Goodbye Tampons: A Period Diary Using Alternative Feminine Products

By Kindra Moné

I finally did it. I pulled the trigger and decided to try out a menstrual cup for the first time! I know that somewhere out there, someone just scoffed at the idea of using a menstrual cup instead of a tampon or pad, so I figured why not demystify alternative period products together. I’m skeptical and so are you. So I kept a real-time diary of my period using the Flex Cup and Flex Disk for the first time. Spoiler alert: I’m never going back to tampons!

I decided to choose Flex because it seemed to have the least intimidating approach for first time users. Maybe I’m just a (willful) victim of good marketing, but my research made Flex seem like it would be the simplest and most comfortable choice. Let’s see if I’m correct.

Day One: I wake up and I feel right away that the day is here. Ladies, you know how it is. I unwrapped the menstrual cup and it came with what might be the best set of directions that I’ve ever seen. Still, I was a bit intimidated and I didn’t quite get it on the first try, but the second attempt was seamless and it was completely comfortable right away. I’d compare it to learning how to use a tampon for the first time. Yes, it may take practice at first but once you’ve got it, it’s a breeze. To be clear: a menstrual cup is a small flexible period collection device that sits in the vaginal canal and is typically tapered at the base.

Photo courtesy of Flex — the instruction pamphlet in the box is even more clear detailed!

Throughout the day, I almost forgot that I was using it. It was completely comfortable for my workout and at around 6:30pm, I decided to empty it for the first time. I wanted to see if it can withstand a normal work day. I ordered the slim fit cup (which claims to hold as much as a two super tampons), and it made it through the 9 hours without an issue! The thing about the Flex cup is that it releases differently than other cups, allowing you to have more control while removing it. It was surprisingly pretty mess-free and I’m sure it will be even smoother as I get more used to it.

My second removal/insertion of the day before bedtime did not go as smoothly. I had to bring the instructions back out because unlike a tampon, you insert the cup back and downwards towards your cervix rather than vertically. Once I wrapped my mind around this concept, the cup became super easy to use!

Day Two: This is typically the heaviest day of my period, but it was another relatively easy day. I did, however, have to empty the cup more frequently — just like you would have to change a tampon more frequently. This made me wish that I would have actually chosen the fuller fit option which can hold up to 3 super tampons. I was intimidated by the size of it, but the cup sits in a different part of your body than a tampon so, yes, even you and your barely there super small vagina can accommodate it. By the end of the day, I was honestly pretty tired of so much hand-to-vagina contact, so I decided to sleep with a pad. I hadn’t given up on Flex, I just needed a break from the learning curve of trying a new product.

Day Three: Today is the day I try the disk! A menstrual disc is a round, flexible ring with a catch that sits at the base of the cervix in a place called the vaginal fornix. I was even more skeptical of using this product but I actually loved it! Well… I loved it as much as you can love a menstrual disk. Insertion was really easy and it was virtually undetectable. I forgot it was there, even while working out, and this might just be my favorite product. Unlike the cup, it is single use and is disposed upon removal. The disk has to be removed a bit more carefully than the cup, but when following the instructions, it’s a pretty easy experience. I used the disk overnight as well and I was impressed by the ease of it. The disk can also be used for mess-free intercourse.

Day Four: I return to the cup and now I am in the swing of things. There really isn’t much to note because it became like any other period day. I was accustomed to the insertion and removal process, and I was able to do both with a lot more ease. It became almost as brainless as typical tampon use.

Day Five: There was no day five! I’m lucky to have a flow that I’d consider to be pretty manageable and not very disruptive of my life in general, but I feel that this cycle was relatively cramp-free and it went away a bit sooner. Though it took a bit of getting used to, I had a very good experience and I would highly recommend both the cup and the disk! Here’s my response to what I can imagine are the most frequently asked questions:

What was emptying the cup like?

There was something very intimate about seeing exactly how much I bled each day. I assume that it’s also pretty healthy to be aware of this so we can be in tune with our bodies and our health. I’m definitely not a free bleeder or a period revolutionist, but there’s a lot of stigma about periods that we should leave behind us. There was nothing gross about emptying the cup.

I do, however, recommend using the cup for the first time while you have access to a private bathroom to comfortably get past the learning curve. You might get a bit of blood on your hands, but let’s be honest, this can happen with tampons too.

Will you try again?

Yes! I am sold. I am officially saying goodbye to tampons. The minimal cramping, shorter period, and less waste are all definitely worth it. The disk will likely be my go-to moving forward and I will definitely be ordering more. I’m sure that I will return to a pad occasionally (like I always have every now and then), when I’d rather not have anything inside my body.

Have you tried alternative feminine products before? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments. Let me know if you found this TMI period diary helpful!

If you’d like to try Flex products for yourself, check out the discover kit here.

Xx,

Kindra Moné