Sex & Romance
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.
Experience with Menstrual Cups - Diva, Moon, Instead?
I have just read up on these alternatives to tampons/pads. I read many testimonials on their websites, blogs, etc. Has anyone here used any of these cups? If so, what have your experiences with using/cleaning them? Are they as great as the testimonials I'm reading?
I'm very close to buying one, but I wanted to check in and see if anyone on here has had any positive/negative feedback for me.
Thanks!
Re: Experience with Menstrual Cups - Diva, Moon, Instead?
Oh yeah, I've got the Diva silicone cup and I love it. I've been using it for over 3 years now. Cleaning it is easy - I just use handsoap every other time or so I dump it, but you need to make sure to squeeze it to clean out the 5-6 little holes around the top, which are what allows it to open once its inside you (so no, they do NOT work by suction like people think). If you don't clean those out pretty well, it doesn't really open up. 99% of the time squeezing does it, but I have used an earring to poke through them as well.
And if you're in public, you can just dump it and stick it right back in no problem, but since it can hold stuff for longer than the recommended 6-8 hours for tampons, you may not ever need to. I have really heavy periods so it comes up sometimes.
And then I boil it for 5 minutes on the stove before every period, so about once a month. It is super low-maintenance, and I've saved tons of money from not having to buy tampons or nearly as many pads (I use lightdays on my heaviest days, just in case, but again, I have really heavy periods).
I have been using instead for a couple months now and I really like it. It did take some time to get the hang of it and I did have a couple times when it leaked. They are hard to find and a little more expensive than tampons. A bonus is that you can have sex during that one special week and there is no mess.
I had never heard of diva before but it sounds even better since it is a one-time buy.
I also use a Diva, and I will never switch back to tampons. Guinea Pigs gave a great recap.
Just wanted to add that the Diva and Moon are both reusable. Not all reusables are the same - some are shorter than others. Instead cups are disposable - they sit higher up by your cervix and you toss them after use.
go here:
http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups
and also Green Living.
I use a diva, and I love it. There is a learning curve, but depending on how well you know your body, it takes very little time to get the hang of it.
Thanks everyone for sharing your experience with me. I am going to buy mine this weekend.
One more question, though (forgive me if this is a silly one).... How do you get the cup out once it's in? Is it easy to get to? Does it get messy when taking it out?
It's like $30, and lasts several years.
If you're having a really heavy day, it can be a little messy but I've never spilled anything on my clothes or whatever. Nothing some toilet paper can't clean up well enough to make it to the sink. Really, no messier than a tampon on a heavy day.
They come out pretty easily, but like a pp said, it does take some getting used to. To insert it, you fold Diva cup like a taco and it slowly opens up inside you, and you can rotate it to be sure. To remove it, you just kind of pull it out while rotating it (I also have an IUD, so if I feel any suction at all I get really paranoid and rotate it to try to break the seal). It's super easy after a few months of getting used to it.
I've heard you are supposed to be able to have sex while wearing the Instead cup, but there's no way you can have sex while wearing the Diva cup. That's all I know.
All I can imagine is messiness... I don't think I would ever do it but I just wanted to know it was possible.
On a side note... My screen name is after Liz Lemon and 30 Rock. And your siggy is 30 Rock too! Deal Breaker.
I love that show!!
Me too! That's why LemonLover is my screen name! I think I have a lesbian crush on Tina Fey!
I like Jenna the best I think. My H and I went to NYC and we came across a filming on the street while we were walking - we saw Tracy Morgan and the guy who plays Kenneth. That was pretty cool.
I just discovered it about three months ago on Netflix and watched it until I was all caught up. Kenneth is my second fav character.
Its not possible unless you've got some kind of REAL deep vagina. The cup fills up your vagina. The Instead is more like a cervical cap so I think you can have sex with it. But a real menstrual cup is too big.
It takes practice to get it out without a mess. My first cycle left my hands looking like I had murdered someone! The trick is to not let it get over full if you're the type that has to pinch it down to remove it. Some people say they can just pull theirs out, so if you're one of them, you should have no problem.
I used Insteads in the past, and currently use the Diva cup. I ditto with PP's about the DC, I just wanted to put in my $.02 regarding having sex with either one in. There is no way you're going to be able to have sex with a DC in, it takes the same area that a tampon would be in. And I guess, technically, you could have sex with the Instead in, but DH and I tried it once, and he could totally feel it and hated it. He actually had me stop and take it out.
If you're OK having sex on your period (sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not), just put an old towel down under you and get busy! Then have DH/SO bring you a warm washcloth so you don't have to leave a trail on the carpeting.
ETA: I'd recommend you get yours from Amazon or Ebay, buying them at a store can be kind of expensive. You can get some good deals on used ones on Ebay.
Just kidding about getting a used one. I got mine from Ebay (new) and paid a lot less than I would have at the only store in my area that had them.
I love, love, LOVE my Instead cups.
According to the box you can keep them in for up to twelve hours, but if you are able to flex your kegel muscles you can empty the cup yourself when using the restroom. I will keep a cup in typically for 24 hours. I've been using them for years without any problems.
Regarding sex with Instead, technically you can, though I don't recommend being on top. I made that mistake once. Woops! Poor FH.