All of us ladies I think have had the talk about menstrual cups or just periods in general. I mean how can we not!? It is kind of a natural thing for us ladies. We all have that one friend that is eco-friendly and wants to inspire you to try new alternatives. Or we have that one friend that just has the worse menstrual periods and have found an alternative that works best for them. I am that friend too that is constantly trying to inspire others some way or another. Well here I go with a little more inspiration to tell you all about DOT Cup menstrual cup and why you should try one.
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. To learn more about how affiliate links work please read our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for using our links and for your support. DOT Cup gave me two items for this collaboration in exchange for a blog post and a giveaway.
THE MENSTRUAL CUP HISTORY
At first I was very hesitant in trying a menstrual cup. I have never really been one to use a lot of tampons to begin with. It always seems to give me issues so pads were the usual way to go for me as gross as they are to use as well. I remember having a conversation with my mom about it and asking her what she thought about menstrual cups. I tried to explain to her what they were and she proceeded by saying, “I like the old school ways,” meaning pads and tampons. What society is used too! I decided to do a little further research on the menstrual cups and came to find out that they are a lot more old school than we thought. 134 years to be exact.
1884
The very first menstrual cup or menstrual receptacle as they called it, was invented and patented on June 24, 1884. It didn’t become available for purchase till 1932 though. This “interesting” menstrual receptacle was invented by Hiram Farr and it was designed to be able to hold multiple cups of menstrual fluid. Though I’m sure it’s not necessary to have an item that holds multiple cups of menstrual fluid, the invention was the beginning of a new era for the menstrual products. Also if you do menstruate that many cups of menstrual fluid, please go see your doctor asap.
1930’s
In the 1930’s Leona W. Chalmers, an American-born actress, inventor, and author, created the first actual “menstrual cup.” This invention was also known as a “catamenial receptor.” Chalmers and her team created rubber menstrual cups but failed to sell during the 1930’s. Due to a rubber shortage caused by World War II, Chalmers and her team created a softer version using vulcanized rubber. Sadly after disposable products became more popular, more women wanted to switch. Not having to handle their own bloody fluids was much easier to handle than to use a reusable menstrual cup. She explains more of her work in her book, “The Intimate Side of a Woman’s Life.”
1959-1987
In 1959 and again in 1987, the menstrual cup was re-introduced by Tassette Inc. and The Kepper. Tassette Inc. reintroduced them with a big advertising push but women still weren’t interested and the menstrual cup disappeared once again. Sadly Tassette never made a profit and by 1963, the menstrual cup disappeared. In 1987, The Keeper introduced a latex, not silicone, menstrual cup. Though its durability is not the best on the market at the time they have progressed and changed to silicone making their menstrual cups durable and hypoallergenic. You can find these menstrual cups still today (but let me tell you about my favorite menstrual cup first, the DOT Cup!!!).
ABOUT DOT CUP
I absolutely love DOT Cup and here is why! Dot cup has done extensive research in designing and engineering the Dot cup. This was all done in an effort to bring you the very best period with the best, most comfortable cup you’ll ever use. True fact! They are very comfortable.
Facts about the Dot Cup!
Here are a few quick facts about the Dot cup.
- Made in the USA
- Black in color to avoid discoloration. This was a big plus for me!
- Holds up to 28ml in fluids
- 4 angled suction release holes for easy cleaning
- FDA approved medical grade silicone
- Flat tab stem for easy cleaning
- Multiple grip lines on flat tab stem for easy removal.
- Measures 50mm x 45mm
DOT CUP CHANGES LIVES!
As you all may know, I am a conscious and sustainable shopper. I was all for the idea of a menstrual cup when I learned about it but nervous about its health benefits at first. Nothing to worry about. It is safe! The reason I chose DOT Cup is because they give back to the community. For every menstrual cup you purchase, they donate one to a female in need.
The sad truth is that for thousands of women and young girls around the world, their life stops when their period starts. Can you imagine having to call out of work, cancel appointments or meetings, miss classes or even special events just cause your period started? No female should miss a day all cause of their period but sadly we live in a world where not everyone has the luxury of owning menstrual items.
