Truth be told, I took a long time – years actually, to become a menstrual cup convert. The mere thought of going against what society has taught us as the only way to manage our menstrual periods, to numerous questions about how the cup works and all that pertains to it, it was definitely not a one-time decision. So if you are still on the fence, worry not! Take your time! Once you are ready, jump in with both feet.
You’ll probably be mad at yourself for not starting any sooner but you’ll also be glad that you took the leap.
A little guide for you my love :
How do you wear a cup?
There are numerous folds out there you can use depending on your preference; from the popular C-fold to my all-time favorite punch-down fold, here are two links to where I did all my learning and consequently troubleshooting when I started using the cup: Grace Cup YouTube & Red Herring’s YouTube channel.
Dig through, you’ll learn a lot from these 2 ladies. Granted that there’s a learning curve.
Do you feel the cup once inside?
If properly inserted, no. I cannot tell you the number of times I have overstayed with mine because I forgot I was on my period. You feel nothing! It’s business as usual with a cup.
How long can I stay with a cup on?
This depends largely on your flow but 12 hours is the maximum recommended time. Anything beyond that honestly is just not right if you think about it, right? I get between 8 to 12 hours of service from mine depending on how heavy my flow is on the day which means that I don’t have to worry about bathroom breaks in the middle of my day to change things up.
Did I mention how comfortable bathroom breaks are with the cup??
Can I poop or pee with the cup on?
Absolutely yes! Just be careful when doing number 2 though because the muscles you use when pushing things out down there are similar. While the suction created by the cup pretty much holds it inside until the suction is broken by you, sometimes shit happens.
If you don’t feel confident enough, you could choose to take your cup out before taking a dump. I have never had to though.
Can I participate in regular activities with my cup on for example working out, sleeping, and travel …?
You can do pretty much everything you do on the regular, including walking panty-less!
Refreshing, right?
Where can I buy menstrual cups in Kenya?
The Grace Cup Kenya has really cute ones in different sizes and firmness. Whether you have the heaviest of flows or the lightest of them, you can find something for your pretty little friend there.
Bonus: Some Unspoken benefits of the menstrual cup
While every woman’s body is different, a lot of cup users will tell you that aside from becoming more comfortable and falling more in love with their bodies, they have experienced a lot more perks using the cup. Personally :
- The number of days of my period reduced from 5 to 3. Three days! While more research is still being done on why this happens, they are largely attributing it to the ‘natural – chemical free’ collection of blood. Everything is pure. No chemicals. No blood is being converted to gel or anything. No super absorbent synthetic fibers in play. Those apparently have an effect on our bodies and consequently our cycle.
- No itching!
- Reduced cramps. I hear there are people whose cramps disappeared completely when they started using the cup. Jealous! Mine only reduced a bit Which is something to write home about, right?
- That I can take a shower even with my cup on and go to the bathroom and not have to worry about bloody tissue paper and all that comes with it is just heaven.
- Being able to see your period blood has the added advantage of being able to tell what’s going on in your body. Unlike other menstrual products that are absorbent, the cup works by simply collecting everything that is shed. Every now and then you may notice a difference in the color, intensity, viscosity & composition of your period which can help you detect any problems or changes in your body way early.
If you are not sure cups are for you but would like to try out other environmentally friendly sanitary wear options, I share my experience using reusable bamboo charcoal cloth pads here. Trust me, you want to click and read along.
Cheers & share any questions you might have concerning cups in the comment section below.
Will be happy to answer or summon Ebby of Grace Cup Kenya to help you out! or better yet, you can check in with your gynecologist!