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| Diva Cup |
I thought about trying cloth pads, but I wanted something even easier to (re)use. I wanted something that would work night and day, with a heavy or light flow, whether I was running or swimming or lying still. I wanted something I wouldn't have to think about. I wanted something that wouldn't leak. The obvious choice soon became a menstrual cup. These are soft silicone or rubber cups that sit inside the opening of the vagina, forming a seal and collecting menstrual fluids.
A few months ago, I obtained a Diva Cup from my nurse-midwife's office boutique. I was a bit apprehensive of using it, after a very unpleasant experience with a disposable Instead Softcup in college (who knows if I inserted it right, and it cause such horrific cramps that I never tried one again). But after I saw this video last week (thanks to Sazz for the link), I decided to give it a go.
Learning curve
I've heard people say that it can take a few cycles to get used to menstrual cups, but honestly, I got used to mine in about 30 seconds. I watched the video and did exactly as it recommended: fold, insert, and twist. Super easy. The cup doesn't go way up high like a tampon, just high enough to get the entire thing inside with the bottom of the cup near the vaginal opening.
Insertion
Inserting the cup took slightly more effort than inserting a tampon, but it was still pretty easy to do. I remember back to my teenage years when I first tried to figure out tampons...it was not fun and took so many tries before I figured it out! In comparison, using a menstrual cup was a cinch. Of course it helps to have many years of tampon wearing and fertility awareness under my belt :)
One tip: cut the stem off all the way. You definitely don't need it.
How often to empty
Menstrual cup manufacturers advertise that you can go up to 12 hours before emptying the cup. I found that to be absolutely true. Even during my heaviest flow, the cup was only one-third full after 12 hours.
Emptying the cup is easy: pinch the bottom and pull the cup out. Empty the contents into the toilet and wash the cup with soap and water and reinsert. If you're in a public restroom (not likely, since you only need to change it once in the morning and once at night), you could clean it with packaged alcohol wipes.
Leak protection
The most amazing thing about using a menstrual cup was that I did not have a single leak, ever. Can I say how amazing that is? Even with using tampons AND pads for backup, I always had leaks during my period. Plus tampons tended to fall out during exercise--no fun when you're in the middle of a run. But my Diva Cup stayed in place all day long, every day. Honestly, I forgot I was even having my period. It worked that well.
Disadvantages
The only possible downside of a menstrual cup is that you have to remove it to have vaginal sex...but of course, the same goes for wearing tampons.
Worth the Investment?
YES! Menstrual cups cost between $20-40, depending on the brand and can last for 10+ years. They'll pay for themselves after just a few cycles.
I wish I had known about menstrual cups years ago. I think of all the money I spent on disposable products that still didn't work that well anyway. I don't have to spend another penny for at least 10 years. I never have to worry about leaks again, and best of all, I only have to change it once in the morning and once at night.
Some brands of menstrual cups:
- Diva Cup (made in Canada, sold in North America)
- Mooncup (UK)
- Instead (US) This comes in disposable or short-use (1 cycle) versions only
- Lunette (made in Finland)
- Juju (made in Australia)
- Miacup (made in South Africa)
- MeLuna (made in Germany of TPE, thermoplastic elastomer)
- The Keeper (rubber) and the Moon Cup (silicone)
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I love mine too and like you went long periods of time with having a period due to breastfeeding. Before my third was born I only used it a few months and now after my third I finally got my period back after about 12 months so I have had about 4 months to use it. Same thing, easy to use, insert, empty and no LEAKS! I LOVE my Diva cup.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that I should say that some people (like me) will definitely need the stem.
ReplyDeleteSo don't cut it before you try out your cup! You may regret it if you do.
I really like my Diva Cup as well! I needed the stem on mine though :) Well, I needed PART of the stem - I only trimmed it a bit :) Also, can I just say I am so jealous about your period staying away for over a year?! Mine came back after just 5 months of exclusively breastfeeding! Bummer.
ReplyDeleteI love my diva cup as well, though I will say that I do get leaks occasionally, and during heavy flow, I empty it every time I use the bathroom - 12 hours would be far too long during that time. I wonder if this simply has to do with cervical size/length/position. (It also seems to vary from cycle to cycle.)
ReplyDeleteAt any rate - I will never go back to using tampons. Never.
