Many believe that the invention of the menstrual Cup revolution comparable to the advent of oral contraceptives. They are environmentally friendly (no need to throw away with each use, and tampons we create 140 pounds of waste over a lifetime), safe (does not absorb blood, and only collect it), economical (average tampons spent about six thousand a year, and the price of a bowl starts from 1 600 RUB.) and comfortable (barely felt inside, you need to change every 12 hours). Having read positive reviews about this eighth wonder of the world, we decided to conduct an independent investigation and find out whether bowls is the best alternative to pads and tampons.
Menstrual Cup (or, as it is called, Capa) was invented in the 30-ies of the last century, but became popular in the 1980s. In view of the cap resembles the cap. They come in two shapes: round and oblong. The first is more suitable for owners short of the vagina, and the second, respectively, for owners of long forms.
Menstrual Cup made of medical silicone, used in cardiac surgery and are absolutely safe. It can be of different sizes and volumes. In General, they are divided into two types: the small bowl is able to collect 15 ml of blood, the largest up to 42 ml.
Experts claim that the menstrual Cup could be within 5 to 12 hours. But it is advisable to clean out the contents every four hours during the days heavy flow days and every six hours for the first and last day of menstruation.
How to enter the menstrual Cup?
Before beginning the procedure it is good to wash your hands with soap not to bring an infection. You can insert the menstrual Cup while sitting on the toilet, lift one foot onto the surface, standing or lying down. The muscles of the vagina should be relaxed — this will facilitate the process.
For a start, the menstrual Cup can be moistened with water or treated with a water-based lubricant. To fold the tray half. There are different folding methods, e.g. folding C-shaped. Using this method, the widest part of the bowl is inserted first. Another method is to bend one edge down. To perform this addition put your finger on the edge of the bowl and push them down and inside of the bowl. It will be easier to insert into the vagina. The fingers of the left hand should push the labia, and the right to move the mouthpiece so that the tip of the tail was at a depth of approximately 1-2 cm Below the bowl appeared inside the vagina (you can even hear the click) and took the correct location, you should crank it for the base around its axis. The material of the tray inside the body softens, sticks to the walls of the vagina, prevents fluid flow out. If that happens, you can press a finger on the wall of the vagina, so the air will fill the Cup and it will unfold. If the bowl has been inserted correctly, it will not be felt while driving.
It is possible to take a bath, swim in the pool and ponds. It releases menses out, doesn’t let water inside.
How to remove the Cup?
To remove the tray from the vagina is necessary for the tail. Before the procedure you should wash your hands with soap and water. Need to find a Cup base, a little to put pressure on it with your fingers. Such action violates the integrity of the Cup, and it will pull freely. The bowl need to clear secretions, wash under running water, then warm water with soap. A little dry. Something to sterilize the Cup, it can be boiled. You can also use a special sterilizing tablets.
Editor #1, 27 years
The first time I saw a menstrual Cup in Monki in Amsterdam three years ago. Back then I immediately thought that to me this thing will not work, with tampons I have no problem never arose. But colleagues from Wonderzine with excitement shared their reviews that wanted to try me. Usually the bowls are available in several volumes. So, if you’re not sure what size you need, sign up for Fun Cup Explore Kit.
This evaluation kit consists of two multi-colored vials: 20 ml (holds four times more than a tampon) and 30 ml (six times more than a tampon). They can be alternated depending on the abundance of selections.
The bowl is soft to touch and made from German hypoallergenic medical grade silicone (as they say its creators, “the safest materials that you can enter in your body”). Well, I want to believe! Experts say that the Cup can serve at least ten years, the main thing it properly: sterilize in boiling water for a couple minutes and wash with soap and water, odorless. Some recommend to use a solution of vinegar (one to ten). For storage there is a special antibacterial pouch.
Zatestit bowl I decided right at the office. One bothered: we have no sink in each stall, so as imperceptibly to clear the bowl, I was not quite clear. To enter the Cup was not difficult, it is easy to fold (if the case is tight, use a water-based lubricant) and then seems to attach itself to the vagina.
