It's my cake day. Someone suggested, I should repost this every month. Incidentally, it's also been about a month since I last posted it and I still think more people could see this:

DISCLAIMER: if u is a queasy person, then maybe don't read this. it's about vaginas and the blood that comes from them and how to make that less of a nuisance. thanks.

(also if you wanna downvote, you can. but maybe a second to think about why you downvote? because if it's not relevant to /your/ interests doesn't mean it shouldn't be seen by those who have a special interest in it)

 Commonly known, if you're on your period you have two options: Tampon or Pad*

Which, as mentioned in http://imgur.com/gallery/5rqB9 can be expensive and a hassle. To make matters worse, people with vagenes in certain places get taxed on their period products because "they're not basic necessities". Thanks, Obama.

Possible TMI: With tampons you run risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (and who hasn't forgotten a tampon at least once?), it getting stuck, you forgetting to have enough spares with you, and with pads your whole crotch will be crusted in blood and still bleed on your knickers and/or pants, even if you wear a combination.

*There are also period sponges and period panties but most COMMONLY KNOWN, folks, before y'all tear me a new one.

Therefore, for your convenience, I present: the Menstrual Cup!

Any Vagina-having person should consider getting one. Possibly. This silicone (no latex for you allergics! =) contraption will:

a) Save you money because it is reusable (up to 2 years according to producers)*.

b) Lots of stress because you never need to worry about running out of period products ever again.

c) Possibly(!) reduce pain and strength of flow, as studies allegedly have shown**.

d) Help you sustain the environment by reducing your period product wastes!!

e) Be a healthier choice than a tampon, which dries out your vaginal walls and stores blood coagulated and close to the cervix, as opposed to the cup.

d) let you measure the amount you're bleeding during one period, if you need to for medical reasons (or because you're morbidly curious like me), as they're all labelled like graduated cylinders.

*Nonetheless these need to be washed after EVERY time you empty it (see more below), and I've been using mine for far longer than that. The silicone doesn't degrade much, it does discolour over time however, which is why I think they implemented the "best before".

** My source is Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cup , so enjoy with caution. Unfortunately, I cannot access the sources cited there, or I would have posted them here.

But wait, there's more!
The cups come in all sorts of sizes and colours, differing slightly in shape. There are cups for women who've given birth, cups for women with smaller vaginal canals, cups with handy loops to pull on or simply cups in purple because you're awesome, you're bleeding and you deserve your period product to be in whatever colour you bloody please.

Of course, the cups have downsides, too.

a) They're more complicated to position right at the beginning.

b) Emptying them can be messy (usually only in the beginning, too).

c) Some women never really get used to them, can feel them during their period, which understandably is uncomfortable.

d) One cup IS more expensive than buying one pack of tampons (though I've probably saved hundreds of Euros since I've started using one).

e) If you use an IUD, confer with your gyno about using one because it may dislodge it via the string of the IUD (although a tampon may do the same).

f) It may(!) damage or stretch your hymen. But then so could literally any action ever and it's not like your father is trying to sell you for three oxen (I would hope).

How to use this magical invention of beauty!

Again, possible TMI, feel free to skip this part, I don't judge you, or read it anyways because you can.

As seen in the image (which may be a bit small, sorry) you

a) fold it in half,

b) push the rim deeper into the fold,

c) insert it, not letting go of the fold (this is the tricky part, if it unfolds before you've inserted it, air enters the cup and you have to do it over again. I find it easiest to push it quickly, pressing my thumb on the bottom and sort of guiding it up to my cervix with my index.),

d) "spin" it around your cervix so it unfolds around it (this also may be tricky, if it's not on the cervix, blood will be all over the place. So take your time feeling for your cervix and positioning it right, it never sits right if you hurry this part).

e) WASH YOUR FUCKING HANDS OKAY I HOPE I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS.

If you want to empty it, I find it easiest doing it while sitting on the toilet and pulling on the lower cylindrical part. The blood then just splooshes into the toilet without getting on your legs. Be careful to firmly grip it while pulling out (mind that your vaginal cannal is curved!), or it may end up slipping out of your hands into the toilet bowl.

Do rinse with hot water thoroughly, DO NOT use regular soap on it! Your vagina's pH is sour for a reason, don't be putting them basic bubbles down there or get special pH neutral soap. They do sell special cleanser, I only use water after every emptying and DILUTED peroxide/ acetic acid after I finish my period.

Some brands apparently advise boiling it in a pan for a minute (in hot water). The salient bit is to clean it thoroughly whichever way you like without leaving any of the cleansing agent on your cup so that it could possibly come in contact with your vagina or vulva.

Since I've posted this the first time, a couple years have passed, and I'm still as in love with it as I was that first month. In my HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE PERSONAL experience, it has reduced period pains, it's made it a lot let messy, it's saved me a nice bit of money. It takes a couple of tries to get used to positioning and emptying them but so did using a tampon or a pad when you were a teenager so you can handle this, as well. I would implore you to at least give them a try.

(Also to that one asshole from last time: I'M NOT TRYING TO SELL THIS. IT'S NOT A KICKSTARTER. THEY'VE BEEN ISO13485 CERTIFIED FOR FUCKING YEARS AND ARE READILY AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET).

Obligatory cat tax, this time with my actual cat, tommie (who died). I still cri everytiem. Seriously.