I've gotten a couple of e-mail requests about the Instead Softcups menstrual cup and my opinion of those types of disposable cups. I figured that if multiple people were interested in my opinion of these then perhaps it would be beneficial to post about the Instead Softcups here as well.
The Instead Softcups have been out in stores for awhile. In high school, my best friend had discovered these while shopping in CVS Pharmacy and had raved about how great they were. So, when I turned 17 or so I decided to make a purchase of a box of these nifty cups as well. After all, I had not even heard of menstrual cups before so it was a little exciting to find this gem.
My first couple of experiences with the Instead cups were horrible. I inserted one, per the instructions, one night before bed. Insertion was strange since I couldn't seem to get the cup to stay behind my pubic bone like the pamphlet wanted. The cup rim kept popping back out and wouldn't stay put. It was a little frustrating.
When I woke up I was sore inside and had leaked onto my back-up pad. The soreness I thought was perhaps from my trying to hook the lip of the rim behind my public bone so much the night before. I waddled down to our bathroom and attempted to remove the cup. It was a pretty painful, messy experience.
I attempted to use the Instead Softcups for that entire period. I won't lie, I shed some tears upon each removal. The pain was very sharp. It was too painful and too messy to continue. I trashed the rest of my box of these gadgets and vowed that I would stick to my reliable, disposable pads. (Boy, I've come a long way!)
A few years later I ran into the Instead Softcups again while in the local pharmacy. I was in need of some pads and thought that I should give these cups a shot again. I made the purchase and went on my merry way. While my second time with using these cups was definitely not as painful, it was still messy since the cups still didn't seem to stay in place and would cause a great deal of leakage. Again, I trashed the box after a cycle worth of trying and made the vow to never go back to these dreadful things.
I've since been in communication with the Instead Softcups customer service. It was advised that these cups are one-size-fits-most but not all. I am a minority, it seems, in that my vaginal area is smaller than typical. This means the cup is simply too large for me, and this explains both the painful removal and the movement of the cup. They recommended I find another menstrual product.
Now that I've learned about reusable cups and pads, I definitely never recommend Instead Softcups. I never had a pleasant experience with those cups and I think if women generally tried that brand before seeking out a reusable cup then they would be discouraged from looking for something that actually works well. I have read many stories about women raving about the Instead Softcups, but it really needs to be said that they absolutely are not for everyone and could result in a very negative experience.
So, save your money, trouble, and the environment by skipping the Instead Softcups and going for another brand of cup or reusable pads.