Inside do not feel anything, this day I went to yoga all the asanas have been performed without any discomfort. The test was waiting for me in the evening, when the bowl had to pull out. I had suffered for about 15 minutes, reread the instructions and even watched a video on YouTube.
To say that the experiment has failed, it is impossible. Still, it’s much greener, safer and more convenient than tampons and pads. I think give her a second chance. The forums warn that learning the skill of extracting may take up to three cycles, I hope I’ll be quicker — I go to the second round.
Editor #2, 32
About menstrual cups I have heard for a long time — especially actively they are regularly discussed in popular beauty community on Facebook. These discussions I always read with interest, but to try to use it not solved: first, is too polar opinions met (from “wow, that’s cool!” and “no more pads and tampons in my life!” to “unsanitary, inconvenient, never again”), and secondly, as they say, why reinvent the wheel if already invented to us — pads and tampons I was quite happy. And thirdly, the word “bowl” I was somewhat embarrassed to Google what she looks like, for some reason I did not bother, and associate it with sickly such a medieval Cup, the Holy Grail, nothing else (fantasy often plays with us a cruel joke).
But, what really must admit, I love all sorts of experiments (within reason, of course), so to test the Cup Fun Cup agreed. In General, I will say this: the tampons and pads I’m not buying three months and completely switched to the menstrual Cup. To say that I liked it — to say nothing.
For myself, I noted several pluses. The first is convenience. The bowl is not felt (in vain I fear), in contrast to the same pad, you still sometimes can bring discomfort. I easily entered her the first time and just as easily pulled out — no pain I have not experienced. Second, it lasts a very long time. Here, of course, all individually. But in the first days of menstruation, which I always quite abundant, I used the Cup 10-11 hours, not emptying it. By the way, as I later learned, bowls are different in size, so choose it according to your needs. Thirdly, it is a huge savings. I bought the Cup and about this part of the expense budget you can forget.
Cons too (for me they are, however, in comparison with all the advantages turned out to be insignificant). The main is that to change the Cup for me personally seemed to be possible only at home. How some girls do it at work (it’s really unhygienic), I honestly can’t imagine. Because after using it you need to wash properly with soap and water (I can see the faces of colleagues who accidentally caught me doing in a working toilet).
Well, the second disadvantage, the consequences, that’s what to leave at home all day will not work — 10-12 hours of use bowl need to be emptied, so after a day of meeting up with a friend is unlikely to succeed, will need to run home so the bowl doesn’t leak. But this question is completely solved: you can play it safe and enclose the gasket.
In General from me a firm “Yes” menstrual cups!
Editor #3, 32
The vials had heard for a long time and I really wanted to try, but hands did not reach (pardon the unfunny pun). Concerns were also: no idea how it can be used outside the home.
In fact, not present and now. Yet I have never failed to remove the Cup, so to speak, without consequences, and if I didn’t do it in the bathroom, and in a public toilet, then all of this would definitely resembled a crime scene.
The Cup is comfortable, does not feel the word “all”, and I have enough of it at 10 o’clock precisely. Problems with the correct way to enter it, was not, although I do like a man thoroughly studying all the instructions before you start working with something, spent a few hours reading the forums and by looking at whole endless tutorials (and then I dreamt of origami). But it worked the first time — intuitively.
But with removing the Cup, as I said, everything was a little more difficult: to lose I haven’t lost her, but gently pull the bowl without spilling anything and without contaminating… Well, this is clearly a science, requiring skill. This is for me and the main disadvantage: I lead a very active social life and get home close to midnight, and to enjoy a bowl outside the home I have.
Okay, if I adjust correctly to get it out, but then another question arises: in principle, I confuse public toilets, and if tampons can be all around to disinfect some of chlorhexidine, with a bowl more hassle. Perhaps my fears are unfounded, but from the suspicion, unfortunately, get more difficult than from germs.
So now for me the Cup is still not full replacement of the same swabs, but a tool. But nevertheless very cool: savings I immediately appreciated.
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