Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Do not construe any of this to be actual medical advice. This post contains affiliate links.
Women have periods. And I’m going to talk about it.
Once a month, every month, most women go through at least 20 disposable pads or tampons. Using these products creates a lot of trash, and wastes your hard earned money. Not to mention, since these products are not reusable, you may find yourself unprepared if your period arrives when you are least expecting it.
A couple years back, I worked a seasonal job as a Biological Science Tech, searching for the elusive Northern Goshawk on remote Southeast Alaskan islands. This job was 95% bushwhacking up and down mountainsides on a wild snipe hunt, and 5% planning the next trip from an office. I was the only woman on a team with 3 other men, and while we did have separate rooms for bunking, we lived and worked in pretty close quarters. Since our work was on a remote island, we would boat out to the island and stay at a field camp for 8 days, then boat back to town for 6 days off. I can’t imagine the headache it would have been to need to pack pads or tampons, be discrete about their disposal while cohabitating with my male coworkers/boss, and worry about hygiene and packing them out as they needed changing during the work day in the forest. Not to mention the embarrassment if my period came early during a trip and I was not prepared, and was stuck out there for several more days without access to the store.
No, instead I used a Pixie Cup.
(I promise, I am not getting paid by Pixie Cup for this–they do not have an affiliate program, I’ve asked.) Instead of worrying about pads or tampons and all the mess that comes with them, menstrual cups are reusable, and do not need to be messed with as often. They are made of medical grade silicone, and fold down to insert similar to a tampon. Once in place, it unfolds into a cup that holds the blood until you are ready to empty it. There is a stem at the bottom to make it easier to take it out (but be sure to try to break the suction first before trying to pull). If it’s inserted properly, you should hardly feel it at all. I have also only ever leaked once, and that’s because it wasn’t in correctly. Three months of bushwhacking, climbing over logs, and scrambling over rocks, and the only time I had a leak was once during a leisurely outdoor stroll off the clock.
Hygiene is easy. Most cups are pretty sizable to accommodate even the heaviest of flows. While some women prefer to empty theirs more, I typically only need to empty my cup once a day. During my period, I take it out in the shower, give it a good rinse, and stick it back in. At the beginning and end of my cycle, I wash it with soap and sanitize it in some boiling hot water. Between cycles, I store the menstrual cup in a breathable fabric pouch. (Don’t store it wet in an airtight container, as that promotes bacterial growth.)
There are many other brands of menstrual cups as well, including the Saalt Menstrual Cup (which I do get an affiliate kick back from if you use that link). I do prefer the Pixie Cup for its business model–they donate a cup to a woman in need for every cup purchased. They also sell these handy collapsible silicone bowls which make sanitizing super easy. Just fill the bowl with water, pop it in the microwave for 5 minutes, stick your menstrual cup in the hot water, replace the lid, and wait for 5 minutes or until cool enough to touch. I use this cup to sanitize my Caya diaphragm as well.
Before I switched to using a menstrual cup, I actually preferred pads. I didn’t like using tampon applicators, and was never able to find a tampon that didn’t leak. If you prefer the pad style, I recommend trying out some reusable pads. They aren’t all that different from disposable pads in practice (maybe a bit more comfortable, but a bit less absorbent, especially if they are labeled “liner.”). Some reusable pads I’ve seen are even made of black cotton so as not to show stains, and most are designed with wings and a snap to keep them in place. I recommend buying a wet/dry bag to put dirty pads in, and when your period is over, toss them in the laundry according to their care instructions.
Let’s talk PMS for a brief second.
