Looking for the best alternative to a tampon? Try a medical grade menstrual cup!

Let’s talk about periods.

Menstruation is the shedding of the uteral lining on a monthly basis. For most women, this can occur once per month lasting anywhere between 3 – 7 days over approximately 38 years (between ages 13-51). Put bluntly, that’s approximately 2,280 days, or 6.25 YEARS [1] of a woman’s life spent bleeding equating to thousands of dollars! Even worse, as disposable menstruation products end up in landfills, this ends up costing the environment, as they don’t fully break down for centuries.
Did you know that the pads and tampons that you threw out when you FIRST got your period probably still exist in landfills and waterways today?! 75% of blocked drains in Australia and New Zealand are caused by flushed tampons and pads by woman [2] – this is not only horrifying, but is also incredibly bad for marine life and the environment. On average a woman will make up approximately 140kgs of waste [2] in their lifetime just in disposed pads and tampons alone. Not to mention the amount of chemicals that are detrimental to human health, the environment, animals and our beloved vaginas. Over time these toxins, can be damaging and can potentially lead to further health issues.

So I bet that’s got you asking – How do I have a zero waste, toxin free period?

Well, the solutions are simple – as the awareness raises on the collective consciousness, more and more women are opting for more sustainable solutions when it comes to “that time of the month”. There are now a range of different products, produced by many different brands that are easy to use, plastic free, toxin free and create zero waste.

Non-Disposable menstruation– What are the reusable options for managing your period?

For me, converting from a tampon to a menstrual cup happened purely out of curiosity. My housemate had just purchased one through a promotion on Facebook and she was SO EXCITED about her new sustainable period solution that the moment that it arrived in the post she had to show me. At first we were both very confused as to how something so large and “cup” like would effectively collect, hold and sit comfortably in such a small space – but after Googling it, we soon found our answers and I quickly purchased one myself to have a try.

At first, the menstrual cup, (also known as a moon cup, diva cup, juju or lunette) can take some getting used to. It suctions, pinches, pulls, leaks, makes sounds and can be pretty bloody intimidating! (accidental pun) It really comes down to trial and error, and may take a few cycles of getting used to.

Here are some of my favourite non-disposable menstrual products:
For the tampon lovers try the Keela cup is the easiest transition to a menstrual cup. However the Juju, Diva, and Lunette cups are also popular.
For the pad lovers – Hannahpad (I love hannahpad liners!), Glad Rags, packagefreeshop.com

Where can you buy menstrual cups?

There are many moon cups, also known as menstrual cups on the market these days. The most popular and well known menstrual cups on the market are the Diva cup, Juju cup, Lunette cup and Keela cup.

The cup you choose in very personal and will vary in size, shape and price. Be mindful that is an important decision and you MUST RESEARCH this, as each vagina is a different shape and each cervix is positioned slightly differently. A menstrual cup, or moon cup will last you years if you look after it and clean it properly, saving you tonnes of money & resulting in far less, and essentially zero waste in the long run.