So, the Menstrual Cup. I've been hearing more & more about this little contraption lately, and to say the least, I'm quite intrigued.
I have had very heavy flows ever since I started menstruating at the age of 11. Right from the beginning my periods would last for at least 6-7 days, sometimes even 8 or 9, and heavy. The whole time. I hated it. I was always very self conscious about that 'smell'. And I was always embarrassed by having to use the rest room every hour, especially throughout my high school years. I have always used tampons as pads just don't cut it for me. But tampons still leak if I'm not quick enough to the bathroom! Hearing about these cups & how you can go 10-12 hours without changing it would mean I wouldn't find myself in the bathroom every hour, and going through 2 x 32 packs of tampons per cycle!
So my question is, do any of you use these menstrual cups, if so, what are your opinions, experiences & recommendations on brands etc. I have a daughter who 2 years old (normal vaginal birth with no complications) & currently trying for baby #2 so other options such as the Mirena are out of the question!
5 Replies
Ive been tempted too. If one just appeared in front of me Id give it a shot. I'm sure in your case it is worth a try but maybe try at home first :) apparently they take some getting used to as far as positioning and cleaning. So if you need to empty when out and about you'd need to be able to access clean water in the cubicle (cause Im sure you dont want to have to rinse it in a sink in front of everyone! So Ive heard some people take a bottle of water with them and baby wipes so they can clean their hands before leaving the cubicle. So there are some issues if you are not going to be able to leave it in for a full day.
I use a juju cup (chose it because it is Australian and had great reviews) they have 2 sizes, recommended the larger size for those who have had children!
TMI!! when I've had really heavy periods with clots i have leaked and also had to go to the bathroom every hour as you said about tampons!
I'd recommend giving them a go :) saves a lot of money ;)
I've just tried one last cycle. I have a very heavy flow for the first two days (changing super tampons every 2 hrs) and then it eases of after that. I had problems with leaks until I worked out that I have a short vaginal canal and a long cervix which means my cervix has to sit inside the cup thus reducing is capacity but I was still able to go upto 4 hrs without emptying during the day until my flow eased and then it was every 8 hrs.
Next cycle I will be using a regular pad as back up overnight and liners during the day but that's far more conformable than super pads! I also discovered fewer clots and the ones I did have were a lot smaller in size than the ones I had using pads and tampons.
So my verdict is I'm not going back. I can see it is going to take a few cycles to get the hang of it but already it's far better than before.
I will never go back to using tampons after using a cup. After my 4th child I found I had to change a tampon every 45-60 minutes during the first 2 days, with the cup I have to empty it 4 times in the first 2 days and then can go to just morning and night for the rest of the time. I even do my martial arts training with it!
Your period sounds just like mine. I LOVE my cup. I do find the first 2-3 days while it's at its worst i have to change more like every 4-6hrs through the day because 12 is just a bit too long. But still that's only adding an empty at lunch time and late arvo so still WAY less than tampons. I used to use super tampons + a pad for back up and still had blow outs. I have less cramps and can't feel it ever once it's in. I used a liner as a back up when i first made the switch but now i could comfortably wear white undies all period long. Practice in the shower because at first it can be messy. Once you have the hang of it though it's so good for those of us with heavy periods. I bought a cheapie on ebay for $17 because i didn't want to invest $50 only to find i hate it. Now I'm looking at getting a more expensive one so i have one as back up.