What is a menstrual cup?
A menstrual cup is a cup-shaped device that you place INSIDE your vagina when you have your period. It collects the blood instead of absorbing it like pads and tampons do. To get the menstrual cup into the vagina, you fold it lengthwise and insert it inside your vagina until it "pops". It should be fully open and sit around or below your cervix. To find out where it is, insert a finger or two into your vagina until you feel something that feels like a lump, nose tip or tiny hole. This is the destination of the menstrual cup. Note: for some, the cervix is so far in that you don't feel it; then the menstrual cup is placed underneath. The most important thing is that the menstrual cup is completely open and not folded, if not it can leak.
Safe and practical menstrual product
Flove's menstrual cup is made of medical grade silicone from a certified supplier. You can safely leave it inside your vagina for up to 12 hours, unless you bleed more than the menstrual cup can hold, then it should be emptied more often. The reason why you shouldn't leave it in longer than 12 hours, even if you bleed very little, is because the longer an object is inside the body, the greater chance it gives bacteria to enjoy themselves. Silicone is NOT a place for bacteria to thrive and therefore a menstrual cup can stay inside the vagina longer than a tampon.
Normal periods
Through the use of a menstrual cup, you will get to know what is normal for you, how often you have to empty and how much you actually bleed. If you are nervous about red spots in your panties, you can use pads in addition to a menstrual cup until you feel safe. The best thing about menstrual cups is that it's comfy and you can reuse one for many years.
How to use a menstrual cup?
When it's time to empty the menstrual cup, squeeze the bottom of the menstrual cup to break the vacuum that has formed before gently pulling it out. If you cannot reach the menstrual cup, you can pull the stem a little to get it further down into the vagina, before you break the vacuum. Alternatively, you can use your muscles in the abdomen to push the menstrual cup further down (as if you are going to give birth to the menstrual cup). When tit's out, empty the blood in the toilet and rinse it in the sink (first in cold water to avoid the blood discolouring too much) then in hot water before placing it back in. When your period is finished, you boil it and put it in its bag. Boil it again when your period comes. *repeat
We know! It's seems very difficult to use a menstrual cup. We promise you, i'ts not. After a few cycles you will use it as easy as a tampon.
Especially for FLOVE menstrual cup
Flove's menstrual cup is developed and designed in Norway and manufactured in something called a clean room (ISO13485), which means that it is manufactured as if it were a medical product) in Taiwan. The silicone used is medical silicone from Dow Corning and in THEORY you can have the silicone in your body for 30 days straight (but of course you shouldn't).
Fun Facts
- Flove menstrual cup does not dry out the vagina
- It does not contain potentially toxic chemicals that can be absorbed by the vagina and into the bloodstream.
- Flove menstrual cup is practical in shape, you can wear it for a long time, swim with it, sleep with it, and it does not lead to fungal infections or other imbalances in the flora.