Period Cup does and don’ts

You’ve decided to give the period cup a try. You may have heard good things about it from a friend or you might have read positive online reviews. Congratulations! With the following tips you’ll hopefully soon be a happy Period Cup user, too.

FINDING THE RIGHT SIZE

Spoilt for choice? There are a lot more products on the market now than there used to be, and that can be a bit overwhelming. When trying to decide what size you need, two factors are particularly important: the size of your cervix and the strength of your menstrual flow. For example: if you know that your cervix sits quite low while you menstruate you might want to use a shorter period cup. If you have a strong menstrual flow we recommend a larger cup that can hold more fluid.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MOMENT

It’s nothing new: Sometimes you are full of good intentions to do something but then the moment just isn’t right. Or, to put it differently: don’t try to insert your new period cup for the first time if you are about to rush out of the house to go to work or to a lecture. Take your time to get acquainted with the period cup first. And you could practice inserting the cup before your period starts. But whenever you decide to give it a try …:

RELAX!

Inserting the Period Cup may feel a little odd at first, in particular if you’ve previously used only tampons or sanitary pads. And trust us: at some point every woman can insert, remove and empty the cup basically in her sleep. One thing is key: relax. Make sure you relax your pelvic floor muscles too, when you want to insert the cup. With relaxation you’re already halfway there.

FIND A COMFORTABLE POSITION

Practice and see what works. It may feel comfortable to raise one foot onto the bathtub or the toilet when you insert the cup. And you’ll quickly develop a feel for when the cup is in the correct position. As a general rule you do not insert the cup as far into the vagina as you would a tampon. The cup sits much closer to the entrance of the vaginal opening. Some women prefer to insert the cup a little deeper; others place it so that it only just disappears into the vagina.

STAY RELAXED WHEN REMOVING THE CUP

One of the main concerns that keeps women from trying out a period cup is the question: ‘How will I remove it?’. But we can assure you: with the right technique that’s absolutely no problem. And should the cup have moved up somewhat over time – no need to panic. As soon as you relax your pelvic floor muscles the cup will slide down and you can reach it. If it doesn’t work the first time round, don’t get upset, relax and try again. And don’t just pull on the stem, you need to overcome the existing slight suction first. One way to do that is by lightly squeezing the bottom of the cup.

You may want to know about some absolute Period Cup no-nos. We’ve compiled a short list for you. There is no need to learn from bad experience in these instances.

PERIOD CUP DON’TS

• Keep it clean. Before you use the cup, keep it in boiling water for 5 minutes. At the end of your period clean the cup, put it in the cotton bag that comes with the product and store it in a dry place.
• Watch the pot. Make sure there is enough water in the pot and check occasionally while you are cleaning the cup. A good way to prevent the cup from touching the bottom of the pan is to fit it into a whisk.
• Do not expose to direct sunlight. The Period Cup is made from a natural material and you need to keep that in mind. Do not unnecessarily expose the cup to direct sunlight because in the long run this could damage the material. The product comes with a cotton storage bag which protects the cup from light.
• Do not wear it when you are not menstruating. You avoid any risk of infection.
• Do not wear for protection during sex. The Period Cup isn’t a contraceptive and it does not protect from STDs.
• Do not put it in the dishwasher or the washing machine. Never use appliances to clean your Period Cup. It may sound like a fab idea, but manually rinsing the cup with running water is sufficient.

You want to know more? For the optimal use of the FAIR SQUARED Period Cup we’ve put together a user’s guide.