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE I WAS SO AMAZED?
And that is how I was able to put my menstrual cup in after just 51 minutes.
You think that was difficult? You should have been there when I tried using a tampon for the first time. I literally had people on the other side of the bathroom door shouting encouragements at me. Yes. It was during a beauty event out of town and I suddenly got my period but thankfully I brought a tampon with me because I brought my swimsuit that day and I really wanted to take a dip.
It wasn't immediately A+ perfect, though. I had to poke around for a bit because I felt it was still folded inside and hasn't completely assumed the proper shape of a menstrual cup, which proved to be challenging because yikes, I haven't trimmed my nails for more than a week. (Note to self: clip nails tomorrow.) After a few minutes poking around and adjusting, I believe it is now secure and firmly in place. I still wore a liner though, just on my first time of using it, in case I didn't put it correctly and I get leaks.
Additional trivia that I don't think will be of use to you: I know the menstrual cup can't get lost inside me but I still needed to check the stem a couple of times and ensure I can easily pull it out, heh.
I believe I would purchase another one, in Size 1, to see if it's the better fit for me. But right now I can say that it hasn't even been three hours yet but I think I am now the newest menstrual cup convert and advocate! Hooray to not needing disposable feminine pads again!
It is half past 1 AM and I shall go to sleep soundly knowing I was able to succeed in the mission I set for myself.
Are you a menstrual cup convert? How was your experience? OR are you looking to switch to a menstrual cup? Let me know how it goes! Good luck!
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