Short, Sweet, Period (pun intended)
The menstrual cup experience.

By: Erica Mestyanek, Editor Dallas Yoga Magazine & Co-Founder Cosmic Yogi Movement

I wrote this little excerpt 3 months into my experience of trying out the menstrual cup. I’ve been using it now for a year and a half. I had a brief period where I went back to tampons and after ending up in the hospital a few months ago with Toxic Shock Syndrome, I can now say I will NEVER go back to using tampons.
“I’ve been using a period cup for 3 months and here is what I’ve discovered…

Just in case it needs to be said, this post may not be for the faint of heart. I mean, after all I am discussing the nitty gritty that is “Aunt Flo” who is so generous to visit us once a month.

Still reading? Ok, cool.

I remember when I first heard of the period cup. My first thought was “Are you kidding me? That seems absolutely disgusting!” All I could imagine was spilling my insides all over my hands and toilet when removing it. During my journey to become a Certified Holistic Health Nutritionist, I learned just how toxic feminine products really were. No surprise really, I mean if non-organic food can be sautéed with chemicals and pesticides, why wouldn’t the tampons I was using be exposed to the same thing? After a friend of mine tried a period cup for a couple of months, I decided I was ready to join in the art of collecting period blood in a cup. (kidding….kind of) I began the ever so fun task of figuring out what brand, size and color (yes, a very important component.) If you really care, I went for purple. As far as size goes, I opted for the smaller size. Although I have had one of my children vaginally, I healed quite well and was still using regular size tampons. I was so excited when my period came and I had the opportunity to try the little silicone collector cup. The first couple of tries were, messy, to say the least. Here is the most crucial advice I can offer you, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! It’s quite amazing what you can learn when you follow directions.

I can now admit; No, I do not know everything. There is a little stem on the bottom of the cup that you tug on when you are ready to pull that puppy out. (I would encourage you to steer clear of super long fingernails.) You dump the collection into the toilet, wash the cup and re-insert. What I love is I don’t have to worry about it as frequently as I did tampons. The instructions say you can go up to 12 hours, but 10 hours is where I started to get an idea of how much uterine lining I was shedding. (Yes, I went there!)

My first period using the cup, was normal for me. One day of cramping, a couple days of heavy bleeding followed by 4 lighter days. After my period was over, I washed it with a non-toxic cleaner and put it in the cute little polka dot bag it came in. When my next period came, I felt like a professional. Although it was three days late, the first day I had cramps like normal, one heavy day and 4 lighter days. Month 3 and I was 4 days late, but had no cramping! I had only one heavy day and 3 lighter days.

I know for some, it may seem as though 3 months is not enough time to make such an important switch, but for me, the proof was in the pudding this was something my body was all for. So far, my cramping is disappearing, my periods are getting shorter and in three months I have already paid for the period cup with what I would have spent on tampons. Consider me a changed woman!”
Here we are a year and a half later and my period is short, sweet, and to the point. I rarely experience cramps anymore and I can’t even recall the days when I would be laid up in bed cuddling my heating pad. If you ask me, I say give it a whirl for at least 3 months then decide.

You can reach Erica at erica@.