Women Uninterrupted is an inter-generational podcast bringing you different, difficult and uninterrupted conversations about being a woman.
In Episode 1, listen to a free-ranging conversation between two women — a schoolgirl and a working mother — as they get up close with the host, a Gen X adopter of the menstrual cup, as she gets real about the joys and trials of using this sustainable period product.
Produced by The Scribbling Pad for The Hindu. Brought to you by BSCPL Infrastructure Ltd.
Host: Anna ; Guests: Anuja, Neha & Maya
Editors: Neha, Tasmin & Maya ; Title music: The Carpet Beat, by Maya
You can listen to the podcast also onApple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music
Menstrual cups: a personal perspective
Neha Srinivas, Grade 12, writes:
Menstrual cups. An eco-friendly alternative I only used ONCE in my life. Surprising, right? In a world filled with trends toward sustainability and eco-friendly decisions, why is it that it was so hard for me, (and loads of others) to make this switch? Frankly, I realised it came down to one key factor: I was beyond afraid and didn’t want to acquaint myself with this foreign concept.
“Afraid of what?!” you might ask. Well, afraid of getting hurt! A frequent pad user, I couldn’t fathom sticking a silicone cup up my body. What if it got stuck there? What if I lived the rest of my life with a cup inside me?
On further internet research and binge-watching dozens of YouTube videos, I realised that was a myth. I mean it had to be - why else would women across the world be willingly using these? Cups couldn’t even be felt while inside you and millions of doctors had confirmed their safety. Apart from zero pain inserting them, turns out that since they collect rather than absorb blood, the risk of getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is also minimal. They hold more blood - one to two ounces of menstrual flow - and overall, I’ve discovered are a good eco-friendly, beneficial choice to use. That’s why, starting now, I’m officially a cup user :) There may be some days where I might turn to pads because of unavailability of cups or momentary ease but overall, for the long term, it’s cups all the way!
The Cup - full text of the conversation
(The text has been edited for clarity)
Anna: Today we have Anuja, the mother of teenage children; there’s Neha, our very own boisterous teenager; and Maya, the preteen who's here to listen, learn and understand. And me, Anna, a mother of adult children. Today's episode is about ...
Anuja: Why I can't come with you for a walk.
Anna: Lazy, busy?
Anuja: No, I had my periods, and walking makes me get rashes.
Anna: Walking gives you rashes. That's a first.
Anuja: No, seriously, I have these sanitary napkins which I use and they always cause rashes.
Anna: I don't think that's excuse enough. I have a solution for that. I am over 50 and I do not use sanitary napkins.
Anuja: What is it that you do then? Tampons?
Anna: There used to be a time when I used tampons, and then my daughter introduced me to menstrual cups.
Anuja: Alright, tell me a little bit more because these rashes really trouble me, and I do have something important to tell you during our walk.
Anna: I will also tell you that Anuja is a trekker, and I can imagine that [the rashes] magnified when you're trekking.
Let me ask Neha, have you ever heard of menstrual cups?
Neha: I actually have, I used them once as well, and the first time I used them it was a bit weird. I've heard people say that once you use them for a while, it's easier to get used to them. But I'm not sure how true that is. I was also wondering, do they come in sizes? How does it work? Is there a one size fits all?
Anna: Menstrual cups come in different sizes, and I think the three of us would probably be using different sizes based on our flow, our age, whether we've had vaginal delivery, or whether we have not given birth yet.
So, for you Neha, you would have to pick the smallest cup you can find, and for you Anuja, you could have two cups—one for heavy flow days, which is a larger size, and then you could use the smaller one on the lighter days, and you will not ever have to use an environmentally unfriendly pad ever again, or get a rash again.
Anuja: Well, Anna, you have all my attention, but could you start from the very beginning? What are menstrual cups? Do you stick them on? You insert them? How do you take them out? How do you clean them? Everything.
Anna: We have this very interesting situation where we have a 16-year-old who's already used a cup, and we have a mother of two children who has never seen a cup and I am the seasoned veteran who has started using cups. I can tell you that it takes about a year, because it's now been two years since I started and I'm still finding it difficult, but I will stick onto it.
