The postpartum period is a whole new world, but after conquering all the fears you might already be expecting, there’s the stuff you might never even have considered. For example, your tried and true methods of containing Aunt Flo may no longer work for you. When a tampon didn’t feel right for me postpartum, I tried the Flex soft disc and really wanted to like it. Read on for more info on my Flex soft disc reviews.
Some women experience sensitivity downstairs after giving birth and may be less comfortable using a tampon than they were before children. Maybe a tampon doesn’t stay put like it used to, or maybe you find them uncomfortable. Personally, I didn’t feel like it was staying in place, and would need adjusting every few hours, for quite a few months after childbirth (even after being cleared at the six-week postpartum appointment). According to Health, women who are breastfeeding or just had a baby may experience dryness (due to lowered estrogen levels) that makes tampon use more difficult. Wearing a pad only reminds us of the weeks after childbirth sporting the mesh undies and the largest pad or diaper we could find. The options can seem limited.
As a result, women are turning to progressive options for their periods, such as underwear that contain the flow, various cups that catch blood in the vaginal canal, and finally soft discs, which, compared to cups, sit up higher on the cervix, seemingly above the vagina. This option, which claims that you don’t feel anything at all, can be attractive to women who don’t want anything sitting in the vaginal canal and don’t want to wear a bulky pad. In theory, it’s a great idea: Catch the blood before it even moves to the vagina or out of the body. But there are drawbacks.
I first tried a disc called a soft disc after hearing about its potential for women who had just had babies. I was attracted to the idea that I wouldn’t feel like anything was falling out because of how high the disc sits. Originally I purchased a seemingly overpriced pack from Walgreens, watched quite a few YouTube videos on proper use, and hoped for the best. Things went pretty well, and I wore a back-up pad while I learned to use it. After gaining some confidence, I signed up for a Flex subscription, which to me is the “brand name” of soft discs and uses strong advertising on social media to encourage women to sign up for a customizable subscription. I loved the idea of having products delivered when I needed them and never having to buy feminine products at the store again. The company will even help you select how often you need delivery based on your own period specifics.
But then it happened: I had visitors at my house for a dinner party and realized I couldn’t get up from the table due to a significant, seventh-grade-horror-story-style leak. I was so frustrated that this could be happening to me in my 30s.
I hoped I had just misplaced the disc or done something wrong, so I persisted. However, I realized that after using the discs for three cycles, I still hadn’t made the jump to eliminate the “safety pad” for leaks. In spite of following all the directions, and even troubleshooting with a company representative, I ultimately leaked most of the time I used the product. I really wanted it to work, because it felt great (i.e., I couldn’t feel it at all), but in the end the mortifying prospect of leaking like in junior high won. It seems the Flex cups work great until you change position. When I would stand up or perform another drastic motion, I’d leak more than just a small amount, which became discouraging. I’d tried everything, including emptying the cup more often (I don’t have an overly heavy flow) and following all of the troubleshooting directions. In the end, the risk wasn’t worth the reward.
I still admire the company even though the product didn’t work for me. Flex features women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds on its website and boasts a sustainable product. The company’s education tools and technical support are excellent, noting that “no question is TMI” for their “flexperts,” and they definitely know there’s a learning curve. The packaging was sleek and attractive. I look forward to the company evolving even further to prevent negative experiences like mine.
I also found that, with time and recovery after childbirth, old-fashioned tampons remained the easiest option. I hope to try cups in the future once technology has caught up with the issues they present, at least for me.
FYI: Each product we mention is independently chosen, and represents the views of the writer, not Motherfigure. If you buy something through our links, Motherfigure may earn an affiliate commission.