How do you manage your menstruation?

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Yesterday, I wrote about the Diva Cup after a year of use (click here to read that post). Now I’m curious what you all are doing.

Have you already made the switch? Thinking about it?

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Post Tags: diva cup, menstrual cup, menstruation

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Comments ( 12 )

Wow, I’m the first voter! I switched to the Diva Cup about 8 months ago and I’m really loving it–especially since I live in a house with 100 year old plumbing and was instructed by my plumber never to flush tampons–what a pain!

The cup is great, and I can get it in and out really quickly now–it took a few months to get up to speed, but I’ll never go back now!

miriam added these pithy words on Apr 30 09 at 5:22 am

I am on cycle two of the Diva cup. I only leaked once in my first cycle and am loving it. I use reusable panty liners with the cup and am so happy not to be disposing of all those tampons and liners. I have found the cup really easy, I hope more women give it a try!

kate added these pithy words on Apr 30 09 at 9:00 am

I am at the age where I no longer need to use anything, yaaay! However, when I did, I used my diaphram and it worked well. I did have to change it a little more often than a cup but it worked the same way, and it was fitted to me and was easy to use.

Patricia added these pithy words on Apr 30 09 at 9:08 am

Thanks for this! I bought a keeper a few years ago when I was at university, and used it happily for a while. Then I got out of the habit, can’t remember why…

A couple of years later I started using it again, and it was great. Then I had an IUD fitted, and was advised not to use the keeper with that in case the IUD threads got caught and I pulled it out (ouch! but my mum pulled hers out years ago with a tampon, and my sister’s FELL out so I’m taking no chances!). Does anyone else have experience of using a menstrual cup with an IUD?

A few months ago I started investigating reusable pads. I’d been gradually switching back from tampons to pads anyway, because my flow has got lighter in recent months, despite the old copper IUD (and no, I’m not pregnant!). Tampons were leaving me dry and uncomfortable. I loved the idea of reusable pads, and looked at buying some, being slightly put off by initial cost outlay.

Then I found a link with a very simple pattern to make them yourself! I’ll see if I can find it again. I ran up a couple within half an hour on the sewing machine, using bits of old cotton (brightly coloured and cheery!) for the outside, and layers of old towel and t shirts for the liners.

I loved them!! I just rinsed them out at the end of the day, left them to dry overnight on the radiator, then used again the next day, and put them in the wash with everything else at the end of my period. This cycle I’ve made a couple more, all different colours They do tell you to soak them overnight in cold water, but I haven’t managed to get round to it, and rinsing works fine for me (I don’t mind a few light stains, which generally come out in the wash at the end of the week anyway).

Anyway, apologies for the long long comment, I’m just an enthusiastic convert!!

Jenni
x

Jenni added these pithy words on Apr 30 09 at 1:58 pm

i’m definitely going to try the diva cup out now.
and then after i’ve adjusted to it, i’ll try out the reusable pads/liners too. a friend of mine has been telling me to switch for a while now so i’m glad to have a friend nearby that will be able to give me advice when issues arise. thanks again for the great post! ) elaine.

kimchi added these pithy words on May 01 09 at 1:15 pm

I got my diva almost a year ago and around that time also bought reusable pads. I’m so in love with both! Not only does the cup make it so much easier, but the pads can be so pretty, too!

Bunny added these pithy words on May 01 09 at 6:13 pm

I’ve switched to reusable cups for years with on and off use. Now, I am a permanent cup devotee thanks to finding the perfect cup for me(lunette). I use cloth pads as backup though.

Shannon added these pithy words on May 02 09 at 7:54 pm

To Jenni,
I used a Diva cup with an IUD for 3 years, no problems! The cup sits pretty low, I would sweep my finger around the rim of the cup once it was in to make sure the strings of the IUD were inside. The cup is awesome, makes life so much easier.

Mer added these pithy words on May 09 09 at 11:51 am

I bought a Diva cup and it just won’t work for me. I’m too small.
So I’ve made the switch from Tampax-style to OB. Today!

Sarah added these pithy words on May 12 09 at 1:57 pm

@Sarah – Wow, what a hassle. Obviously you know your situation best, but did you try calling Diva Cup’s hotline? Maybe they would have suggestions. Good luck, and kudos for choosing a less-waste option. I think one of the natural tampon lines has a small-format like that, with less chemicals in the cotton.

Cheap Like Me added these pithy words on May 12 09 at 2:56 pm

I use reusable tampons, but why knit/crochet them? I use white cotton newborn baby socks rolled up. Seriously. I cringed the first time I read the suggestion as well, but thought, why the heck not? I used OB tampons before since I could never get others to be comfortable and it’s the same procedure. I can’t seem to sew a comfortable cloth pad, so I just stick with this and I don’t have to sew a thing. I’m still trying to figure out my best night bet, using disposables for that at the moment til I figure it out. The socks are treated like cloth pads.