Dot cup makes a difference in other women’s and young girls’ lives by providing them with the opportunity to not a miss a day in their life. By shopping with a brand that gives back, you are also making a difference in being a part of this life-changing donation. Each donated menstrual cup helps these females prioritize her education, work, and life without any shame or interruptions. You can read more on how DOT Cup Empowers here.
USING A MENSTRUAL CUP
So I received my menstrual cup and got excited until the reality hit me! How in the world am I going to get this cup inside me? Do I just cram it in there? Do I roll it? I seriously had no clue as to what I needed to do. Luckily DOT Cup has some guidelines and photos that helped know how to fold and roll my menstrual cup for insertion. You can view them here as well and instructions on how to do so. I decided to go with the Punch Down technique. It seemed thinner to start with during the insertion while it grew slightly thicker. Not a huge thickness though that will cause pain.
Here are a few quick tips.
- Practice inserting the menstrual cup before your menstrual cycle so you can get a hang of how to insert it.
- Before inserting, find a comfortable position. Use one of the techniques above to prepare the menstrual cup for insertion and insert it into your vagina. (There I said it!) lol
- You can wear your menstrual cup for 8-10 hours a day. You know your menstrual cycle better than anyone so make sure to change it out accordingly. Please keep in mind that your first menstrual cycle using a cup will be a test one. It will help you know how many times to change it and how to insert it during your period. You can tell how many times you have to change it by how full your cup is when you remove it.
- Also keep in mind that what works best for me may not work best for you. We are all different and so is our hoohas!
- Once thing I learned while using my menstrual cup during my period is that you need to make sure it opens back up to its normal form after you insert it. If you don’t it will leak. Not a lot but enough to make you change. One way I know that it opened is a slight pop feeling in my cervix after insertion. When I feel that pop, I know that it is fully open and I am ready to go.
Here is a YouTube video that I watched that really helped me. I love that she used a few items to help better explain how it should look while inserting the cup. Definitely watch the video here before trying to figure it out by using photos. It helped me out tremendously.
Also some friends have told me that using a menstrual cup has greatly helped ease their cramps or even taken them completely away. It did ease my cramps some but didn’t take them fully away. Usually I am on the couch massaging my abdomen and in miserable pain but this time around it wasn’t as bad. It did help with my bloating though. I didn’t bloat once during my last menstrual cycle.
**I will update this post accordingly to provide you better details of my experience using menstrual cups.**
WHERE CAN I GET MY DOT CUP???
Now that you know about its history, benefits, and this amazing company you can grab yourself a Dot cup. Remember that by purchasing one from Dot cup you will also be donating one to a female in need. You can also purchase 2 dot cups that will be donated to someone using the link here and use coupon code TWM20 at checkout for a 20% off.
You can buy a Dot Cup on their personal website here or on Amazon here.
DOT CUP GIVEAWAY!!!
**GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED** The Walking Mermaid will also be giving away one brand new DOT CUP to a special someone. All you have to do is enter our giveaway on Instagram and look for the picture above for all the details on how to enter. Subscribe to our email list on the right sidebar (below for mobile devices) and get an extra entry to our giveaway!
Giveaway will be held September 27th, 2018 till October 1st, 2018. Winner will be announced on October 4th, 2018.
SUMMARY OF DOT CUP
Dot Cup is such an amazing product. Overall, I had a very good experience with this cup and highly recommend it to anyone. You can learn more about products that I use here. Also, if you enjoyed this article feel free to sign up for our newsletter here (Free 21 page Camping Planner when you sign-up and full access to our TWM Tribe Resource Library which has monthly freebies and activities for you and your family) or follow our adventures on Instagram so you can stay up to date on upcoming travel adventures, tips, gear reviews, recipes and more. Don’t forget to share or pin to save it. Thank you for reading.
RESOURCES
Invention of the Menstrual Cup
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