Erica Rodriguez: My Testimony

In the spring of 2019, I read the book Plastic Ocean by Captain Charles Moore. Here is a link to purchase a copy of your own! I was shocked at the amount of plastic that infiltrated our lives and that we use it for such a fractional portion of its life expectancy. I began to clean up my routine at home and switched to a lot of reusable products. I got all of the trendy sustainability things: bamboo flatware, silicone snack bags, a safety razor, and switched to bar soap and shampoo. These were all pretty easy to do, and in fact I still use them all. So, when I say trendy, what I really meant was the things that were not difficult to learn. But one thing I couldn’t really wrap my mind around was using reusable menstrual care. It seemed unhygienic, awkward, and even a little bit scary.

As I was researching the products, I couldn’t seem to take my mind off them. Everyone who wrote about them had nothing but good things to say. They felt better, could be active, and were not worried about bleeding through like they had been on disposable products. There had to be something really good about making the switch. Clearly all of these women couldn’t be wrong.

When I used my menstrual cup for the first time, it was an adjustment, and it took me three cycles to be able to wear it for a complete cycle. I will not lie; there is a learning curve and for me it was a steep one. No one in my family could help me because my mom and younger sister both said the same thing I had-it looks scary. But with a little determination and research, I found a lot of resources about ways to care for my menstrual cup and myself, the best methods to use, and general advice and answers to the questions I could not find help for at home.

Now, I have not used a tampon or pad in over two years, and I too can be one of the women who can testify to the benefits of reusable menstrual care. My cycles went from 4 or 5 days to 3 days. My flow is lighter and I get less cramping and abdominal pain. I feel cleaner and am more confident wearing light colors because it is so much harder to bleed through a menstrual cup than a tampon. I can wear it overnight, and I can wear it all day. They are safe for 12 hours of continuous wear which means I only have to change twice a day. It is easy to travel with because I don’t have to take up space packing multiple products when all I need is space for one. And my very favorite part is the money I have saved. Over the course of their menstrual cycles, women spend thousands of dollars on menstrual care and now, I will never have to become a part of that statistic. Reusable products are a good thing. They are good investments and make life easier for women.

Here are a few things that helped me get through learning how to use a menstrual cup my freshman year of college:

Research: Use this and other sources to decide what seems like the best fit for your body and budget. For me, it was the menstrual cup. I have used it for over two years and never looked back. But for you, it might be period panties or reusable disks. Read about the benefits of each, the testimonials of women who have used them, and don’t be afraid to try a few different things out. Take a look at my guide for my recommended products as well.

Go slowly: Give yourself time and be patient with yourself. You may be one of the only women you know who is trying this and its quite alright to not get it perfectly the first, second, or even third cycle. It took me three cycles to be able to wear a cup for a complete cycle. This is an adjustment you are making, and you may need a bit of practice.

Find your own routine: I know well that no product is a one size fits all option. Figure out what works best for you, and the ways to use it that works best for you. Look at the suggestions tab for some of the resources that helped me learn to use my products for more information and suggestions on how to incorporate these items into your life.

Be diligent: It can be difficult to start something new, especially when it seems scary. I encourage you to know your body and know your limits. Some things do work better for others. But I would also say to be committed to giving these products a fair shot before you give up completely. It may take a few cycles to figure out how something works, but you’ll never know if you only try once. If something really doesn’t work, you don’t have to force yourself to make it work. But give them a fair chance and again, go slowly and be patient with yourself until you find the right fit.

Tell others: One of the things I’m most proud of these past two years of using my menstrual cup are the women in my life who have come to me for advice on using one themselves, and then come back later to tell me how well it works for them. Being open about what I use makes me available to my friends to ask questions. Like I said, nobody could do that for me in person, so it is an honor to be able to do it for others now. If you find something that works, tell other women about it! Encourage them to do research and try something themselves. Being an open testimonial is nothing to be ashamed of. Half of the human race menstruates, and if we find something that works, we should be there for each other encouraging and supporting other women trying to answer these questions.

Garnuu