Pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and discs: How to choose and use

Q: How do I actually choose between pads, tampons, a cup, or a disc based on my flow + lifestyle (like long work shifts, the gym, or traveling), and what’s the real learning curve?

A: Think of period products like tools, not a personality test. You’re allowed to mix and match.

Pads are low-effort and good for heavy flow, sleep, and “I cannot be perceived today” energy. Tampons are great for movement and swimming but can feel dry and need changing every 4–8 hours. Menstrual cups are reusable, hold a lot, and can go up to 12 hours—solid for long shifts, travel, and busy days. Discs sit higher, can handle very heavy flow, feel invisible for many people, and some are sex-friendly.

Heavier flow or long days? Cup or disc + backup liner. Super sensitive or anxious about insertion? Start with pads/tampons and experiment at home. The learning curve for cups/discs is real (1–3 cycles), but once you get it, it’s autopilot.

If you want to talk through your exact flow, schedule, and “I refuse to bleed through my jeans again” fears, Chat with Gush and get into the specifics of your cycle and lifestyle.

How to choose between pads, tampons, menstrual cups and discs for your period

Step 1: Know what each product actually does well

Let’s strip the marketing off and get honest.

Pads
- External, stick to underwear.
- Great for: beginners, sleep, super heavy days, people with vulvar/vaginal pain or trauma, post-birth bleeding.
- Pros: No insertion, easy to change anywhere, good backup for leaks.
- Cons: Can feel bulky, sweaty, chafey if cheap or scented; more trash.

Tampons
- Internal, sit in the vaginal canal.
- Great for: sports, swimming, days you don’t want to feel blood.
- Pros: Familiar, widely available, discrete to change.
- Cons: Can cause dryness, need changing every 4–8 hours, slightly higher TSS risk than cups.

Menstrual cups
- Flexible silicone bell that sits low in the vagina and collects blood.
- Great for: long shifts, travel, sleep, saving money, heavy flow.
- Pros: Up to 12 hours, reusable for years, less dryness.
- Cons: Real insertion/removal learning curve, public bathrooms can be awkward.

Menstrual discs
- Flat-ish disc that sits in the vaginal fornix (behind the cervix).
- Great for: very heavy flow, sex during period (with some brands), people who don’t like the “suction” feel of cups.
- Pros: Often hold more than cups, can feel super invisible once placed.
- Cons: Messier to remove at first, steeper anatomy learning curve.

Step 2: Match your period product to your actual flow

Your flow isn’t random; it’s tied to hormone rhythms.

During your period (Day 1–5-ish)
- Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone are low.
- Result: Uterus sheds its lining—aka bleeding.
- Flow pattern: Often heaviest Days 1–2, then tapers.

Light flow / spotting
- Late-period days or super light periods.
- Best options: Thin pads, liners, light tampons, small cup/disc, or reusable period underwear.
- Watch out for: Tampons on very light days can feel dry and irritating.

Medium flow
- That “normal but annoying” level.
- Best options: Regular tampons, mid-capacity cups/discs, standard pads.

Heavy flow / clots
- Soaking a pad/tampon every 1–2 hours? Passing clots bigger than a quarter?
- Best options: High-capacity cup or disc + backup pad/period underwear; overnight pads for sleep.
- If you routinely leak through everything or feel dizzy, exhausted, or short of breath, that’s not “just being a woman.” That’s a reason to get your iron and hormones checked.

If your flow is unpredictable (PCOS, new on/off birth control, postpartum), having a “toolkit” (pads + tampons + 1 reusable option) gives you options when your uterus goes freestyle.

If none of these boxes feel like they fit your exact chaos—irregular cycles, random heavy days, new birth control, mystery cramps—your experience is valid, not “dramatic.” Talk it through with Gush and map a period setup that actually fits your life.

Step 3: Match products to your lifestyle (gym, work, travel, sex)

Long work or school shifts (8–12+ hours)
- Goal: Fewer bathroom runs, no “did I bleed through?” panic.
- Good combos:
- Cup or disc (12-hour wear) + thin liner as backup.
- If you’re not into internal products yet: overnight pads (even during the day) + dark clothes + pack spares.