No, I have a heavy cycle and the only way I get leaks is if I let it go too long without emptying as well. Usually every 3-4 hours at my heaviest. It's just like any other liquid filling up a vessel, once it's filled, it overflows if not emptied. Not based on cervical size/length/position.
DeleteThis is good to hear. I tried the diva cup, and it HURT! I put it in correctly(I think), but it would work it's way down and pinch me. I think cutting the stem will help a ton, but not sure how I can make it stay more secure in place. My workouts are very active, but I'm hoping I can figure it out. I am pregnant now, and probably wont have to use it for a long time after the birth (I had to stop breastfeeding to get my cycle back), but I will give it another try after reading this and trip it!
ReplyDeleteI use one too and I found I had to insert my Diva cup quite high so I didn't get that pinchy sensation. Next time try inserting it a bit higher and see if that's more comfortable. :)
DeleteI had the same problem and read somewhere about turning it inside-out and inserting it that way - that worked like a charm for me for several cycles. Then I got pregnant again. :)
DeleteI have been a user of menstrual cups for over 10 years and will never ever go back!
ReplyDeleteOkay, this'll probably be a WAY TMI post, but how often do you get a whole group of cup users together to ask questions? I hope someone can answer them. I've been interested in a cup for awhile, but I can't spend $30 on something I'm not sure I'll be able to use. I also have had really bad experiences with the Instead cup. Not just from cramping, which I had, but also that every time I stood up or sat down it would pop out of place and spill. It stayed inside, but not over the pubic bone. Does that indicate any weird shape issues that might cause a problem with this other kind of cup? Would the divacup do anything like that?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have trouble with most tampons, because I can feel anything in most of my vagina. I have to use the very littlest OB non-applicator tampon because they expand sideways instead of lengthening, and I can keep the string up with the tampon instead of letting it hang. If tampon strings are impossible for me to deal with, would this cup since it sits low, be a problem? Or can I have it higher if that's what works for me?
Thanks for any insight! I know the only way I'll know for sure is to try it, but if anyone can speak to any of these issues, I'd appreciate it.
look up the menstrual cups livejournal page - I can almost guarantee your question has already been asked and/or the ladies there will be able to answer it.
DeleteRixa - welcome to the menstrual cup mafia:) I'd never go back to tampons either.
Whoa, after 12 hours your cup was only 1/3 full on your heaviest day??? I must have a really heavy flow, then! On my first day, I have to empty at least every 2 hours and my cup is completely full. I, too, have had some leaks with my diva cup, but only when it is almost full.
ReplyDeleteI've used the keeper and the diva cup for almost 15 years but I have always had leaking issues. Nothing bad enough for me to buy tampons, but annoying. And when a cup leaks after 8 hours of wear on a heavy day, it LEAKS.
ReplyDeleteSo, I have great pelvic tone but I do have a tipped uterus. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Leaking was definitely worse after baby 2, but I feel that might be more due to thy physiology of aging than the effects of my easy births. Anyway, I find that the cup does not want to pop open on me when I do the c fold, and that was part of the problem. So, I do a fold where I push one side of the rim down toward the stop (hope that makes sense) and that pops open easier. Something else that helps is after that twist I squeeze the cup just a tad to make a little vacuum.
Many people do need to take it out when having a bowel movement - to avoid fishing around in poopy toilet water for the 40 dollar diva cup. Yuck.
I've been thiiiiis close to buying one two or three times. I usually have a pretty heavy flow and I was worried about dealing with it in public, but if some of you are saying once every 8-12 hours...that sounds amazing. I think I'll take the plunge.
ReplyDeleteYay, another cup user! I love menstrual cups; I think they're fantastic. I naturally has very heavy flow (I filled the cup in 1-2 hours on my heaviest days) but currently has extremely light flow thanks to hormonal birth control, so I can testify that it works well for a wide range of flows! I agree with others, I have gotten minor leakage, but only on heavy days when I'm completely filling the cup so it can get through the air holes.
ReplyDeleteI will say, for ladies with a heavy flow - yes, you'll likely have to change it in public. The "change it every 8-12 hours!" thing is, sadly, not true for all of us! I'll say that (1) you get really good at scoping out the bathrooms that are a whole room to yourself rather than just stalls :), but (2) after a while you get good enough at handling the cup that it's not a problem. Dump it out in the stall, give it a little wipe with toilet paper, wipe off your hands, and it's all fine. A little pack of baby wipes in the purse will take care of any issues, like if you get blood on your hands. I'll be honest, that can happen a lot in the first few months to those of us with heavy flow, but after a while you get quite skillful at taking it out without mess.
