Disclaimer: For any male readers, given the title of this blog, I completely understand if you want to skip it! The only thing I’d suggest is, if you have a loved one who suffers from painful menstrual cramps each month or who is trying to find period products that are better for the environment (or both), at least scroll to the bottom of the post and either share the products listed there or the full blog with your person.
I’m going to pause on the IVF/FET talk for this week and discuss something else that’s become important to me over the last few years.
I’ve talked a fair amount about cycles and periods in this blog, and there’s something in that vein I’ve been wanting to talk about for a while. It’s not directly related to IVF, but I hope my female readers will find it helpful.
Over the past few years, I’ve been really trying to use products that are better for the environment and that reduce the amount of waste our household produces. Lord knows I’m not perfect at it, but I’m trying.
There’s a period product I’ve found, thanks to a good friend who recommended I try it, that really helps me with this goal, and it also has other big benefits. (Another disclaimer: I’m not getting paid to talk about any of these products, and the links don’t provide me a kickback. I just genuinely like these products and wanted to share my experience.)
The products are reusable menstrual cups and discs. I started out using a cup years ago and have switched to a disc in the last couple of years. There are some key differences between the two, but I’m going to start out with the ways they’re similar and the benefits of using either.
First, reusable cups and discs are made out of medical grade silicone. This is a non-porous material that does not easily hold bacteria, and it can be cleaned with soap and water (sensitive soap or menstrual cup cleaners are highly recommended).
Because of the nature of medical grade silicone, a cup or disc can be worn for up to 12 hours. They hold as much as 3-5 tampons, and because there are no chemicals in the materials, there’s absolutely no risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
Cups and discs are reusable for a number of years (depends on the manufacturer’s recommendations), so they greatly reduce the amount of waste created by periods each month.
While the price tag for one cup or disc is higher than a box of tampons (around $25-$50*, depending on the brand), it saves money over time.
*As more and more companies start to make these and they become more prevalent in the market, the price continues to come down.
Let’s say you go through one box of tampons every two months. And let’s say one reusable cup or disc is good for 5 years. The savings work out to: One cup/disc = $35 vs. 6 boxes of tampons (at $10/box) every year for five years = $300. That’s a decent amount of money saved.
Cups and discs are both inserted in a similar way — you fold them before inserting, and then they typically unfold on their own when they’re in the right spot.
Another added benefit for both is that they can reduce period cramps. It sounds a little too good to be true, but it really is.
One of the few drawbacks of each is that they can be a bit messier than traditional period products as they have to be emptied and cleaned every 12 hours. It’s best if you can wash it with soap and water, but cleaning wipes are also available if those are handier or you don’t have easy access to water.
The other is that there is an adjustment period with learning to insert and remove the cup or disc. (Panty liners are recommended during this time, just to be safe.)
As I mentioned above, there are some key differences between cups and discs, so here’s a quick look at how they differ.
Cups usually stay in place by creating a suction hold. The upper lip of the cup suctions around the top of the vaginal canal. To remove it, you pinch the bottom to break the seal and then pull it out.
Cups typically are only a few inches tall, so it’s easy to insert and remove them, but they do fill up most of the vaginal canal.
When making the switch from tampons to a cup, it basically feels like there’s nothing there.
Menstrual discs work a little differently. They don’t use suction to stay in place. A disc sits right below the cervix and is held in place by the pubic bone.
Because of where it sits and its shape, a disc keeps the vaginal canal clear. This is one benefit of a disc over a cup (touted by most manufacturers) – it allows for mess-free period sex.
One negative of discs (that some folks think is a positive) is that they can be “self-emptying.” This doesn’t mean they have a tendency to leak, though. It simply means when using the bathroom, the “bearing down” motion sometimes needed to go can momentarily pop the disc out of place, emptying its contents into the toilet bowl. Once you’re done, it pops right back into place.
I did have one experience where the combination of laying down and a particularly violent sneeze had a similar effect. Fortunately, I was home, and this was a bit of a freak occurrence. It’s the only leak issue I’ve ever had in my years of using these types of products.
I’ll admit, it can be daunting to try a disc for the first time – knowing how far up in your body it sits and worrying if you’ll be able to remove it. It takes a bit of practice, but it’s really not that difficult. There are also lots of PG tutorials and product reviews available on YouTube.
If the idea of not being able to reach a disc is holding you back, I recently discovered a brand that offers a disc with a double-loop tab for removal. I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say how well it works, but it’s an option. (Also, the Saalt one mentioned below has a groove to help with removal, and that one I can say works.)
My recommendation is to start with a cup or test out some disposable discs first before you purchase a reusablae option.
Here are some of the products I’ve tried on this journey and would recommend.
Menstrual Cups
Menstrual Discs
If you have any questions about the products I’ve mentioned, don’t hesitate to reach out. If you can’t tell from the blog, I really try and be an open book, and I’m happy to discuss anything.
If you have recommendations for other environmentally friendly products (for periods or anything else) I should try, please let me know!
Some of my other favorites are Chomp toothpaste bites, silicone reusable sandwich bags (in a variety of sizes), laundry detergent sheets, and wool dryer balls.
OK, next week, we’ll get back to IVF. It’ll be time to talk about the embryo transfer…
IVF That 