Menstrual Cup: A Game-changer

MENSTRUAL CUP: A Game-changer

It’s March which means it’s Women’s Month. In relation to this celebration, I will write my review of menstrual cups.

I have been seeing posts regarding menstrual cups as I browse upon my Facebook timeline. Many girls, ladies, and women have decided to do the change: fully disregarding disposable napkins and tampons and changing to menstrual cups. Last December 29, 2021, I saw an artwork by Alikia Pony representing the journey to shifting to menstrual cups. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/101129398432652/posts/148608503684741/?d=n. With no euphemisms, I was scared. Imagine inserting something inside your vagina and letting it stay there?! It was really a shocking news since we are used to using sanitary pads ever since our first period. In the Philippines, tampons are also not popular. Hence, sanitary pads are the default friends of a woman during red tide days. It is also cheapskate and easy to find since sari-sari stores sell them, making them accessible escpecially during emergencies and blood surprises.

More so, I was very scared to the fact that I have never been penetrated whether it be a penis or fingers. Whenever I masturbate, I do not insert my fingers because I was afraid. Thus, inserting a cup inside me was a big deal.

Apparently, my concerns have also been the case with my fellow women. What’s stopping us from shifting? FEAR.

Women, whether virgins or not, are terrified with the procedure. Menstrual cups demand full perseverance and dedication when you first insert it. You need to be fully prepared in all factors, especially mentally. My seller really warned me regarding this when I inquired about my size and confessed my anxiety about it. She said that I can choose to not continue our transaction if I am not mentally ready because one really need to have the guts. I hesitated for a while but still pushed through. My desire to overcome it overpowered my anxieties. I felt like I need to do it no matter what.

Apart from my advocacy to help the environment, I wanted to feel more convenient and carefree. Another issue I had with sanitary pads is its health implications. I was experiencing rashes all the time. I thought, I could not keep experiencing this soreness. I need to find alternatives to get out from this suffering. So, I shifted to eco-pads. It is a cloth napkin you can reuse after washing and drying. I used it for a year; however, it did not completely stop me from using disposable napkins because I could not use eco-pads outside. Where would I wash it when it gets full and heavy? Plus, it really stinks. I used it alternately with disposable napkins until I could not endure it anymore. After seeing the post about menstrual cups, I decided to take the risk.

My menstrual cup arrived on January 6, 2021.I bought it for P500 at @theecopotatoshop (you can check them out on Instagram, Facebook or Shopee). They are very accommodating and comforting. I recommend you to buy yours in this shop. The seller recommended the small size to allow me to adjust easily.

It was January 11 when my period arrived. That moment I saw blood on my panties, I realized that I need to use the menstrual cup. I was still hesitating as I stared at it for a long time. Then, I took a deep breath, followed the instructions the seller gave me: boiled it in a pot for 5-8 minutes, wash it with a mild soap (oatmeal soap recommended), and wipe it with wet wipes (please use bamboo wipes). Afterwards, I stared at it again while I bled. I was still scared.

Upon inserting it, I can only feel the gates of my womanhood, that’s the farthest I could get. I could not seem to go any further. I used the seven-fold technique as recommended and tried different positions like squatting, sitting, standing, raising one leg, etc. until I managed to insert it. It was so tormenting that I had to cry. I can feel the insides of my vagina. I was in front of the mirror, biting a towel and sweating too much because I had to endure the pain. After inserting it and adjusting to make sure it was placed accurately, it felt weird and uncomfortable. To add, I was hesitating to pee because it might fall off or fill the cup until I have realized that they have different pathways. Still, the satisfaction and victory I acquired could not be compared. I managed to put it inside. I won over my anxieties and fear. I did it!!!

The removal part was even harder for me than the insertion. When you remove the cup, it is not as easy as pulling it out. You need to pinch the bottom of the cup as you pull the stem. It is also advisable to iri to release the air inside the vagina that was vacuumed by the cup. Additionally, it must be carefully removed to avoid blood spills. Although sometimes it is unavoidable especially if it is almost full. You will hear the *plok* sound when the vacuum is released; thus, it has been removed from your vagina. I washed and wiped the cup after inserting it again. Please make sure to have your hands and nails neat. Also, do not forget to clean the holes of the cup to avoid infection. The second insertion were not as tormenting as the pioneering attempt. Despite the victory, I was still having anxieties all throughout my period. I tried and fought my it until I get used to it. Now, I feel like I can insert the largest cup!

It’s my third month now using menstrual cup. It has been a journey, but I can truly say that it’s one of the greatest decisions I made in life. I have influenced some of my friends to use it and I will continue to convince those who are not yet shifting. Why? Here are the advantages:

1. Health benefits. As I have mentioned earlier, sanitary pads cause rashes. It irritates the skin and the vagina. The chemicals are harmful, especially the toxins it releases. Menstrual cup does not harm your skin. More so, the vagina is expandable. It will not do any harm to insert something and let it stay there.

2. Environmental-friendly. Mother Earth would be glad to know you did the shift. Disposable napkins are enemies of the environment. Plastics are hard to decompose; therefore, stays longer than other garbage. By the time you are dead, the plastics that you used will still be alive with highest possibilities. How many pads do you use in one bleeding? Eight? Imagine the harmful effect it does to the environment. Think of it.

3. Cost. Most of us use two packs of eight pads throughout our period. Per say the cost of each pack is P30 to P80 x 2 = P60 to P120 x 12 = P720 to P1440. That is how much you spend for sanitary napkins in a year. Menstrual cups are only sold for P400-P900 that would last up to 5-10 years.

4. Comfort and convenience. I can still remember my friends and I exchanging inquiries during our menstruation,

“Do I have blood stains?”,

“Can you go with me to the CR? I have to change pads,”

“Fuck. I have blood stains/the napkin is displaced,”

“Do you have extra napkins?” and many more.

With menstrual cups, you will no longer have to utter these sentences. The cup allows a woman to swim, have sex (without penetration of course), dance aggressively, tumbling, and other stuff they say you cannot do during your period. It assures you that there will be no leakages. You can wear it up to 12 hours. So, if you are planning to hike or travel, you are ensured to not experience any interruptions that will cause great distress.

All of these advantages outweigh the benefits of using disposable napkins. It is truly a game changer. Capitalism made us assume that there are plenty of blood during our ovulation. The MC declines this notion. After using the cup for 12 hours, it was only half-full. Using sanitary pads made us think that the blood is too hard to handle, that it requires change of pads every after four to five hours. The truth is, it spreads the blood making it look full until it goes out of hand, allowing leakages to happen. Let us counter this notion.

As the society progresses into becoming more innovative, battling the defaults of yesteraday, we are offered with these solutions. This is a message to the priveleged women out there. You have the choice to do the shift for you, the environment, and the society’s progression. Why would you neglect it? Be afraid but do not let fear control you. What I mentioned in this blog are my honest reviews and my experiences (I am not an expert. If further problems or issues are present/arises, consult the experts). I was scared, but persevered for my reasons.

What I only know is that we are brave and fearless. As Taylor Swift said, “Fearless is not the absence of fear; fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you.” Save your courage and be dedicated, you’ll get there.

Happy Women’s Month, powerful ladies! 💜

-Jewel Liaison