Saalt Menstrual Cup 2-Pack - Premium Design - Most Comfortable Period Cup - #1 Active Cup - Wear for 12 Hours - Soft, Flexible, Reusable Medical-Grade Silicone (Regular Blue/Small Pink)

It was a long journey, but after a year I cannot imagine using anything elseIt does sometimes puts pressure on my bladder and I do need a break, but 95% of time, you just forget it's there. If not for the cramps, you just forget about being on your period.*Before pregnancy, it did not fit well because of my build, but after, the blue cup is just amazing.*

Okay so a little history for me, I have always had really heavy periods, I'm talking the not able to leave the house kind of periods, the type that consume you for the few days a month that you are on. I have to use double protection (super size) pads and tampons, which have to be changed so frequently I would avoid going out or doing anything during this time. I lost sleep from being uncomfortable at night and having to dash to the toilet constantly to avoid ruining yet another item of clothing/bedding and felt uncomfortable throughout anyway due to passing clots etc.. you get the gist, I have been having a bad time every month, the only exception to this being the blissful 9 months of pregnancy and 9 months breastfeeding my son that held the dreaded period at bay. This may be TMI but I want to illustrate just how bad my periods have been throughout my adult life. So last week a few days before my period was due I took the plunge and ordered a Saalt cup, I have wanted to try a cup for a while, mostly due to the environmental impact of sanitary waste but also to see if there was another way to make my periods more tolerable. Well I have to say this is the best decision I could have made. This cup has enabled me to continue about my weekend as if I were not even on my period. Once you get the knack of the placement (there are lots of instructional videos on line, I would definitely recommend you watching some beforehand) its comfortable to wear and secure. I did use a small pad for some added protection just in case it didn't work but I really didn't need to bother. This may sound a bit over the top but this Saalt cup has changed my life! My husband even said this morning he'd noticed a difference in me. I have been able to go out all weekend with no worries about flooding or getting caught short without a toilet. One thing I will say is that as my periods are heavy the cup can be somewhat messy to change and I haven't yet had enough practice to mean I would be confident changing it anywhere but my own bathroom on the heaviest days. Having said that this wasn't an issue for me as I was only out of the house for a maximum of 6 hours at any point which meant that I didn't need to empty the cup whilst I was out. If you've been thinking about it I urge you to try this set, they're great. Just do some research/watch some videos and find one that's a good quality and take the plunge. This cup is fantastic, made from soft silicone that is sturdy enough not to loose its shape, its so comfortable. Its easy to insert and remove with the help of a flexible stem and the soft rings around the base of the cup aid you when removing it. It will take a bit of getting use to but after the initial worry of getting it in the right place I have had no issues. I had seen some reviews from people saying that they had to make a dash to a hospital to have it removed but now having used one I really don't see how that can happen, it must be a very rare occurrence. Oh and to top it off Saalt work with charities that support women and girls around the world suffering from period poverty. So there you have it, good for you, good for the environment and good for your soul.. what more can you ask for!! I just wish I had bought these sooner!

FIRST TIME USER SAALT REVIEW:My overall opinion:even though I am only 2 cycles in, this product is a game changer! I will never go back to painful dry tampons again!I bought the smaller saalt cup, and I do have heavy periods, which means that for me it does not last 12 hours. Once I am used to it, I will buy the larger cup for sure!The saalt cup itself:The pink colour is great, I’ve read other reviews for cups that have transparent design and the discolouring is a bit gross, but with this pink one, I can’t see any issues of discolouring.The silicone material is nice and sturdy, it feels good, I like that its not thin & flimsy, also I don’t feel the string at all. Blood does get stuck in the holes at the top, but I just stretch it open & run under a tap to get it out.The packaging is gorgeous and the bag is lovely! I was really impressed with the presentation! The only thing I’d say is that the plastic at the top of the packaging is nice, but in this current day & age we need to use less plastic.BEFORE YOU BEGIN:So, for first users like myself I recommend you check out youtube videos, in particular I found 'How to insert & remove a menstrual cup' by Red Herring a very helpful video, I also left a comment and she wrote back with tips. Super lovely person! Mama menstrual cup of the internet! There are so many great women on youtube sharing their experiences, go watch a whole bunch, it’ll help reassure you!Overall tip: for your first few uses do NOT plan to leave the house! Trust me on this, stay at home.1.0 INSERTING TIPSGetting it in for the first time was daunting, I used a 'C-fold' but I found this was just too big! I now use a 'punch down fold'. With a narrower head it’s much much easier to insert.So for my first time I didn't insert it correctly and it caused painful pressure on my bladder and it didn't catch the bleeding. I now no longer experience this problem by using the different fold & with calm experience on my side, getting it in only takes a minute or two, easily and as quick as a tampon.2.0 REMOVING TIPSA. I pinch the string and use it to wiggle the cup from side to side (quite a bit!) to help it lower down (this does most of the work for me)B. By this point it should be much lower than the original position and starting to poke out, I'm able to pinch the base to get it out moreC. Now I am able to do the ‘hot dog in a bun’ technique, which for me by far is the best way to successfully fold the top of the cup whilst it’s still inside you so that it is not painfully stretching you when you remove it, I learnt this on YouTube by ‘Previous Stars Pads’ video, called ‘how to remove your menstrual cup, pain free!’ Are you considering using a cup for the first time? My advise is; do it!! The first few times will literally be a nightmare but you will surprise yourself! *edit* I'm 3 cycles in and using it like a pro! I went from absolute nightmare to easy peasy!Found this helpful? Please press the 'helpful' button below! Good luck!* edit* - post 5 months useSadly my technique of using the string to help it lower before pinching the base has resulted in the string part breaking. I now know this is because I have a high cervix. I will try using a different brand cup that is longer in shape. I still think this is a fantastic product, perhaps more so for those who have a lower/medium cervix. For me, even the bottom of the string is hard to find D: