How I Came To Love Menstrual Cups

Menstrual Cup LoveIf you’ve been around here long at all, you know that I like to talk about feminine care… Okay so maybe that’s odd.  Let me explain!

I was the girl that flat our refused to buy her own tampons until she was in college and had absolutely no other choice.  I didn’t want to be seen buying them and didn’t want the perceived awkwardness at the checkout lane.  (Yea, I was a little ridiculous.)  After having children it was really no better.  I still hated buying them, hated being seen in the isle, the whole bag.  I was so private and I, now that I think of it, was following the shaming of menstruation that society has placed upon it. (I might have a slight rebellious streak too.)

Fast forward to my starting to get eco-friendly phase.  I heard women talking about these menstrual cups and I thought “You use what???!  Where???!  And you WASH and REUSE it?!!! – GROSS!  That is SO not for me, but have fun!”  There was nothing about the process that appealed to me.  I was in love with my tampons (okay not really but at least I didn’t have to wash them) and that was that.  I kept on using my cute compact tampons and continued to hear women talking about these “cups” and they would rave about them.  I started hearing the same things over and over and over again.

These things began to pique my curiosity and then I started hearing other things that raised alarms, like these:


Random fact: Did you know that the average woman will use enough tampons in her lifetime to fill a bathtub? (image right)

So maybe you are starting to see why I got curious about cups.  You guessed it,  they broke me down like a wild animal (disclaimer: no wild animals were harmed in the making of this blog post) and I decided to buy a cup and to be honest I wasn’t expecting much.  I was curious, but completely skeptical too.  After all, this was still the “gross thing that had to be washed”.

There was a slight learning curve, and I say that with the side note of “It is a totally different product!  Of course you need to learn how to use it.”  There are several methods for folding and (TMI) I find that wetting it before inserting makes a world of difference.  Interestingly enough, one study from Finding Lasting Options for Women, or FLOW, found that women prefer a cup over a tampon for everything except for insertion and removal (which wasn’t by much). (Side note: Was anyone else a total freak like me and wrapped up their tampons in TP to keep it from being seen in the wastebasket?  I was such a headcase! – One more thing I don’t have to do now!)

Long story short, it was all true.  Menstrual cups are amazing and I was happy that I had given it a try (only sad I didn’t know about them years sooner).  The worst that could have happened was that I would have saved $20, the best (which did happen) is that I spent probably the best $20 of my life, and I have two daughters that I can now pass this wisdom onto – I cannot express much that means to me.

I experienced most of the things that people raved about.  I get the benefits of convenience & no dryness (you have no idea how much this rocks), and most importantly I get the HEALTH benefits.  That is the biggest reason that I share an talk about feminine care products as much as I do.  It is important, and while I still find it insane (to me) that I talk about them on such a public platform, I know how truly important it is and I hope each time that a woman somewhere will put aside her qualms, as I did, and try a cup.  It’s worth a try, I promise you!


Diva Cup (my first cup!) has offered to give one of you women the chance to try a cup (note: this promotion is over).  I wish that I could give one to everyone, but I do hope that if you don’t win, you order one (about $25 on Amazon).  YOU deserve it and I cannot say enough good things about their cups.  Plus, what better way to honor Earth Day 2012 than to ditch a toxin laden disposable product in favor of a reusable, toxin free wonder cup!
 
(this giveaway is now over)



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159 Responses

  3. I love the Diva Cup! It’s the best thing I’ve ever used for menstrual stuff, and I feel like it gives me my freedom back!

  6. The price is mainly what’s holding me back… Also a little concerned if it will work well for me since I have a tilted uterus.

    1. I know that there are varying degrees of tilted uterus as we area all shaped differently, but I can tell you that I and a close friend both use the cup (and love it) with a tilted uterus.

    3. I also have a tilted uterus. I do find that it has to sit a tad different than what I think the instructions suggest, but it works and is comfortable. It is MUCH easier to insert and remove than a tampon and works lots better.

    1. You’ll actually save money over your lifetime. Intimidated by the cost, I waited months before buying one, too, but I don’t regret it at all. It isn’t much to pay for a lessened environmental impact, a journey closer to self, and the full reclamation of one’s womanhood.

