This post is probably TMI about me... but health and wellness are things I am passionate about from head to toe, inside and out-- to include menstrual health.
Any of you heard of The DivaCup? I use to sell it at my online store. I'm now out of stock. The other day I got to thinking how long it has been since I first started using a menstrual cup in lieu of tampons. It's been about 4 years now at least. I'm sure it was either shortly before or after I got Sisterlocks
Either way... it too is a decision I don't regret making much like my decision to get Sisterlocks. I had been a tampon user since a teen and had become increasingly concerned about toxic shock syndrome. Not because I had ever experienced any symptoms but I just got to wonderin' were there any OTHER options to tampons and pads. Oh the wonder of the Internet... I got to Googlin' up some stuff and lo and behold... alternatives existed and had existed for years.
You may be amazed as I was that there actually exists a Musuem of Menstruation and Women's Health(visit http://www.mum.org/MenCups.htm)
Wanna talk about an area in your budget where you could SAVE money in these hard economic times and be environmentally responsible AND/OR have money for your Sisterlocks retightenings?? Look no further than your crotch-- LOL.
DivaCup creators - Francine and Carinne explain it best:
Talk to me about my DivaCup experiences... I KNOW YOU ARE TRIPPIN' OUT over this post. Common reactions range from total disgust to curious interest to those who move to action and start actually using a menstrual cup...
I'm open, ask me anything.
Any of you heard of The DivaCup? I use to sell it at my online store. I'm now out of stock. The other day I got to thinking how long it has been since I first started using a menstrual cup in lieu of tampons. It's been about 4 years now at least. I'm sure it was either shortly before or after I got Sisterlocks
Either way... it too is a decision I don't regret making much like my decision to get Sisterlocks. I had been a tampon user since a teen and had become increasingly concerned about toxic shock syndrome. Not because I had ever experienced any symptoms but I just got to wonderin' were there any OTHER options to tampons and pads. Oh the wonder of the Internet... I got to Googlin' up some stuff and lo and behold... alternatives existed and had existed for years.You may be amazed as I was that there actually exists a Musuem of Menstruation and Women's Health(visit http://www.mum.org/MenCups.htm)
Wanna talk about an area in your budget where you could SAVE money in these hard economic times and be environmentally responsible AND/OR have money for your Sisterlocks retightenings?? Look no further than your crotch-- LOL.
DivaCup creators - Francine and Carinne explain it best:
The DivaCup is reusable and made from silicone. This makes it an important, environmentally responsible feminine hygiene choice!
Women, on average, experience a lifetime menstruation span of 41 years (11-52). From use of disposable feminine hygiene, an estimated 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons are dumped into the North American environment each year (1998). More than 170,000 tampon applicators were collected along U.S. coastal areas between 1998 and 1999. Our revolutionary, reusable product is a modern, viable alternative to disposable tampons and pads.
Most tampons and pads contain surfactants, adhesives and additives. In addition, most pads contain polyethylene plastic whose production is a pollutant. Also, dioxin, a known carcinogen, is a by-product of the bleaching process of tampons containing rayon. In landfills, many of these substances can leach into the environment (groundwater, streams and lakes) causing serious pollution and health concerns.
Although not all women can afford to purchase an energy-efficient hybrid car or convert their home to solar energy, they can reduce dangerous landfill waste by choosing to use a reusable, silicone menstrual cup. When considering the pollution and volume of waste that is inherent in the use of disposable tampons and pads, replacing one’s feminine hygiene with The DivaCup makes good environmental sense and manifests in a positive eco-footprint every month! (Source: www.divacup.com)
Talk to me about my DivaCup experiences... I KNOW YOU ARE TRIPPIN' OUT over this post. Common reactions range from total disgust to curious interest to those who move to action and start actually using a menstrual cup...
I'm open, ask me anything.
Comments
I saw this in my health store [I'm in Canada, so I wouldn't have to order it]...BUT, can virgins use this?
How long before it wears out for good and needs to be replaced?
But to answer your question, DivaCups come in two sizes or Models and can be reused for up to 10 years with proper upkeep. They do discolor over time, but still work just the same. Just boil it in water with a little lemon juice and you are good to go.
Don't laugh but the sizes are classified by childbirth and/or age. There is a small difference between the two sizes. Model 1 is 1/8" (~0.3 cm) smaller than Model 2. Model 1 is recommended for women who are under 30 years old who have never had childbirth: vaginally or cesarean.
Know your body... it is important to use the recommended sizing to prevent leakage.
Model 2 is recommend for women age 30 or over, because as we age, our hips naturally widen and the vaginal muscles lose elasticity. Because the vaginal muscles hold The DivaCup in place, it is important to use Model 2 if you are over 30, even if you have not had childbirth.
Either way my suggestion is to wear a pantyliner on one's heaviest days.
"Heaviest days"... I so wish I could make you understand how much blood we REALLY release when you ACTUALLY SEE what all your cup collects. You would be so surprised as I was that the blood factor IS NOT that MUCH. The truth is tampons REALLY work. They absorb EVERYTHING in that private cavity. THAT'S why you have to change tampons so much. It's NOT so much the blood BUT YOUR NORMAL and God given vaginal "juices" that keep you changing and having to purchase so many tampons.
Truly what your DivaCup holds after over 6-8 hours of use, a single regular tampon could hold... but I bet you'd change your tampon a couple of times in that same span of time.
I could go on and on... I may have to follow with another post about menstrual cup use. Keep your questions coming!
I went out and bought one on Thursday.
I'm actually looking forward to my upcoming period.
Do please talk with me personally as you learn how to use your new menstrual cup if you have ANY questions at all(you may not wish to do so here... TMI.) I'll send you my direct contact info personally.
CONGRATS again! Be sure to report back to THIS post with your FIRST impressions-- good, bad and indifferent!
Happy period days to come!!
Again, feel free to contact me privately if you wish... I'm OPEN to any questions or concerns you may have about menstrual cup use.