My wonder cup

The strength of women deserves to be honored

It's well known that the universe has gifted something to women which differentiates them physiologically from men. Yes! I am talking about menstruation. At this great moment, some minds will be creating an image of a lady with a flourishing lotus on her abdomen, a sanitary pad with a rose in its middle, and a calendar spotted with red hearts for 5 to 7  days in a month and I do think, that's a super cool way to define menstruation before anyone. 

Unbearable abdominal cramps, unexplained mood swings, discomfort in moving out, and crazy cravings are the common takeaways during periods. It's never an easy task for women to complete those days with liberty. Some can afford to buy different menstrual products while some still hang on with the same cloth for many days. Period poverty is another topic of issue that needs to be addressed in various sectors. Well! Keeping this apart for a while, today in this blog, I am going to share my experience of using a menstrual product.

One day I came across an amazing organization led by women that educate everyone regarding menstruation, works with the government to reach out to areas with various practices, and keeps updating the undersigned authorities about the challenges that women face concerning basic amenities. That's not the end! It also empowers women by making them earn through the production of some biodegradable and eco-friendly menstrual products. Sustainability has been the main goal of the organization and it just touched my heart! I couldn't stop attending their workshops explaining periods and period products. 

A perfect decision to buy a menstrual product for self

Since I attained menarche, the only menstrual product that I used was sanitary pads. Sometimes I feel sorry that I was unaware of other menstrual products till I got graduated. I heard people sharing their experiences about using tampons, menstrual cups, and reusable cloth pads. I never gave a try to any of these products but every month I had the curiosity to use any one of them. 

Earlier in my 30s, I thought of giving a try to a menstrual product other than the sanitary pad. I was confused about choosing the best among all products for myself. Meanwhile, I had specific phobias regarding their use on me. Pulling myself hard before coming to a decision, I went for a comparison between tampons and menstrual cups. 

Comparison between tampons and menstrual cups

Typically tampons or pads should be changed every four to six hours while a menstrual cup can be worn up to 12 hours before it should be removed, cleaned, and reinserted. It prevents the need to carry extra pads or tampons. They are also durable and can last for approximately 10 to 12 years and hence are budget-friendly. Manufacturers make menstrual cups out of soft, pliable, sterilized, and easy-to-clean medical-grade materials, such as silicone, rubber, latex, and elastomer. They do not affect the vaginal flora.

Menstrual cups are designed to be folded upon insertion, so they can pop up between the vaginal walls to collect the menstrual blood. Most cups will have at least four air holes which create a vacuum seal against the vaginal walls. This ensures the cup won’t budge and all the menstrual blood is collected inside the cup. Menstrual cups hold five times the amount of blood, tampons and sanitary pads can hold.

Tampons and pads accumulate in landfills while menstrual cups are reusable and significantly reduce the impact on the environment.

Getting all these pieces of information, I finally approached to buy a menstrual cup. With no more delay, I bought a menstrual cup from the above-said organization and here we go with my remarkable experiences.

Exciting moments after unboxing the 'Wonder Cup'

Woohoo! I received my magic cup within 5 days of placing the order. The reason that I mentioned it as a 'Magic Cup', will be disclosed later in these writings. I could no longer wait for my periods to come over and me, giving a try to the cup. I made Instagram reels of unboxing it, as everyone would do while receiving a gift close to their heart. While holding it in my palms, I was feeling peace. I was quite sure this product that I choose for myself is not going to betray me at any cost. Sizes(Soft, Regular, Hard) of menstrual cups vary according to age, flow, and whether one has given birth vaginally. As a sexually active woman, I had ordered the regular one. The texture of the cup was giving me a warm and safe sensation.

I was advised that before using it for the first time, it should be boiled. I took a big bowl, filled it with 1 liter of water, and then set it to boil. I used a large spoon to flip the cup in between. I was super focused on the cup. That moment was like a part of a fairy tale for me. Like an angel coming out from a blossoming flower, my cup was flourishing even more while getting boiled. 

After 5 minutes of boiling, I set the flame off, did wait for 2 minutes, and then took the cup out with my gloved hands. It was ready to use! After it got cooled down, I played with it for a while. I made various foldings of it that are specifically designed for easier insertion into the vagina. Below, I have added some clear images of various foldings and among all, I found C-fold to be convenient for me. 

Those days made me forget that 'I am bleeding

Menstruation becomes more clumsy when one is on period and dares to wear a white dress. The scenario becomes more horrible when one steps out in rain with pads. Correct me if I am wrong! 

On one of those rainy days, while I was on my period I simply had a great realization. I was out with my husband in a mall transiting the groceries and all of a sudden my head banged that I wore no pad. The next moment I wondered if I am bleeding. Profuse bleeding during periods became a vague topic for me. It was super clean! I smiled as if I won the trophy thinking about how easily I made my periods look like. It's not about that single day but every day in each month of the period I feel like an angel, who made a perfect decision to keep down one difficult time in a woman's life.

I hope many of you reading this blog too would be getting excited to get a cup for yourself or to gift it to your dear ones. Just Go for it! Give it a try, enjoy your menstrual days, and feel more blessed to be a woman.