Travelling with a Menstrual Cup

I think it’s a real shame that there are probably so many women yet to experience the joy of travelling with a menstrual cup, or in fact the benefits of just using it in their every day lives. Maybe not enough women know about this option because discussing periods is often still so frowned upon. Well, in my opinion, that just means we are doing each other a great disservice. I will happily talk to anyone and everyone about being a menstrual cup user (it actually makes me laugh when butt hurt men get offended by this – like literally some of the messages I’ve received!! I’ve also been unfollowed for mentioning it on social media – BOY BYE).  So to celebrate my 1 year anniversary of period plastic freedom I’m going to highlight all the benefits of travelling with a menstrual cup and just switching to one in general.

I’ve been on the road for a while now, three period cycles long to be exact. My Mooncup and I have navigated our way through 14 countries and we have done so with ease. So if I can wear it, change it and clean it in a motorhome 6.9 metres long by 2.35 metres wide then I’m pretty damn sure it’s possible to use it just about anywhere.

How I got started

I initially bought my Mooncup (other brands are available) in a bid to make my life more environmentally friendly. I have never liked tampons because I find them to be uncomfortable and not always suitable for my particular flow. Sanitary pads are bulky and annoying. Plus the idea that they take so long to decompose actually makes me want to gag. So, feeling particularly plastic and planet conscious I just decided to give it a go; even though the first sighting of a menstrual cup almost had me running in the opposite direction.  I remember holding this little plastic device (non vibrating, no little bunny ears or beads) and feeling quite certain that there was no way that thing was ever getting inside me. But once you read the instructions, relax and give it a couple of goes it’s actually super simple. Is it fiddly? Yes a little bit, but to be honest, by the time you’re in your 30’s and have had a baby, you pretty much aren’t squeamish about your own vagina and/or how it functions. The least pleasurable part of the whole experience for me is the feeling as the cup unfolds inside you, not painful, just the strangest sensation and a kind of schloooooop noise.

Getting it out was a slightly different ball game. I did that thing that all women probably do at first and feared the cup was going to disappear off inside me somewhere. Rest assured, it isn’t actually physically possible for this to happen. Your uterus is not a menstrual cup eating monster. I was also scared that yanking it out may result in my bathroom looking like a scene from a horror movie; but in reality, I have never been anywhere close to filling the cup to the top and there has never been any spillage. Removing the cup is all about relaxing, bearing down and releasing the suction. Again, it can be tricky the first few times but once you have figured out the best way for you and your body it’s easy peasy.

When I first started talking about menstrual cups on my Instagram, the main questions I got were about cleaning it. Firstly, let me just reassure you, it’s nowhere near as scary or complicated as you may imagine. Once you’ve removed your cup you simply rinse it in warm water and then re-insert. You can also use a vagina friendly soap if you wish but I’ve never done this. At the end of each cycle you simply pop the cup in boiling water to sterilise it (I leave mine soaking overnight). In between cycles it is kept in a breathable cotton pouch – usually supplied when purchased. And that’s it. It can sit safely in your handbag/camera bag/bum bag (lol – they’re making a comeback) and that way you’ll always have it and never have to worry about being caught short.

Travelling with a menstrual cup, changes things up a little. The cleaning procedure is still the same, it’s just that public bathrooms don’t necessarily present you with the best opportunity to rinse your cup. Also penguin waddling out to the sink with your knickers around your ankles and a cup of blood in hand is probably going to be frowned upon. Even more so when you’re at a campsite with communal bathrooms; which is actually more common than you might think. The best way to avoid this is to just go in to the cubicle with a bottle of water. That way you can simply rinse and pour the contents in to the toilet and flush away. Wipe the cup clean and off you go. Same applies if you are on an airplane or train. You already know your cup is in so it’s not that difficult to plan for a change in a public bathroom if necessary.

So what are the main benefits of travelling with a menstrual cup?

Save Money – I worked out that in a year based on my average use of tampons/and or pads I now save approximately £55 a year by having a menstrual cup. I figure that’s about 22 take out coffees or 9 large wines!

Save the Planet – No more plastic applicators, plastic wrapping or sanitary pads heading to landfill or our oceans. Tampons, pads and panty liners currently amount to more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year. Staggering right? I am so happy to no longer be contributing to all of that.

Peace of Mind – I don’t have to worry at all about trying to find supplies of sanitary products in foreign countries. As mentioned above, my little cotton pouch goes everywhere with me. I can’t explain to you just how wonderful it feels to never have to think about shopping for or running out of sanitary products at inconvenient times or in inconvenient places.

Lighter periods – Now this one isn’t backed up by any science at all, I’m just going off my body and how it has responded to the menstrual cup. I find that now my period lasts for 3-4 days as opposed to 5-6. Also, I have totally gotten to know my cycle inside and out (like literally) which makes it easy to recognise if something changes or isn’t right.

Safety – Menstrual cups are made of medical grade silicone and contain no harmful chemicals. Do you even know how tamponds are made or what is in them? Because tampons are not considered to be a medical product they are not regulated as such. This means that there can be chemicals, dyes and even pesticides in them. Also, there are currently NO cases of TSS with menstrual cups. If that isn’t reason enough to switch then I seriously don’t know what is.

No Mess – Menstrual cups will not leak. No more worrying about getting blood on your clothes or sheets.

Ease of Use – One of the main reasons why a menstrual cup will become your best friend whilst travelling – you can wear it safely for between 8-12 hours. Perfect for plane rides, train trips, or long ass drives like I’ve been doing. Same goes for sleeping and swimming – seriously it’s life changing! Oh and when it’s in properly, you seriously cannot feel it AT ALL.

What do you think? Have I said enough to make you want to switch or at least consider it?

If you’d like to find out more about other brands of menstrual cups then please click on the following links.

♥ Lunette Cup ♥ Diva Cup ♥

As always, thanks for being here.

Beth Anne xoxo