Menstrual Cup, Compress or Menstrual Braga, what is the best option?

We are saying goodbye to plastics, unsustainable products and welcoming new, more respectful ways of living. We are experiencing a true revolution and this great change is reaching us to the most intimate part of our being: menstruation.

menstrual cups, panties that collect the flow and cloth pads and panty liners are increasingly present in our rules. There are so many natural options that we have asked ourselves, which is the best option, the cup, the menstrual panties or the cloth pads?

Like almost everything in this life, there is no one answer that works for all of us. It depends on what we are used to, how much menstrual flow we have and what our preferences are. We have heard all kinds of experiences, seen thousands of videos to learn how to use the menstrual cup and even how to make our own cloth pads. There are times when we look askance at such skill in folding cups or sewing and we are amazed at how easy it is to put on menstrual panties and not worry anymore. As sometimes it is a bit difficult to know what is better to use the cup, the menstrual panties or a cloth pad, we are going to see what pros and cons each of them have to try to choose well the first time.

How do I know if the menstrual cup is for me?

In recent years, the menstrual cup has become so popular that few people have not heard of it or touched it secretly in a store. It is true that at first it generates many doubts, will I drop it? Will I leak and stain everything? is it really comfortable? Will I know how to take it off and put it on?

Although it may not seem like it at first, it is much simpler than it seems. The cup adapts perfectly to our vagina and there are usually no leaks unless we place it wrong or exceed the time of use. What is a little more complicated is knowing how to choose the perfect menstrual cup for you.

What you should know about the menstrual cup

It is very important that you know yourself, that you know what your cycles and menstrual flow are like. There are different shapes, sizes and textures. Most likely, you won't get it right the first time and you will have to try more than one. Choose the shape, texture and rigidity that makes you feel most comfortable. For that, touch them before and manipulate them so that you get an idea of ​​what they are like.

Placing it is simple and much more if we are lubricated. Since the first days of menstruation we usually have less natural lubrication, you can use a water-based lubricant to introduce it better.

How to choose the size of the menstrual cup? Here you must take into account if you have had vaginal deliveries or not. Don't be guided by the amount of flow. It's the size of the vagina that really counts. So, depending on the brand, you will see a series of sizes and there you will find the best one for you.

Cleaning them is as simple as running them under water every time you remove it. When you finish using it in each cycle and before using it again, you can boil it to sanitize it.

Which is better, the menstrual cup or the menstrual panties?

In recent months we have not stopped seeing photos, comments and experiences of friends who have used menstrual panties and are amazed by their comfort. Even the OCU has echoed this and has carried out a study to find out what women think of menstrual panties.

Menstrual panties are apparently just like any other. Nothing different is appreciated at first glance and that is that its secret is inside. There are many brands that have launched to market them and even Etam had its great moment by launching them for sale in its stores. However, there are some pioneers here who did not think twice that this was the great solution for a healthier, more sustainable menstruation that adapts to the needs of almost all women. Cocoro knew how to understand the needs of women and has even gone beyond designing and making menstrual panties. Now we can choose thongs, culottes and different types of panties to fit our style.

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At Cocoro they say that the secret is the combination of fabrics and design. “You have to work well on the sewing systems and the measurements of the absorbent area so that the panty is effective at the level of absorption and maintains 100% comfort” they affirm.

What does a menstrual panty look like?

“They are like normal panties, only a little thicker in the bridge area, where the combination of fabrics that does the magic is found: organic cotton in the part that is in contact with the genital area, the technical (water-repellent, hydrophilic and antibacterial), and the outer fabric of the piece (cotton or polyamide, depending on the model). In addition, Cocoro panties are breathable, do not smell, and the thickness does not change with use" they explain.

Will it look like I'm wearing a diaper? is the big question and fear of the users. The answer is no. It is true that they are thicker in the area that is in contact with the vulva, but the sensation is as if we were wearing the underwear that we normally wear.

Menstrual panties win the cup for comfort. Even more so, because it is removing and putting without thinking about how to place it. It's just putting on your underwear and not worrying. Its drawback, the one most mentioned by users, is washing. Although they can be washed like cloth pads and panty liners, in cold water and in the washing machine, when there is a lot of flow you have to rub them a little before putting them in the washing machine.

How long can I wear a period panty for?

Here the flow is what counts. “The time we can wear them will depend on the flow we have and each moment of the cycle. There are women who can use menstrual panties as the only product every day of their period, others use them alone for the first few days and combine them with a menstrual cup, for example, on days when they have a lot of menstruation” they clarify from Cocoro.

At the beginning they are a greater outlay than in the case of the cup but if we take care of them they can last us for years. As they tell us from Cocoro "The technical fabric is prepared to withstand at least 60 washes, which would be equivalent to two years or 24 menstruations". Later they lose their absorption capacity, but as they themselves tell us "they can continue to be used as a normal panty". Let's be clear, nothing is thrown away here.

This is what cloth pads are like for menstruation

Fabric pads and panty liners are something very similar to panties but without the same support. They are placed like any other compress and it absorbs the menstrual flow. Of course, without toxic elements and with a fabric that does not irritate the skin of the vulva.

They have several layers and the outer one takes care of protecting the clothes. This way we save ourselves the worry of whether or not we stain what we are wearing.

They clean in cold water, just like menstrual panties, you may have to let them soak a bit before putting them in the washing machine so that all the stain is gone. As before, softener or abrasive detergents should not be used, just washing machine soap. One of the most frequently asked questions regarding cloth pads is how many cloth pads do I have to have? and there is no uniform answer here either. It depends on the flow you have and how much you have to change. But if it is your only method, at least you will have to have two to be able to change away from home.

One of the positive points of cloth pads is that they are still not found in department stores, and almost all of them come from entrepreneurs who are committed to sustainable and respectful feminine hygiene, which is why every time we buy one we do our bit to sand to projects of this type.