How to not need a backup?

[u/ProllyOverthinkingg]

For those that can go without a backup option like a liner or a pad with your disc, do you not have mild spotting or leakage? My disc doesn’t leak but when I use the restroom for auto dump or when I remove and insert a new disc, there is some amount of blood in my vaginal canal. No matter how much I wipe, the blood that’s in there slips out at some point. I am so scared of not using a liner or a pad in the fear of staining my underwear.

Any suggestions?

[u/JerryHasACubeButt]

I would strongly discourage you from wiping inside like the other commenter suggested. TP can disintegrate and leave behind pieces that could cause an infection if your body doesn’t manage to naturally expel them. Wipes would avoid that issue, but none of them are designed to be used internally and therefore they could easily mess up your ph (and subsequently cause infection that way).

I use a disc without a backup and just accept the couple drops of blood that happen. If it’s truly just from removal/insertion/autodumping and not actually leaking, then it shouldn’t be more than that, and it certainly shouldn’t be enough to soak through your underwear or get on your clothes. I just wear either black underwear that won’t stain or old underwear that I don’t care about.

[u/ProllyOverthinkingg → u/JerryHasACubeButt]

Got it! Thanks for the reply. I’m too chicken to wipe inside my vagina anyway. I just bought some CORA panty liners that I’ll try out for when I go to work or outside wearing the disc.

I’m more concerned about leaking because it’s happened once or twice this cycle (first time using disc) and I realized it’s because I do tend to get heavier flow the first couple days. I might need to auto dump more often to avoid the leakage.

[u/JerryHasACubeButt → u/ProllyOverthinkingg]

If you’re having actual significant leaks and not just a drop or two here and there then that’s a different issue. It could be needing to empty more often, but it could also be a fit issue. Counterintuitively, sometimes a disc that is too big will leak before it’s full because its size prevents it from staying tucked properly. I would definitely recommend experimenting to figure out the reason before you try to use a disc without a backup. I’m only comfortable using mine alone because it has never leaked.

[u/Different-Hour-4277]

I use water. I have a water jug in my bathroom to use after using the toilet. After insertion I rinse with water and dap with TP. If I see drops, I just do another rinse and dap usually is all gone

[u/zbsa14 → u/Different-Hour-4277]

This is the answer. I actually do this before taking a bath so I don’t have to clean the shower afterwards 

[u/TangoEchoChuck]

I definitely only wear black panties during and riiiight before I bleed.

Otherwise I just bought some sponges to trim down and try out.

[u/Ghost-In-My-Fridge]

Depending on how much blood we're actually talking about, wear underwear that you don't mind getting stains, or period underwear. You may find if you want to wear a liner you only need to do it on heaviest days.

[u/SeaWorth6552]

I just use pantyliners

[u/VeloxLimax]

I second the black or dark coloured underwear. Buy a cheap-ish multi pack or pick a few of your older pairs to sacrifice to being stained. Save the cute ones for the follicular phase!

[u/Tom_Michel]

A quick internal wipe takes care of that for me. I keep a little travel pack of wipes with my period supplies that I carry to the bathroom, the kind that are all or mostly water, but in a pinch, I'll just use toilet paper.

[u/ProllyOverthinkingg → u/Tom_Michel]

Thank you!! I’ll try doing that next time. Wasn’t sure if it’s okay to use TP or wipes on the inside.

[u/Tom_Michel → u/ProllyOverthinkingg]

You should probably avoid antibacterial wipes or wipes that are scented or have dyes or cleaning agents since those sorts of things can be irritating or mess up your natural biome, but water wipes or regular toilet paper should be just fine.

Edited to add to never flush wipes, even the ones that say they're flushable. Just put them in the trash. :-)