Zero Waste: No Secrets - Menstrual Cups
Menstrual Cups. They are not actually as scary as they sound.
Living in a semi-conservative country, menstrual cups are almost unheard of for some. Inserting cups seems painful they say. And I must admit that it might not be for everyone. I've been using Aneer menstrual cup for over a year now and here are my thoughts:
It is, for me, life changing!
I ordered my cup online (Shopee) for PHP 600.00. I was pretty excited to open the package even though my period had not come yet.
Yes, I was nervous at first.
"What if I won't be able to remove it?"
"I might end up in the emergency room in total embarrassment."
"What if it doesn't work for me?"
I did a lot of research and watched tons of videos on Youtube on how to insert and remove it. Judgement day ---my period came. An ample amount of time was spent in the bathroom trying to insert it. And boy! It took a couple of trial and errors until I successfully managed to get the cup in.
Zero waste partial fail --- I wasn't completely confident on how I did and it was nerve racking having to think about a potential accident. So I had to use disposable pads. But to my surprise there was no leak whatsoever!
It was not all 100% accident-proof and I had to get to know my cup and my little tralala down there before I completely got the hang of it. Believe me, it takes a whooooole lot of patience!
Once you get used to it, it'll be a breeze having to insert your cup. There are a lot of brands in the market and I have some friends who bought Sinaya because they did not do so well with Aneer. It actually depends on you and what cup you're comfy with.
The advantages of using the cup?
I get to workout, go swimming and do my usual activities without the hassle of changing pads from time to time. You only need to remove and clean it every 12 hours. Compared to pads, you have lesser risk of infection because bacteria have nowhere to accumulate and thus, no smell! Best part is, you are doing mother nature good. That's one less trash in the landfill. FYI: It takes 500 to 800 years for these to decompose. Uhm, like forever? :( Moreover, if you do the math, you'll save some bucks because your 600-peso one time purchase will last you 8 years. One pack of sanitary napkin costs you around PHP 50 - 100.00 ++.
Then again, it isn't for everybody. Don't dismay because you can always go for washable cloth pads, right?
Don't be afraid to try it. If you ask me, switching to the cup is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Just make sure you don't forget to remove it! And no, it is NOT used for contraception! :D Don't mistake this for a cervical cap. LOL
Good luck and I hope you find what works best for you...and momma Earth!
Michelle
