Why You Need a Menstrual Cup

The number one reason you need a menstrual cup: it's the easiest thing in the world.

It really is.

If you've tried it before and you disagree with me, I have to tell you- take a few more months to familiarize yourself with it before you make your final judgment. It took me three months to get comfortable with it.

The first month I had one, I was in the bathroom at the beach on a quick family getaway in a Starbucks with all four of my kids and- let's just say, I was not a fan of the menstrual cup after that experience.

I went back to tampons for a few more frustrating months until I just couldn't do it anymore. The feel, the annoyance, the supply I had to keep everywhere, the middle-of-the-night issues.

Every tampon can hold one tampon's worth of blood. A menstrual cup can hold about three tampon's worth of blood. This can mean a whole day without the bother of emergency bathroom visits and possible pants changes.

After a certain co-teacher meeting at my kids' university model school, I decided I was done with emergency bathroom visits and possible pants changes.

So I decided to try the menstrual cup route again. While first I had a Diva Cup, I scoured Amazon reviews to see which cups got the most positive feedback.

It seemed as though women liked cups that were

flexible- but not too much!

long stemmed- but not too long!

affordable- but not cheaply made!

Right?

So I tried again, this time with a cheaper, better-reviewed product.

This one, in fact.

And I'm not exaggerating when I say my life has changed for the better.

I can pretty much do anything I want to do on my period. That is a funny sentence to type, but I stand by it. I can swim, work out, sleep through the night, ride in a car for long trips, play volleyball, and wear white pants.

No, I don't wear white pants. But I could!

So what are you waiting for? Try it!

Usually I do tell women to give it two or three months of getting the hang of it before they decide whether they like it or not. The first month is awful. Tell yourself it will get better, because it will.

The second month is still a little sloppy and disturbing, so try to be at home for the days you are bleeding, just in case you get frustrated.

The third month is when the magic happens. You understand how to put it in and how to take it out. You clean it the right way, and you start getting confident in your new secret. You may even tell other women that they should get one. You'll possibly purchase a spare to keep in your purse just in case you start early.

You are officially in the club at this point! Congratulations!

So now that you know that you need a menstrual cup because it is the easiest thing in the world, let's get down to the how-to.

1. Wash It

Of course, you'll want to sterilize your cup before use. I soak mine in a cup of hydrogen peroxide for an hour or so. You can use soap and water. Most are made of medical grade flexible silicone. Some are even organic. If you're like I don't want silicone in my body, then that's fine. But know that most tampons aren't great for your body either.

Make sure it is clean and dry, and then move on to step 2.

2. Bend it.

The medical-grade silicon is a rigid silicone. It pops back into its original cup shape immediately after pressure is relieved from it. It's still quite flexible, though. You'll have to mess with it a bit to see what I mean.

To prepare it for use, use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze it shut. Then, using both hands, fold it in half. It will look like a closed "C".

3. Insert it.

This part is up to you. Find your vaginal opening and just, like, wriggle it up there. Make sure you insert it all of the way. This is why it takes three months to get used to it. Practice, practice, practice.

After insertion, the cup will open up all by itself and lodge securely in the lower part of the vagina, just below the cervix. It won't fall out, don't worry. After a few tries, you will forget it is even there. You won't feel a thing!

If you have had babies, you will want a size 2 or Large. If you have not had babies, you will want a size 1 or Medium. If you experience super heavy flow or lots of clots or painful periods, you will want to balance your hormones and periods before you start with a menstrual cup. Talk to me with a free phone call if you need help with this!

Don't overthink your menstrual cup. Buy a few, use them every month, and get used to the feeling of freedom they can give you. It's really that simple.

What do you think? Do you have one? Do you have other questions about them? Let me know!