I Tried the Menstrual Cup for the First Time: A Disaster or a Blessing?

I’ve always been hesitant about this, but after years of listening to all sorts of opinions, I made up my mind: I bought myself a menstrual cup! I thought that the only way to have a genuine opinion about something is to try it, so I gave the menstrual cup a chance once and for all. And, oh boy! It’s been a wild ride. 

For starters, a lot of the marketing and advertising for the menstrual cup, such as in commercials, hyperbolizes the actual experience. By this, I mean that companies and the majority of reviews present the menstrual cup as a solution to all your problems; and even though it may be like that to some extent, it’s also valid to point out some not-so-great consequences of using the menstrual cup.

For example, when I first tried the cup, I thought it was going to be easy to insert, since everybody talked about how much of a no-brainer it was. I was expecting it to be neatly tucked in a matter of seconds. 

Instead, I spent one hour in the bathroom with my mom by the door, as I consulted an experienced friend of mine on the phone. After that ordeal,  I felt like I had pushed myself too far and gave up for the rest of  that day. I was left feeling exhausted and frustrated because I really wanted it to work. 

The next day, I gave it another try. I probably watched every single YouTube video in existence about inserting the menstrual cup. A repeated argument was that maybe the reason I was having such a hard time was because I was too tense. Feeling relaxed is key for inserting the cup, and so I tried to do so. I took a warm shower, took a deep breath and tried inserting it again and poof! I finally got to use my cup for the first time. I was so happy! Until it was time to take it off…

Turns out that taking it out is as difficult as getting it in. At least for the first time. When I tried to take it out, I somehow couldn’t reach the cup inside me! Panic consumed my body at that moment. It felt like a nightmare.  

Once again, the Internet was encouraging me to chill, but the fear of having a cup stuck inside me was real and it just kept making me tense, therefore making things worse. I finally called up my friend and she told me a little trick of hers and it worked. The key to pulling the cup out was to use my abdominal muscles to push it out just enough for me to reach it. After that, I was so scared to go through all that again. I seriously debated if I wanted to keep using it.

It really was a messy first time, but I couldn’t help to reflect on all the benefits of switching to a menstrual cup. No more pads? No more waste? It was tempting to quit at first, but now I’m glad that I didn’t. The second time using my cup, I felt more comfortable and I even started to develop my own tricks and all. 

The moral of the story is that it can be a disaster at first, and it is definitely not as magical and easy to use like the media strives to project, but as you continue to use your menstrual cup, it can become a blessing. The cup has become something I rely on. I don’t need to worry about changing a pad every few hours, now I can go as far as 12 hours without worrying about it. And I don’t feel bad about all the waste I’m generating, because my cup can last up to 10 years!

Overall, I’m happy with my cup, and I’m glad I gave it a chance in the first place. If you’re considering purchasing your own menstrual cup, I recommend reading about other’s experiences, such as my own. Orienting yourself with sources, other than advertising, will guide you to real experiences and you’ll see that it’s normal to have a hard time at first. You can also discuss it with your gyno, if you like. All bodies are built differently, and every experience is valid and unique. If you’re thinking about trying the cup, then go for it! Don’t give up, it gets better, I promise.

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