And the benefits of the cup sooooo outweigh the inconvenience of having to deal with it in public sometimes (in my opinion).
What a great video, by the way, thank you for posting it. I loved her matter-of-fact explanations and the cultural notes at the end were terrific.
Ack, terrible grammar in that second sentence! I swear, I changed my wording around and I just forgot to change some verbs. Ow, it pains me.
DeleteSo so true. Even though I wear a DivaCup, I still wear a pad or pantyliner for at least the first, heaviest days. Better safe than soaked.
DeleteInteresting timing on this. My little one is a day younger than Inga, I think? My period returned yesterday. I bought the Diva Cup the cycle before I got pregnant this last time, so I never had the chance to use it. It took a couple tries to get the hang of it and I definitely had to cut off the stem, it was painful otherwise. My first period after giving birth is generally quite heavy and mine was full and leaking after less than two hours yesterday. It was very frustrating. Today was much better. It will take some getting used to, but overall I am pleased with it and hope that it stays that way!
ReplyDeleteI just finally bought one, too. My first PP period was HELL (not only was it so heavy I used the leftover depends from immediately pp, I was vomiting from the pain!) I knew that pads weren't gonna cut it this time around, so I found a sale on diva cups and took the plunge.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT.
I didn't trim the stem at all at first, and that was the only complaint that I had - I didn't blister, but I had an almost-sore where it kept rubbing. So after that cycle I trimmed it down before boiling it.
Here's my only "warning." It happened to me, and it has happened to all three real-life friends who have purchased them, too. After one cycle using it, I won't be needing it for another 19 or so months =)
Oh man I hope that happens to me!! Fingers crossed :)
DeleteI wish I could use one, but my fingers seem to be too short to insert it up where it needs to be. I tried the Instead and it almost got stuck because I couldn't reach it to get it out.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I also need to point out that not all cups will work for all people. I have leaking issues with some brands and not with others, depending on shape, capacity, stiffness, etc. I've been through several different brands before finally finding something that will work for me. I'm glad I didn't give up. I also suggest the livejournal menstrual cup community. But fair warning, it can become a bit overwhelming and addicting.
ReplyDeleteRixa, you might find that it gets trickier with subsequent cycles as the silicon softens. I had a super easy time my first cycle with a Diva cup, and then had a tough time the next few cycles. Running it under cold water helped quite a bit. Now that I have an IUD, I don't need it anymore, and stick to trusty cloth pads, but when I did use it, it was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem as a few others.. too heavy of flow, it only lasts an hour. And when it leaks.. you have a clothing-ruining, humiliating disaster, not just a spot or two. "My cup runneth over." I went back to super plus tampons, sometimes with a giant pad as a backup if I was going to be out of the house. At least then you can feel a leak before it is a disaster.
ReplyDeleteI used a keeper for 8 years, now I use the diva cup. Diva is easier to insert because it's softer, the keeper is easier to take out, it's less slippery when moist.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't give the tip to cut off the stem. I get that it works better for you, but some women have deep V's and the cup can slide up pretty high, where a stem is actually pretty good to have.
I would say, trim it as you like it. Just to make sure beginner cup trying women don't cut it all off and then regret it. :)
I've been a cup user for years (both before and after pregnancy). After an unplanned c-section delivery, my period returned at 14 months pp. Since I hadn't had a vaginal birth, I kept on using my size 1 diva cup (the small size). Had lots of trouble with leaking, but the leaks were fairly minor so I just used a cloth pad as backup and kept on going. Recently, though, I lost my old one. I replaced it with a size 2 cup--the larger size--as the sizing info said it's for all women who've borne children, regardless of the birth. Voila; all leaks gone. Those of you who have had trouble with leaking may want to investigate the larger size option.
ReplyDeletePro-tip - Your diva cup may discolor after a few cycles (despite boiling). If it does, soak overnight in a 50/50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide and it will be sparkling clean and good as new!
ReplyDeleteI love my Diva - very heavy periods, zero leaks and NO nasty bleached chemicals in my vagina. HUZZAH!!