      I had a hard time justifying spending that much on myself, but I came to know that everyone deserves to feel natural, whole, and free. If that’s not enough, look at it this way: by not using disposables, you’re doing your part to leave our world as beautiful and pure as possible for the net seven generations. There’s elements of altruism, too. 🙂

    2. Be sure to keep an eye on them at Amazon, they usually run around $25 (which is already a great savings) but I have seen them lower before.

    3. Im from Australia and for some reason Amazon doesnt post here, but i got the DivaCup from eBay for $40.. but it was the best investment ever

  8. Im afraid it will be messy and doesn’t seem that sanitary. I mean I know you wash it but that part kinda freaks me out…

    1. Those were part of my initial reservations. Once I was use to the cup (by the end of my first cycle with it) I was able to quickly and easily dump it and go – no mess! I wash mine every time I empty it (about twice a day) with a mild soap, rinse well then put it back in. At the end of my cycle, I wash it and then soak it overnight in alcohol. Take it out, wash, rinse and then let it dry.

      Alcohol is not recommended by all manufacturers, but it works for me and gives me confidence that all germs are gone.

      1. It’s also possible to boil it to disinfect it. That gets rid of all the wee beasties. 🙂

      2. Sorry, still trying to figure out the logistics…what if you are out at a public restroom where the sinks are communal? Wouldn’t it be horribly embarrassing to have to go wash it out with people around?

        1. The great thing about it is that you don’t have to wash it until you get home! For most people, the cup only gets less than halfway full even after twelve hours.

        2. This is a legitimate concern. I do like it, but I have to say for my first two days this is a problem. Mine easily fills within 3 hours, and when I am on the go and not a home, that is a bit of a problem. I have emptied it and put it back it without washing it, but then I find it can be messy on the hands in a public restroom. Would love to have someone’ s advice on this.

          1. Leanne,
            I’m a little late to the party here, but I suggest keeping some flushable wipes in your purse for those times when you can’t wash your hands in privacy, like if you’re in a public restroom. I know that’s not the most environmentally friendly solution, but it works for me.

      3. I am curious but still not able to take the first step. What is the feeling? Can you take it out in a public WC? Is twice a day enough from a hygienic point of view?

        1. If it doesn’t touch anything except your vagay-jay and your clean hands that you just washed how can it be unhygenic? there’s no water particles of toilet floating in the air if you didn’t just flush the toilet..

          clean it with toilet paper and if you’re still uncertain about that then carry around a water bottle and/or babywipe (that you can chuck into one of those sanitary bins when you’re done).

          I know i wouldn’t be embarrassed about dropping a water bottle and/or cleaning wipe in public, but i would be embarrassed about dropping a box of tampons!

  10. The thing that is holding me back is that I’m afraid I won’t like it. A friend tried it and couldn’t stand it, which makes me worry. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to give it a try soon!

    1. The thing that is holding me back is that I’m afraid I won’t like it. A friend tried it and couldn’t stand it, which makes me worry. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to give it a try soon!

      1. dont be afraid!!!!!! i looked it up and talked about it to a friend (who was completely freaked out), i tired it and didn’t have any problems.

        Im sure each person is different

  11. A friend told me about DivaCup, and I bought one for myself for my birthday this year. Though the first couple of cycles, I had to learn how to gauge my flow so that it didn’t leak, therefore needing a pantyliner (I use Party in my Pants cloth liners–also worth checking out). I also was really scared the very first time I inserted it. For women who are virgins and haven’t used tampons before, it’s kind of painful. But after that very first insertion and after trimming the stem to my length, I hardly even think about it anymore. I learned by using the DivaCup how I’m shaped, and I don’t feel weird about that. I feel closer to myself.

    The Ojibwe teach that a woman’s cycle, or moon-time, is a sacred gift. It is her body’s form of natural purification. It is a power time. There’s no sense of disgust surrounding it. Since using the DivaCup, I actually look forward to my moon-time. I feel natural, comfortable in my womanhood. The best part is that there’s no smell like there was when I used paper pads, because the smell is actually caused by a reaction between the menstrual tissue and the chemicals in the paper. I don’t fell gross or stinky or “less than.” I feel the power of the Ojibwe teaching.

    A couple weeks ago, I went camping for a weekend on my period. I’d been told not to use my DivaCup while camping just in case I couldn’t clean it properly. “You’ll be fine for a few days,” my male instructor told me. So I used tampons instead. I am NEVER doing that again. When I got home and removed my tampon to put my cup back in, I was bone dry! Insertion was uncomfortable. I didn’t know that could happen, and I certainly knew it wasn’t natural. I will never settle for that feeling again.

