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You'll need to take a weekend off to acquaint yourself with your new cup, trust me, you'll need it. I've been curious about menstrual cups for so long, I don't know what exactly made me take the plunge and buy one but I am relieved.
During the lockdown, purchasing feminine hygiene products was so unnecessarily taxing. The panic buyers didn't make it easier either, which meant shelves were rarely fully stocked, it drove me insane because I have an irregular period and the anxiety of never being fully prepared was constant.
Despite having only purchased it last month, I thought about it for a very long time. I had to convince myself that I needed to make this investment not only to ease up the tension on my pocket but for the environment as well.
Are you aware of how bad tampons and pads are for the environment? It's catastrophic. Read the following article on how unsustainable they are. So I decided to do some research on which cup would be the best for me and after a lengthy chat with my sisters on my Flo period tracker app, I looked into ElleCup.
I was extremely lucky, I read all the information they had on different sizes and folds, sprays, containers, dos and don'ts, and it was overwhelming but good. I understood everything perfectly and decided on a regular to heavy flow cup, I couldn't wait for it to arrive.
The package
Since I was the new kid on the block when it came to using the cup, I decided to opt for the full package; a cup, a disinfectant spray, and a container, which was inexpensive at a reduced R399, plus R100 for shipping costs. It arrived shortly after, and I was so happy to find that I chose the perfect size for my flow. I was a bit nervous because a few people had warned that I'd probably have to buy a few cups to find one that fits me and works for me. I remember thinking, A FEW??? I could hardly afford the one, but it's an amazing investment and the ElleCup is one of the more affordable menstrual cup options.
Getting to know my cup
First things first, relax! have a glass of wine and relax. If you're tense, your experience will be painful and chances are the suction won't work well and you'll leak. I use Assegai water-based lubricant (R62,95 at Clicks) to make it easier to insert, but there are other great alternatives out there, like coconut oil for one. Word of advice, you might want to trim your stem a little bit, but don't worry, you will still be able to grasp your cup and pull it out after breaking the suction. Sometimes the long stem causes discomfort.
More importantly, do not pull the cup out without breaking the seal, IT WILL HURT, TERRIBLY. It happened to me the first time, and the pain was unbearable. Pinch the bottom of the cup and twist it, if there is resistance, the suction has not yet been broken. Keep doing this until you feel it release, then slowly slide it down, keeping it upright to avoid spillage, do this in the shower until you get the hang of it.
Clean up and storage
I used warm soapy water to rinse my cup. I used a fragrance free, pure soap and patted it dry, putting it back in my case. Make sure nothing is blocking the small tiny holes on the sides of the cup.
You can sterilize your cup in boiling water at the end of your cycle as well.
This product has changed my life, I'm going into a new cycle soon and I can sleep easier knowing I do not have to worry much about stocking up on tampons. I am especially grateful for the reduced risk of toxic shock syndrome and always having to locate a bathroom every two hours to change a tampon, this product is the best for me because my heavy period has gotten in the way of a lot of things in the past.
So, ladies, if you were ever worried about making the switch, there is a wealth of knowledge out there that will ease your worries, this is the only way we as women can continue changing our lives and bettering the environment, one step at a time.
Visit the Elle Cup site here and find out more about their products and how for each cup sold, they give one to a woman in need or make a donation.
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