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Let me start by saying, I am PROUD of you! If you are a woman, I've got some super-great news for you. If you are a man, I've got some super great news for you to share with any woman in your life that you care for in any way. (Although I admit this may be awkward to discuss with your mom or sister.)
So, we're going to talk about our periods. Yep. For real. I know what you are thinking, "Sarah, really!? Our Periods?? This blog is supposed to be about sustainability and farming... and what on Earth are you thinking!?!" There is a connection here, I promise.
I've recently discovered a product that has totally revolutionized my period and I want to share it with you all because I think every woman deserves the right to truly be comfortable with herself at all times of the year. Before I go on to give the lowdown on this amazing product I want to get cozy with you all and let you in on my world a bit. I remember being in 5th grade and the excitement and curiosity that bloomed when all the girls in my class were given the magical little permission slip to take home to our parents so that we could participate in a class to learn about menstruation. I was fascinated. The class made menses seem like the most special and exciting thing that could ever happen to me as a girl. They sent us home with a little pamphlet with more information and a coupon you could mail in for a "first period starter kit" that included some tampons, pads, and pantyliners. Of course, I was thrilled to send this in and couldn't wait to get the package in the mail. When the package arrived, I remember being mystified by its contents which included some old-fashioned probably inch-thick overnight maxi-pads, a few applicator tampons (which at the time scared the bejezus out of me), some newer "ultra thin" maxi-pads with wings, and some pantyliners. I tucked this fancy little flower-covered box under my bed in anticipation of the big day. I wrote diary entries about my new knowledge and confided to my diary about how much I couldn't wait to get my period.
Ok, so Ladies, I know you are giggling by now. I'm sure we all had a similarly horrifying first period regardless of how much we longed for it and how much fun it seemed that we'd have a little secret that would make us special every month. Right. Prepared though I was, when the first one came, I was mortified, hated it, and wanted nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were before this monthly monstrosity brought tears, messes, and embarrassing accoutrements into my life. I instantly identified that I would have a lifelong hatred for maxi-pads. The big bulky ones of the time felt like diapers, the thin ones often had a plastic top layer that chafed and either one ran the risk of the dreaded leaks. I turned to tampons as soon as I was brave enough and found a somewhat better way to deal with my period until now.
I recently purchased a MoonCup menstrual cup. And, Ladies, seriously... do yourselves a favor and get yourselves one too. It may sound icky, messy, or just flat out hippy-dippy to you, but I will tell you... all that excitement you felt as a girl, all those good things about having a period... yeah you'll feel them again. At least, I can say I do.
This is my MoonCup:
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| Isn't she great? |
The MoonCup is a medical-grade silicon cup that is worn inside the body similarly to a tampon, but instead of absorbing your flow, it collects it and a few times a day all you do is empty the cup into the toilet, rinse the cup out, reinsert it, and go on with your life. Unlike tampons, the risk of developing TSS is much lower due to the fact that the cup is collecting rather than absorbing your flow. Also, the cup is virtually leak-free since it collects rather than absorbs. You may have to empty it more frequently on heavy flow days, but it is so much less problematic than tampons that leak as soon as they have reached their absorbency limit. Yet another lovely perk is that the cup maintains the natural moist environment in your va-jay-jay whereas tampons can tend to dry you out due to their absorbent nature. Keeping things moist and natural helps prevent icky things like yeast infections since keeping things natural maintains the normal pH balance of your girl parts.
Menstrual cups are, of course, reusable and are made from materials such as medical-grade silicon, and natural rubber. Most manufacturers maintain that a single cup can be washed and reused monthly for up to 10 years. From a sustainability standpoint, that is amazing! Think of how much less waste is generated by just one woman using a menstrual cup each month instead of wasteful throw-away alternatives. If we figure that one woman uses on average one box of tampons during her monthly period, that would be 12 boxes of tampons each year. In the average woman's life, she will have approximately 40 years worth of periods. That is 480 boxes of tampons. In that same time frame, a woman could use as few as 4 menstrual cups! Let's just take a minute to visualize that: (courtesy of MoonCup's webpage)
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| If you want to see more compelling pictures, click here to visit the MoonCup page! |
Holy heck!! That is a LOT of garbage we'd keep out of the system! Also, just think... when the Zombie Apocalypse hits, how long do you think we'll be able to find tampons and pads in what is left of drug stores and grocery stores? If I've got a cup, I'm set for years and still have the convenience of dealing with my period in a clean, hygienic, and modern fashion.
So, I know that at this point you are at least partially convinced to try one, but you're probably wondering (just like I did!) about how messy or cumbersome a cup would be to deal with. Let me assure you, I HATE messes. I was afraid, at first, that it would be gross to deal with but I was pleasantly surprised. I won't lie, the first time I used it was a tad bit messy and awkward, but with a bit of practice on removing and inserting the cup properly, I'm a pro and have found my cup to be tremendously less messy than tampons ever were. A side bonus of the collecting not absorbing thing is no smell! Tampons always made me feel so gross because not only were they messy, but they tended to be smelly as well. With my cup, I feel so much cleaner and more confident. I have had zero leaks, more comfortable lady-bits, and an overall happier period since I've started using my cup.
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| Let's get back to loving our periods! |
I plan to follow up with more info on sustainable products specifically for women's needs in future blog posts. Look for upcoming reviews on different brands, products, and options for a happier, more sustainable period. :-)
Don't take my word for it, find out for yourself how much better your period can be with a menstrual cup!
3 comments:
I recently got a Diva cup but it's not that comfortable... Maybe a different brand would be a different shape and fit me better...I was so excited to get it and now am totally bummed that I don't really like it...
I'm sorry to hear that, Amanda! I did a lot of reading before I made my purchase and had considered a DivaCup myself. Sizing and shape can make a big difference, for sure! I find that I can't even feel my MoonCup now. At first, it did chafe a little, but it was due to the stem being just a bit too long for me. I trimmed a little off of the stem length and now I don't even notice it at all. I don't know if that is the kind of discomfort you ran into or not, but it might help. :) I also think sizing is important as well - most brands have sizes for before and after vaginal birth as well as before and after a certain age. Perhaps the smaller of the sizes would be more comfortable for you. One important thing to remember is that not everyone is built the same and what works for one woman who is over 30 and has given birth may not work for another. :)
I do plan on purchasing and trying some other brands too, partly to satisfy my curiosity and partly so that I can share my findings with others. I heartily recommend giving MoonCup a try though, if you purchase one through GladRags.com, they do have a money back guarantee should it not work out for you. :)
I, too, tried using a menstrual cup, as I have many friends who LOVE theirs and it sounded like a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, I'm one of the few people they aren't comfortable for - the cup part itself is too long, and so it still felt like it was protruding even with the stem cut off completely. Just goes to show that nothing works for everybody, right?
Luckily, I'd already been using other sustainable solutions, so I was able to just keep using them. My favorites so far have been sea silk sea sponges used as tampons (I just bought small to medium size natural makeup sponges, because they cost a lot less than "menstrual sponges" and were usually a lot softer) and cloth pads made from old t-shirts. It's always good to have options!
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