By Nicole Gaudet
@nicgaudet
Last year, I was prepping for a four-month trip to South East Asia where tampons aren’t always readily available. I was wary of bringing months worth of tampons in my already bulging backpack, and I had seen so many cup recommendations from people travelling, so I decided to take the leap and bought a Diva Cup. Here’s why I’m never switching back.
A menstrual cup is safer for your body, with a lower risk of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), and you can wear the cup for up to 12 hours, unlike tampons which need to be changed every 4-8 hours. This saved my life on those 10-hour bus rides in Vietnam, where there wasn’t always a bathroom on board, just some chickens. It can also be comfortably removed on your lightest days, which means no more uncomfortably pulling out dry cotton tampons on the last days of your period. Sweet relief. I’ve also worn it as a precautionary measure while traveling when I can feel my period looming over me, and I know I won’t be near a bathroom for most the of the day.
While inserting and removing a menstrual cup can take some getting used to, it’s very similar to figuring out how to put your first tampon in. You’ll be able to feel it if it’s inserted incorrectly, and after a couple tries you get the hang of it. While emptying it in a public bathroom sounds like it could be a bit inconvenient, you can easily take a wet napkin to the inside of the cup for a quick clean. In order to give your cup a proper wash once you’re home, you can give it a soak in warm water with a mild, unscented, water-based (oil-free) soap. Some menstrual cup companies even have a specific wash you can purchase along with the cup. As a deep clean, you can boil it in water for 5 minutes to ensure it lives a long life! Most importantly, always wash your hands before inserting and removing your cup since this will protect your body from germs.
The biggest draw for me was the money I’d be saving. One menstrual cup, if taken care of properly, can last at least five years. Since the average person spends about $50-$60 per year on period products, when you invest $20-$40 on a product that can last you five, you’re saving at least $250 within a five-year period. Pun intended. Menstrual cups offer an environmental advantage as well, since close to 20 billion sanitary napkins, tampons and applicators are dumped into North American landfills every year. You’re allowing less plastic from packaging and applicators from ending up in our landfills, which we can never get rid of. This small adjustment helps to protect the planet, and your future.
Lastly, if the idea of taking out a cup full of blood from your body grosses you out, it shouldn’t. It shows you a very personal view of your period, giving you an look into how heavy or light your flow actually is, so I encourage you to give it a try. The earth, your wallet, and your body will thank you for it.
Nicole Gaudet is an alien obsessed, witch cackling weirdo. Her one rule of being friends with her is to pay attention to every dog she points out to you. Yes, she is quite aware it gets annoying. She doesn’t care.