I've been curious about these for a while, but this post inspired me to finally go get one. I got it on the second day of this past period, and except for one time when I didn't insert it properly, it's worked great. I did wear a panty liner just in case on my heaviest days, but I'm not even worrying about that at the end. I LOVE the freedom and the feeling of cleanliness. I HATED the feeling of my heaviest days with tampons because I was constantly leaking, but this has been great! I did have to empty it every 2 hours on the heavy day, not once in 8-12 hours.
ReplyDeleteJust got an email from a store today, notifying me that their DivaCups are 20% off. Made me think of your post. I have been on the verge of buying a DivaCup several times, but I always resist. I'm very unskilled at putting things in my vagina (I can't be the only one in the world who has this problem, surely), and I think buying a DivaCup or anything like it would be wishful thinking! I'll just have to stick to cloth pads.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how messy it is to empty when not at home? I used the instead cups for a few cycles and while I liked the clean feeling, I hated dealing with it when out and about. I'm guessing the diva cups are neater because you can tug the stem to get then out? I have a very heavy flow and tampins are always leaking in me, especially after giving birth.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they're too much of a fuss to empty. Unless your cup is totally full, nothing spills when you pull it out. You'd just need some kind of wipes if you don't have access to a sink.
DeleteThanks for the response Rixa, good to know. I might try a diva cup too - been wanting too for a while!
DeleteI have some questions and insights. I first tried a menstrual cup shortly before becoming pregnant with my second child. The suction on my cervix gave me cramps. During my pregnancy with my second son, my cervix became mildly prolapsed. After getting my period back, I tried my cup again (I use Meluna) and it was so uncomfortable. I bought it without a stem, but it still felt like there was a huge hard object in my vagina, and the cramping gave me dizziness. I also leaked just a ton. I really wanted it to work, but it just wasn't. I switched to Instead cups, which have a much larger band and a bag to catch, and they work very well for me. I only use one per day (So five or six per month) but I would really like to conquer menstrual cups. I just wonder if it's possible for me. I've been exercising to try to help my prolapse, and it seems to be working. I wondered if anyone here has tried sea sponge tampons and if she would share her experience. I was considering using them either exclusively or as backup to my meluna on the heavy days.
ReplyDeleteI am perimenopausal and they don't call it the "blood flood" for nothin'. At some points, it got so bad that I became severely anemic. I could use 2 super-plus tampons simultaneously plus a pad and still have leaks.
ReplyDeleteI tried a cup to cope. Have used an old cervical cap (former birth control) but while this is great for a while, it doesn't last long on heavy days. And it does leak sometimes!
Tried the Instead cup and hated it. Sooo very uncomfortable. So have gone back to tampons etc. on heavy days and an old cervical cap for lighter days (which works fine then).
Diva Cup sounds like a different design which might work better for me. However, since I am very close to menopause I won't be investing in one, but if I were younger, I probably would. Thanks for sharing about them.
Cups ARE messy to change in public bathrooms unless you have a bathroom that has its own private sink. However, a little TP and a wetwipe and you are set. It's do-able, if a little awkward. Sure is great not to have to haul around extra pads or tampons with you, though.
I think the secret is that not all designs work for everyone. The trick is to find the one that works for your body.
I love my cup and recently got the italian Mamicup it is really soft and no leaks!. If any pal is interested on getting other brands I got it from www.coppetta-mestruale.it
ReplyDeleteJust saw this blog and I think my story is important. I had a keeper and a heavy flow. Not only were there leaks but because of the suction much of the overflow unknowingly backed up inside if me. I started having pain before each period and it turns out the backed up blood acted like endometriosis. I ended up in emergency surgery with a grapefruit size cyst on my own office overy - all over flow from a menstrual cup. So ladies be certain you will be able to dump in time! This has likely impaired my fertility. Also doctors at first had me take endometriosis meds like Lupron shots before I mentioned the darn cup. I'm so happy to hear of the little ones on this post, such dear blessings. Please be careful because it is easy to forget you have your period with these products!
ReplyDeleteSo, this is my 2nd period with a diva cup. I cannot insert it low. It seems like every time I put it in low, it either pushes out of me or sucks up high inside. Now, when it goes up high, it is AWESOME! Super comfortable, no leaks, much less cramping... but it is VERY hard to remove. I am thinking about tying a string to the stem to help me get 8 down low enough to grab easily. Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone else had this problem? Has anyone else added a string?
ReplyDeleteI've heard of people adding a string. Have you also tried pushing down with your pelvic floor muscles, or if you are at home squatting? That's the only way I can get mine out, otherwise it's usually too high.
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