A Guide to Menstrual Options
Image Source: Collegian Creative
Content note: The Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) website uses gendered language that assumes all people who menstruate identify as women or girls. This is not true and is not in line with the author of this article or Birth Mark’s values. Check out the resources below this article to learn more.
Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day*, a global movement to raise awareness and break the silence about menstrual hygiene management. This movement aims more broadly to address menstrual stigma through education on menstrual hygiene and political advocacy focused on improving access to menstrual products across communities.
In line with these goals, I wanted to take this opportunity to share some information on my favourite topic as a doula and sexologist: the many ways to manage periods.
This topic is dear to me in part because I had been menstruating for over 10 years when I learned about alternatives to tampons and disposable pads. Learning about these other options made me actually consider my preferences and needs for managing my period, which completely changed my experience of it over time. It also resulted in an awareness of how menstrual stigma had prevented me from learning about these options earlier because I wasn’t having conversations with anyone about period management or about periods at all. Many social norms prevent us from talking openly about menstruation, but our experiences are rich, the information is important, and our needs matter.
So what better time to start this conversation than on Menstrual Hygiene Day by sharing these options. While there is no perfect one for everyone, there is likely one (or more) that you’ll prefer over others.
To start, this visual guide from The Vagina Blog is a helpful introduction to these options and some motivations for choosing them.
Image: The Vagina Blog
Before diving into each one, here are some questions to consider:
Do you prefer an internal or external option?
What about disposable or reusable?
How much money are you able and willing to spend on managing your period?
Are you comfortable touching your menstrual blood? Your vulva?
Are you comfortable inserting fingers into your vagina?
Are you comfortable cleaning cloth pads or underwear?
Are you interested in growing your comfort in any of these areas? (Experimenting with some of these options can be a great way to do this!)
Internal options
Internal options are placed inside the vaginal canal and either absorb or collect menstrual blood. They can involve touching your menstrual blood, vulva, and vagina for insertion and removal.
Tampons: A disposable rounded cylinder made of cotton and/or rayon material that is inserted into the vaginal canal to absorb fluid for up to 6-8 hours (can vary based on flow).
There are many different types and sizes of tampons based on flow (from light to super). Some also have cardboard or plastic applicators to help insert the tampon and a string to help pull it out.
Menstrual cup: A cup made of medical-grade silicone or rubber that sits in the vaginal canal and collects fluid for up to 12 hours (can vary based on flow). Cups use suction to create an airtight seal. They cost around 25-45$ each and can last 1-3 years depending on the brand (check manual), use, and care.
If you’re a Birth Mark client who wants to learn more about cups or give them a try, you’re in luck! Birth Mark has partnered with DivaCares to make the Diva Cup more accessible to our community. You can reach out to your doula to find out more.
Menstrual disc: A disposable disc made of medical-grade polymer that sits at the base of the cervix and collects fluid for up to 12 hours (can vary based on flow). Since discs sit higher in the vaginal canal than cups, they can be worn during sex. They cost around 15$ for a pack of 12. There is also one reusable product with a disc design made of medical-grade silicone.
Menstrual sponge: Sponges are a controversial option that I don’t recommend because they require FDA approval which no company currently has. Without this approval, they are rarely advertised for periods when sold which can be confusing and make it difficult to accurately assess their safety. If considering them, I strongly recommend doing some research to make the most informed decision about your own body.
External options
External options often rest against the vulva to absorb blood that exits the body. They can involve touching menstrual blood with your hands depending on cleaning practices or leaks.
Disposable pads: A layered pad of disposable absorbent material (often bleached rayon, cotton, plastics) with an adhesive side placed in underwear to absorb fluid for up to 6 hours (can vary based on flow). There are many different types based on shape and amount of fluid they can absorb.
Cloth pads: Similar to disposable pads but typically made using absorbent cotton and/or flannel fabrics that can be washed and reused. Some have wings with snaps to keep them in place. Can last years depending on use and care. They cost 15-30$ a pad and can last years depending on use and care.
Period underwear: Similar to cloth pads, but in an underwear format. Some brands have removable pads that you replace throughout the day, while others are a full underwear with a sewn-in multilayered pad. There are many brands that now make a variety of styles (thong, bikini, short). They cost 30-45$ a pair and can last years depending on use and care.
Free bleeding: Free bleeding involves letting your flow… flow! It can be a low maintenance option depending on the heaviness of your flow and your comfort. It may also be the only option available at times due to limited access to other ones. Some folks choose regular pairs of underwear or pants that they reserve for their bleed and then pre-rinse them before washing as usual. Clothing should be changed regularly in the same way that pads need to be changed.
A few more notes on these options:
Cost and access are important considerations when exploring these options. Some of the reusable options that cost more upfront (cups, cloth pads, underwear) can save money in the long run, but this might not make them accessible to you when you need them. There is no better option, only what works for you.
A healthcare provider might recommend an external option for a specific timeframe for bleeding after a birth or after a surgical abortion. This can help you track your bleeding, lower risk of infection and might also be more comfortable. If ever in doubt about using an internal option, check in with a healthcare provider.
You can mix it up with more than one option depending on factors like how heavy your bleed is, cramping or tenderness, or if you have activities planned that work better with one.
And finally, embrace the uncertainty of learning something new. It might be uncomfortable to try something new but it can help to remember that the way you currently manage your period was also once new to you! So consider this an invitation to explore your own personal preferences and needs for managing your period. And, if you’re up for it, help break the silence this Menstrual Hygiene Day by continuing this conversation with someone else in your life!
Written by: Melissa Fuller
Abortion Doula & Sexologist (M.A.)
Resources
Menstrual Hygiene Day is not just for women: young trans people speak out
Here’s What It’s Like To Get Your Period When You’re Not A Woman