A New, Eco-Friendly Way To Deal With Your Period

A new year motivates us to make changes in our lives that will help us to be healthier and happier.  Resolve to try a new, eco-friendly way to deal with your period this year: the Softcup menstrual cup.  The reusable Softcup is the latest innovation in period protection that means you can say goodbye to tampons and pads forever!

A Softcup is a flexible cup made from non-irritating, latex-free, non-absorbent plastic material that can be worn internally around the cervix for up to 12 hours. The Softcup collects menstrual flow and can be emptied, cleaned, and reinserted.  One reusable Softcup is made to last for an entire menstrual cycle, which means a lot less menstrual waste when compared to using disposable pads and tampons.

Menstrual cups have been around for as long as other feminine hygiene products, but seem to me to be increasing in popularity as more women look for healthy, ecological alternatives to conventional tampons and pads.  Conventional tampons can contain a lot of harmful things, including pesticides, dioxins, carcinogens, phthalates, bleached cotton, residual fiber, latex and more.  NONE of those things are found in Softcup.

The Softcup also helps women, even those with heavy flows, continue to live an active lifestyle. No more having to schedule your busy days around frequent tampon or pad changes — the Softcup only needs to be emptied every 12 hours (or as needed depending on the wearer’s flow). Sports such as swimming and bicycling can be done comfortably when wearing Softcup.  You can even wear Softcup during intercourse.

Other benefits include:

• Comfortable fit –  cannot be felt while wearing
• Can be worn overnight
• Eliminates menstrual odor
• Does not cause irritation or dryness
• Does not change your body’s pH balance
• Not linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)
• FDA approved
• One size fits most (even teens)
• Economical (one  reusable Softcup equals a cost of only $2.50 per period!)

Don’t be intimidated by trying something new.  One of my main concerns was with the actual insertion and wearing of the Softcup.  I thought it may be complicated, but after reading the directions (there is also an instructional video on How to insert and remove a Softcup), I gave it a try and found that the Softcup was easy to insert and remove. You cannot feel the Softcup when it has been properly inserted.

Where to Buy: The reusable Softcup is currently available at the Softcup website.

I have read many reviews from other women who say that they were provided complete menstrual protection by the Softcup.  A report in the March 2011 Journal of Women’s Health found that most women prefer menstrual cups to other protection methods. Once I have had the chance to use a Softcup during a menstrual cycle, I will be able to give my opinion as to how well it worked for me.  

Have you ever tried a menstrual cup such as the Softcup?  Would you be interested in learning more about them?  Let me know in the comments.