8 Tips to Make Your Life Easier (With a Cup)

DIFFICULT BEGINNINGS

When I first heard about the menstrual cup , I thought, "Where do you put it? And it's going to fill up inside me?" To put it mildly, I approached the subject like a dog approaches a hedgehog...

However, it tempted me incredibly. For such a small "gadget", it met a surprising number of requirements: more hygienic, safer (the issue of cup safety and health impact is also important!), environmentally friendly, and at the same time reusable and - consequently - economical! There are many benefits, but how to break the ice?

ALONE WITH MYSELF

But before we move on to the cup, let's focus on you for a moment. How comfortable are you with your body? Have you ever looked at your "southern territory" in the mirror? Are you used to menstrual blood? Because you have to be prepared for all of that. You're about to create a new, closer relationship with an object that will serve you faithfully for many, many months.

8 TIPS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER (WITH A CUP)

I always say that fear comes from ignorance. So I started looking, reading, trying. And so that you, dear Reader, don't have to waste your evenings, I'll give you a handful of valuable tips on how to use and care for the cup. Easy, easy! It's a bit more complicated than using a tampon, but don't exaggerate... you can do it without a doctorate!

1) ENGAGE YOUR KEGEL MUSCLES - When you insert the cup, work your muscles as if you were trying to stop urinating. This will help to position it in the right place. When removing it, you may find that the cup is a little further back and you have difficulty grasping the tip with your fingers. If this happens, do the opposite - use your uterine fundus muscles to push the cup out. And remember - practice makes perfect!

2) START WASHING THE CUP WITH COLD WATER - yes, yes, warm water cleans best, but cold water will prevent discoloration. After a while, increase the temperature to thoroughly wash the cup.

3) WASH WITH VINEGAR - the cup, of course, not yourself! Dilute vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:9. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, thanks to which your cup will be perfectly clean and odorless.

4) BOIL BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR PERIOD - before inserting it for the first time during your period and when you've said goodbye to menstruation, but before you put the cup away, measure out enough water so that the cup is submerged and boil it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, no longer. Leave to dry and congratulate yourself for quickly and cleverly dealing with the smell, stains and other signs of use on the cup's surface.

5) CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS AT NIGHT! - no, it's not about pizza at 2 am! Meals, or support for the cup while you rest and don't control events. Because I think each of us has woken up in a larger or smaller puddle. Always cautious with a pad or a sanitary towel. Or how did it go...

6) CLEAN WITH A TOOTHBRUSH - just not the same one as your teeth! The small holes under the cup are not decorative. They block the cup's suction, so it can serve its purpose intact. Sometimes these holes get clogged with secretions, and a toothbrush can be helpful in this situation. Simply stretch these holes gently to make it easier for the toothbrush to dig out the dirt. Do not use a needle, a safety pin, or whatever your imagination tells you to do - sharp tips can ruin the cup.

7) PROVIDE ACCESS TO FRESH AIR - never store the cup in a plastic bag or airtight container, this does not have a good effect on the quality of the silicone from which the cup is made and on its smell. An airy bag made of organic cotton will be ideal for storage.

8) EXPOSE TO SUNLIGHT - of course, we do not mean exposing the cup to sunlight for long periods of time (this can destroy it!), but leaving it for a while on a windowsill or other unshaded place in order to refresh the colour, i.e. remove discolouration and spots.

That's all for now. Complicated? Maybe a little bit, for beginners "cuppers". Later you'll be whizzing through the topic and wondering how you managed without a cup!