If you have not tried Chamomile tea for cramps or headaches, you should. Chamomile has natural anti-inflammatory properties that can greatly reduce pain and swelling in the body. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea is also supposed to support woman’s health and the strength of the uterus–at least that’s what I was told when I was pregnant. If you are in Juneau, check out Harbor Tea & Spice–they have many fancy organic tea options for a variety of different medicinal uses. Be sure to eat a well rounded diet with enough healthy fats and proteins to keep you from getting nausea–or hangry. Nuts are a great snack. If your boobs are sore, I recommend Earth Mama’s Booby Tubes. They’re essentially coil shaped cloth tubes filled with some sort of grain (like you might fill a sock with rice) that can be used hot or cold. I keep mine in a pouch in the freezer so that they can be used as ice packs if needed, or popped in the microwave for 45 seconds to make a hot compress. Allow yourself to rest and retreat from the world as needed, when possible.
Lastly, let’s talk birth control.
This deserves a post of its own, but it’s worth mentioning here as well. For years, I was on hormonal birth control–the pill. I got on it because, frankly, I thought it was my only option that wasn’t semi-permanent (like IUDs) or single use (like condoms). While it was the right decision for me at the time, now, the idea of taking a medication to purposely alter my hormone levels every day is off-putting to say the least. A couple years after I got married, I stopped taking the pill and tried cycle tracking for a while. There is an app for that, called Natural Cycles, that is actually FDA approved. I really enjoyed it and it taught me a lot about my body. It works by taking your basal temperature every morning and inputting that into an algorithm to show you which days your are fertile, and which days you are likely safe to have unprotected sex. Note on cycle tracking: Use another form of birth control (like a barrier method) during your fertile days. Don’t rely on your self control in the heat of the moment–that’s how babies happen, trust me. We were ready for babies, though.
But it wasn’t until after I had my first child that a medical professional actually recommended a diaphragm to me. Diaphragms are kind of old school, and like the other methods mentioned, do not protect against STDs. But they are about as effective at preventing pregnancy as the real-life use of condoms (~85%). I was prescribed a contoured one-size-fits-most diaphragm, called a Caya diaphragm. Like a menstrual cup, diaphragms are made of medical grade silicone and are meant to be inserted inside the vagina, and nestle in the cavity up behind your pubic bone to block the cervix and prevent sperm from getting in. They can be worn for up to 24 hours at a time (but check its placement no more than one hour before sex), and should be kept in place at least 6 hours after sex. They are 100% reusable (unless damaged, of course), and can be washed with a gentle soap and sterilized when necessary. When I am wearing mine, I cannot even feel it, nor can my partner–though there was some discomfort at first when I was learning how to properly insert it. It’s perfect for monogamous couples wanting to prevent pregnancy but also avoid medical interventions.
The only downside? Most diaphragms are intended to be used concurrently with spermicide. In the US, the FDA only classifies something as a spermicide if the product contains Nonoxynol-9, which can potentially have some side effects. Spermicides are not effective enough to be used alone, but can be used to help diaphragms form a better seal around the cervix by filling any micro-gaps with gel that works to slow the sperm cells down, while the N-9 in the gel kills the sperm cells while they are immobilized.
In Canada and the UK (and in other places I’d assume), you can buy a spermicide alternative called Contragel Green or Caya Gel (same product marketed under two different names), which works on the same basic principles, but instead of containing N-9, this alternative gel instead contains natural ingredients (lactic acid) to support the vagina’s naturally acidic pH, which degrades sperm cells. I bought several tubes of this myself online, and have not had any issues. It smells nice, too–like vanilla. Unfortunately, there are not many studies out there looking at the effectiveness of diaphragms without the use of spermicide. However, the couple studies I have found do seem to show the diaphragm retains its high effectiveness even without spermicide, but I would strongly encourage you to do your own research before going that route.
So, in summary, three products have completely changed the way I approach my period and sexual health. The Pixie Cup, Natural Cycles, and the Caya Diaphragm. With two small silicone cups that fit in a pouch the size of my palm, a thermometer and my smartphone, I am prepared for whatever mother nature throws my way, whenever she may strike. If you are interested in going zero-waste with your feminine hygiene or sexual health routine, I strongly suggest trying these out. Have a chat with your partner or doctor and feel empowered to find the solution that works best for you.