Hey you! Did you know everyone has a completely unique menstrual experience? From cycle lengths to PMS to first period products, everyone is different! Did you know that by talking about our experiences openly, we’re able to learn more about each other and ourselves? Yup! In fact, we believe that talking about our bodies helps us have better relationships with them.
From a young age we are taught to feel shame for having a period, and that stigma has stuck with a lot of people throughout their lives. Period conversations are often dismissed for being too taboo, or outright inappropriate. As a result, people who menstruate can find it hard to practice self-love.
Bleed & Tell is a blog series where people are proudly sharing their period product stories – including how they ended up using nixit and why they love it! Keep reading to find out their #1 tip for new nixit users.
What was your go-to period product before nixit?
Before nixit, my go-to period product felt like a short journey. My mom started me out with Always with Wings. Pads were all I knew. My mom used tampons, but I wasn't there as a newbie yet. A year or two later, I tried one, but I hated feeling it there all day. Then one day, I saw "Instead Soft Cup" in the period aisle. I picked it up and read it. I was curious. I went home and went to their website. I ended up picking up a box before my next period. There was no going back. Discs were where it was at! I had been seeing my current boyfriend for three years by then. We were having sex. I wanted to know that period time could be on the table without a blood bath. Instead turned out to be the perfect solution. I hung out with Instead for 10 years!
What sort of pain points did you experience with Instead?
About five years ago, “Instead Softcup” went through some financial troubles. They started being hard to find. Their price often tripled when I could find them! Finally, they were bought out by a company called Flex. You could buy them by subscription. The costs remained far higher than what I was used to paying. I also didn't like not being able to run to the store and pick up supplies if I was having a strange, long period. Diva Cups and other cup products were being heavily marketed by this time. Like tampons, videos said you could feel them in your vaginal canal, which bothered many people. I knew that would be me. I started to think there had to be a reusable disc solution. I found out that there were! Now was the time to choose. First, I went with a Ziggy Disc. The problem was that it was so soft that I couldn't laugh, cough, or sneeze without leaking. I decided to try again. That's how I found nixit.
How many cycles did it take you to nail nixit? What's your #1 tip for others who might be having a tricky time?
As a soft cup veteran, it took me one cycle to nail it with nixit! Based on the Ziggy cup, I was a little nervous to laugh at first, but it only took a few laugh fests with my husband to be at ease. The second thing I worried about was learning to keep them clean. But I read the instructions and watched some videos. There are several ways to clean your cup. I got a good rhythm for that. It has been the most effortless period evolution I have ever gone through.
My advice for new users would be to not take yourself too seriously! 50% of the population is doing this. If you need help with how to do something, go to YouTube. Some people have made entire channels out of these things! Finally, it's your body, don't be afraid to touch it. Remember, wash your hands.
What do you love the most about nixit now? Why would you encourage others to try it?
I don't know if there is ONE thing that I love most about nixit. I love so many things. I love that I have cut my menstrual spending by $500 in the past two years! I love that I have put about 336 fewer menstrual cups in the landfill! I love that I can have clean period sex with my husband! He has gone through all of this with me. Thank you, husband (he's the same boyfriend from the start of this!). I love that when I pack for a long trip, I pack one small box or just my little nixit drawstring bag. I don't fill a big pouch of products. I don't think about running out in a foreign country to find more. I feel like there are so many positives! Just get your own and find out!
nixit menstrual cup
$42.00
At nixit, we make menstrual cups simple. Our disc-style menstrual cup is made from ultra soft silicone with a unique, one size fits all shape. No confusing sizes, no awkward folds. A simple period cup design that conforms to you. Now FSA/HSA reimbursement… read more
