Ok, now onto the real topic behind today's episode... my period. Ewee right! Why the hell would I talk about that? Well a friend of mine over at For the Love of the Run was looking for some active ladies to give a product a try.
Now, I am not the runner today that I will be one day, but I do my best. I really am having a hard time juggling this work, kid, husband, house, blah, blah, blah thing. I think I'm doing well and then I realize, I'm still not doing the healthy things I want to do. That aside, I am more active than enough people and the incentive to try this product was totally worth my time.
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| How most women feel during their period. |
What is this fantabulous product you are asking???
It's an Instead Soft Cup. Here is where I will tell you that the opinion in this blog is mine, all mine!! They have provided me with product, they will compensate me by paying for a future race, but the review is in no way influenced by them. And you can believe that, because it took me about 5 months to formulate an opinion! Truth be told, I have used Soft Cups before. A friend from my retail days told me about them. So when I saw them in the store, I gave them a shot. This was, oh about 8 or so years ago. I didn't like them then. The reason I did this challenge was because I was looking to see if maybe something had changed with the product design or that maybe my body was different after having a child and things would fit better. Now, it did take about 5 tries before I got it right.
What do I mean by right?? After this point will be some detail that maybe not everyone would want to read, feel free to go check Facebook. I suggest the For the Love of the Run page or the Spartan Race page (196 days until the PA race!!!) or the I Heart to Run page, but that's just me.
By that I mean, I didn't have leaking, I didn't have cramps, I didn't have pressure on my rectum that resulted in a sudden urge to evacuate. This product really won me over by giving me about 10 hours of 'coverage' when my period was uber heavy. Normally my flow is very slight. Well, I had a whopper one month and I went through a super tampon in about an hour. Holy inconvience! So I thought... hey, let's give those Soft Cups a try and BAM! No leakage all day.
As you can see above, I went to the tampon first, even after a few months... why? Because I was lazy. I didn't feel like getting my hands dirty (yes literally) and possibly not having it sit right. But it worked like a charm that day. When I used the rest room I did notice some leakage into the toilet. I simply repositioned it and had no problem during the rest of my day.
So maybe you want to try this for yourself? Here is some frank advice that might help guide you along: they are bigger than you'd like them to be. So when you open your first one and look at it and think about where it has to go, don't be intimidated! It will fit. Since they are kind of large, practice putting them in. Let's just say when you don't practice putting them in, and go to bed with one early in your usage, it may not end well. This comes from experience. So practice. Also, practice is important to prevent it from giving you one amazingly painful cramp. As I stated above, they certainly push on the rectum and help some things along when not in the right placement. They also will give you a cramp so bad you double over in pain if not placed right... so practice! Once you have the fit and technique to get it in your body right, none of the above occur.
Initially I didn't like this product, but I gave it a bit more time and now I am a convert. I had to re-read the FAQs and give it another go and you may have to as well, but it is worth your time. Why is it worth your time?? Because you'll enjoy not having to worry if you leaked through your pants. I enjoy not having to say... 'Whew, good thing I'm in a lab coat all day'.
So that is all for this review. 2013 is going to be the year I step up my game. I'm sure I said this about 2012, but I will not say it for 2014 unless I am taking it to a new level, that however is a topic for another day. I look forward to the Soft Cup helping me move through my period and activities so that I am not slowed down by having to change anything if my Aunt Flo visits during an important race or event.
Happy New Year all!