    I love my DivaCup, and I recommend it to all of my female friends.

  12. What’s holding me back is using it in public restrooms (which I do a lot due to how much I’m on the road). I imagine needing to empty it in the stall and then what? Dirty hands, no access to a sink without using those dirty hands to open the stall door? Or is there some way of removing/inserting that keeps your hand(s) pristine? I’m really tempted but the logistics are confusing me because I’ve never heard them specifically laid out. And you speak of wetting it to make inserting it easier, but again, that’s not happening in a stall. I really want to give it a go but until I figure this out, I’m sticking with my bulk organic tampons that I only need to purchase once every 14 months or so.

    1. Your hands don’t get that dirty at all. All of the fluid stays in the cup, and you only have to touch the stem and the outside. I live in a dorm, so I use the stall-type restroom a lot. I don’t always rinse it when I empty it. Sometimes, I simply empty, wipe with toilet paper, then reinsert. Other wise, I empty, wipe it clean, wrap it once in toilet paper, flush and re-dress like normal, rinse the cup, then go back the stall and re-insert. As long as you wash your hands before going into the stall each time, you should be fine.

    2. When I have really heavy periods, I put a small spray bottle in my purse into the bathroom with me. I spray my hands and the cup off in the stall and use toilet paper/paper towel to dry off. Another trick I have tried is to pre-wet a paper towel before going into the stall for cleaning.

    3. What I do is wash my hands before going into the stall. Then remove and dump. If you want to, you can use a water bottle (preferably the kind with the narrow top that you squirt out of by squeezing the bottle) or wet paper towels to clean it. But honestly, I usually just stick my cup right back in. What difference does it make if a few drops of blood that were on the cup go back in? I’ve never gotten an infection or anything from doing this. You probably will have a small bit of blood on your hands (no worse than you might with a tampon), but you can wipe it off with TP. Then wash up when you leave the stall and you’re good to go!

  15. I have wanted to try this ever since I first found out about Diva Cups at a health fair five years ago. It’s a little intimidating, but I hate tampons. I’m pregnant now, but I’ve decided I’m never going back to tampons, and I’m switching to the Diva Cup.

  17. When I first learned about the DivaCup, a few years ago, we were TTC. I just started my period again for the first time in 2 years and had an unopened box of tampons in the cabinet. My husband said I have to use up the box before I can get one. I do have some homemade pads I have been using. But there are not enough to last through my period and being a swimmer, I’m more of a tampon girl anyway. 🙂

    1. I swim too and my cup works GREAT for that. No blood gets out, no water gets in. Perfect.

  18. I need one so bad! I hate using tampons and pads… I have haven’t been able to afford it but want it!

  19. I hate using tampons, but since I’m an active girl there isn’t any other option. Or so I’ve been told by the wonderful consumer culture we live in. I would love a chance to try a cup, I’ve been meaning to jump in for a while, just haven’t really had the motivation to learn yet another new thing right now.

  20. I can’t believe I have never heard of these until relaying an unfortunate tampon incident to a friend. She said, “That’s why I like my divacup.” And here I am…can’t wait to try it!!!

  21. I’ve been intimidated for the same reasons as you state in the blog. It just seems gross, but I keep coming back to the idea. This post has really cleared up a lot of the eww-ness factor and I think I’m ready to really try it out this time 🙂

    1. It took me a while to get use to the idea, but now I just wish that I had done it sooner. It really makes it all so much more convenient. I hope you give it a try!

  23. I would love to try this. I have been considering it for a while now. Like others, I think the other thing holding me back would be the price. I might just take the plunge even if I don’t win!

  24. I’ve been a loyal cup-user for the past 2 years, and I can say there’s no turning back! I initially purchased my cup because I was tired of spending money and running to the store every 3 weeks or so. The savings alone have definitely made my cup worthwhile!
    A friend mentioned that she’s afraid that the cup will be too messy, and that is what is deterring her from trying it. I wish more people realized how easy it is to use (sure, there’s a brief learning curve for insertion, but that goes for tampons as well). I’m not the most suave or coordinated person, but I’ve never had a problem with my DivaCup…and since I usually empty/clean it in the shower, it really couldn’t be easier!

