How to Choose a Menstrual Cup – For Beginners and Pros

How to Choose a Menstrual Cup – For Beginners and Pros

Menstrual cups are getting the fame these days since people are now conscious about sustainability and eco-friendly products. With this said, many women are now choosing menstrual cups as menstrual hygiene products to use during their menstruation cycle.

Now, if you are a beginner or even a pro at choosing the right cup, and since there are many menstrual cups on the market these days, surely you still need guidelines that would serve as a checklist when picking out a menstrual cup, right? 

Thus, before you get overwhelmed with all the present choices in front of you, here are the things that you can check or do to help narrow down your search for the menstrual cup that will work best for you.

Basing on Your Cervical Height

One of the most critical, yet overlooked basis on choosing the right menstrual cup, is knowing one’s cervical height. So, have you ever asked yourself on how high does your cervix sit? When selecting the menstrual cup? Bet you did not, right? However, this is an essential step to know before purchasing a menstrual cup.

Your cervix is continuously moving in every movement throughout the day, as well as throughout the different phases you go through during your menstrual cycle. 

According to healthcare providers, the cervix is typically low, hard, and slightly open during the period, and this might be the time to measure your cervical height easily. Since the cervix is usually at the lowest point, it might give you an idea of the size and shape of the cup that you might want to consider.

Basing on Age and Birth

You might have heard about how age and birth affects the kind of menstrual cup that you need, or you might have seen either of these statements on menstrual cup packages or websites: “Recommended for women under 30 years of age who have never delivered vaginally” or “Recommended for women age 30 and/or who have delivered vaginally”

Now, these are only guidelines that would help you if you have no idea which size will work for you. For instance, if you are looking for a cup that will work well with your body and meet your needs, then if you have a heavy flow, you might want to go for a large-sized cup.  

Additionally, comfort is the key! If the cup is not comfortable, then why wear it? Longer cups are usually the standard large size. But, if you have a low cervix, then a longer cup will not feel comfortable for you no matter what age you are. 

Soft or Firm Menstrual Cup?

The most common question in regard to this is that if soft menstrual cups leak when you do physical activities. Well, there is a majority of people that when they used a softer cup, it tends to leak on them. 

On the other hand, many people had better experiences using a firmer cup. This is not always going to be the case, and it might not be the same for you, but the number falls heavier on better results with a firmer cup then the softer one.

Now, if you have a sensitive bladder, then pick up a menstrual cup that is medium-firm, meaning, it would not be too firm and not be too soft, which will suit you well if you have a sensitive bladder, instead of going straight to the firmest cup out there in the market.

Basing on Bladder Sensitivities

Another one of the overlooked factors in choosing a menstrual cup, since some people do not know if they have bladder sensitivities or issues before using the cup. 

Now, if you try a menstrual cup and you feel the need to urinate more often than, or you feel like you haven’t emptied out your bladder thoroughly even after urinating, then this might mean to say that you have a sensitive bladder. 

Another sign to look for is that you might experience some discomfort or pain, or even cramping when using the menstrual cup.

With this said, when inserting a new menstrual cup, you might want to opt for a soft cup since it will apply less pressure to the sensitive area. Also, trying a cup with a different shape to the one that you are currently using may also change the pressure to an area that does not give you any issues.

Since it is hard to know whether a cup is soft or firm prior to your purchase since most menstrual cup companies do not include such information, then you should read reviews or watch videos that fellow cup users have posted to know whether the product would fit you well or not.

Takeaway

Menstrual cups are just one of the many choices’ women have in terms of menstrual hygiene products. With this said, it is crucial that you know such information before actually purchasing any products to avoid waste of resources and risking your comfortability and health just because you do not know anything about the said product.