How To Use A Menstrual Cup – with Megan Clark from Lula Cup

Menstrual cups are fast becoming a popular choice of menstrual product for women, with many women asking how to use a menstrual cup  before buying it. I was so excited to have Megan Clark from Lula Cup join me live last week Friday to tackle this important topic.

A Bit About Megan Clark

Megan was a travel agent for many years but with the pandemic hitting and the lockdowns all over the world travel has taken a huge knock and she lost her job. She has been using a menstrual cup for about 3 years now and because they are so expensive she did some research and spent the last bit of savings to get some menstrual cups into South Africa and started her business Lula Cup.

Fun fact: Megan chose the name Lula Cup because in Zulu lula means easy and convenient. A lovely South African company name for what her business does.

How Does The Menstrual Cup Work?

The menstrual cup is an alternative menstrual product to the traditional sanitary pad or tampon. The big difference is that sanitary pads and tampons are disposable and a menstrual cup lasts much longer, it is reusable and sustainable.

The menstrual cup gets inserted inside your vagina and it creates a suction against your cervix. It collects the blood inside the cup rather than absorbing it like other menstrual products. The menstrual cup can be worn for up to 12 hours (depending on your flow) before it needs to removed, emptied, cleaned and put back in.

How Do You Put It In?

Many people look at the cup and feel intimidated feeling it is big, but it is really not that large and you need to remember that vaginas are very adaptable, they can stretch and that is why we are able to give birth. I love how Megan explains this in the video – go to 6:00 minutes into the video to see what Megan says about inserting the cup.

Before inserting it you need to fold the cup. There are about nine different fold methods that you can use, to see Megan show how to fold the cup go to 7:06 minutes in the video. When the cup is folded the size is much less intimidating and close to the size of a tampon.

Once your cup is folded you insert it into your vagina and if you give it a little tug you will feel the suction and know that it is in properly.

One thing about using the cup is that it is going to take a lot of practice compared to other menstrual products, however once you are used to it and you have found the fold method that works well for you then you won’t look back.

How Do You Take It Out?

Menstrual cups are messier and this is something that you will need to get used to. It is easiest to remove the cup in the shower.

When the menstrual cup is inside of you it has formed a suction so you will first need to break that suction by inserting your finger against the wall of the cup before you pull it out.

You can change your cup while you are out and about. If you have running water you can rinse it out, otherwise empty it in the toilet and clean it with a wet wipe or some tissues.

If you plan properly it should be quite easy to manage since the cup only needs changing every 12 hours so you can plan your day around changing the cup in the shower in the morning and the evening.

How Do You Clean It?

When you first receive your menstrual cup take it out of its plastic wrapper and boil it for about 5 minutes before your first use.

Clean your cup each time you change it. It is easiest to rinse it under running water with the shower being the most convenient way to clean it and avoid a mess. If you don’t have any running water you can empty the cup and wipe it clean either with wet wipes or with tissues.

When your menstrual cycle has finished boil your cup for 5 minutes before putting it away in its bag for your next menstrual cycle.

Questions Asked By Fans In The Live Video

Is It Suitable For Heavy Periods?

Yes the menstrual cup is perfect for heavy periods. You may need to change it more often, so if you have a heavy period spend some time getting to know how full your cup gets. If you are worried about it start by changing your cup every four hours and if it is not full start changing it every six hours until you know how long you can go before you need to change your cup.

Do Cups Come In Different Sizes?

Menstrual cups usually come in a large and a small size. The large cup is suitable for women that are over 30 or women that have had a baby. The small cup is suitable for women under 30 that have not had a baby. Lula Cup stocks the small and large.

There are some companies that stock petite size which are specifically designed for young girls that have just started their periods.

Is The Menstrual Cup Comfortable?

It is actually extremely comfortable, so much so that you will probably forget you are wearing it. Many women that use the cup say that they have never felt such freedom during their menstrual cycle before.

Not only is the cup more comfortable to wear, but it also does away with some of the complications that come with tampons and pads such as rashes from pads, sore dry vaginas from tampons as well as reduced cramps and menstrual pain.

Do You Have To Remove The Cup To Go To The Loo?

No you don’t have to remove the menstrual cup to go to the toilet.

When it comes to urinating you need to remember that there are two different holes. There is the urethra that you urinate out of and the other is the hole that goes to your cervix which is the hole for sexual intercourse, giving birth and the hole that your menstrual blood comes out of which is the same hole that your tampon or menstrual cup gets inserted into.

When it comes to making a poo your cup will not be pushed out when you push which often happens when you wear a tampon. It also is a better option than a tampon because it is more sanitary, how many times have you pooped on your tampon string? The menstrual cup sits right inside the vagina so there is less chance of any contamination.

Are These Cups Available Readily In stores?

You can get them at Clicks if they have stock, however mostly you need to buy them online – you can buy from Megan at Lula Cup for just R100 and make sure to use the discount code at the bottom of this post to get it even cheaper. There is a delivery fee of R99 per delivery, so if you want to team up with some friends to order then get your cups delivered together to save more money.

It is important to note that many menstrual cups can be very pricey, anything from R200 to R500, and this is why Megan started Lula Cup – to bring a great product to women at an affordable price.

What Are The Cups Made Out Of?

The Lula Cup is made from 100% medical grade silicone and it is important that you ensure that the menstrual cup you buy is also made from 100% medical grade silicone to ensure that the materials your cup is made from does not cause an infection or other problems. Lula Cup has a certificate for that and will happily send you a copy if you want to check.

Since the Lula Cup is made from 100% medical grade silicone there is very little chance of infection, allergic reaction or any other complication.

How Long Must You Wait After Giving Birth To Start Using The Menstrual Cup?

It is recommended to wait until your 6 week post delivery checkup and make sure to check with your gynaecologist whether you have the go ahead to start using your menstrual cup.

Can You Swim When Using The Menstrual Cup?

Yes for sure, the menstrual cup is perfect for swimming. It is better than a tampon because tampons can absorb the pool water making it uncomfortable plus with a tampon you can have embarrassing string fails. The menstrual cup does not come with any of those problems.

How Lula Cup Is Eco-friendly

The menstrual cup is very eco-friendly since you will be using one menstrual cup for up to 10 years before you have to replace it compared to the huge amount of disposable menstrual products many women use.

Another way that the Lula Cup is eco-friendly is that there is minimal packaging. The Lula Cup arrives with with menstrual cup in a sealed plastic bag for hygiene purposes. The plastic covered Lula Cup comes in a material storage bag with a paper instruction leaflet that shows you how to use the menstrual cup. Both the paper instruction leaflet and the plastic packet the cup comes in can be recycled.

There is no other additional unnecessary packaging.

How Lula Cup Gives Back

There is a huge problem in our rural and poor areas in South Africa where some young girls cannot attend school when they have their period due to not being able to afford sanitary products.

Lula Cup is determined to make a difference by donating one Lula Cup to a girl or woman in need for every 10 cups that are sold! In addition to this anyone that wants to help this fantastic initiative can donate a Lula Cup.

There are many initiatives that I’ve seen online that involve donations of sanitary pads, which is wonderful, but that only helps for a limited time. Donating a Lula Cup will help each girl for 10 years!

Discount Code – KABOUTJIE2020

If you contact Megan and buy a Lula Cup quote the discount code KABOUTJIE2020 – it is valid for 6 months (until 5 September 2021).

Contact Megan from Lula Cup on Whatsapp 073 435 9666 or email info@lulacup.co.za