Today, I learnt how to use a menstruation cup. It took me a year to learn, yes too long.
First, I did not understand how to insert it because I did not know where to insert it actually.
Female Anatomy
We girls, in this part of the world, don’t know much about our anatomy particularly the older generation. In our times, many of us landed on to this menstruation journey without any idea. Yes, it was a shock.
Sanitary pads
We had grown up using sanitary pads since our adolescence. Sanitary pads were quite costly then. It is very good for girls who live in placed where there is scarcity of water. Using cloth has its own cost.
Using cloth has its own cost
I used to use cloth when I was in college because I found that economical. My mother told me it is better use sanitary pads because maintaining re-usable cloth was time consuming.
Besides drying such large pieces of cloth was difficult as we lived in flats with our grandparents and aunts.
Journey with Brands
From the beginning till my early 40s I used carefree sanitary napkins only. Then I moved to trying different brands like stayfree, whisper, and other brands which I don’t remember now.
Stayfree is my favourite now until I bought a menstruation cup which a friend suggested.
Menstruation Cup
I bought a menstruation cup as per my need which is of Peesafe brand. I watched videos for two to three months but did not understand how to push it in. One fine day I tried to push it in but it was a painful experience.
I tried the 7 fold method. It opened near the vagina which was uncomfortable. I gave up. It took me 4 cycles to understand how to enter it after watching several videos and reading instructions on reddit site.
One day after 7 months of the purchase, I could successfully insert it. It was great. No leaking nothing. In the middle of the night I woke up to find I was leaking because it was full. I tried to pull it out but it went in and was slippery. I went through a video that night standing in front of the bathroom. I successfully pinched it out and felt the excruciating pain. I vowed not to use it again.
Next cycle I used it but found it was full after 4 hours. Since inserting was painful I kept it away.
Again on my next cycle I tried it towards the end of my periods. I wore it and went to bed. In the early morning when I went to pee, I could not find it. I panicked. I took my phone and searched how to get it out.
I did what was told in the video. Stopped panicking, squatted on the floor and slowly it came down. I caught it as if I caught a lizard. I pinched and pulled it out and washed it and set it aside and wore my pad and went to bed.
Finally exactly after a year, I took it out, put it in boiling water. Then I washed my hands and took it out and dipped it in cold water and did a C fold and slowly inserted it. This time it was fine but I could feel something there. It was not really comfortable. But I seemed to have mastered it. Though there was pain inserting it and taking it, when it was inside it was okay.
Menstruation Cup or Pads
I saved three to four pads but finally went back to my pads because I felt uncomfortable while walking or bending. However, I know what a menstruation cup is, how it works and how it should be used. It is economical and economical but definitely not for people who don’t like to experience pain inserting and removing it frequently.
Jagoran 