For some, the menstrual cup is already part of their monthly care routine. Others have heard of it but never tried it, while some are just discovering this period game-changer and want to give it a go.

We’re here to bring you the information you need to make the best choice for your body and care needs.

This blog post will share a real experience from a real woman: Ana, a 36-year-old mother of one. She recently tried a menstrual cup for the first time, and we’re sharing her honest journey with all those new to menstrual cups.

But before diving into Ana’s story, let’s give a bit of context about menstrual cups.

The History and Awareness of Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups were first invented back in 1867 (yes, they’ve been around far longer than most of us realize!). However, they didn’t gain much popularity then due to limited options for sterilization, cultural fears, and beliefs surrounding menstrual care.

Even today, menstrual cups are more mainstream than widespread. According to Popular Science, only between 11 and 33 percent of women surveyed are aware of menstrual cups. It's time to change that, but we need real-life stories to showcase their benefits.

This is where Ana’s experience comes in. We asked her to share her first time using the cup, and we’re keeping her story raw and unedited to help you make an informed choice based on unfiltered information.

Ana's Story: The First-Time Menstrual Cup User

“I’ve heard about menstrual cups for a while,” Ana begins. “But every time I saw an ad or post about them on Instagram, I always thought: ‘Oh, wow… interesting for someone else, but not for me.’”

Ana didn’t exactly love using pads or bleached tampons, but she felt like menstrual cups seemed invasive. The thought of sacrificing her comfort during her period was not appealing, especially when dealing with cramps and the usual monthly discomfort. But then, she learned that a colleague of hers had been using menstrual cups for two years.

“My interest was piqued! I bombarded her with questions – about safety, hygiene, and especially about insertion, which seemed like a hardcore task in my mind (spoiler alert: it’s not!).”

After being reassured by her colleague that periods had become a breeze since switching to the cup (she even claimed her cramps were less intense), Ana decided to give it a try with the Femi.Eko® cup.

“I was ready to go for it! If she could do it, why couldn’t I? My colleague did mention a learning curve and told me not to get discouraged if I didn’t get it right on the first try.”

Picking the Right Cup: Ana's Mistake

Typically, everyone recommends doing some research to decide which type of cup is right for you. Femi.Eko® cups come in two sizes (A and B), and there’s even a quiz on their site to help you choose. Ana, however, didn’t take the quiz and ended up using one without checking which size she had.

“In hindsight, I should have paid attention to the size.”

 

Insertion: First Try, Success!

Ana watched some YouTube tutorials on how to insert, sterilize, and remove the cup. When Aunt Flo arrived, she boiled the cup for 10 minutes to sterilize it (closely watching the pot) and prepared for the moment she was most worried about: insertion.

“I washed my hands (I did this about five times), folded the cup in a ‘C’ shape as the videos showed, and was pleased to find the Femi.Eko® cup soft and pliable.”

The moment of truth arrived, and to Ana’s surprise, the cup went in smoothly – even easier than a tampon. Some women recommend using a little water-based lubricant, but Ana didn’t need it.

“Once in, I was conscious of its presence but not uncomfortable. I went to bed a bit paranoid, worrying I’d wake up to a mess.”

The Morning After: No Bloodbath

“Morning came... and what a glorious day it was! No leaks, no stains, not even on my heaviest day.”

Ana was curious to see how much blood was collected, so she went to the bathroom to remove the cup. However, she encountered a small challenge.

“I couldn’t find the rim of the cup! It was just the tail, and I panicked for a moment. But then I remembered: the cup has nowhere to go, so I took a deep breath and calmed down.”

She realized she had a high cervix, and breaking the vacuum seal to remove the cup required more effort. A quick refresher from a YouTube video reassured her, and she squatted a bit while sitting on the toilet.

“The key was not to pull on the tail like a tampon but to push down as if going to the bathroom. Once I found the rim, I broke the seal and pulled the cup out safely.”

A Life-Changing Experience

Since that first experience, Ana has been using the Femi.Eko® cup in size B and finds it to be a lifesaver. “I’ve swum at the pool, gone about my daily activities, and passed my heaviest days without a single stain! I am so grateful someone invented this for women!”

Ready to Learn More?

If Ana’s experience has you curious, you can find out more about Femi.Eko® cups here. And if you’d like to take the quiz to find out which product is right for you, click here.