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Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
What do you use during Aunt Flow to stay eco-friendly?
I know many women may think it incredibly gross to use cloth pads or menstrual cups. But I have been doing my research about it, and truly can't decide which to use or even to try any at all. So what do you use?
Are there any women that use cloth pads and if so where did you find yours? Are they difficult (bunch or move etc), smell or does your hoo-ha breathe better, cleaning an issue? I have seen flannel cotton and organic which do you like?
And finally the cup, are they difficult to put into place? Difficult to empty? Do you find it very awkward in public restrooms? Which one do you have the keeper, diva cup, moon cup. And where did you buy yours?
Thanks for all the suggestions ladies! 
Re: What do you use during Aunt Flow to stay eco-friendly?
I am a huge fan of my Diva cup. I bought it at a local natural foods store about 2 years ago and don't know what I would do without it. I will never go back to pads/tampons. Diva is so much easier and much cleaner. In my opinion, the fact that it is eco frendly is a plus, but it has improved my life, regardless!
I only empty it in the morning and before bed, so the public bathroom has never been an issue, but I have heard that dumping it out in the toilet and using toilet paper to clean it works just fine.
Getting it into place/removing is not difficult, but there is a learning curve as it is different than a tampon. But once you get used to it, it's fantastic.
I know lots of people here use alternative methods, so I'm sure others will have opinions, too!
Best sound ever: baby's heartbeat! (Heard @ 10w1d)
Another Diva User!
I got mine on Amazon.com
I think that linked on the Diva site are a few online stores that carry cotton pads and the diva cup.
I've never had a leak that wasn't my fault (I forgot to dump before bed).
I'm also a crazy super girl so on the first two days I dump in the AM, after work and before bed. On the other days I dump in AM and before bed. There is a learning curve but it will change your life! It's very free-ing.
I have a Diva Cup and a Lunette Cup. I prefer the Lunette. I got both online. The first three days of my cycle, I have to empty every hour. The public restroom thing takes some practice, but once I got it down, it was no big deal.
I also use cloth pads for backup since my flow is so ridiculous. I have a few different styles, so far my favorites are from an Etsy seller (http://www.etsy.com/shop/NaturallyHip). The organic cotton ones I got (from cottonbabies.com or jilliansdrawers.com, can't remember which) are very thick, so not very comfortable for being out and about and walking around, and they stain easier than my fleece and flannel ones. They're okay for bumming around the house or at night though.
Diva Cup. I bought mine over 5 years ago from their website because I couldn't find it locally. It was challenging for the first cycle or two for me to use, but I just had to keep trying different methods of putting it in. Like one foot up on the toilet, while sitting on the toilet, squatting, standing with knees bent, you name it until I found a method that worked for me without leaking.
It's not difficult to empty. It is a little awkward in public restrooms, but I rarely need to empty there. It's only awkward because there's not a convenient way to rinse it, and it gets sticky when you wipe it off with TP. You could totally bring a bottle of water into the stall with you, but I never think that far ahead.
FWIW, I won't ever go back. My cramps are so much better, so even if I hated the DivaCup I'd still use it for that bonus.
I use the Diva Cup and cloth pads when I want to. Im usually a pad girl. Both are awesome though. This is who I get my pads from. Her stuff is really good.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Crea8tiveMama
Just ordered my diva cup! Thanks for all the suggestions guess I just needed some encouragement! I might purchase some cloth pads later but I want to try the cup first! Hopefully it will get here before AF!
Some Diva Cup tips:
If you can feel it, cut the stem off. Made a big difference for me after I did that.
Make sure you get the little air holes at the top clean every time you rinse it - I usually end up filling it with water, sealing the top with my hand and *carefully* squeezing to force water through. I've had no leaking issues since I figured that out.
Most women can go up to 12 hours between empties - depends how heavy things are for you now. Everyone gets to go longer than any pad or tampon can cope with.
