Bleeding management products(II)
Bleeding management products (II)
The cervix or cervix is the final, lower and narrowest area of the uterus that connects the uterus to the vagina. The position of the cervix varies throughout the menstrual cycle: during ovulation, the cervix is in a high position and is soft and moist, while after ovulation its position is lower and becomes hard and dry. To the touch, it resembles the tip of the nose. During menstruation the cervix opens slightly to allow menstrual blood to escape.
To locate the cervix you will simply have to insert a finger (after washing your hands) inside the vagina and look for a small, somewhat round and elevated protrusion with a small bump in the middle.
Menstrual disc: there is a single-use alternative and a reusable alternative. Its function is similar to the menstrual cup, but they have some different ones; The first is that with the disc you can have sexual relations with penetration when it is worn. The second is that it is a good alternative for those who have a shorter cervix and do not feel comfortable with the cup or have a weakened pelvic floor. Third, the disc is usually placed deeper in the vagina than the cup. The fourth, that the useful life of the reusable disc is about 2 years, compared to 10 for the cup. The last difference is that, as its use is less widespread, there are fewer manufacturers options than the cup.
Sponge:These are natural sea sponges. We must ensure that they have been collected in an ocean-friendly way or raised for this purpose. In any case, this can already be an impediment for some people. They are reusable, practical and ecological because once their use is finished they are organic remains. Depending on the flow of your period, menstrual sea sponges can retain fluid for 6 to 8 hours. To place them in the vagina, use the index finger and insert them to the end of the vagina. To clean it, add a little hand soap to the sponge and rinse it under hot water, then wring it out to leave it as dry as possible.
Menstrual panties: these are panties generally made from cotton or organic cotton that have an absorbent area placed in the lower area of the vulva, with several layers that provide between 8 and 12 hours of protection, preventing leaks and sensation of humidity and that neutralize odor and bacteria. Nowadays it is possible to even find menstrual bikinis that have the same function!
Free bleeding must also be mentioned , as it is another perfectly valid menstrual bleeding management technique. Free bleeding consists of not using any product and evacuating the blood directly into the toilet, on the ground or into a container that we use for this purpose.
Bleeding during menstruation does not work as if it were a permanently open tap, but is expelled through the vagina due to contractions of the uterus, which cause the endometrium to become detached. Free bleeding requires self-knowledge that allows us to identify these contractions to feel when our body is preparing to evacuate this blood so that we have time to evacuate it wherever we want. In fact, there are people who, through body awareness work with the pelvic floor muscles, manage to retain the opening of the cervix to evacuate blood when they want.