Gym, sports, and swimming
- Internal products win here.
- Tampons: Easy entry option. Choose absorbency based on flow, never bigger “just in case” (that ups dryness and TSS risk).
- Cups: Great if you do lots of bending, lifting, running—once sealed, they usually don’t budge.
- Discs: Often feel the most “nothing there” once placed, good for intense movement.

Travel
- Airplane + traffic + sketchy public bathrooms = minimal-change products.
- Cups/discs: You can usually go a whole flight + airport time without changing.
- If you’re nervous: bring travel wipes, a water bottle to rinse in the stall sink, or just empty + reinsert without a full wash once (that’s fine for most people).

Sleep
- Tampons technically max at 8 hours, so they’re risky for long sleep.
- Better options: Cup, disc, or overnight pad/period underwear.

Sex
- Traditional cups and tampons: No for penis-in-vagina sex.
- Some discs: Can stay in during penetrative sex (check brand guidance). They usually sit out of the way, but not for everyone.
- If you’re horny on your period (thanks, hormone dip + prostaglandins), a disc can be a game-changer.

The real learning curve: how long it takes to “get” cups and discs

Pads
- Learning curve: Basically zero.
- Hardest part: Finding a brand that doesn’t irritate your vulva (hint: unscented, breathable, not plasticky).

Tampons
- Learning curve: A few cycles tops.
- Tips:
- Angle back toward your tailbone, not straight up.
- If you can feel it, it’s probably not in far enough.

Cups
- Learning curve: 1–3 cycles for most people.
- Expect:
- First tries to feel awkward.
- Maybe some leaks while you figure out sealing and sizing.
- A bit of “oh wow, that’s my cervix” anatomy discovery.
- It gets easier as estrogen rises again in the follicular phase (after your period), because the vaginal tissue is plumper and more elastic.

Discs
- Learning curve: Also 1–3 cycles, sometimes longer.
- Main trick: Getting the front rim tucked behind your pubic bone.
- Removal can feel messy at first, but then your muscles learn the move.

Once your brain maps where your cervix is and how your vaginal canal angles (spoiler: toward your back, not straight up), it stops feeling like rocket science and starts feeling like muscle memory.

How your menstrual cycle phases can change what feels best

Your hormone levels shift across the month, and that affects how products feel.

Menstrual phase (bleeding)
- Low estrogen and progesterone.
- Tissue can feel tender; cramps can make your uterus extra dramatic.
- Products: Softer cups/discs, or pads if internal stuff feels like too much. Heat pad is your friend.

Follicular phase (after your period, estrogen rising)
- Energy goes up, mood usually improves.
- Vaginal tissue becomes thicker and more elastic.
- This is often the easiest time to practice cups/discs—even if you’re not bleeding, you can do dry runs with a little water-based lube.

Ovulation (mid-cycle, high estrogen, LH surge)
- Discharge is stretchy/egg-white.
- Cervix is usually higher and softer.
- Internal products might sit differently, so don’t panic if your cup feels higher.

Luteal phase (PMS zone, progesterone dominant)
- Bloating, breast tenderness, mood changes.
- You might feel “full” in your pelvis.
- If insertion feels harder this week, you’re not imagining it. A smaller cup size or shorter tampon can feel better.

Birth control (especially pills, rings, hormonal IUDs) flattens some of these hormone swings, which can make your flow lighter and more predictable—but you can still notice vaginal dryness or discharge changes that make certain products more or less comfy.

When to switch it up or see a provider

Consider changing products or talking to a clinician if:
- You soak through a pad/tampon/cup every 1–2 hours for several hours.
- Your periods last longer than 7–8 days regularly.
- You feel wiped out, short of breath, or dizzy during your period.
- Cramps are so bad you’re missing school/work or throwing up.
- Insertion is extremely painful even with lube and patience.

None of that is “normal girl stuff.” It’s common, and common things deserve care.

Building your period setup is not about being the “right” kind of menstrual feminist. It’s about making your bleeding days as low-effort and low-suffering as possible so you can get back to your actual life.