    1. You’re dumping your menstrual blood out in the shower in which you are standing? You pee in the shower, too?

      1. How is dumping blood down a drain gross? I don’t know about you, but when I am on am on my period, blood will go down the drain when I take a shower. It is inevitable…. The water thoroughly rinses it away….what’s more gross is all the disposable feminine hygiene products that sit in a landfill. Also, what happens when you cut yourself and you need to rinse out your wound? All that blood goes down the drain, too. Not to mention the fact that a menstral cup does not alter the chemistry in your blood and will not cause toxic shock syndrome.

      2. Whats wrong with dumping menstrual blood in the shower? where do you want me to dump it in the backyard? in a bag to take to the dump?

        1. Nothing wrong with it, I actually put it in my plants. it’s an amazing fertilizer and I like the idea of giving back to the earth. We put cow poo to grow our veggies, if anything that grosses me out more than using my own blood. It’s just idea we didn’t grow up with that’s all.

  26. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while, but it’s not sold nearby. When we were visiting my H’s parents, went to a grocer that typically carries it, but it was sold out. I’ve been too lazy to order it online yet, so this would be an awesome opportunity for me! Thanks for raising awareness and offering this to your readers.

  29. I would love to have a diva cup i there is no way i can afford one my husband and I are on a fixed income due to me not being able to work (we will be married a year may 7th) there are months that its hard for us to get the things we need let alone spend the money to buy something i don’t need to live so if i don’t win this i will never be able to get one. I am about to have to look into sewing reusable pads with bits of fabric i have already just to save money.

  31. I love both Diva Cup sizes that I have! It’s so simple (eco-friendly and comfortable) – one of the best and most practical inventions – I can still swim during my period 😉

  32. I’ve been cup-curious for a while, but I’m a broke grad student on a tight budget. Hope I win!

  33. I have been using lunapads for a while and like them and have been waiting to try a diva cup! I hope this is my chance!

  34. I’ve always wanted to try one but just couldn’t bring myself to spend the $25! Silly, I know! Once I use up my current supply of feminine products I’m buying one (if I don’t win hehe).

  35. I would love to try this. I can’t use tampons since it makes me sick, so this would be a great alternative. I work out a lot and I don’t like wearing pads to the gym, this would make me feel a lot more comfortable and confident.

    1. When you are ready to take the plunge, I suggest giving it a try before your cycle. I did that and I think that it really helped me be comfortable with it a bit more before it was time to actually use it. Also, I need to add a photo of the size of these things. They aren’t very big, but the stock images can be hard to judge.

  37. Would love to win. I’ve been too intimidated to try, but I think it might be time! I was completely grossed out by it, but have recently started to cloth diaper and I was afraid of that before too! It’s no big deal. Figure I need to try this before I let squimishness keep from something that could be great!

  38. I was (ok maybe still am..) just like you were, complete with wrapping the trash in TP…. I need to get over it.

  39. I had always previously been a bit intimidated by the folding/inserting part. But I’m ready to give it a try!

  40. I have a DivaCup and have been using it off and on for years. I’d say it works for me about two-thirds of the time. I had some real problems with fit at first (if memory serves it comes in two sizes, “Small and Slender” for those under thirty and/or who haven’t had children and “Double Wide” for mothers and 30+). I was 28 when I bought it so I got the smaller version. At 33 and after having had a baby, mine fits a lot better, though it still leaks sometimes. I still can’t get it to “unfurl” correctly inside my body 100% of the time.

    I find insertion to be fine but removal to be painful. Because of my sizing issue, the lip of the cup sort of explodes open when I extract it, and the motion of it ‘bursting forth” causes me pain.

    However, I would recommend anyone try a menstrual cup. There are lots of others besides the Diva (that’s the only one I’ve tried) and no one else I’ve talked to who has used the cup has the same problems I do. Personally, I think it’s just a degree of incompatibility between my particular body and my particular cup. If you have doubts and are willing to accept the possibility that the cup might not be a perfect solution, I’d say it’s definitely worth trying.

    1. Hmm, I have a suggestion for you. Right as you’re removing the cup, is it possible to fold in sort of a C-shape so it’s not so wide? Like right at the moment it’s coming out, poke your index finger into the rim and use your thumb and middle finger to wrap the cup around it (sort of like your index finger is a hotdog and the cup is the bun….ok stupid analogy but that’s what came to mind, lol). I do that with my cup and it makes removal pretty seamless.

