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(All things hormones, birth control, toxic-free living, and self advocacy)
We're Talking Menstrual Cups!!

Menstrual cup, anyone?!

You've likely seen them floating around before and might have either thought eww no thanks or were intrigued by the thought of a flexible cup inside of you that collects menstrual fluids. Does it actually work? Does it leak? What if I need to change it in public? Isn't it messy? Can you feel it? Will it get stuck in me?!

I'm here to recommend cups to anyone. I initially got into it for the sustainability and financial aspect of it, but now I'm thankful I made the switch after learning about all the toxins in traditional period products (another post to come on that). I'm answering all the questions! If you have any others that I haven't discussed, feel free to leave a comment below or DM me. I'm an open book and no question is too personal :) 

Does it actually work?: Yes! It collects fluids rather than absorb it like tampons, which can also dry you out.  
Does it leak? Nope! If you ensure a proper seal to your vagina walls, it won't leak at all :)
What if I need to change it in public? It's unlikely that you'll need to since most cups are safe to wear for up to 12 hours and you can easily change it at home. If you need to empty it in public, you can always empty it in the toilet first and bring a water bottle in with you to lightly rinse it off. Or do you and rinse in the sink! I've done it and been perfectly fine :)
Isn't it messy? Nah. I find that pads and tampons are actually messier. There's no smell because everything's inside of you and not exposed to oxygen. Sometimes I have to grab a piece of TP to break apart the excess stringiness that goes from inside of me to the cup, but that's easy to do. Then either dump in the toilet or sink, rinse, and re-insert!
Can you feel it? Nope! Sometimes if you place it too high, it'll suction to your cervix which might be uncomfortable. But otherwise it's more comfy than a tampon for me. 
Will it get stuck in me?! No! There's nowhere for it to go except suctioned to your vagina walls and up top is the opening to your cervix which is tiny compared to the cup. You're good to go :)
How do I know which cup to buy? There's so many! I went with the Lena cup because it was voted #1 best cup for beginners and I didn't want a super big cup because I'm a petite person. So I went with a small Lena cup. They have large sizes if your flow is super heavy or you have a bigger anatomy. I've never tried any other brands, but there are tons! Check out https://putacupinit.com/ for a quiz on the best cup for you :)
But, like, how do you insert and remove it? It's a firm, but flexible silicone, so you fold it, insert it similar to a tampon, and then it opens up inside of you. To remove, you gently pull on the stem until you get to the base of it, grasp the base, break the suction, and remove :) It takes a bit of practice, but it gets easier over time! 
Can you poop with it in? Haha yes! I was worried the first time that I would poop my cup out, but I didn't. It might shift down a bit when you bear down, but it shouldn't come completely out. 

 Okay, that's all for now! Let me know if I missed anything :) Get a Lena cup on their website! It's woman-owned and a good way to support sustainable female entrepreneurs! 

Want more discussion on how to naturally balance your hormones after birth control? Need some more birth control facts and education? How about a support group of those just like you wanting to get off birth control but are worried about the transition? Join the Happy Healthy Hormones Community! Hope to see you in there :) 
Just so you know, I may earn a commission off the links on my blog at no cost to you through various affiliate programs. I appreciate your support and love sharing my favorite products with you! :)

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Just so you know, I may earn a commission off the links on my blog at no cost to you through various affiliate programs. I appreciate your support and love sharing my favorite products with you! :)

I Felt Out of Balance

 

It all started with small rashes under my armpits. They grew bigger. They were fiery red. They burned. I couldn’t itch them since they burned so bad. They flaked. They were embarrassing. I didn’t know what they were. Then they showed up on the crook of my elbow and on the top of my right hand. I thought it might be due to a gluten or dairy intolerance, so I changed my diet. It helped temporarily and my rashes didn’t hurt as bad and weren’t as red. But diet changes weren’t enough. I was devastated. My rashes remained for MONTHS!

Then the "fluff" showed up around my belly and hips. Maybe the start of winter contributed as well; either way I swear my pants used to fit me way better…

My hair started falling out. In chunks! I’d always had some hairs come out when I washed my hair, so I was used to it. But not to this extent. I knew something was going on.

My acne became out of control, almost to the extent when I was in high school. Red, painful, cysts that I just couldn’t resist picking. And here I had spent all these years at the dermatologist “healing” my acne for it all to come back with a vengeance.

I was in tears at least once a week. I felt hopeless. I felt so alone. No one could relate besides one girl I followed on Instagram. My boyfriend was supportive, but how could he understand though? He had no idea what I was going through.

I took a deep breath, wiped my tears and trucked on. Then the next week would start all over again with a meltdown because I was fat, my hair was falling out, my acne was returning, and my rashes burned SO. FREAKING. BAD. I was angry, frustrated, confused & hopeless. 

I had heard that stopping birth control could come with some pretty gnarly symptoms. And I thought I was ready for whatever would happen. But I didn’t realize how mentally and emotionally challenging these symptoms would be.

Like many people, I started taking birth control in high school. I took it mostly for my acne, but pregnancy prevention was nice too. My hormones were manipulated for over 7 years. The birth control was prescribed by my doctor, so why would I ever question how it was affecting my body?

Turns out, I had NO idea just how much it affected me. All of me. It wasn’t until I read this book that I understood how much my body was impacted by these synthetic hormones that I didn't even realize were synthetic at the time. How hormonal birth control can be prescribed to “treat” certain conditions, yet it’s really only a bandaid fix. I didn’t want that bandaid fix anymore and I wanted to heal myself naturally. So I took the leap and ditched my birth control.

Aside from some of the challenges of getting off birth control, I noticed a whole new world of positives that came from it. For the first time in my life, I actually had energy! I no longer needed to sleep half the day away. The mental fog was gone! My mood increased, as well as my libido, which I swear was gone for good. I finally felt like I was in control of my health for the first time. Truly healthy and truly better.

My goal is to be that shining beacon of light for you if you are struggling with the decision to finally get off hormonal birth control. You are not alone in worrying how your body will react. You are not alone in this transition and your experiences. It might be challenging. But we are strong. We are healers. We are self-advocates. And only we know what’s best for our bodies.

Ready to join the community?  

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