AD GIFTED-You know we are always open and honest over here at Seek. Although this product was gifted, these are still our honest thoughts.
Cramps, out of control hormones and chocolate cravings…. and sometimes a sense of existential doom. Periods, am I right?
Me and my womb have been on quite a journey. From experiencing incredible, wonderfully light periods back when I was 18. To being fairly average ( average pain, average cramps) but with very bad mood swings in my early 20s whilst on the pill. To experiencing my natural period briefly at 26, which had apparently turned into a world ending, incredibly painful and heavy, mother of all periods. I then had a brief stint with the copper IUD which was a level up from my natural one. I’m talking, unable to stand up, curled up in a ball on the floor crying and demanding pain pills. Now, at 29, I have the Mirena IUD and have light but sporadic and painful periods that come on when I least expect it. And although they are light, they are not light enough not to wear anything at all but just enough to stain multiple pairs of pants and make everything feel a bit uncomfortable.
All in all, I have experienced a wide range of periods and symptoms and have a good understanding of what it is to have a troublesome period. I have found that most of the time, movement of some description has often helped me through my varying period symptoms. Whether it’s a mental boost from taking a long walk, doing yoga to help ease the cramps or going for a run to get the hormonal rage out. My problem has often been not finding quite the right solution that allows me to move freely and be comfortable whilst bleeding and moving.
I have found it especially hard to find something that works with these weird, light and painful periods that I experience at the moment. Tampons are overkill, Pads feel too bulky, plus they really irritate my bits, which is not AT ALL comfy. I love period pants but they are not the best for working out as I also happen to be gifted with very efficient sweat glands so I end up finding the whole experience of working out in period pants a bit… wet.
Luckily, I have been gifted a Ziggy Cup 2 from Intimina to try out and give my honest thoughts on.. Exciting stuff! Shall we get into it then?
First things first, What is a Ziggy Cup 2?
The Ziggy Cup 2 is a reusable menstrual cup ( also referred to as a menstrual disc) with a flat fit design made for people with a medium to heavier flow. You can use it for up to 2 years, plus you can wear it whilst having an IUD which I had previously thought was a no go.
Okay, so now you know what it is, let’s see how easy it is to use.
Insertion
Before you do anything, you need to sterilise your Ziggy Cup 2 in boiling water for 5 mins. I initially missed this as it’s not on the written instructions, however, I did find it on their website. They actually have all the manuals for how to use the menstrual cups on there, see here, which explain the whole process. And for those that like more of a ‘how to’ instructional video, they have those too on YouTube.
So after I sterilised it, I attempted insertion. I won’t lie, it took me a few attempts to get it in and then in the right position. I am a menstrual cup virgin so have no prior experience of this so if I can do it, you can do it! There is a tab located in the front of the cup which you face away from your cervix and pelvic bone to insert its rim facing outwards. You put it in like a tampon without an applicator but then you aim it down toward your cervix and sort of tuck the front end behind your pelvic bone. If, like me, you are slightly unsure of the locations of all these things. Trust me, once you get it in there, it will all become clear. Plus there are helpful diagrams on the box and on their website, as well as the YouTube videos previously mentioned, after looking at all these you’ll get the gist.
It has reinforced, flexible petal thin body so it fits the the shape of your body. And honestly, once it’s in, you can not feel it. A bit like a tampon but without the annoying string that you inevitably end up weeing on.
The insertion does take some getting used to . For those who aren’t used to doing much internally in their vagina it might feel especially alien. I will say it’s a great way to get to know your body and will help you understand how it all works which is always a bonus.
Taking it out
Like with everything, what goes up must come down and what goes in must come out! I was a little nervous about taking out the menstrual disc. There was a moment of panic as I felt I wasn’t sure I would be able to get it out, but after relaxing I got it out and it was fairly easy.
There is a ribbed tab for slip free removal but it was definitely a little slippery. I think the key to it is just be patient and with practice it all feels far more easy to remove. After disposing of the contents of the cup (you can just pour it down the loo). You need to rinse it off and then reinsert. Or, if you are done using it, you can wash it with soap and water.
Experience day to day
It’s been really quite excellent, you sort of forget you are wearing it. My day usually consists of at least some walking as I have two dogs, and it was nice to go for a long walk and not worry about leaking or irritation from tampons and pads.
As you can wear the Ziggy Cup 2 for up to 8 hours, it was good to relax and not be worried about needing to change often.
Working out
There are often times where I don’t feel like working out or moving my body in any way whilst on my period. Especially on day one. Low mood, pain and just not feeling particularly comfortable are all factors. However, I know that moving my body is good for my mental health so I try to do something physical. So of course, I had to test it out with a run!
It was hands down the best work out experience I’ve had on my period. I couldn’t feel it, I felt all free down there and unrestricted. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about leaking as Ziggy Cup 2 has a leak proof double rim.
My usual go to for working out whilst on my period would be period pants ( I am a big fan ). But as previously mentioned, it can get a bit sweaty as they are so absorbent and can get a bit uncomfortable. It was nice to use this instead and basically feel completely unencumbered( and a lot less sweaty down there).
Moving my body in some way usually helps me to feel a bit more human and normally gives me some pain relief. Even if it’s just a slow walk with the dogs with, maybe, a stop off at the shop for some chocolate. I feel that I can get a bit down around my period too and exercise is one of the ways I can lift myself. Plus it’s a way of showing myself a bit of extra love in what can be a difficult time.
Sex!
One of the great features of this menstrual disc is that it allow you to have mess free period sex! Yup, you read that right. Because of it’s flat fit design it allows for comfortable sex and stops the mess. Although there are other cups out there that you can use during sex, this one is the only reusable one so this gets the eco friendly points! Now, I know that it is very much a personal choice as to whether sex is right for you on your period. But! There are benefits. Having intercourse and orgasms can help with period cramps, see this blog post. It’s great to have the option of mess free period sex and having another method for calming those cramps can only be a good thing!
Overall
I found the Ziggy Cup 2 a sort of ‘put in and forget’ method. You can’t feel it and it did not get in the way of anything I was doing.
I particularly think this is a good option if you are going on holiday as it would be great for swimming. Unlike tampons which you should be taking out every time you get out of the water, you can just keep it in. No more soggy tampon string and no more annoying hunts for loos at the seaside. You can also wear it for up to 8 hours at a time which is plenty of pool/ sea and relaxed sunbathing time without being worried.
Takeaways
- You cannot feel it and it does not feel like you are on your period ( apart from the cramps)
- Very good for movement of any kind
- The freedom of a tampon without the annoying string.
- Good over longer periods of time
- Excellent for periods like mine that are light and sporadic
- You can use with an IUD
In general, I just want to be able to keep doing the things that bring me joy, help with the pain and look after my mental health during my period and this is a great tool that can help me do that.
My final thoughts
Now I can’t tell you that the Ziggy Cup 2 is going to solve all your period problems because it won’t. There is far more work to be done in the world of reproductive health and medicine. But. if you are looking for a tool that can help you get though your period with more ease and one that allows you to to jump, run, play, swim, have sex, and just generally have fun and enjoy yourself then maybe this one is for you.
For those of you who aren’t able to do a lot of movement during your period due to pain or low energy or whatever reason. You still deserve a good solution that means you can have a better period experience. If all you can do on your period is be curled up with a water bottle, you still need something that feels comfortable and is up to scratch . Everyone who bleeds has their own unique experience, so it makes sense that what we all feel comfortable doing whilst on our period is going to differ too.
If you want to check out a Ziggy Cup 2 for yourself you can find it here. Let us know if you are going to be trying one in the comments!