      1. I often do the same Jessica. It makes removal seamless and then I’ve got a decent hold on it to simply remove and dump.

        1. I pinch the opening together in a “C” shape but the C is still too wide to make it out without something having to give. Often if the cup didn’t unfurl properly it’s already pinched into a smaller shape from never fully expanding … in those cases, it widens a lot when it comes out and boom … explosion. I usually look like I just came out of surgery. However, I still would be willing to bet most people don’t have this problem. I honestly just need to find a smaller cup to try.

  42. I see a lot of people worried about the cost and all.
    Think of it this way, most likely you spend around $3-$5 each month on pads/tampons ect.
    If you spend $4 a month on femine care products then in 6 months you will have spent $25 dollars on disposable products, that means in the next 3 years you will have spent $150 on disposable products.
    How much are those cups again? When you say you are on a budget I understand because I am too, but sometimes $25 is worth it when in the long run you are going to save so much more.

    1. The cup doesn’t actually sit near the cervix so Mirena shouldn’t be an issue. Ask your doctor

  44. Hoping to win! I’ve been curious but nervous for awhile, so this would be the excuse I need to actually go for it!

  45. I hope I win! I plan on purchasing one when my periods return (lactational amenorrhoea). I cloth diaper my daughter and have no interest in ever using disposable feminine care products again!

  46. Ok, I so want to use a cup, but I’m scared! In college I won a Keeper Cup, it took me a year to work up the courage to use it. And when I finally did, I got it stuck!!!!! No joke. I put it in per the directions, did the whole folding thing, etc. But it wasn’t comfortable, so I wanted to try again, but it was stuck. It seriously took me at least 30 minutes to get it out. And of course I was freaking out majorly by that point. So when I finally did get it out, in the garbage it went…! I’m so tempted to buy a Diva cup every time I see them at Whole Foods, but just don’t want to waste the money and get it stuck again! Any advice on how not to get it stuck?!???

    1. To get a stuck cup unstuck, push the side of the cup in so that it begins to fold which will break the suction. Or, reach up to the rim of the cup and break the suction between the rim and the vaginal wall. Try a cup – you’ll be glad you did!

  47. What’s holding me back is tax money. As soon as that check hits, I’m getting one (or two).

  48. I have used the disposable cup and liked it, but the thought of the reusable cup is a little strange to me. I am determined to change over after this baby is born, though, after reading your information on dioxin and your re-post of the moldy tampon story.The Diva Cup is more cost-efficient and earth friendly too, so those factors along with the others mentioned are why I entered. Please pick me:-)

  49. I have to say it’s intimidating but it seems silly that I”m so pro cloth diaper and then still use horrible stuff for myself.

  51. I haven’t tried a cup yet. Mainly just because of the cost (which sounds silly but I have quite a few tampons that I need to use up). I just had an IUD taken out so for the last few years my periods haven’t needed anything more than a panty liner, so I couldn’t justify buy a cup! Now that I’m off though and TTC I’d love to give one a try!

  52. I have a goal to try this out. Winning one would be awesome to accomplish that goal.

  53. Wow, great comments… so helpful. I am very apprehensive about this… but hate pads and tampons. Would love to give it a try … in hopes of something better and safer.

  54. I ordered a soft cup to try to see if I like it, but I want a reusable cup if I like it, so I hope I either win this or just order a Diva Cup for myself 🙂

  55. I was concerned about spending the money and then not liking it but I will definitely be trying it after I have this babe (due in July) and get past the initial recovery. This would definitely help facilitate that… thanks for a great giveaway.

  56. Im concerned about the cup riding up. I don’t feel comfortable enough with my body to stick my fingers up there to get it out. I like tampons because the string is on the outside and i just plunck it out of my body. Are there cups with long strings that i dont need to insert my fingers? I would like to switch to these for many reasons…just not comfortable with myself like that.

  57. Pingback: Cloth Diaper Giveaway Roundup for 4/20/12 (Giveaways Ending 4/20-5/31)

  58. I love the instead cups, I’m ready to try a reusable option. I’ve had friends casually ask me what they’re like and if they seem to show a genuine interest, I’ll open one of the instead disposables and let them take a look. I had one friend tell me she was picturing a toddler cup “jammed up there”. Once they see what it’s all about, women seem to be more relaxed about the idea, even curious enough to try it out.