You may want to get a cloth pad/liner for backup. I used one for the first few months. Ultimately, I didn't like cloth pads AT ALL. Too messy, too nonabsorbent, too hard to deal with outside the house. Other people love them, though.
Another vote for the Diva Cup. I have never had to empty it in a public restroom. I like that if I am on a road trip I do not have to be concerned with finding a bathroom in X amount of hours. Plus it is cheaper and more environmentally responsible, so I consider it a plus all around.
I bought mine online at iherb.com. I think I paid about $15-16 for it. It was on sale at the time for about $20 and since I was a first time customer I was able to use a code for $5 off my first order (code DIX357 should work if anyone is interested in getting $5 off their first order).
OMG Lanerbell I am LOLing at your siggy....
Another HUGE Diva Cup fan here. I bought mine at Whole Foods. Beyond being greener, it just.works.better. I only have to empty mine once a day, and it's so quick and easy. I've never had leaks, and I do all activities with the Diva in like hiking and yoga. Once you learn how to empty and insert it (there's a learning curve just like when you first started using tampons) it takes 10 seconds. I had the occasional yeast infection with tampons (they're bleached like crazy and cotton is the most sprayed crop in the whole), and have not had a single issue with the Diva.
Since I only have to empty once a day I don't use public restrooms, but I don't think I would have a problem if I did. You just dump it in the toilet, wipe out with tissue, and re-insert.
Seriously, the Diva has changed my life. I don't know how I got through my period without it. Best.Invention.EVER.
These are both excellent tips. If you do need to cut the stem, I highly recommend using a sharp knife instead of scissors. I couldn't get an even cut with the scissors because they compressed the silicon, and I was freaking out that I was running out of stem to trim! Knife worked much better.
Clean air holes are the key to being leak-free. Check to make sure that they're clear every time.
I have a Paragard IUD and that is one of the questions I was sure to ask my gyno about. I was told it shouldn't be a problem, and it hasn't been. I've used the Diva Cup even when my IUD was first inserted.
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Same here. I think the DC makers added that bit about not using it with an IUD relatively recently as a CYA measure, not because it's actually a huge problem.
I love my Diva Cup. I've had it for about 3 years and it works great. t will change color after a while but that's normal. I love not having to worry about it most of the day. I've only rarely had to use it in a public bathroom. I did have some problems with comfort at first but it got better later. Make sure you get those tiny holes clean. I sometimes used a liner with it for reassurance but once you get the hang of it, it is so much more convenient and better for the environment on so many levels; the obvious landfill waste of cotton products, cotton crops use the most pesticides, less energy to make than endless packages of pads and tampons, etc.. Plus, I love that I never have to make another emergency trip to the store and it saves tons of money.
#1-BFP 08-22-09 ~ M/C 08-31-09 at 5 weeks 6 days
#2-BFP 08-6-11 ~ Due 04/18 ~ born via c-section April 22, 2012
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As for the cup, some people find they have to fiddle, or they pick the wrong shape/size. It happens. HOWEVER, I find mine is VERY easy to empty, insert, remove, maintain. Because all the blood is collected inside, you don't really have to get blood on your hands. I only have when I didn't insert it right and it leaked. I thought it would be awkward in the bathroom, but I just wipe it out with toilet paper in a public washroom and rinse it in the sink at home. You can also use a water bottle or you can buy special wipes or squirt bottles with pH balanced cleaner that are discrete and easily put away.
For my pads, I bought a small "wet bag" to place the used ones(they never get too dirty anyway) and I use some ecofriendly organic stain remover and rinse them with hot water in the shower. Occasionally use the washing machine on delicate and dryer on the coolest setting. Personally I think flannel is the softest feeling but organic cotton is so much easier to clean-a quick scrub, rinse and a squeeze and we're done.
I got my Lunette at Femininewear.co.uk as well as one of my pads. Minkipadz brand and I won a Lunapad from a Lunapads contest and my pantyliner came from Party in my Pants. You can get a free pantyliner from them to test out to see if you like it.