Hello Gorgeous,
I think we don’t talk about this enough. Yes, our period. More importantly, the products we use while we are on our period.
Did you know, the average sanitary napkins / pads / tampons available in the stores take about 500 – 800 years to decompose? Yes. You heard that right. But the good news is that the waste from our trash is incinerated in most countries, so we don’t have to wait 500 years for it to decompose. unless of course, it reaches the landfills where our trash just rots emitting a lot of methane gases. If the landfill is close to a water body or the water table is high, the leachates can be toxic and can contaminate the water bodies. But for today, my point is not about the landfills and the incinerators.
An average woman disposes about 15 pads/tampons every month when on her menstrual cycle. And I think it is time we normalize talking about disposal of feminine hygiene products just the same way we normalize the problems with the plastic bottles.
So, is there an alternative you ask? Yes. If you use organic tampons and you compost it, that’s great. Great for the environment too. But if it going to the trash bin, it does not serve its purpose. There are the period panties and cloth pads. Well, it is good and can be reused for many menstrual cycles. But it can be an inconvenience if you are traveling, need to change during the day and you are out. And then, there is the Menstrual cup. If you use the menstrual cup, then you know what I am talking about.
One menstrual cup can be reused for up to 10 years.
A menstrual cup is made from medical grade silicone, rubber, latex and there may be more materials that I may not be aware of. It is mostly in the shape of a bell / cup with a stem. It comes in various sizes and the firmness of the cup itself can vary depending on the brand you use.
To use a menstrual cup, you insert it into your body, and it collects the menstrual blood inside of you. You take it out every 4 – 12 hours depending on how heavy the flow is for you, empty it out, rinse and put it right back inside. Sounds complicated? It takes only a couple of menstrual cycles till you become a pro at using the cup.
The benefits of using the cup are many.
It is better for you. Since it is made out of medical grade silicone, there is no plastic and no bleached materials. No bleach leaching into your body. No rashes. No heat. No irritation. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.
It does not end up in the trash. It is good for the environment since it is eco-friendly.
It is a one-time expense.
You can go swimming. No worries.
It is a non-messy period. No odor. Nothing to dispose.
You can generally wear it for a longer period of time before having to giving it a rinse.
You realize you don’t bleed as much as you think you do. For normal bleeding, it is only 2 – 3 tablespoons of blood every month. And for those with heaving bleeding, it can be upto 5 tablespoons of blood.
Sounds like something you want to try?
It takes a little practice to learn to wear it properly. There are tons of instructional videos out there on Youtube.
It might be little difficult to use it in public rest rooms till you get the hang of it. Don’t be disheartened. You get better with every use.
There may be leakage if you don’t wear it properly. Don’t give up. You may want to use a panty liner on heavy flow days, till you get comfortable using the menstrual cup.
It might take a couple of cups to find the right cup / size / firmness for you.
When you use the menstrual cup initially it can be stressful. The stress of wearing it properly so there is no leakage. Just the process of wearing can be very stressful. I remember the first time I used the menstrual cup; it took me over 15 minutes to wear it. It took me more than 15 minutes when it was time to remove it. Almost at the height of panic, the only thought in mind was, it is lost in paradise, I need to go to a doctor to get it removed.
Keep in mind:
Just know that, when you are more relaxed, it is easier to wear it and to remove it. Don’t panic, if you can’t find the stem or the base of the cup when you want to remove it. There’s no place for it get lost. And no, it will not travel further up into your body. The only place it is inside of your body is at the vaginal canal.
Don’t yank out the menstrual cup out, it can cause uterine prolapse. Be gentle.
If you have long nails, it can be an uncomfortable experience.
So ladies, time to bin the disposable feminine hygiene products? Give the menstrual cup a try and you will wish you had started to use it earlier.
I've never used one but it seems we do need to consider the effects of things to mama earth.
This got me laughing, lol! Thank you for sharing your experience.
absolutely worth a try...
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