  59. I heard about them a few months back and looked into the reviews from each brand of cup. I got confused on which one I should try and life made me completely forget about it until yesterday. I’ve literally spent the last two days reading every review again and looking at every website. I am big on keeping my body as natural as possible even to the point of no birth control so with the it being natural, safe, ability to save money, and helping with keeping waste down, it makes this product really attractive. I don’t have the money ATM to buy one, so when I ran across this giveaway, I thought it’d be worth a shot. My daughter who is 13 and started her “monthly” has been hearing all about it the past two days. I have been having problems with pads and tampons for YEARS! I have to do something different and I love the whole concept behind this product. If I win, Diva Cup could possibly win over 2 in this household and when I like something, I let everyone know! I’m not to shy when it comes to endorsing a product I like. lol Thanks for having such a great giveaway! 🙂

  61. Like most others, I’m curious about it but a little intimidated. I think I just need to try it because I feel like I would really like it.

  62. I’m not big on change, so I’m a little intimated and wondering if I would be able to keep it up, but I’m intrigued to try it!.

  63. I have one and I love it! It was hard to spend the money on something that I wasn’t sure I would like…and something that is so different than disposables… but it is worth every cent! I feel better and my period is not as messy or as annoying as it used to be. Also, I like knowing that I have what I need – no errands to the store to stock up on supplies at the last minute!

  64. i’ve tried some disposable cups from walmart and didn’t love them, but i am willing to give a reusable one another chance – i am sure the quality is MUCH better, and i have friends who swear by the diva cup!

  65. I’d love to try a cup but I know they’re initially expensive and that is the only thing holding me back right now.

  68. I was waiting until after I had kids so I could just buy one. My daughter was born in January, so I’d love to try it now!

  69. I haven’t tried one, but I want to. I’ll admit I’m a bit nervous. Right now I’m using up my stash of other stuff first.

  70. I just recently learned about them and want to get one. I think others may be more willing to try it if they knew the dangers and bad things about tampons/pads.

  72. For the longest time I never knew they existed! I am still waiting to get my period back after 9mos pp. I will gladly try one out when I finally get one!

  73. i just learned about menstrual cups, but am not currently working and still have a bunch of old tampons, so i just can’t justify buying on right now.

  74. I’ve never had luck with inserting tampons, so I’m afraid that I would have the same outcome with the diva cup. But it has been years since trying, so I’m open to the idea.

  75. I haven’t used anything like this before. The mass quantity of liquid menstural blood is what is holding me back. It kind of grosses me out and I’m not sure if I can handle it or not. But I’m on my first cycle after 3 months on seasonique and all I can think about is the moldy tampon story that has been circulating. At least I know that I can personally sanitize this myself, and that it will NOT be MOLDY.

  77. I don’t think I have tried it yet because I don’t know where to start really. There are a lot of options and it can be scary to take the plunge into a new product.

  78. i’d love to try it but i haven’t been able to get myself to buy one. winning one would be a bit different. so i’d like to win one 🙂

  81. Pingback: Cloth Diaper Giveaway Roundup for 4/27/12 (Giveaways Ending 4/27-5/32)

  82. I haven’t tried it yet because I’m afraid of how it will feel and wonder if it will be messy.

  83. I haven’t tried it because I’m cheap and don’t wanna waste money on something that I might not like. And I worry it won’t be comfortable!

  84. I haven’t tried it yet because I haven’t been very informed on the topic, but I’m willing to give it a try now!

    Also, there wasn’t an extra info box, but I’m subscribed to your emails as acluisi at hotmail

  85. I am in love with my Diva and am actively trying to recruit others to use it. I love that it’s safe and economical.
    bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

  87. I’ve been thinking about this for so long, but have yet to jump in. Winning this giveaway would be a great way to start!

  90. I think the more that we get the word out about menstrual cups, the more people will be inclined to try it. I had no idea these existed! I’ve been using pads and tampons for ten years now… I keep thinking about all the waste/money/headache that I could have saved if I had a cup when I started.

  91. I have never heard of such a thing, but you have definitely peaked my interest.

  92. I love my cup! I think there needs to be more mainstream advertising. I recently had a friend ask me about them after seeing an ad for diva cup in Cosmo. We need more of that!

