Every Woman Could and Should Use a Menstrual Cup
Post date: Nov 5, 2013
走在環保最尖端
如果我可以幫這個產品改名的話，我會叫它”心情杯”，而不是”月事杯”；因為它真的讓我在月事來的時候，心情好很多。
記得Dylan 第一次跟我提這個產品時 ，我其實有些不情願，心想：我明明就很習慣用衛生棉了，為什麼要逼我換這個醫療級的月事杯啊? 而且要把一個杯子大小的東西塞進去會有多痛啊? 何況你是男人，又沒辦法親自告訴我使用心得，為什麼你叫我改我就要改啊? 直到一個月後在樸門的課程上，有位女老師跟我們分享了她用這個產品的心得，才真正打動了我的心。我永遠都記得她說：我原本以為棉條會是我一輩子的好朋友，但等我發現了月事杯之後，我才真正找回做為女人的尊嚴。
是的，”做為女人的尊嚴”，這句話聽起來似乎有點誇張，但的確打動了我的心，畢竟以女生的角度來理解月事杯還是比較有說服力的。因此我到澳洲的頭一個月就積極尋找月事杯(因為它在台灣是不可合法販賣的)。經過一番比價後，終於讓我順利買到人生的第一個月事杯!
老實來說，第一次用月事杯時真的很痛，過程花了我至少十分鐘還必需不斷變換姿勢又浪費不少濕紙巾；當我總算把它放進去後，不舒服感持續了好一陣子。這樣的過程讓我感到沮喪，因為我一直覺得它應該是很好使用的產品。這樣的情形其實在我使用二次、三次、四次、五次之後就大有改善了，果然有練習還是有差的!
目前我已經進入使用月事杯的第四個月，每一次只花我10到20秒的時間就完成整個過程，現在當然每一次都可以放到標準位置，所以所有的不適感都消失，而且常常還忘記月事來這件事。以前一到夏天我就對月事超反感，因為用衛生棉在濕熱的大熱天下做任何事都很不舒服; 但現在儘管我在園區要做一些較粗重的工作，我的心情一點都不會被以前衛生棉帶來的濕熱或摩擦不適感所影響。最棒的地方當然就是我再也不用每三、四個小時就必需找廁所換棉片，現在只要一早和晚上洗澡時更換杯子即可。以前我每次月事來的時候都會睡不好，總是要強迫自己打直身體睡以免溢出(是的，即使用了加長30公分的棉片，偶爾我還是得面臨洗床單的冏境)。但現在所有洗床單的擔憂都沒了，我想用什麼姿勢睡都可以，杯子的吸力好到讓我又可以高枕無憂了!
在使用三個月之後，我大概可以說出月事杯的好處有：
1． 省錢：比起每28天就要花100~140元的棉片錢，月事杯只花了我900元左右，但使用年限至少有10 年。
2． 環保：比起每個月拋棄的20片棉片、4~5片護墊再加上無數的衛生紙，現在下降到每個月約十張濕 紙巾和 2~3片護墊。
3． 心情大好：再也不用忍受衛生棉的不適、也不用擔心睡覺睡不好了
4． 身體不適也消失：不管產品強調有多薄、多舒適，當有一片東西24小時貼在女生最敏感的地方，能 有多舒適呢??
5． 果樹也受益：每個月可以”享受”我身體排出的營養
If I could rename my product, I would probably call it a “Mood Cup” rather than a “Moon Cup” as it positively changes my mood so much during my period.
I remember the first time my partner mentioned this product to me, I was thinking: Why do I have to change when I’m so used to using pads anyway? And how painful would it be to put a sizable cup into myself? So, I remained reluctant to make any change until I took my Permaculture course. In one of the lessons, we discussed about the amount of waste humans produced, and how everyone should take a step forward to make changes. And then my teacher introduced the menstrual cup to all of us, and I always remember what she said: “I found my dignity of being a woman when I discovered the moon cup!” Yes, the way she said it sounded very dramatic to me, but it did change my view of this product instantly. Therefore, after arriving in Australia in June 2013, I started to look for ways to purchase it, and finally I managed to get one within a month.
To be really honest, the first time I tried to put it in, it hurt; and it took me more than 10 minutes and several wet wipes, not to mention that I had to change 5 (or more) different positions to find my way!! And when I finally managed to put it in, I didn’t feel comfortable at all for a while. It was frustrating as I thought this product would be easy to handle. However, after the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth times of using it, the whole process just got so much simpler and quicker! Practice makes perfect as the old saying proves!
Now, I’m onto my fourth month to enjoy my moon cup, and nowadays, it really only takes me 10 to 20 seconds to slide in. When I place it in the right position which I always do now, I soon forget it’s there! I used to hate having periods in the summer as it’s really uncomfortable to have a pad down there while I’m doing sports or just walking around during a hot, humid day. Now, despite all the hard work I have to do in our site, I have no discomfort at all. And the best part is that I don’t have to change pads every 3 to 4 hours anymore, I only need to empty and clean the cup twice a day. Additionally, I never had a good sleep during my period in the old days as I had to force myself to sleep straight on my back to avoid leaking. And now all the troubles of leaking and washing sheets are gone, the suction really holds well during sleep and I can sleep like a baby again.
These are the benefits I can sum up after using it for three months:
1. Payback period from 8 to 15 months (cup should last at least 10 years)
2. Waste reduction from about 20 pads, 4~5 liners and numerous tissues/toilet paper to about 10 wet wipes and 2 to 3 liners (at end of period)
3. Mood enhancing to not have to worry about changing pads or leaking during sleep
4. Physical discomfort disappeared (Let’s face it, if you have to have a pad sticking to the most sensitive part of your body, how comfortable can it be?)
5. Fruit trees receive the blood along with diluted urine
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