My MoonCup

This post is about menstruation, blood and gore. I.e. all the joys of being a woman.
Men and other squeamish creatures might wanna skip this.

Ever since puberty hit I’ve been cursing the hassle menstruation brings and how unbelievably unfair it is to be forced to spend so much money on sanitary products. :x It’s expensive and irritating and, being the nature geek that I am, not very eco-friendly. Then about a year or so ago I came upon an article about menstruation cups, and I immediately thought it sounded like a great idea! After reading a bunch of articles and reviews I decided to buy one and try for myself and now, 6 months later, I’m in love!

There are a number of different brands of cups out there but I picked the Mooncup, mostly because it was the brand the most recommended site I found was selling.

On the site I ordered from (M-kopp.se, men dom tycks ha lagt ner webshoppen nu) they had a nice little chart that helped me pick the right size. It said size B is for women under 30 who haven’t given birth vaginally, but I went with size A anyway since I’ll be 30 next year and a cup lasts for several years. It fits inside me and isn’t leaking or causing any trouble so I assume it’s all good.

I can thoroughly recommend menstruation cups and I hope you’ll consider giving it a try if you haven’t!
I will never go back to tampons and pads, this is just so much easier and cheaper and better for me in every way. :)
Just do a bit of research to find which brand and size might suit you. Most shops selling them will send you a different cup if you’re not satisfied (or give you a refund) so you won’t loose money.

The long list of pros:

* You don’t have to worry about size
With tampons and pads you have to pick the right size by guessing how much you’ll bleed for the next 4-5 hours, and how easy is that? (I assume we all know the feeling of taking out a dry tampon. Ow.) With a cup it doesn’t matter. It’s always the right size!

* Less hassle
You never have to look in your bag/drawer and think “Crap, I have to go buy more tampons.” You also don’t have to panic when your period suddenly starts and you discover you’re all out of pads.
You don’t have to remember to bring extra pads and tampons with you when you go out.
If you’re at work/visiting friends etc. you don’t have to remember to bring your bag with you (or hide a tampon in your hand or pocket) when you go to the loo. If it’s with you it’s with you.

* You’re not wasting products/material/money
To me this is a HUGE selling point! I’ve always had very irregular periods, I have never been able to tell when I’ll get it (I so envy those of you who can!) so every month is a guessing game. I can feel in my body when it’s about time, but not very accurately, so over the years I’ve wasted a lot of products by using them “just in case” because I might get my period. That’s not a problem any more! :)

* It’s environmentally friendly
Speaking of wasting material, with a cup you won’t! Makes my tree-hugging soul smile with joy. ^_^

* It’s cheaper
Yes, a cup costs a bit of money when you buy it but it’s not that expensive – and it lasts for years! You don’t have to be a mathlete to see how much money you’ll save.

* It’s better and safer for your body
Compared to a tampon the cup is miles better. It doesn’t dehydrate or chafe. The vagina is allowed to cleanse and moisturize itself as usual and you don’t have to worry about toxic chock.
Compared to a pad… Well, I’m sure you can see how a cup is way cleaner than having that mess rubbing up against your undercarriage. Ick.

The short list of cons:

* There’s a learning curve
You have to learn how to put it in and take it out and it might take a few months until you figure it out. Watch your fingernails, that’s all I’m saying. Until you’ve mastered the technique you might have to “dig around” for a while down there. So… mind your nails.

Tip: In the beginning I was unsure of how far in I should put it – but then I realized if I put the top half of the cup just inside the labia minora and release, my vaginal muscles will pull it into position by themselves as the cup unfolds. If you’re unsure if you’re doing it right, try letting your body do the work for you.

* You might spill a little
In the beginning when you don’t have the proper technique you’ll probably spill some when you take the cup out. Especially if it’s really full.
Personally I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t think a little blood on my fingers is something to whine about and it’s a small price to pay for such an awesome product. Man up. ;) (Or woman up maybe)