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As someone who has become more eco-friendly with fashion and food, I thought it was about time I started finding ways to have eco-friendly periods. From reading a lot of comments on the Flo app secret chats to reading a menstrual cup review from Lauren Rosenbaum, I decided it was time I tried it. I’ve been using it for 3 months so far and will definitely give a 6 month and 1 year update in the future.
My Experience with Periods
This section is a bit TMI, but I feel it’s really important especially since it explains non-eco-friendly reasons why I decided to try the menstrual cup.
Since about 11 years old, I have always had very heavy and painful periods. About 80% of my periods consist of me being bed-bound for 2 days from the pain I would get. I would feel nauseous but also have no appetite. In terms of the products I used, I only ever wore pads. The only times I’ve worn tampons was twice on holiday. I never found pads desirable but they were convenient.
The feeling of waking up and getting out of bed with a pad on makes me very queasy, considering I have heavy periods and, well, you could probably connect the dots if you’ve got a uterus and wear pads overnight too. I would also have to wear the Kotex Maxi Night pads for 2 days straight, changing it every 2-3 ish hours because leaking was another issue. So with finding tampons and thick, nappy-like pads uncomfortable, I thought menstrual cups surely couldn’t be worse than them so I might as well try it.
My first successful attempt
It took me many failed attempts to get my **Lunette cup in. The different positions I tried to help insert it made me feel like I was a gymnast. I eventually tried the 7 fold and it worked like a charm. For some reason, I thought it was way too good to be true though, so wore a pad with it just in case.
Lo and behold, the cup leaked. It was way better than only wearing a pad though, so for the next 2 months, I wore the cup and pad together. When figuring out why I kept leaking, I just reached to the conclusion that I wasn’t inserting it correctly. I would get used to it eventually, right? Wrong.
My Important Discovery
Upon extensive research, I discovered that cervix height is a very important factor in what menstrual cup one should get. I found I have a low cervix, hence why I was leaking with my Lunette cup. For people with a low cervix, it’s likely that when putting in a regular menstrual cup, the cervix is sitting inside of it. This gives less capacity for blood, making the cup overflow quickly. Knowing this information, I decided to research menstrual cups suitable for people with a low cervix. My best bet was the Merula Cup, so I decided to buy it.
My Third Month with the Menstrual Cup
The Merula Cup’s size had me terrified. As it has a bulb shape, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to use it. I still decided to take the plunge, trying the punch down fold since it’s the recommended fold by Merula themselves but couldn’t get it in fully. But the 7 fold really had my back because when I used it, the cup when right in! Some people warn that the suction on the Merula cup is strong, but for me, it was completely fine. Taking it out is easier as well as it has a ladder stem. And the best thing about this cup? IT DIDN’T LEAK FOR THE WHOLE TIME I USED IT!
Is the Menstrual Cup Worth It?
The menstrual cup is definitely worth it. I’ll be using it for as long as I can! On lighter days, it’s quite difficult using the Merula cup. So, for those days, I will the Lunette cup and try a few pairs of period underwear. All I know for sure is that my days of buying disposable pads are over! I’m really glad I can have a suitable period product instead of one that’s just convenient. My period pains aren’t as bad as they were before I used the cup too. I’m not sure if that’s due to the combination of using Feminax and the cup but I definitely want this to be the new norm.
I’d 100% recommend the cup to anyone wanting to give it a try! Just remember to measure your cervix height to get an idea of what would be the best one for you. I also suggest using the Put A Cup In It quiz to help you find a suitable cup!
