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fannishlissThis is my TMI Post about Alternative Menstrual Products: the Diva Cup.
We are trained to be modest and still are about this one thing. But this is too awesome not to share!
Read on, oh my wondrous women!
I realized today, as I sat in an Important Business Meeting in my Beige Pants, waiting for my heavy flow to suddenly burst upon me, as it always does, that my adoption of the Diva Cup has changed my life to such an extent that I can no longer keep silent!
I read a magazine called "Bitch: A Feminist Response to Pop Culture" -- it is a really great independent magazine, and the ads in it are chosen responsibly by the editors. So for all this time they've been advertising this company called lunapads that is based in Canada. They market alternative resuable menstrual products.
Finally I had HAD IT with the Always Pads -- irritating my skin and not working well enough (tampons were too uncomfortable for me because of overdrying). So I decided to take a chance and order the diva cup and a little set of cloth panty liners (since I spot for 7 -8 days total). (note: I did cloth diapers for three years with my boy, so I was not afraid to try cloth pantyliners. They also turn out to be so nice. They are flannel!)
I assured myself that it would be hard to learn to use the cup, and I promised myself that I would tolerate a learning curve. Once I understood how to insert the cup it worked like a charm. It is a silicon, non-reactive cup that you insert, and it catches your flow. You then empty it into the toilet, wash it, and put it back in. On the heaviest day, you might empty it every three or four hours (like at night, I would wake up once to empty it), but on most days you can go 8 - 10 or even 12 hours.
It took me the first period to understand it, and from then on, it has been terrific. I got it as a birthday present to myself (I turned 40 last June), and I AM SO, SO HAPPY.
Plus, for some reason, IT ALLEVIATES CRAMPING. This is anecdotally true for many users, even though no one understands why! If it is properly inserted, you can't feel it in there, but maybe you are doing little unconscious Kegel exercises on it, or something. I don't even care, tho! It totally works.
At 40, after bearing my child at age 32, I was so sick of always making a mess every month no matter what. And I haven't made even one mess since I adopted the cup. It is like my period is so clean and easy to deal with that I am almost not even having it. My husband, with whom I am extremely intimate, often can't tell anymore where I am in my period. I have to actually tell him. There's nothing in the trash can!!!
I tried this as a feminist and an environmentalist, but I am so glad for so many reasons. Not just that I'll never buy another feminine product ever again in life! but that I am finally secure enough to go out in Beige Pants and not even worry. Also, my cramps have been very much alleviated.
You can find out more by googling diva cup. Or, you can order from lunapads.com. They also sell the awesome flannel pantyliners, which so rock.
Mwah! to all my wonderful women flisters. Hope this testimonial makes you think! Let me know your reactions!
We are trained to be modest and still are about this one thing. But this is too awesome not to share!
Read on, oh my wondrous women!
I realized today, as I sat in an Important Business Meeting in my Beige Pants, waiting for my heavy flow to suddenly burst upon me, as it always does, that my adoption of the Diva Cup has changed my life to such an extent that I can no longer keep silent!
I read a magazine called "Bitch: A Feminist Response to Pop Culture" -- it is a really great independent magazine, and the ads in it are chosen responsibly by the editors. So for all this time they've been advertising this company called lunapads that is based in Canada. They market alternative resuable menstrual products.
Finally I had HAD IT with the Always Pads -- irritating my skin and not working well enough (tampons were too uncomfortable for me because of overdrying). So I decided to take a chance and order the diva cup and a little set of cloth panty liners (since I spot for 7 -8 days total). (note: I did cloth diapers for three years with my boy, so I was not afraid to try cloth pantyliners. They also turn out to be so nice. They are flannel!)
I assured myself that it would be hard to learn to use the cup, and I promised myself that I would tolerate a learning curve. Once I understood how to insert the cup it worked like a charm. It is a silicon, non-reactive cup that you insert, and it catches your flow. You then empty it into the toilet, wash it, and put it back in. On the heaviest day, you might empty it every three or four hours (like at night, I would wake up once to empty it), but on most days you can go 8 - 10 or even 12 hours.
It took me the first period to understand it, and from then on, it has been terrific. I got it as a birthday present to myself (I turned 40 last June), and I AM SO, SO HAPPY.
Plus, for some reason, IT ALLEVIATES CRAMPING. This is anecdotally true for many users, even though no one understands why! If it is properly inserted, you can't feel it in there, but maybe you are doing little unconscious Kegel exercises on it, or something. I don't even care, tho! It totally works.
At 40, after bearing my child at age 32, I was so sick of always making a mess every month no matter what. And I haven't made even one mess since I adopted the cup. It is like my period is so clean and easy to deal with that I am almost not even having it. My husband, with whom I am extremely intimate, often can't tell anymore where I am in my period. I have to actually tell him. There's nothing in the trash can!!!
I tried this as a feminist and an environmentalist, but I am so glad for so many reasons. Not just that I'll never buy another feminine product ever again in life! but that I am finally secure enough to go out in Beige Pants and not even worry. Also, my cramps have been very much alleviated.
You can find out more by googling diva cup. Or, you can order from lunapads.com. They also sell the awesome flannel pantyliners, which so rock.
Mwah! to all my wonderful women flisters. Hope this testimonial makes you think! Let me know your reactions!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 01:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 01:49 am (UTC)I have a little cyst on my vaginal wall -- it has been investigated and is totally benign -- but it sometimes fills with fluid and is bigger than other times -- and it can make insertion difficult. Maybe you've developed something like that?
I'm glad it worked for you for two years at least! and hope it will work again!