Discussing :: Menstrual Protection Alternative options

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I'm curious if any of you use the alternative forms of menstrual protection?
- Cups
- Sponges
- Softcup (different form of a cup. It can be worn during sex)


I started using a cup last month. I only tried it out one day because it was a gross and uncomfortable experience, but I'm giving it another go. It stops so much landfill and is much more healthier for your body.

Interesting! I might have to google these.....I have never used anything but pads. I tried tampons once but they freak me out....

Where do you get these different menstrual protection items from?! Never heard of them before!!

Update: I just googled the cup..not so sure about it now! I think I would want to puke when removing it. Might stick to what I know. What are the benefits of a cup though - have you found?

Well, the benefits with a cup is firstly:

1. NO RUBBISH. (apart from if you use a back up pad or the rubbish from washing your cup with a cleaning tablet).
2. Some women find their menstrual cramps are better, not with me, but every woman is different.
3.You can wear them longer than you would with a tampon or pad. ( overnight they are really not that good for me as it fills up completely on the L size)
4: You can use them far more discreetly than you would normally around others, such as visiting others at their home
5 : Less baggage to carry around if you are going camping/travelling etc
6: I have read it is a money saver, but considering they don't last many years and some only last 2 years.. I don't see how that works when they aren't cheap at all.
7: Can go swimming like you can with a tampon

Downsides:
1. Can't have sex
2. Is hard to adjust to for many women
3. It can be very messy
4. The cup is a pain to pop open inside and if it isn't popped up properly, it will leak
5. Cup will leak when it is fill or if you move in a certain way..you can gets leaks through exercise.
6. Hard to adjust if you a virgin and can be very painful
7. Not convient in public or in places where the wash basin is not next to the toilet.

I purchased my cups from shop.menstrualcup.co. Was not cheap at all. Paid about $70 for two Meluna's and some tablets to clean them. For me trying it out last month, I tried it out on the first day and I was really grossed out. For me it was very messy. Every women will have a different experience of course. At first I was disgusted by the idea of using something like this and frightened, but I'm completely comfortable with it now. It is still painful a bit to insert and it won't open all the time, but considering I've only used it once for one day on my period before giving it a break (got a bit much for me to handle), I can't really pass that much judgement on it. Considering us women use hundreds of pads/tampons in our lifetime, if we can find alternative forms we can help landfill. Just think about how big the landfill is of menstrual products with the millions of women in the world!

NOTE: can't edit my original post. Forgot to mention 'washable pads' as another type of protection.

Ive been thinking on and off for about 6 months now about getting a menstrual cup. There are so many though and quite expensive. Especially if you get it and find out its the wrong size for you etc, so can be quite an expensive trial and error.

I've thought about the cups in the past, but seriously, your 'downsides' pretty much convinced me not to bother. And yes, a VERY expensive experiment if it doesn't work out.

Yeah it is expensive. The best thing to do is to look up sizing and consider your flow

I use the sponges and love them. I also use cloth pads which are great. Cant believe the amount of money and waste I save.
I will never switch back to regular pads. The cloth ones are so much more comfortable. I tried the cup but couldn't get the hang of it. Think I ordered the wrong size.

I had never heard of these before and from what I have googled probably will never use them I always use a combination of the two main one's out there pads and tampons, usually tampons when I am doing something sporty but preference is for pads, find them more suitable for me, the cup sounds like it can get pretty messy especially if you are a newbie to them

I use a menstrual cup. Absolutely love it, would never go back to tampons etc. I have a very heavy flow so each month it was such a pain and just a bad time. I don't even feel the cup anymore and I don't have to change it as often so for me it's a heck of a lot easier. Yes, it definitely is a more 'up close and personal' thing but I'm so much happier using mine. I paid about $10 for mine and have bought several other sizes too, best thing ever in my opinion.