A menstrual cup review by a menstrual cup newbie

I have been a pad user my whole life, never even tried nor thought to try tampons which has probably more to do with my South East Asian upbringing than anything. But, after suffering through another leak whilst using pads that smeared blood all over my bed making it look like a murder scene.

Enough was enough. I have had it with all these damned leaks when using pads! Your girl WAS OVER IT!

Hence, I hopped onto Shopee and bought myself a menstrual cup from a Malaysian menstrual cup seller and like they say in the movies the rest is history.

I knew about the Daraa menstrual cup through their Instagram and was interested in their product because of the shape. The Daraa menstrual cup isn’t bell shaped per say it has a slight curve and from what I saw on their Instagram, it is designed that way to fit better to your cervix.

menstrual cup malaysia Daraa — Picture taken from Daraa Shopee page

And being a beginner with no experience whatsoever with menstrual cups, I wanted this to go as smoothly as humanly possible for me.

But, being a beginner some blunders were made during my first menstrual cup insertion. I was not confident whatsoever in whether the cup was “open” and its suction “activated” so I kept taking it out and putting it back in which I must say made my vagina sore.

TMI, I know, but somebody has to be blatantly honest.

Once, it was in, it was all mind games after that because I kept thinking that I was leaking when I wasn’t whatsoever. During my first cycle, I did not leak once. NOT EVEN ONCE!

It was bloody amazing! Pun intended!

And what’s even more amazing was the fact that I couldn’t feel the cup in me. If I didn’t have to remind myself to take it out to dump the blood out after every 12 hours, I would have completely forgotten I was on my period.

That’s on putting the cup in, taking it out is a different matter.

When taking your menstrual cup out, you have to push against the cup to break the seal, take it out and dump the blood into the toilet bowl. It is a tad bit uncomfortable but it is not painful.

If you’re grossed out by blood then perhaps menstrual cups are not for you because it can get pretty messy.

I love the menstrual cup but not everything that glitters is gold because problems arose during my second cycle. For the life of me, I just could not, insert the menstrual cup properly. I kept leaking.

The solution that I found for this issue whereby you have to insert a finger and feel around the cup to ensure that there is no fold. This will allow the cup to be unfolded and create the suction seal.

After that, it was smooth sailing.

I will never use pads ever again! Menstrual cups have been the best thing to happen to me in terms of my menstrual cycles, it has made life so much easier.

Even now coming to my third cycle of using menstrual cups, inserting it in, is not a hassle. I can do it in 30 seconds tops.

For example, I wake up, go pee, take the cup out, wash it with water, put it back in and just shower and go about my day. Then, when I am off work and ready to shower I just take it out, dump the blood and pop it back in and repeat the whole thing for the next day.

My preferred way to fold the menstrual cup is the C-fold method because I feel more comfortable with that method and it slides in easier as opposed to the other methods.

I genuinely do have to say though, please DO NOT go over 12 hours when using menstrual cups. Not that you would get infected or whatever. You would just leak that’s all. It’s more that the cup can’t handle the overflow of blood.

Trust me, I learned it the hard way. I left it in for over 17-18 hours. I just wanted to know what would happen ya know.

What is a menstrual cup

A menstrual cup is a reusable bell-shaped silicone cup that is an eco-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. The reason it’s eco-friendly is due to the fact that it is completely reusable THUS contributing to less waste. Not to mention that since a menstrual cup can last up to 10 years, you will save A LOT of money.

How does a menstrual cup work

The menstrual cup as in its name works basically by catching your menstrual fluids and it does that through the power of SUCTION! When the menstrual cup is inserted it creates a suction or a seal within the vagina hence not allowing any fluid to pass through.

How much is a menstrual cup

The menstrual cup I got from Daraa was RM 47 excluding shipping. There are other brands so I would conservatively estimate the price range to be RM 47 to Rm 200 depending on which brand you go for.

Where can I buy menstrual cups in Malaysia

If you live in a big city such as Kuala Lumpur there are local shops that sell menstrual cups but for me I bought mine from Shopee.

