Several years ago, one of my silly ass girlfriends got me period cups as a gag gift. We giggled as we opened them up. And we may or may not have taken shots of tequila from them. At the time it just seemed like such a ridiculous thing to use for your period. Without knowing how they worked or bothering to read the instructions, we just assumed it would be like the messiest mess ever made on earth and immediately discredited them.

It took me years to be at a place where trying them out seemed like a good idea. In fact, my period journey, now nearly 25 years long, is an interesting one. On Christmas morning of 1993, three weeks before my 13th birthday, I got my period for the first time. My mom, who is a nurse, and would have probably provided the best advice at a time like that, was working. There was no way I was going to discuss this with my father. So I turned to my big sister for help. This heifer rolled her eyes (she was pretty engrossed in whatever foolery she was watching on television), huffed and puffed as she walked up the stairs, rummaged for a pad under the bathroom sink, and when she found one, threw it at me and said, “put that on.” So that’s what I did. And I kept doing that for years after. During the maxi pad age, which I call the dark years, I tried to use tampons once and my mother told me that they were only for swimming. I’m still mad at her for that.

When I got to college It wasn’t until my sophomore year when my roommate and best friend freed me from the clutches of pads. I’d run out and asked her if she had any extra pads. Her response was, “Why the fuck would I have pads?” She then threw me a box of tampons and went back to studying. (Sidebar: I really need to evaluate why the women in my life feel like it’s ok to throw feminine hygiene products at me.)

I’ve been rocking with tampons since 2000-ish and judging anyone who doesn’t use them as their primary weapon in defense against Aunt Flow. But a year or so ago I just got sick of them. I was starting to find them physically irritating. I went back to buying pads and would only wear tampons when I went out…or swam (Thanks Mom). And every time I had to use one I became agitated. Pads, which I used to despise, didn’t seem so awful anymore. There was something freeing about not stopping up my blood flow.

But with pads, come a host of other issues that are beyond irritating. I hate actually feeling myself bleed. Every time I sneeze or cough or get up after sitting for a while I can sense the massacre happening in my bloomers.

So that’s what brought me here…to the period cup challenge. Prior to trying them, I’ve had several conversations with my girlfriends who’ve converted to them and swear by them.

So here’s my 4 day journey…

Day 1

Flow: Medium

My first day is usually a medium day. I woke up with cramps and knew by lunchtime There Will Be Blood. So I got my workout out of the way, got some indica in my system, took a shower and suited up. I read the instructions several times cus I didn’t want to mess this up. The instructions are that you fold the rubber ring, slide it into your vagina and then tuck it under the pelvic bone. You should be able to feel it after pushing the ring all the way in. I suggest if you’re not familiar with your vadge that you get acquainted with it prior to getting your period and using the ring for the first time. Cus you’re about to get acquainted as fuck with yourself. Anyway, I put the damn thing in and then made sure to put on a pantyliner as well cus, let’s face it, I have no idea how these things work.

About 5 hours in I had to poop. There was nothing in the instructions about pooping. I wasn’t sure what would happen to the cup if I pushed. But a friend of mine who’s used them says that sometimes when you’re taking it out it helps to bear down like you’re gonna drop a deuce. If that’s the case, then pooping might dislodge it. So I just took the darn thing out. I needed to poop in peace. After I was done I inserted a new one. But I did wash the first one out in the sink. You can’t flush these things and I’d rather not have a bloody cup just sitting in the trash because that’s just fucking nasty.

The cups I used, Soft Cups, can be left in for 12 hours. But when it was bed time I’d had cup #2 in for about seven hours and I wasn’t going to wake up at 5am to change it, so I just got a new one.

Day 2

Flow: Heavy

I woke up to pee and then went back to bed. When I woke up about an hour later, my husband was in the shower and I started making the bed and doing other miscellaneous morning things when I realized suddenly that the cup must have dislodged at some point during the night because I could def feel blood and it was coming fast and furious. Thankfully he stepped out of the shower just in time. Because I was THIS close to staining everything, my panties, the bed, the rug, the walls. I mean think about it…blood had been collecting in a cup all night long and suddenly the cup had tipped the fuck over.

Anyway, removing a full cup, isn’t what I would call fun. But it wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be. So there’s that. After my shower I went back in and was determined to try out the cup for the full 12 hours that they say it can last. Day 2 is usually my heaviest day, so this was a risk. But I work from home. So if there’s an incident I can just hose myself down in the shower.

About 10 hours in I could kinda feel the ring…which I took as a sign that I’m just not a 12 hour girl. So I removed it and I was right. My time had BEEN up. My cup runneth over, I was literally a mess and I felt like I was 12 years old again trying to figure this whole thing out. That removal kinda freaked me out so I switched to a tampon for bed.

Random note: Always, always, always, check under the toilet seat for any miscellaneous blood. Apparently it likes to hide there.

Day 3

Flow: Light to Medium

I woke up with a renewed zeal. Since my flow is pretty light on day three, I felt like it wouldn’t be too risky to keep the period cup experiment going. So I went back in. This time I was able to keep the cup in for an entire 12 hours without it over flowing or dislodging. There isn’t much to say about day three except that it was pretty fantastic. I basically didn’t feel like I had a period at all. And that’s the goal, isn’t it?

Day 4

Flow: Light

There was no need for a cup, pad or tampon on day four. It was light enough to just rock with a panty liner.

Overall Thoughts:

I didn’t love it but I definitely didn’t hate it. In fact, I’d probably rank it at number one for feminine hygiene products. I think that there’s just a learning curve that probably takes three cycles to get straight.

I also think that I probably need to use different products for different days and situations. Tampons would be for night of Day 1 and 2. Cups would be for during the day, Days 1, 2, and 3. Pads would be for any day that I just plain don’t feel like shoving anything in myself.

Advice:

-Get familiar with your vagina and understand where your pubic bone is.

-Make sure you secure the ring.

-When trying out cups for the first time, do so at home.

-Wear a pantyliner when first using it until you get comfortable.

-If using out in public, have handy wipes available.

All vadges are not created equal, so I’m sure our experiences with period cups will be different, but don’t hesitate to share your experience with me.

You can purchase period cups almost anywhere these days. They come in a million brands (with some pretty funny names). Some are reusable, while others are not. And you can get pre or post-childbirth sizes.

Anytime, Athena, Blossom, Bodybay, CaliCup, Diamond, Diva, Dutchess, Intima, InvisiCup, Leasen, Lena, Luna, Lunette, and Soft Cup.

Follow us on Twitter @FlairHuxtable, Instagram @Flair.Huxtable and @HomeBrewedLove, and Facebook at @Flair Huxtable! Then buy Lo’s first book, “The Semester,” HERE!

So I Tried Period Cups…