My name is Jenny Grace, and I’m a DivaCup convert.
For the uninitiated, the DivaCup is a menstrual cup, which is a bell-shaped silicone cup used to collect menstrual fluid. During my period, instead of using a pad or tampon, I insert a menstrual cup, which collects rather than absorbs liquid, so I empty it (in the toilet), clean it (in the sink) and reinsert it (into my vagina).
Let’s discuss!
What led me to try the DivaCup? I don’t like tampons because I just don’t. I think they’re uncomfortable and prone to leakiness. Pads are okay, but the whole thing is kind of gross and overly moist, and I feel yucky for my entire period if I use them. I have a couple friends who are passionately in love with their DivaCups, so much so that I’ve had multiple conversations about a silicone ladycup. I decided to give it a go.
For me, there was a learning curve for the use of the DivaCup. It comes with detailed directions, but it took me 3-4 periods of committed use before I really felt I was really able to use it easily, and that I wasn’t going to bleed everywhere. It is definitely possible to insert the cup and not create an effective seal, and bleed everywhere. I know, I’ve done it. Gross, right? But now that I know what I’m doing, I’m solidly converted, and so glad that I finally figured it out.
Advantages (by order of how important they are to me):
- I think it’s comfortable, and I don’t fret about leaks. This is really the big point for me, worth about ten other points, and the reason that this is my lady time tool of choice. It’s more comfortable, and I find that I’m not as worried throughout the day.
- No bloody bathroom garbage.
- Less risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, and cups can be worn for up to 12 hours.
- It’s more discreet in that I don’t have to truck pads and tampons around with me.
- If it’s the day that I’m supposed to start my period, I can insert the DivaCup and not worry about it for the rest of the day. If I start, I’m covered, and if I don’t, it’s no big deal or discomfort.
- It’s cost-effective. I only need one, and I don’t have to repurchase or stock up.
- There is less waste, and it’s more environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages (by order of how annoying they are to me):
- It sort of weird if you have to empty and reinsert the DivaCup when you’re not at home. Public restroom stalls don’t typically have a sink in the stall, and it grosses me out to just reinsert it without rinsing it first. This means I have to be strategic, and know where available single occupancy bathrooms are.
- At the end of your cycle, you are supposed to boil the cup in water to sterilize it. I do, but this is an annoying step.
- I feel like a hippie weirdo. I’m embarrassed to discuss it with my friends.
- Blood is always gross.
The DivaCup comes in two different sizes, with specific guidelines on their site. It retails for around $30. It comes in a tiny drawstring pouch with flowers on it. If you are dissatisfied with your current Period System, I think you should definitely look into a menstrual cup of some kind.
Jenny Grace has been back in school for a year, raising her son for five, and growing up for twenty nine. She’s not quite done yet. Raised amongst goats and chickens on a ranch in the California countryside, she was sent off to high school at a Hindu yoga center, and spent her youth working at her family’s nightclub and bar. No really, Jenny grew up completely normal. Well, normal for a kid raised by hippies that is. Shrugging off her patchouli steeped roots, Jenny went on to get a Bachelor’s of Arts in Linguistics and a Master’s in Library and Information Science. Now she’s working on her Master’s in Accountancy. Don’t let degrees fool you though; she wastes most of her time with wine and crosswords. Jenny is a cunning linguist, honest beyond reason, and incapable of keeping her mouth shut. You can read more from Jenny Grace on her blog, Miss Disgrace.
I am looking into these, is there any reason DivaCup over others? Are there other menstrual cups?
There are other types. I chose this one just because of commercial availability, I didn’t compare and contrast the different menstrual cup options.
Yes, there are other brands! I work for Lunette, which is a Finnish-made menstrual cup and comes in several colors as well. If you are looking for comparisons of the brands, I would suggest checking out the live journal menstrual cup forum (http://menstrual-cups.livejournal.com/). The Cup Guru on YouTube also has some great comparison videos (http://www.youtube.com/menstrualcupinfo). Hope that helps!
The Wikipedia entry for menstrual cups has a list of brands, but the only one I really heard much about when I was looking was the Keeper. I was able to find a DivaCup at a natural food store near me, and I never regretted choosing it. It had very good reviews. I don’t think there was any particular reason I chose it over the Keeper Mooncup, though. I think I just went for the one that was more “acclaimed.”
This article is right on the money, though. This was really a great decision. I think every woman who doesn’t consider it is really missing out on an opportunity to have better periods, and also save a lot of money!
I lovelovelove my DivaCup. I still have to use pads in combination with the DivaCup on really heavy flow days, but it is SO much better than before (has it really been more than 2 years?!). Good article!
The Diva Cup has changed my life.
I love it. I’m in my forties, with fibroids, and cannot be on BC pills. I bleed like crazy. The kind of bleeding where the largest tampon slides out after 10 minutes….seriously.
ANYWAY… with the Diva Cup I can actually feel normal on my heaviest days. Yes, there is a slight learning curve and an adjustment period, but I’d NEVER, EVER go back to tampons!!!!
