Menstrual Cup now in India

Of all the side-conversations that came up at a recent conference I attended, the one that resulted in the most emails afterwards concerned none of the topics that were proposed and accepted and posted on the daily schedule, nor during the question and answer sessions.  This conversation literally came up on the very last day as we were saying our goodbyes after lunch, when suddenly a gentleman reminded his wife that she had wanted to ask me about the cup.  It’s one of those things one keeps meaning to ask, looking for the right moment. What can I say?   I highly recommend the menstrual cup.  It took me a few months to get used to it, but once I did, nothing else came close – considering comfort, convenience, confidence, cost or conservation of resources.  I also recommend cloth pads – no need to whisper!   I used cloth pads for ten years with success and still do on occasion.  But seriously ladies, the cup is way better. What’s new is that the cup is now sold in India.   Astute reader Chetana Amma from Benguluru had told me about the shecup just a couple of weeks before the conference so I was happy to pass along that information.  Till then I generally told people about the Diva Cup (which also ships to India).

Update:  Now there are even more companies manufacturing menstrual cups in India (listed alphabetically): Shecup | SilkyCup | Vcup.

Canada:  Diva Cup | UK:  Moon Cup.

Here are some of the letters I got: I live a green and ecofriendly life cloth diapers , no chemical cleaners.  I use homemade cleaners and try to practice organic living.   Using disposable pads never felt right.  I have no place to dry cloth pads in my apartment, though I used to use them at my mom’s place.  I have a heavy flow and change pads every hour or two.  Will shecup be ok for such heavy bleeders too? 

– from Chennai

Just came to know of the concept called menstrual cup.  Till now, I was of the opinion that the only Eco friendly option is cloth pads.  I’m too shy to dry these on our balcony.  Just read for a bit and it says find your cervix etc, ooh, that I’m not ready to do as I’m too scared.

–  Anonymous

First of all, before I reassure you that yes you can use the menstrual cup, I also want to shout out from the rooftops and the balconies, that yes you can dry your cloth pads!  Reclaim your place in the sun.

Secondly, and I say this as gently as possible, your body is your friend.   Be a friend to your body.   You can do this.  There are a number of explanations and videos online showing you how to insert the cup, but honestly when I looked at them I thought, “it is really not that complicated.”  I myself simply followed the instructions on the pamphlet that came with the cup itself.  Still, I can imagine that someone who was trying to get comfortable with the concept might want to spend some time looking at those pages before trying it herself.  All I will suggest is that you squat or stand with one leg on a chair (or the toilet seat, if it is Western), when inserting or removing the cup.  I am sure that tip appears in the pamphlet as well.

Menstrual cup

Now regarding heavy flow.  Consider how frequently you change pads – a cup can hold more than a pad, so you will be emptying it less frequently than you need to change a pad.  On a heavy day, you could check after an hour or two just to get an idea.  Once you start using it you can tell how frequently you have to empty it.  Initially while getting used to it you may want to keep a cloth pad or pantyliner as a back-up.  I don’t usually have a heavy flow and I can change it after 6 hours on the first 2 days and after 8-12 hours on the last 2 days.  I can also use it overnight without any problem.  How do I know when I have to empty it?  A few times I have felt like it might be full, but that is rare.   Usually I feel nothing and often forget I am even having my period.  If I am in the bathroom and it has been several hours since I inserted the cup, I will just take it out and empty, wash and reinsert.  If it is more than halfway full, then I am likely to rinse it again in 4-6 hours.  If it is less than a third full, then I am likely to wait at least 8 hours, or till the end of the day.  I clean it with soap at the end of the period and again before starting the next.

The Numbers: According to the manufacturer, the shecup holds 28 ml or one fluid ounce.  Diva cup holds 30 ml.  The average volume of menstrual fluid during a monthly menstrual period is 35 milliliters with 10–80 milliliters considered typical.  Source:  Ziporyn, Karen J. Carlson, Stephanie A. Eisenstat, Terra (2004). The new Harvard guide to women’s health. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, cited in “Menstruation,” Wikipedia.

More on Menstruation:

Seven Fallacies About Menstruation and Culture
Menstrupedia: Friendly guide to healthy periods
Re: Cycling  Society for Menstruation Cycle Research
Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health

More on The Cup:

The Worst Thing about the Menstrual Cup published in The Hindu as A Life-Changing Cup
India Together: Greeting Aunt Flo – Manushi, Issue 150 (2005)
ముట్టు
Cleaning Instructions from Diva Cup site.
News articles in India, including in Hindi and Gujarati press (from Shecup site)