I LOVE my DivaCup! Not for guys...

[crwritt]

I love my Diva Cup too. I've used it now for at least two years, think of the cash I've saved on disposable menstrual stuff! I talked both my sister and my daughter into trying it, and they both are very happy with it. Really, it doesn't pay to be squeamish about your own body!

 

[Ellie Jane]

I know girls who won't use anything but applicator tampons - as if they could catch something from touching themselves *down there*. Its all conditioning anyway right? From advertisers or whoever? If you ladies didn't have the wealth of choice our modern lives afford us how would you deal with your period? Deal isn't even the word I mean, they aren't to be dealt with..argh...I know what I mean. I've been considering the MoonCup for a while, need to do a bit more research I think.

Do I sound a bit ranty? I'm PMSing, lol

Something interesting from the MUM website LadyDay posted:-
This raises the issue of femininity. Advertisers for menstrual hygiene products use the word to mean daintiness and delicacy and avoidance of unseemly words, actions and things, including those related to sex and the body's secretions. Ladylike and modest might mean the same thing. Especially American women wanted, and many still want, to avoid the reality of menstruation, with its messiness, unpredictability and its undertones of the unclean, sex, and sexual avoidance. Most women must overcome many barriers, some very practical, before they will put their fingers into their vaginas.

 

[gluegungeisha]

I know girls who won't use anything but applicator tampons - as if they could catch something from touching themselves *down there*. Its all conditioning anyway right? From advertisers or whoever? If you ladies didn't have the wealth of choice our modern lives afford us how would you deal with your period? Deal isn't even the word I mean, they aren't to be dealt with..argh...I know what I mean. I've been considering the MoonCup for a while, need to do a bit more research I think.

Do I sound a bit ranty? I'm PMSing, lol

Something interesting from the MUM website LadyDay posted:-
This raises the issue of femininity. Advertisers for menstrual hygiene products use the word to mean daintiness and delicacy and avoidance of unseemly words, actions and things, including those related to sex and the body's secretions. Ladylike and modest might mean the same thing. Especially American women wanted, and many still want, to avoid the reality of menstruation, with its messiness, unpredictability and its undertones of the unclean, sex, and sexual avoidance. Most women must overcome many barriers, some very practical, before they will put their fingers into their vaginas.

Oh, I completely agree!! And yes, it really is all about conditioning...and it's really a cultural issue. Some cultures consider menstruation to be very sacred, while in Japan, for ages women were unable to be sushi chefs because they were deemed unclean because of menstruation (in a nutshell).

I used to be freaked about applicatorless tampons, and then one day I just thought, "hey, what's the big idea anyway?" It is the cleanest human organ, afterall. Sometimes our society seems so regressive...I mean, this kind of stuff feels almost Victorian!

I tried to find a cloth pad at a healthfood store within reasonable distance of my residence, but to no avail. They only seem to sell them at the Pharmaca on the complete opposite side of town, which is ridiculous...I'm running out of time!

 

[nicoline]

there is a great thread on http://craftster.org about making cloth pads, just search fabric pads in the search function, those ladies have tons of great ideas

 

[RaasAlHayya]

I have tried the Instead cup, but found that it leaked too often had to be constantly adjusted. Do any of you ladies know if the DivaCup or MoonCup is any better?

--Leslie

 

[LaMedicine]

Oh, I completely agree!! And yes, it really is all about conditioning...and it's really a cultural issue. Some cultures consider menstruation to be very sacred, while in Japan, for ages women were unable to be sushi chefs because they were deemed unclean because of menstruation (in a nutshell).

fftopic: Really? The reason I was told was that women's hands were warmer than men, especially during TOM, and that would ruin the quality of fresh fish. Also, that our tastes change during PMS and TOM, so we couldn't be professional chefs.
We're not allowed on a formally consecrated dohyo, the sumo circle, because it's been cleansed and offered to the gods, and human blood isn't supposed to be shed there, except from injuries during the match.

Incidentally, I'm out of the cycle, so, no more worries there.

 

[crwritt]

I have tried the Instead cup, but found that it leaked too often had to be constantly adjusted. Do any of you ladies know if the DivaCup or MoonCup is any better?

--Leslie

Diva Cup and mooncup are a very different design than the Instead. That one leaked on me too! Instead is sort of a disposable diaphragm, kind of shallow. Diva cup is taller, more like a shot glass shape, made of silicone rubber, and meant to be reused.

 

[Renee]

I have tried the Instead cup, but found that it leaked too often had to be constantly adjusted. Do any of you ladies know if the DivaCup or MoonCup is any better?

--Leslie

I have not used the Diva Cup or Moon Cup, but did use the Keeper in the past. It worked quite well, and had minimal leaking. There is a bit of a "learning curve" but after about two cycles you pretty much have everything figured out. The one thing you definitely have to do is to trim the "tail" that it comes with. I trimmed mine as flush with the cup as I could.

However, the Keeper is made of latex and I eventually developed a sensitivity to it. The Diva and the Moon Cup are made of medical grade silicone, so this sensitivity is not an issue.