I am into saving the environment, and it's a really obvious reason.
What do you think, Neha?
Neha: I agree. I think that saving the environment is one big reason as to why people should consider the switch. Why I haven't done it yet is because I play a lot of sports, and I don't know if whether in the long run, it's going to hurt me or whether it's going to get stuck or slip out—those kinds of logistic issues
Anna: In the long run it is going to get more comfortable for you, but in the beginning, you are going to have trouble. It is going to be difficult, but you have to do some research and find the right size. For you it's simple, it is the smallest. Use it, watch videos, find out how to insert it, and for insertion the key point is relaxation.
Be comfortable with your body and understand your body. When you have to insert the menstrual cup, it's like a wineglass, a little cup with a tiny little stem at the end, which you can insert into your body.
So, you have to stretch your vagina a little by either opening your legs out or lifting up one leg and getting into a comfortable position. If you've used a tampon before, you will find this easier.
I did have an experience, she was around 18 or so and had trouble getting it out, and we had to talk her through it about relaxing and reassuring her that it's not going to go back and get stuck there. She was just afraid.
Being afraid is a no-no. You have to go in there with an open mind knowing that several women have used it without ever having a medical emergency.
Anuja: So that's interesting but tell me a little bit more about every time you go to the toilet. Do you have to take it out if you want to pee or you want to go poop? How do you clean it up and how long does one cup last really?
Anna: There are two reasons why it can pop out. One, if it is not inserted correctly: If you can feel the cup inside you, it means you have not inserted [it properly] Take it out, put it back in. If it is not full while you're having a bowel movement it is not going to pop out.
This is something you learn. With every menstrual product, you have to be mindful of your flow. You have heavy days, check every four hours. If you have even heavier days, you may even have to change it every two hours. Be comfortable, and if you have access to a tap, a fairly clean bathroom, it should be enough.
If you don't have a tap? I have a daughter who's a social worker, she carries feminine wipes with her with which she just cleans out the cup each time she empties it. If you don't have water, that's one option.
You also asked about how long can you keep a cup? Up to 12 hours, but of course check every four hours. How long does a cup last? Up to 10 years, depending on how well you take care of it. Boil the cup, after every cycle, boil it for about 10 minutes.
Anuja: You're saying one cup, which I think costs anywhere between 300 to 1000 rupees can last you 10 years, because on an average one pad is around 30 rupees. That means just a couple of cycles is equal to the cost of a menstrual cup, and that will actually go for 10 years. That makes enormous amount of economic sense.
Anna: That is the secondary reason why I'm using a cup, but it's a very valid reason. If we could introduce this to rural areas, it would be amazing. But we still have this [mindset] about inserting a foreign body into our vagina. There would be concerns about whether you are still a virgin, if you're using a cup? You're very much a virgin. Of course, it is recommended that you're at least 16 when you wear a cup, so I wouldn't even be talking to Maya about it till she gets comfortable with her period first. Even for me, at my age, it still took about a year to get used to the idea of inserting something larger than a tampon. It's medical grade silicone, it's not going to cause any rashes.
Watch a video, put it in, you will have more trouble getting it out. At that point, you need to learn how to pinch the cup a little bit to release suction, and then take it out. Figure out how to manage the spillage which might occur on a heavy day while you're taking it out. On a day when you're at home, figure out the entire process. Use a pad as a backup and you'll be good to go.
Anuja: What are the chances of leakage when you use a cup?
Anna: I'd say that I had many leakage issues, and I continue to have leakage issues which is why I use a pad as a backup on a heavy day.
It is much more work than a sanitary napkin. It is more work than a tampon, but it's really worth it, because you're going to be saving the environment, saving cost and just doing your best for the world.
Neha: Maya, why are you looking at us in such a confused manner?
Maya: What are you guys talking about?
Neha: We're talking about menstrual cups. You know what, why don't we do our next episode on the period and how it works, to just get you acquainted with all of that.
Anna: The period talk, on the next episode of Women Uninterrupted brought to you by The Hindu
