Menstrual cups: What, How & Why

Menstrual cups can be daunting, especially if you have never used tampons before. There are so many questions you have in mind. How will you insert it? How much blood will it hold? Will it leak? What if it slips out of your vagina? What if it gets stuck? Will it fit your vagina? Is it safe? We are here to clear all your doubts and help you have the breeziest menstrual cup experience. Read on for more information on menstrual cups.

What is a Menstrual cup and what are the benefits?

A menstrual cup is an affordable, eco-friendly and a safer alternative to menstrual hygiene products like tampons. Menstrual cups are silicone cups which are inserted into your vagina to collect period blood. It can be safely used for up to twelve hours after which you need to empty it, clean it, and then reinsert. Since a menstrual cup can be safely for up to ten years, it is also quite cheap as compared to buying tampons or pads every month! Sounds terrific, doesn't it?

Apart from being eco-friendly and affordable, menstrual cups also eliminate the period blood odour, hold more blood, do not disrupt the natural pH of the area and reduce the chances of infections linked to the use of tampons like Toxic Shock Syndrome. (Read more about TSS here)

Now, most of you probably have one question in mind - HOW DO YOU INSERT A MENSTRUAL CUP? Let's find out.

How to insert a menstrual cup?

Inserting a menstrual cup is easy. You just sanitise the cup, get into a comfortable position, fold the cup to make the mouth smaller and insert like you would insert a tampon. You can use a little lubricant if necessary but, in most cases, it's not required.

There are several types of folds like the C-fold, U-fold, 7-fold etc. which you can use to insert a menstrual cup. The most commonly used fold is the punch down fold as it provides the smallest circumference for insertion of the cup.

You might be wondering, will it fit you?

Menstrual cups come in various sizes based on the amount of liquid it can hold and the length and the width of the cup. Menstrual cups come in various sizes: Extra small for teens, small for women who haven't given birth, large for women who have given birth vaginally and so on. So, you can easily find one which fits you perfectly!

How to choose the right size?

While choosing a menstrual cup, there are several factors you should consider: the position of your cervix, your menstrual flow, pregnancy, and lifestyle.

POSITION OF THE CERVIX:

Now, you may think, how does the position of your cervix affect the size of the cup you will use, but, let me tell you, it matters. The position of your cervix affects the length of the cup that you can use during your periods. It's best to measure the position during your periods. To measure, simply insert your longest finger into your vagina and try to touch your cervix. It should feel like the tip of your nose upon touching.

If you can easily insert your longest finger all the way up and still find it hard to reach the cervix, you have a high cervix. In such cases, it's best to use a large or medium cup. For low cervixes, opt for small cups. Choosing a cup based on the position of the cervix will minimise the chances of the stem or the cup coming out of the vagina.

MENSTRUAL FLOW:

Most cups can hold about 15 to 30 ml of blood. Depending on your flow and needs, you can choose a menstrual cup. Go through the description of the cup carefully to find out how much blood it can hold and select accordingly.

PREGNANCY:

Giving birth vaginally can cause vaginal muscles to loosen up. This may cause the cup to slip or not be as secure; therefore, you should choose a large cup. You should try out different products to figure out which one works for you well.

LIFESTYLE:

Girls who are more active or work out often have tighter vaginal muscles. You should opt for a hard cup instead of the soft one to ensure the cup it is opening and keeping its shape inside your vaginal canal. 

The sizes of the cups can also vary depending upon the brand you are using. So, make sure to read the description very carefully before purchasing one.

Now that we have learnt how to select, fold, and insert the cup, let us see how to make sure it is leak-proof and how to tackle other related problems. Read on to find out.

#1 - YOU CAN FEEL THE CUP

If the stem of the cup is poking out, or you can feel it, the cup is definitely longer than your vaginal canal, and you need to opt for a shorter cup. A menstrual cup is correctly inserted when it fits entirely into the vagina, and you cannot feel it at all!

#2 – YOUR CUP IS LEAKING

If your cup is leaking, chances are it did not open properly and didn't attach to the vaginal walls. To check if your cup has opened all the way, insert a clean finger into your vagina and run it around the base of your cup. If it feels like it is still folded, push onto the folded area and it should pop open.

There are several reasons other than your cup not opening properly, which can lead to the cup leaking. Firstly, your cervix could be too low for the cup. Secondly, the cup could be too small for you, and lastly, it could be too soft for you. All these problems can be fixed by buying a different sized or type of cup.

#3 – YOU CAN'T REACH YOUR CUP

If you have a very high cervix and you use a small cup, chances are you will find it difficult to reach the cup. If this is the case, switch to a bigger sized cup.

 

BY 

HEENA GUPTA