www.demoments.net

Warning: It is a long winded post, about wearing a menstrual cup.

I have been looking forward to a menses free in our coming end year trip. Unfortunately from my date calculation,  look like I can’t escape this mess during my date of travel. Since I am already fully on cloth for a few years (so used to the comfort, and I don’t think I’ll be able to tolerate the uneasiness of using disposable), I think I’ll have lots of trouble drying them in the hotel

Hence I remember a good option, by getting a menstrual cup!

Very colorful Meluna Cup (Rm69.90/pc) from www.tinytapir.com

Extracted From Wiki: What is a Menstrual Cup?

A menstrual cup is a type of cup or barrier worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. Unlike tampons pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it.

There are 3 brands available and I choose Meluna because it is smaller in size, many good reviews on it, and most importantly it is half the price of the other 2 famous brands.

My newly arrived Meluna Cup

I came to know about Menstrual Cup many years back when I first started on cloth pad. It seems scary though, looking at it’s size (imagine inserting this into your vaginal!) that’s why I have been holding on to the idea of trying out.

But Sheryl has been telling me how easy and convenient it is to use a menstrual cup (imagine, no damp, no leak, no changing, no washing like pads), so I braved myself to get one.

My new Meluna Menstrual Cup (L size, white color, design: ring)

I chosed L size (because all websites recommended to L size for woman above age 30, and had given birth), with Ring holder (so it is easier to pull / reach especially when  its slippery in there.

Well, we all surely may think it is kind of scary, inserting something so BIG in there right?

How to use a menstrual cup, and picture extracted from this website: http://www.menstrualcup.co/how-to-use-it/

Well, of course, there are ways to insert it, to remove, to wash and manage it the right way. You can just simply shove it up like that right? I was pretty nervous too, when I tried it this afternoon.

How I got it inside….

After taking picture, I quickly boiled it (to sterilize my cup). Once cool, hehe…experiment starts.

After washing my hands with soap, I fold it like how it was shown above, but I just can’t slip it into me, sitting at the toilet bowl or squatting down.  Perhaps I was very very nervous….

Then I rub some lubricant and finally manage to guide it slowly into my vaginal. But then, I am not sure how far it should go up (I certainly don’t want it to go too much further until I no longer touch it ler…)

Then I remembered Sheryl said I’ll definitely not loose it anyhow…ok..ok…..

So I shoved it up, all the way up until I no longer can shove it further (ring now is beyond the pelvic bone area). Can feel the soft wall closing and its inside…ahem….it should be alright….

How to ensure it’s fully opened

Remember I folded it like the picture on top? Sei for….now, how to ensure it is fully opened up inside to prevent leakage ler?

Sheryl suggested insert a finger ALL THE WAY IN, to rotate the cup……I can tell you, its really not easy ler. I managed to touch the side of the cup, all the way up to the rim, but I AM NOT ABLE TO ROTATE it wor….the wall fells too tight and I don’t wanna risk hurting myself though……

Hence…….I just let it be.

Wearing it for 4 hours today, my heaviest day

Sheryl suggested wearing a cloth pad too, in case it overflow or leak when wearing a cup. Hence, if it leaks, then I’ll know I did not get it right. But even after wearing 4 hours , there was no leakage.

I even pee and saw my urine was crystal clear, which means I must have inserted it correctly, HOORAY!!

How I removed it….

Again, I clean my hands first, then slowly reach for the ring. Surprisingly, its easily reachable this time, as if it had expel a bit, by the muscle. For the first time, I pulled it out by the ring and it hurts when the cup opened up while its coming out, *OUCH*!!

Then on the 2nd time, once it is half out, I use another hand to pinch the bottom of the cup during removal (to prevent it from suddenly opened up BIG). Still it sores a bit, but at least better than the first time!

How much blood it contains…

Surprisingly, its not even half filled although today is my heaviest day after 4 hours wearing! I just have to pour it into the toilet bowl, rinse it clean. Re-inserting the 2nd time was so much easier even!

Conclusion

After wearing it for 8 hours today, I must say that it is really convenient and easy using menstrual cup. I don’t even feel if it is there during wearing. It is just that after taking and re-inserting it back so many times, shoving in my fingers, checking checking here and there, I do feel a bit sore at the opening of my vaginal.

Thought I’ll give myself a break and wore cloth pad instead last night to sleep. But then, since I’ve got a cup, isn’t wearing it more convenient and fuss free than having my menses leaking out on my pad? Hence once more I inserted my cup in and wore it to sleep at 11pm.  I did not even bother to wake up to change.

Took it out first thing in the morning at 8am and its still less than 1/2 cup full! Am so surprise I bleed so little.

Its really fuss free using a cup. Just couple it with a light or regular cloth pad so it’s washable and changeable as frequent as you like (to catch whatever leaks, just in case), a menstrual cup is definitely for us, who dislike the “wet feeling and mess down there” each time we have our menses!