 

[RaasAlHayya]

crwritt and Renee, thank you. I think I will try the Luna/Diva Cup after all.

--Leslie

 

[anabolina]

Maybe I'll give the divacup another try. I tried it a couple of years ago and found I couldn't get it to sit right and it was pretty uncomfortable. But it would be great to spead less money and make a little less trash. Hmmm.

 

[Joie DeVive]

Ohairas, check out the GladRag!

I agree. I love mine! I actually need to order more of them.
I've been starting out slowly, wearing them first just around the house (I was afraid of leaks! ) and then more and more. I have not had trouble with leaks. You can choose your level of absorbancy (they come with two inner liner pads that can be slipped into the piece that snaps around your panties) and they have an overnight model too.

Even if you just wear them around the house or on your lighter days you save a significant amount of money in the long run, and put less in the landfill.

 

[fortworthgal]

Ok, I know I've been very absentee lately, but I'm totally freaked out by the whole cup thing. I'm sure it works great for some people, but there's a mental block there I just can't overcome. lol I think I'll just stick with tampons!

The Diva cup looks uncomfortable and not something I'd want to try out. I have noticed that with the BCpills I'm on (I've been on 4 different ones in the last 13 months, that I get more emotional the week before than I did when I was not taking them. Is this normal for some of you girls or do you find that you are less moody/emotional on the pill? (I've tried Estrostep, Apri, Trinessa, and now Yaz.)
I've entertained and discussed the idea of getting off the pill with my husband, but I'm afraid I'll get pregnant.

I took Yaz for about a year, and I had to stop. Normally I tend to have relatively light periods with little to no PMS or cramping. When I was on Yaz, my periods were horrid and got progressively worse each month. I actually missed work several times because the cramping and headaches were so bad, and my flow was ridiculously heavy. I did lose about 15 lbs while taking it and not changing anything about my lifestyle, which was nice - but the period effects just weren't worth it. I had taken other types of BC before with no unusual side effects. I'm off BC now, with no pregnancy scares to date (and we've been married 7 years).

 

[Kim_B]

I second the suggestion of Craftster.org...

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=18462.0

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=34087.0

 

[olive bleu]

I think it would be interesting to see what the age breakdown is with those of us who have stated that this new-fangled Divacup idea is a no-go. Is it the younger set who seem to have an easier time with this?

I am 40 and I am sticking to the traditional methods on this one!

 

[gluegungeisha]

I think it would be interesting to see what the age breakdown is with those of us who have stated that this new-fangled Divacup idea is a no-go. Is it the younger set who seem to have an easier time with this?

I am 40 and I am sticking to the traditional methods on this one!

Oh, I'm a young'un (17) and not really ready for the cup...I'll probably try it someday, though.

 

[crwritt]

I think it would be interesting to see what the age breakdown is with those of us who have stated that this new-fangled Divacup idea is a no-go. Is it the younger set who seem to have an easier time with this?

I am 40 and I am sticking to the traditional methods on this one!

I'm 50 now and started using DivaCup at age 48, since I was plagued with heavy flow due to fibroids, and the other methods weren't keeping up. I now have that problem under control, and although there's no sign yet of menopause, even if that takes a few years, I may never need tospend another cent on disposable menstrual products.

 

[Barbigirl]

This is the first I have heard of the DivaCup and I will have to look into it. I have used Instead on and off for years, mostly now just for shorter time frames.

When I first tried them something that bugged was I felt like Instead caused an odor because of the (sorry to be gross, I asked the female ob/gyn) standing blood.

I am 37 and not shy or grossed out about this sort of thing all at, the more efficient the better!

 

[pigeon toe]

I'm 19 (almost 20, yay!) and don't use the DivaCup, but that's more because I'm not fond of internal methods, not because it grosses me out.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

i've been using the Keeper for a year or so, and used the Divacup for a couple years before that (and then it got lost). i like the Keeper a little better, i think. it definitely takes a little time to get the hang of things but it's so worth it! for the record, i have a heavy flow and have had very few leakage problems. i feel like my cramps are lessened with the Keeper (compared to tampons) and also that it messes less with my pH.

i also use cloth pads. some were made by my friend, and others i purchased from my local women's bookstore, and were made by a gal in my community! i can't stand commercial pads and actually get really irritated from them. when i use tampons, i use natracare applicator-free organic cotton tampons.

 

[Tourbillion]

I'm 39, I've used both instead and the diva cup. Since I have the same fibroid problems as crwritt, the diva cup is currently working better for me.

It normally doesn't leak, but you have to apply it properly. Removing it hasn't been a problem at all, it is getting it in properly. I bought the larger "over 30 & post-childbirth" sized one, but I am wondering if it is just too big.

Also, ladies, if you have heavy or painful periods and are on birth control as some of you have mentioned your problem may be fibroids, since they have estrogen receptors that cause them to grow while on the pill. Apparently, they are present in 25-30% of women of childbearing age.