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Supple Cow · 03-28-2005, 05:58 PM

Mal, the thread you're thinking of is the one about Instead menstrual cups. Those are a different kind; those are disposable so and work a different way. The Keeper and the Divacup are much bigger (they hold about an ounce of fluid and the top is about 1"-1.5" in diameter) and they sit at the base of your vagina instead of up over your cervix. You sort of fold it in half over itself to make it more the size of a tampon to slip it in, and then it just pops open and sits there. So it catches everything and it never accidentally pops out. (I even tried once and could only get it partly out, but it didn't fall out or leak.) The only time I've ever had leaks were when I left them in for WAY too long on my heavy days. If there's more than an ounce or so and you wiggle around too much, they can sort of slide up in your stuff and leak a little. But even then, I've never leaked enough to soak all the way through my panties AND my pants. It's usually just like spotting when that happens. I didn't have a leak for the first year and a half of using one. I only started having leaks recently because I became careless about emptying the cup since I trust it so much... I really do forget I have my period once it's in there!

The important thing to remember about all of these menstrual cups is that they are not meant to be used for contraception. None of them are. But I guess one downside to the reusable kind is that you can't have them in at all while you're having sex (that would probably hurt a lot since their hard rubbery things), so they're like tampons and pads in that respect - you have to take them out and deal with all the blood if you want to have sex. I don't really know much about Instead, but that other thread says that you can at least leave it in if not trust it as contraception. Either way, I find that to be a very minor downside. I used to have to run to the bathroom before sex to throw away my pad or tampon anyway. I just take the cup out, rinse it and wrap it in toilet paper or tissue until it's time to put it back in.

As for inserting it, it did take me about 3 months to become really comfortable with the process. It's kind of like learning to use a tampon all over again. (Except without your mom/sister/best friend sitting on the other side of the door giving you tips while you cry in the bathroom. It's a little easier than that.) Still, in my opinion, totally worth the effort.

03-28-2005, 05:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
Supple Cow Americow, the Beautiful Location: Washington, D.C.	Mal, the thread you're thinking of is the one about Instead menstrual cups. Those are a different kind; those are disposable so and work a different way. The Keeper and the Divacup are much bigger (they hold about an ounce of fluid and the top is about 1"-1.5" in diameter) and they sit at the base of your vagina instead of up over your cervix. You sort of fold it in half over itself to make it more the size of a tampon to slip it in, and then it just pops open and sits there. So it catches everything and it never accidentally pops out. (I even tried once and could only get it partly out, but it didn't fall out or leak.) The only time I've ever had leaks were when I left them in for WAY too long on my heavy days. If there's more than an ounce or so and you wiggle around too much, they can sort of slide up in your stuff and leak a little. But even then, I've never leaked enough to soak all the way through my panties AND my pants. It's usually just like spotting when that happens. I didn't have a leak for the first year and a half of using one. I only started having leaks recently because I became careless about emptying the cup since I trust it so much... I really do forget I have my period once it's in there! The important thing to remember about all of these menstrual cups is that they are not meant to be used for contraception. None of them are. But I guess one downside to the reusable kind is that you can't have them in at all while you're having sex (that would probably hurt a lot since their hard rubbery things), so they're like tampons and pads in that respect - you have to take them out and deal with all the blood if you want to have sex. I don't really know much about Instead, but that other thread says that you can at least leave it in if not trust it as contraception. Either way, I find that to be a very minor downside. I used to have to run to the bathroom before sex to throw away my pad or tampon anyway. I just take the cup out, rinse it and wrap it in toilet paper or tissue until it's time to put it back in. As for inserting it, it did take me about 3 months to become really comfortable with the process. It's kind of like learning to use a tampon all over again. (Except without your mom/sister/best friend sitting on the other side of the door giving you tips while you cry in the bathroom. It's a little easier than that.) Still, in my opinion, totally worth the effort. __________________ "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan)