Content Warning: Intricate detail of periods and blood
I remember the exact moment I discovered the bloodstain in
my underwear. My family and I were in the dining room having dinner when I
rushed to the toilet. I was surprisingly excited my period had begun, hurrying
back to let everyone know. Of course, I didn’t care that we were eating dinner.
I knew it wasn’t an appropriate time for me to announce that there was blood in
my underwear but I didn’t care: I had started my PERIOD! I was the last person
to get my period in the family and I felt like I had achieved something. I was
ecstatic. I was ecstatic and naïve, extremely naïve.
It’s been almost 10 years since then. You may have guessed
my pride was firmly swallowed quite soon after that day. During the rest of my
teens, I hated my period. I had awful cramps and I desperately wanted to get
rid of my womb. I felt almost as though me having a womb was a waste, I
despised my period and I never wanted to have my own children so I felt there
was no use for it. I just wanted it gone. I thought that if I wanted to remove
my womb I could just go to the doctors and ask them to take it out but I soon
learnt it wasn’t that easy. I discovered that the removal of ones womb was
actually a rather difficult task and it wasn’t available to people unless they
met certain womb-removal guidelines, so I had to just deal with it.
I wore sanitary towels for the first few years of my period
before moving onto tampons. I hated sanitary towels because I didn’t like
feeling the blood as it came out and I hated tampons because shoving a dry
cotton wad up a vagina is an absurd concept and extremely uncomfortable. I
finally settled on something bearable – tampons with a smooth plastic
applicator. I continued to use these until I discovered the Mooncup.
My first impression of the Mooncup left me questioning a
lot. I was enthusiastically curious. The main reason I wanted to embrace the
Mooncup was to reduce my impact on the environment. I’d probably wasted hundreds
of bloody pads and tampons. It frustrated me that I hadn’t heard of the Mooncup
sooner.
As a regular Mooncup user, I am now able to answer the
initial questions that were flicking through my mind. This is for those of you
who may be contemplating the same questions but don’t know how to ask.
Q: How does this little silicone cup fit inside me?
A: It’s flexible. The cup can be folded. Once you’ve found
your preferred method of folding you insert it into your vagina.
Q: Will I feel it inside me?
A: No. You shouldn’t feel the Mooncup once it’s inserted.
Although you might need to trim the stem before insertion as you may feel it’s
too long and rubbing on the entrance to your vagina.
Q: What happens once I’ve inserted it?
A: The Mooncup will suction to the walls of your vagina and
will sit nicely until you need to remove it. The recommended removal time is
4-6 hours after insertion but it all depends on the volume of your flow.
Q: How do I get it out?
A: To remove the Mooncup get into a comfortable position. I
can’t emphasise this enough – on the first few go’s you might be there a while.
Sometimes I can grab the stem and yank it out quite easily. Other times I have
to reach higher up and pull from the bottom of the cup. It helps to loosen the
suction of the cup, to do this you have to pinch the stem. Once you’ve got hold
of the stem you can wiggle it out and/or pull it downwards. If your vagina
muscles are strong, you can push too.
Q: What if it gets stuck and I can’t remove it?
A: This happened to me once. My vagina went into shock and I
couldn’t push it out or grab the stem tight enough to pull it down. If this
happens try the removal whilst squatting in the shower. Alternatively – this is
my favourite Mooncup removal position – you can sit on the toilet with your
feet up on the seat. If your feet wont reach the seat grab something to put on
the floor in front of the toilet to rest your feet on (I use the bathroom bin).
Take a few deep breaths and relax your vagina muscles. Once you’re relaxed you
can grab hold of the stem and push with your muscles. You should feel the cup
loosen and be able to remove it quite easily.
Q: What do I do with the blood?
A: Flush it down the toilet.
Pour it in the sink. Drink it. Anything you so wish, it’s your blood.
The world is your oyster.
Q: How do I wash it?
A: Easily. All it needs is to be rinsed with warm water in
the sink – no soap.
Q: Where do I purchase a Mooncup? How much is it?
A: You can purchase them here. They cost £19.99.
If there are any more lingering questions or things I
haven’t covered, drop a question in the comments below or tweet me @emalemonpie
The Mooncup really forces you to get friendly with whatever
is down there. I feel like because it forces you to be so intimate with your
vagina, it can seem daunting. I was surprised to discover how comfortable and
safe I felt. The vaginal intimacy gave me a sense of control I had never truly
felt before. Once you’ve warmed to the cup which may take a while getting used
to and maybe some longer than others, you will love it. It’s super easy to
transport, comfortable to wear and no more waste!
For me, the Mooncup was life changing. I felt the same sense
of pride I felt on the day I started my period 8 years ago. I love my Mooncup.
I am a Mooncup enthusiast.
P.S. Happy Earth Day :-)
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