A baobabe experience from someone who is generally cynical about most things and definitely hates change. “I am Bianca. A 26 year old creature of habit from Johannesburg. I own a salon and with this comes working with women from all walks of life and ages, daily. We all have different experiences when it comes to our monthly cycle and I get a glimpse of this with all the women who come into my salon. I would like to shed some light on my experience with the Baobabe Menstrual Cup with the hope that it will help someone who is just as cynical as I once was to change their minds about these magical little silicone marvels. I have always been the girl who was told that there are specific products you use during your cycle and that was the end of it. I had a friend who had mentioned how a cup had changed her life but I brushed it off and thought to myself “no way”! A while ago I was reminded of the cup when I saw the craze hitting social media platforms. Our generation is becoming more environmentally conscious and as women this is one of the steps we are taking to help ensure future generations will have less pollution to deal with. I did some research on the cups before being introduced to Kayleigh and watched a few videos but again thought to myself, they want me to put that thing where?! I could never. I was comfortable with the usual sanitary products on the market...why would I want to change now?One evening while chatting to Kayleigh about the Baobabe Menstrual Cup she sensed how skeptical I was. She showed me all the different cups on the market and explained what makes Baobabe different from all the rest. She also showed me the different sizes the cup is available in. Cups are a personal thing so this is not going to be a one size fits all scenario. Throughout the conversation I thought she was mad and I would never go that route. After much thought I eventually decided I would give it a try. My cycle was set to arrive any day now so what did I have to lose? I am under 30 and have never had a child naturally so I went with cup size 1, the smallest in the range.I received my cup from Baobabe packaged in the cutest little environmentally friendly box along with an information leaflet. Inside the box is your cup along with its storage pouch. The cup itself is black unlike most other cups on the market. This is to help hide the discoloration that will happen to your cup over time. I received my cup about a week before my cycle and Kayleigh had advised me to try inserting it a few times before my cycle started to get the feel of it. This helps you feel if the cup has been inserted correctly and reduces the chances of a leak during your cycle. You should not be able to feel the cup at all once it has been inserted. One of my concerns was what if I lose my cup? Well the answer to that is simple, it can’t go anywhere so no disappearing cups, I promise. I have always struggled with a heavy flow so naturally when my cycle arrived and I had to use my cup for the first time I was a nervous wreck. I had visions of my cup overflowing, this alone scared me. I inserted my cup, packed a few of the usual sanitary products “just in case” , and off I headed to work. When I was advised you could wear the cup for 12 hours at a time I was not convinced, considering the amount of standard sanitary products I would go through during my cycle in a normal month. Needless to say I was wrong. I went through my day with not a single leak. This was life changing for me. I could go through a whole day of dealing with clients and not constantly need to get up and change sanitary items and check if I was leaking. Removal of the cup was simple. Simply pinch the bottom to release the seal and pull down on the little stem at the end to remove. If you feel that this is difficult you just squeeze your stomach muscles which will help bring the cup down. The cup has a little ball at the end of the stem which helps you to grip it for easy removal. My experience with the Baobabe cup has been life changing. I cannot see myself ever being able to go back to the traditional sanitary products on the market and I will do my best to educate other woman on just how amazing this product is. It also makes me feel good to know that in some small way I will be helping change the planet and the earth we leave behind for the generations that follow.
