Hi everyone! I went back and forth about whether I should blog about this because it definitely falls into the "Too Much Information" category for most people but I have found a product I like and I want to share. Many of you know that I use cloth diapers for Daniel and that has been going very well for us. Its so nice not having to throw out so much. I remember when we used disposables for Elijah his diapers would take up at least 1/4 of the trash can each week. So I started thinking about other stuff we use that gets thrown out a lot and where we can make some changes for the good of the environment. Some of you may also remember we had some plumbing issues not too long ago and we have to be very careful about what we flush and what goes down the drains. I have found a product that helps me with these issues.
Its not a fun thing but it is a fact of life for us women. Those of us that are of child bearing age must deal with Aunt Flo every month, and when she comes to visit we better be prepared. I really hate buying anything that will just wind up in the trash which paper/cotton tampons and pads do. I heard about the Diva Cup in a mommy group on My Space and after some thought I decided to try it out. It is a silicone rubber cone shaped thingy that you insert into your vagina while menstruating. It collects the fluid and 2-4 times per day based on your flow you empty the cup into the toilet. No more tampons or pads are needed. The cup will last basically forever. The only time you can't use it is for post-natal bleeding. I have gone through 2 cycles with it and I had to get used to it at first. There is an art to inserting it but it didn't take long to learn and it isn't too much harder than inserting a tampon. It is very similar to inserting a diaphragm if you have ever used one of those. I have found since I got the hang of using it I have had no leaks. I am much more satisfied with it than I ever was with any tampon or pad. Even with the Super Absorbant tampons and pads I would have some leaks. Also if you use tampons regularly you know that if you have a light flow such as towards the end of your cycle the tampon can dry you out and it is harder to remove it. That does not happen with the Diva Cup.
The Diva Cup comes with a cute little pouch to carry it in your purse or store it discreetly. I don't have to store a box of menstrual products anymore which is a plus. There are several other similar products on the market which are all basically the same thing as the Diva Cup. One is The Keeper, and another is the Moon Cup. These kinds of products have been on the market for about 20 years they aren't some new weird fad. Women that have used them and mastered how to insert them swear by them. Another good thing about the Diva Cup is there is no risk of toxic shock like there is with tampons.
I found mine at a health food store in Palm Desert for about $35 but if you go to the website you will find that they are sold all over and you can order them online as well. Here is the website: http://www.divacup.com/ If you normally spend $5 a month on disposable menstrual products then the cup will pay for itself in 7 months and you will get years of use out of it. Most people currently spend more than $5 a month. I know its not a lot but it is nice knowing I don't have to include that in my monthly shopping expenses. Its just one less thing to worry about.
It comes in two sizes and its pretty easy to figure out your size. It tells you right on the box the larger one is for women who have given birth vaginally or by c-section and for women over the age of 30. The smaller one is for women who have never given birth and are under 30. You can trim the bottom tip of the cone which I did because it was a tiny bit long for my comfort. The tip is solid silicone and trimming it will not cause it to leak. There are instructions in the box for how to to trim it if you feel you need to. The cup is very pliable and bendable and is comfortable when inserted correctly.
I would not recommend the cup for someone that is not comfortable with the process of inserting a tampon or are just not fully comfortable with their body, or menstrual blood. A young girl who has just started having menstrual cycles may find it difficult.
I am enjoying not throwing away money every month on menstrual products. Yes I am cheap. Also just for your information there is a big market nowadays for cloth menstrual pads that you use and wash and continually re-use each cycle. I didn't like the idea of cloth pads for me personally. I've never been a fan of pads in general and I just don't want to have to launder this blood soaked thing every month. It turns my stomach just thinking about it, but it is an option for many women and would also save some space in the landfills.
I hope this review was useful and wasn't entirely too much information for you. =)
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6 comments:
Very, very cool..I have heard of something like that before. Glad it works for you. If I used pads or disposable tampons I would look into it as well, but I use the flushable ones. I am glad there is something like that out there that is better for the enviroment. And a little too much info for the guys maybe, but not for us girls. We are supposed to talk about everything right? ~ Kin
Oh yes I was using the flushable tampons but they all collected in the pipe leading out to the city sewage pipe in the street thus clogging up all our pipes so we were told by the plumber a few hundred dollars later that we shouldn't flush even the flushable tampons down. They weren't breaking down at all.
oh yea, then this is PERFECT for your situation. We haven't had a problem with plumbing. But I think this Diva Cup seems awesome...GREAT alternative. ~ Kin
Too bad I'm past all that or I would be happy to give it a try. They sound much better to me.
mom
good to know~i've never ever heard of such of think & have never done any sort of research on this kind of product ~ not TMI at All ~ thanks again my little pocket consumer reporter!! i'll have to give it a try!
Thanks for the info, I actually just ordered one online, and I found it for 16.79 on Organicpharmacy.org. There are a couple different web sites for about that same price if you just goggle it. I am excited to try it!!
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