The original version of this article appears in Hygiene & You Blog; A leading reusable & alternative menstrual solutions company based in India. Reposted here with permission.
Last few months has been a lot of period talk on social media which mostly leads to the discussion on Re-Usable Menstrual Products (RUMPs) – Menstrual Cups and Cloth Pads. If you are reading this article, I am sure you are here to find out which is the most suitable RUMP for you and how to select the right one from the wide variety we have available online. I will suggest you to go through this information, do a little more research and get yourself the most appropriate product for yourself that works for your body type, lifestyle and period flow.
How to Select the Right Menstrual Cup
No matter which cup you go for, 80% chances are that it will work for you, but please – stay away from china cheapies that are readily available on Amazon. Do some research and invest in a good brand.
However, based on your body and lifestyle, certain cups will be more suitable for you than others. While selecting the right cup, you must consider three aspects:
- Diameter
- Length
- Softness.
Diameter: Our vaginal muscles are very elastic and can accommodate most cups but here is what I recommend:
- Small diameter (38-41mm) – for young girls and virgins. if you have heavy flow, you can go for medium diameter for more capacity.
- Medium diameter (41-45mm) – for sexually active women, women who have had child birth via C-section, women with one vaginal child-birth and are active in sports (as regular exercise makes your muscles stronger and tighter). For heavy flow, you can go for large diameter as the cup will have more capacity and you will need to empty it less often.
- Large diameter (44-47mm) – for women over 35 (as muscles tend to loosen up with age) and ones who have given vaginal birth. You may opt for medium diameter if you are active in sports. Women who have had two or more vaginal births, should go for large diameter.
Length: Most women (70-80%) have a high cervix and find most cups very comfortable. However, a few will have a low/medium cervix and will need cups of medium length. Women with very low cervix can only use “shorty” cups.
This video explains the cervix and how to measure it, but if you can’t be bothered with this extra step, get a cup of length around 48-52mm and chances are it will work like a charm.
Softness: Picking a soft or hard cup is mostly a personal preference. For a beginner, softer cups are easy to insert and remove as compared to firmer cups – but for some women, these tend to start leaking after a few months or slide down and don’t hold on tightly.
Women who are active in sports should consider firmer cups – if you have strong vaginal muscles, they might crunch up a soft cup and it may leak.
Women who have urinary incontinence or bladder leakage should, however, go for a soft cup. Firmer cups will put pressure on the bladder, making it difficult to pee while wearing the cup.
You can also visit CUPSTROLOGER to decide which size will suit you the most (for cups available in India).
Don’t wait any longer. Go ahead with a smart choice to make your periods greener.
Click here to Learn How to Select the Right Cloth
Disclaimer: The Views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Health & You or EVA, Please use your reasonable judgement before proceeding with purchase or use of any product based on the blog.