  93. I haven’t tried a cup simply because I had no idea products like this existed. I found out about alternative menstrual products while pregnant with my second son who is now 7 months. I am looking to switch to greener options and with two kiddos and a one salary home winning one would be the ideal situation… so here I am crossing my fingers! Thanks for this great giveaway!!

  94. I have tried the soft cup but I still haven’t mastered it. I haven’t heard of Lunette Cup until very recently. I am excited to try it 🙂

  97. I’ve never tried a Diva Cup before, but I’d like to. I have tried another brand and it’s ok, but I think I’d really like to try the Diva Cup to see if the fit is different/better.

  99. I, like you, was totally grossed out by the thought of this, but now that I’ve looked into it a bit more am intrigued by it. Hope to win so I can try it out!

  100. first I hadn’t because I simply didn’t know about them. then because I figured there was nothing wrong with my status quo pads. and now because I’d have to figure out a size — and THEN what do you do if you get the wrong size?! and finally, because I’m bfing, I have no need at the moment 🙂

  101. I would love to try one. I never considered it before but you made some interesting points in your article. It always seemed so messy to me to use a cup…but then again tampons are messy when they leak. I would be all for saving money!

  104. I’m just learning about them and trying to figure out which brand to purchase and which would fit my body best.

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  106. I agree, I have use this for a few years and swear by it. Other than cramps it’s like NOT being on your period except two times a day when you have to ’empty’ it.

  107. Pingback: Pads, Pantyliners, & Pretty Patterns… oh my! | Esali Birth Blog

  108. I’ve been using the Diva Cup for almost 10 years. It’s amazing. I’d never ever ever go back to tampons.

  109. I kept smiling as I read this because I went through the same mental process when I first heard about menstrual cups and after I started using them made the same comments. I said, “No seriously, it’s changed my life.” A LOT! I’m glad you wrote a post about this and brought some attention to a supremely better option for feminine care.

  110. I’ve been thinking about switching for some time now. Luckily, I don’t have periods due to breast feeding, but I’ll be giving cups a shot when I’m unlucky enough for aunt flow to return. Mother nature has been kind to be since the birth of my daughter, I hope it didn’t jinx it by writing this lol.

  111. Could you do a review of the FemmyCycle cup?? Your reviews are very detailed and have proven to be very helpful!

  114. The Diva Cup is the best thing ever! It is so much more comfortable than tampons and if you read tips on how to insert the cup, you may not have so much difficulty.

  115. I had never heard of menstrual cups until my sister started using one. I am so pleased to have finally discovered an alternative to tampons! Plus, only having to change in the comfort of my bathroom at home sure is convenient!

  116. Hi I am a male who needs advice on fem hygiene products is there a cup suitable for men can you help thanks
    Jon

  117. Ok tilted uterus users…I just tried Soft Cups (disposable) and I had pain/pressure when wearing it and I think that is due to my tilted uterus. Any of you have issues w/ Soft Cups but have found Diva Cups to be more comfortable? Thx

  118. Okay. Am I the only one that got a MC stuck on my cervix? I pinched the bottom, tried to wiggle it from side to side… The seal just wouldn’t break. So I took a break to let my lady parts rest, it was getting a bit sore from all the prodding, and I tried again. This time I reached all the way up until I felt the brim of the cup, got a grip on it and pulled it down a little. When I heard the tell-tell sign of the suction breaking, I gripped the bottom of the cup with my thumb and pulled it out. I must admit.. It was a little scary.. But logically I knew that it wouldn’t get LOST and it couldn’t go any further up (unless, of course, my cervix wanted to play hide and seek).

  120. Pingback: Sustainable Menstruation – a way forward | Green OK Please

  121. I think $25 is a ridiculous amount of money for what it really is. A tiny silicone cup from a mould.
    I bought mine from aliexpress for less than $6. They are exactly the same cups! So far I really like the cup, this is my first period using one.

    1. It is, of course, your choice to purchase any cup, however I can’t recommend or promote purchasing cheapie cups.

      Because the device is worn internally, and because I advocate for the use of menstrual cups for health reasons, I think it is very important to choose products that are from trusted brands who go through proper channels to ensure that quality materials and safe dyes are used in the products.

      Additionally, I often notice that the cheaper cups are identical in design (basically knock-offs) to cups from trusted brands. I don’t personally support businesses that choose to work that way, at least when I am aware of it.

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