'I tried the period 'disc' you can even wear during sex. Here are my honest thoughts.'

I try to live sustainably, I really do. I compost all kitchen scraps, recycle almost everything else, and try to buy nothing new. I thought I had only two areas I could really improve on – an EV, and solar panels – and then, I learned about period waste.

Obviously I had an inkling that my plastic-wrapped tampons weren’t great. But I need something to bleed on, and by making sure that the wrappers went in with the soft plastics, and the box with all the cardboard, I thought I was doing my bit.

Turns out that the problem is significantly larger than that, though. Many tampons also incorporate plastic into the absorbent part. A thin layer can help hold the tightly packed cotton together, and the string can be made of polyester, or a thermoplastic polymer. 

Watch: If your period was a person. Post continues below.

On any given day, about 300 million people are menstruating. Many of them are looking at around 40 years of purchasing plastic-centric period products that will still be in existence 300 to 500 years after their one brief use.

It’s actually certain that the first pad or tampon you ever used is still languishing in a landfill somewhere, and if we consider the impact of microplastics in our soils and waterways (not to mention our bodies) – do they ever ‘completely’ break down at all?

Statistics from the Sustainable Period Project show that if the average menstruator uses 22 disposable period products per cycle, one small bag of waste is generated. Over the course of a year, that’s about 13 bags – or one wheelie bin.

A reusable, 100 per cent silicone period product can last up to 10 years with proper care, so with just one purchase you can essentially divert up to 10 wheelie bins of waste from landfill. 

I like it!

So I purposefully didn’t restock tampons this month, and got my hands on a bunch of sustainable period supplies, including what is being hailed as the world’s ‘most innovative’, ‘revolutionary’ period disc.

What is it?

On the website, the Hello Disc is described as a 'premium medical-grade silicone menstrual disc' co-designed by ‘cup and disc expert’ Kim Rosas and a registered nurse. 

It’s made by Hello Period, a NZ company and certified B corp that (at time of writing) has diverted 505,876,089 period products from landfills around the world. Which is... huge.

The disc can be worn for eight hours, holds 50ml of blood and suits all cervix heights. Since it doesn’t use suction to stay in place, it can even be worn with an IUD.

It’s also being called a ‘game changer’ due to its ability to be worn during penetrative intercourse for mess-free period sex. 

How do you use it?

I have never used a cup or a disc before, so I’m not gonna lie – I was nervous.

What if I can’t get it up there? What if I can’t get it out? What if it leaks and I think I’m ‘protected’ but actually I’m getting around with period blood all over my pants?

(That actually happened to me when I was 15.)

My cycle arrived, as usual, like the fast and the furious. The first two days are nothing short of a massacre, and I’ve legitimately wondered how I don’t die from blood loss. 

The period disc had been sterilised in preparation (boiled for three minutes, inside a whisk to prevent scalding — best tip!) and was now cool and ready to go.

I shut myself in the bathroom, ordered all kids and dogs not to come in and pored over the little instruction booklet. The disc has a double-loop tab for fuss-free removal, which can also be worn in four different positions.

Tab tucked (for sexy times) 

Tab dropped (for a high cervix)

Tab flipped (for average / unknown cervix)

Tab trimmed (second loop cut-off)

This was quite a lot to take in on our maiden voyage, so I just left the tab dropped, as is, and figured I’d play around with other options later. 

Following the directions, I folded the disc in half, longways, and inserted it so that the tab was the last part to enter my body. Once it was as far up as it would go, I pushed the rim up so that it tucked neatly behind my pubic bone. 

It was in! I did it! Success.

What’s the verdict?

First thoughts were how easy it had been to insert it, and how comfortable it was to wear. Tampons have always felt ‘bulky’ to me, and sometimes you sit a certain way and they actually hurt. Not to mention the feeling of pulling them out. EW. But I could not feel the menstrual disc AT ALL and I instantly loved that.

Because apparently I like to live dangerously, the first time I wore it – literally straight after I got it in – I went and did a strong yoga class. I didn’t have any ‘back up’ and I did catastrophise that the disc might pop out of place and dramatically, publically, splatter my leggings with blood during a downward dog.

There was zero leakage, though, and even in very challenging positions I still couldn’t feel it. I left it in all day to put it through its paces – even wore a light-coloured thong to make sure that any slip-ups didn’t get past me. There was no sign of blood, though – none! And I ended up removing it just so I could check I actually did have my period.

In summary – I am a convert.

I used it my entire cycle, day and night without issue. If it wasn’t for removing and emptying it a few times (easy, satisfying, not as messy as I thought) I honestly wouldn’t even have known I was ‘on’.

Knowing I’ll never have to buy tampons again feels freeing AF. Will recommend this to anyone who’ll listen.

Carly is a Mamamia contributor, you can connect with her here.

Have you used a period disc before? What are your thoughts? Share with us in the comment section below. 

Feature image: Supplied.