I use it and am usually very happy with it. The only issue I have with it is the dumping/rinsing in public bathrooms. The only bathroom I have access to at work has no sink in the stall and I really don’t like not rinsing it before putting it back in. During my two heavy days, if I work, I wear a pad, but the other days I don’t have to worry cause the cup never leaks. On the heavy days, it can overflow if I don’t dump it, hence the pads at work.
I don’t mind telling people what I use if they ask and blood is gross, but I think it’s more gross in a pad or tampon than dumped in the toilet.
I just can’t imagine this would work for me. We tried using a diaphragm for BC after my daughter was born and it caused a lot of infections for me. This seems like it would be a similar situation.
However, I don’t think it’s hippie-ish at all… I had a natural birth sans meds, I’m not allowed to think anyone’s a hippie anymore. It’s a law or rule or something.
I’ve never used a diaphragm, so I don’t know how relatable they are, y’know?
IDK either, but I’ve had enough infections since I’ve had my daughter to not be interested in risking it! It’s seems comparable though.. a diaphragm is a barrier that prevents sperm from entering, a diva cup is a barrier that prevents flow from exiting… makes me itch just thinking about it.
Most diaphragms are/were made of latex, which I’m allergic too. This product is silicone, which is much more hypo allergenic. You might discuss the option with your doctor if you are truly interested in using one.
I’m quite fortunate, I had a hysterectomy (yes, fortunate!) And no longer have a need for these products, which is quite lovely, in my book. Especially with a latex allergy, because the new and improved pads would irritate my tender bits to no end, and with my bad cervix, sometimes I wasn’t able to use a tampon, so I would have to resort to really expensive 7th Generation hygiene products.
I really tried to love the DC- I really did. I used it with enthusiasm for 6 months, but I ended up packing it away. My problem? Despite buying the recommended size, I still, um, er, *delivered* it every time I went potty- pee or poo. Also, it would slide out throughout the day. I would have to go into the restroom more than once per day to push that sucker back up. I trimmed the stem almost until I could only grab it with my fingernails and that thing still poked my bits when it would start to descend.
I started not wearing it at night because it was such a relief to remove it at the end of the day, and that led to just not wearing it.
Note: Lots of people love, love, LOVE their Diva Cups, so just take my experience for what it’s worth. xoxo
I’m going to guess that you had too much air up in there. When you let it unfold fully, there can be a lot of air inside, but after it is seated, you can squish out a fair amount of the air to get more wear-time. GL if you decide to try again!
I LOVE mine too and I’m not planning to ever go back! I can see it wouldn’t be easy if you have very heavy flow or other issues, but luckily it works for me!
I love cups! It’s nice to be able to put one in & not have to really worry about it for hours. Also, they are so much more comfortable than tampons. I have a Diva Cup in each size but they are actually too long for me. I have tried the Instead disposables and you can wear the same one for an entire cycle so the box of 12 will last a year. They seem to work better for me because they are shaped more like a diaphragm.
I haven’t tried the Diva Cup, but I’m totally open to trying it. When they first came out, I used the Instead for a while and I don’t really remember why I stopped because I know it worked for me. I got a sample of a similar kind earlier this year, and this may be the prompt I need to get using it!
Big fan. I totally agree with your assessment.
I once left mine in (by accident) for well over a week. I went to my midwife to make sure I wasn’t going to die (seriously concerned) and despite her not knowing WTF I was talking about, I checked out fine and no adverse affects. You can’t get away with lazy absent mindedness with a tampon, Yo.
I also wanted to mention that in public restrooms with no sink access, I wipe it off with TP until it’s “clean” again to reinsert. I am also a heavy bleeder, but instead of using pads for backup, I use flannel wipes:
http://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Flannel-Baby-Bleached-Unbleached/dp/6148249790/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1322504541&sr=8-4
Talk about hippie weirdo.
I too am a menstrual cup convert but I like to use the disposable ones. I love the fast that you can wear a cup for up to 12 hours without changing it. I have told my friends about it and even gotten a couple to try it. They are now converts too.
I use Instead and love them. The best part? If I somehow feel sexy, I can have sex while wearing the cup, which is cool. The guy is not supposed to feel it, although my boyfriend admitted that he could, so I just assume that means I’m small down there or something. I have another friend that uses Instead and she loves it too. SO convenient.
LOVE mine, too. The ‘not fearing leakage’ thing is huge! Definitely changed my life for the better! Gosh, I guess it’s been over 4 years for me, now–I remember a dress-up event from 2007 and being SO relieved that I wasn’t going to have to worry about that! ;p
I used to get horrible cramps and gas and I couldn’t stand to wear tampons, so a friend of mine suggested washable sponges, which worked wonders for the pain issues, but if I had a heavy flow, or they were full and I sneezed or coughed, there was some leakage. Still, I used those with washable pads for years, until just before I turned 30, when I bought a diva cup. There are still days when I just don’t want anything up there, and for those days, I use my reusable pads, but I love the Diva cup. I got my period unexpectedly while on vacation, and I had to buy some disposable products and I was reminded how much I really dislike traditional tampons now. But outside of that one time, I haven’t purchased disposable feminine hygiene products in almost a decade.
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