Period Post (Guys may want to pass...)

I recently tried two new "green" changes in my house that had to do with bodily functions. One was cloth diapers, which I posted an update about recently. The other was the Mooncup. Let's talk about it now.

I had been looking into using a menstrual cup for a little while now, but I wasn't really sure what brand to get or what size. First I looked at the Diva (and also the disposable "Insteads" for a bit) because they are the most popular. I found this chart and community online which is very helpful for any questions. I have had children, but I'm under 30, so for Diva's sizings I was sort of lost. I asked them which would be best, and mentioned my IUD. They sent back that it was not recommended to use a cup! I was bummed but continued on. Eventually I heard that people do it all the time, so I went back to it. I have no idea what 'size' I am, but I guessed a medium. Diva seemed a bit long for me since it was on the bottom of the length list, and I didn't think the 'virgin' sizes would cut it. Also I took into consideration capacity and width. I looked at a few brands, mainly Mooncup US and UK. They don't sell the UK one here so I tried to see if the US one was similar. It got mixed reviews, but again, not one size is fits all, so maybe that was it. I checked prices on Nextag and went with it. I ended up buying from South Coast Shopping for a total of $25.53. Considering that it can last up to ten years that's an awesome price!

It came in the mail a few days later, and I realized I bought a size B. Since I was looking at Diva's a lot, I must have been thinking that a B Mooncup is the larger one, since the A Diva is smaller and the B is bigger, but its reverse with Mooncups! Even though I felt the Diva would be too large lengthwise, the bigger Mooncup sounded about right. I TOLD myself not to do this, since the Mooncup B means "Before Childbirth"! I messed up anyway! I meant to get the A! ("After Childbirth") I considered returning it, since the site allows this, and I know for sure that the Mooncup site does up to 30 days, no questions asked. I figured it's here, lets try it. If I had to, I'd get another one or return it. First things first, that stem had to GO! It bothered me a lot. It is there to help removal, but I felt comfortable enough with myself that I didn't feel I needed it. But once I chopped it off it was great. I now forget its there most of the time!!! They say that about tampons, but most women I know do NOT think this is the case. I don't know about you, but tampons are drying, gross and don't stay securely put for me.

Now anything new takes some time to get used to. I finally had my chance to 'try it out for real' and I had a pretty heavy period! It did leak a few times because it was just so much, but I was able to wear it at home with a liner. I stuck to tampons for my full day of classes. I even leaked with the tampons, so it was bound to happen either way. But because of the cleaning process and how new I was at it, I stuck with what I knew for now when out. But at home, it was a cinch. I have that bottle from the hospital that you use after childbirth, and its my best friend! I clean off the cup (and myself) right on the toilet and its all taken care of. I read you can use a sport water bottle to do the same in a public rest room when you are ready for it, or just use toilet paper or paper towels. I like water better. Besides that, I think it was fairly easy to get used to. I check that its in right with my fingers. This is something I'm ok with, but I find that not everyone is. I've been using applicator-less tampons for ages anyway. Removal also is pretty easy to get the hang of, especially if you watch some you tube videos on the topic.

Another added benefit is that it actually does NOT smell!! I didn't believe people when they told me this, but it is absolutely true. I also noticed that its kind of neat to see it in there, something I heard of on the menstrual cup community board, but thought it was a little strange. I wondered why I had this sudden loopy feminist fascination of period blood. I thought about it. We as women, never really *know* how much we bleed, and certainly men don't. It is definitely a taboo subject, and even though we talk about it enough among women, I don't think we let every detail fly. I realized that I actually get to SEE how much I bleed, something I think I should know!! It's also NOT as dark and gross (or smelly!) as it is on a tampon or pad and has a rich red color. So the whole idea of "period" goes from gross to interesting and "not ugly" any longer. As a matter of fact, I found this. I LOVE it. I think her medium and the way she represents it goes in perfect harmony. Its new, its interesting, its still slightly taboo, but represented in a feminine artistic way that doesn't come across as demeaning or subjective.

I told a friend of mine that I loved this latent feminist empowerment aspect of the cup! In addition to that, it made me think of how if women try to use it, for money or environmental reasons, they might be almost forced to know their vaginas a little bit better. There can't be anything wrong with that! I thought about how guys certainly don't understand or know vagina so well in the first place (even if they claim they do) but as women, how come we don't "get" ours? I really think its because of the societal aspect of how much a part of us is taboo. Some people seem to feel the same way about their vaginas or periods as they do about their posteriors or feces! Yet at the same time, we have sexual intercourse with our vaginas, and society is so sexualized, that there is this love-hate relationship with them. Vaginas are mysterious...a penis is just there. Its mystery ends at the wonderment of it going up and down. We have a whole lot more going on, much of which deals with the fact that we can create an entire life and then give birth to it!! That's a lot of power. It makes you wonder why we were so meek throughout the centuries...think about it. Not to mention that even though today we are not so much like our ancestors, I could argue that we still have a ways to go. Some idiot told me that feminism was basically debunked since all the aspects of it have been met already! HA! As if equal pay was the most important thing, and even that hasn't happened. No no, I could go on, but the more I learn, the more I realize that society does not understand, and neither do we. So I'll save you from more of a tirade, but I do encourage women to get a little more in tune with themselves, in whatever way they know how or feel most comfortable with. Revolution or not, its just something we have the right to know about, and aside from social ideas of taboo, no one is stopping us! I'm far from a nudist, but in the privacy of our on home, we should never feel ashamed, especially of our own bodies. I'm thinking of writing to Mooncup, because I think this little thing is BIG! :)

I encourage women to try it out. It's great for many reasons, other than feminism! It's cheap, comfortable, and eco-friendly. Some people say it even makes their cycles shorter. Give it a try! :)