Here, is a site I found that lists places you can buy your menstrual cups from

What type of menstrual cup should I buy

Silicone based menstrual cups, I feel, are the best option as there is a less likely chance to get any allergic reactions. But, I am not a professional nor a doctor thus you must know if you are allergic to latex or silicone before purchasing a menstrual cup.

What size menstrual cup should I use

This depends on your menstrual flow as well as your cervix height. If you have a really heavy flow combined with a high cervix, I would recommend a larger cup.

For me personally, I went for a smaller cup just because I was unsure if a bigger size would be comfortable and the small cup from the Daraa menstrual cup, it was more than enough to catch all my menstrual fluid. I am a heavy flow type of person by the way.

Different sizes and shape of a menstrual cup available

The size and shape of a menstrual cup depends on the brand. For example:

Under Daraa, there are two sizes:

Size S (length: 8.4cm, diameter: 4cm, volume: 20ml)
Size L (length: 9cm, diameter: 4.5cm, volume: 30ml)

Under Cherry cup, there are three sizes:

Mini (length: 4.8 cm, diameter: 4.2cm, volume: 25ml)
Size 1 (length: 5.8cm, diameter: 4.2cm, volume: 30ml)
Size 2 (length: 5.8cm, diameter: 4.6mm, volume: 40ml)

Here is a site where you can check out the different sizes and prices from some of the local Malaysian menstrual cup sellers.

Will using a menstrual cup affect your hymen

This is a nuanced subject so I will only cover the basics. The menstrual cup will not affect your hymen when it is inserted properly and GENTLY.

The hymen is a thin membrane that partially covers the vagina and it is quite elastic and every hymen is different just like every woman’s body is different.

How to insert a menstrual cup

Ensure you have clean hands
Try to relax
Fold the cup to your preferred method. The smaller the fold the better if its your first time. You can check the types of menstrual cup folds section for this.
Before inserting the cup make sure it is wet or has some lubricant.
Put a foot on a stool and slightly squat down
Gently pull the labia apart and slowly and gently insert the menstrual cup
Insert the cup in the direction of your rectum or butt
Once the menstrual cup is in, gently push against the cup at the base to ensure that the cup is properly unfolded to create the suction seal
Tug at the stem of the cup to check if the suction seal is in place.

How to remove a menstrual cup

Have clean hands
Relax
Have a foot up a stool (sitting down works too, I just find that when your foot is on a leverage it is less uncomfortable)
Find the base of the cup and gently squeeze it to break the suction seal
Keep a firm grip as you gently pull the cup out
Empty the cup and reinsert

How to clean a menstrual cup

Before and after your menstrual cycle

You have to sterilize your menstrual cup by just putting it in boiling water for a few minutes (3-5 minutes to be safe)

During your period

Empty your cup and just wash it with water. You can wash it with soap but PLEASE WASH IT THOROUGHLY AFTER THAT, YOU DO NOT WANT SOAP RESIDUE IN YOUR VAGINA.

Types of menstrual cup folds

C-fold

My fav method by the way because it’s the easiest to do. You just fold the cup in half so the rim looks like a C-shape hence the name the C-fold.

7-fold

Fold the cup lengthwise, then fold the top of the menstrual cup on one side making a 7-shape. This is the recommended fold if you are a beginner because the tip is smaller than the C-fold.

Push down fold

Push down the rim of the cup, then squeeze the sides to create the smallest insertion point amongst the three methods.

Can I be active when using a menstrual cup

Yes, you can!! I have used it going for jogs, hiking, even doing BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) and have not encountered any problems!

Will there be any odor when using menstrual cups

This is the best blessing from using menstrual cups. You will not have any odor whatsoever. Except maybe when you are emptying the cup but blood does have its own natural smell.

Conclusion

The menstrual cup for me is worth the hype and worth the money. You get so much benefits from menstrual cups so yes go forth and venture out to buy your own cups!

Comment below if you have tried menstrual cups and share your thoughts. Follow me for more bookish posts and random product reviews.

Disclaimer

Again, I reiterate I am not a professional or have any medical or anatomical knowledge. All my menstrual cup knowledge is from personal use and perspective.

Please seek professional consultation if you have any vaginal problems BEFORE you use a menstrual cup.

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