Menstural cups

[Aunt_Flo]

@peachy what a win-win tip! I’ve snipped the stem part of mine because I could always feel it. Mine fits a lot nicer now. 

[peachy]

@Aunt_Flo good idea! I’ll probably do that once I’m feeling 100% confident using mine!

[HoneyPot]

LOVIN that tip @peachy ! Such a win-win indeed! I snipped mine as well and it helped 🙂

[stephaniaaaah]

omg I can’t believe I haven’t seen this thread before! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my moon / diva / menstrual cup!

My hot tips
– YES it takes time getting used to it and inserting it but persistence is key- it becomes second nature after a while and if it’s stressing you out, just take a deep breath and perhaps try to change position to insert (I often sit on the toilet, but sometime have to squat on the floor to get it in)
– for public toilets – If I am going out and I am menstruating I just pack a water bottle (reusable of course lol) in my bag so I can rinse it – but you don’t need to rinse
– NEVER hold it directly under the tap before you’ve turned the tap on – I’ve ended up with a bloody splashback over many a bathroom mirror haha – turn the tap on then pop the cup under!
– agree -snip the tip off – it will make it much more comfortable

perks are: you can leave it in for 8 – 12 hours so it lasts ALL day and ALL night – I only change mine 3 times a day on my heaviest days (morning, after work, before bed), it’s zero waste (no more trying to stash your tampon in someones kitchen bin), hygienic, one time investment, and my favorite – it improves your relationship with your body so much more – I notice how my vagina feels different at different types of the day, the different blood and discharge, how much I bleed.

YAY for the menstrual cup!

[tea]

Ohh thanks for those hot tips @stephaniaaaah !! I really want to invest in getting a cup but I don’t get my period from the IUD (Mirena) I use! Is it bad that I wish I still got mine so I could use a cup? hahaha

Can you sleep with it in? Huge if true. I’d really like to get my IUD removed soon and am scoping out the competition,,,

[stephaniaaaah]

@tea when I had the Mirena I didn’t get a period either! Menstrual cups are honestly revolutionary so no it’s not bad – I love using mine (and are probably quite attached to it hahaha)

Yes, you can totally sleep with it in, no leaking at all – I had mine in for 12 hours yesterday and not one drop. Everybody is different, and it doesn’t work for some people but I think it’s worth a try 🙂 The other thing I enjoy about using one is that because the menstrual cup catches all the blood your vagina is really lovely your whole period – you know if you use pads or a tampon how when you put your finger in there it’s all covered in blood – the cup catches every drop so bye bye messy vagina!

[sextronaut]

Hi everyone! I’m a HUGE advocate for the menstrual cup. Before I invested I was doing a bunch of research into it and people’s methods and tips were the most helpful for me, so I’m going to share mine.
I use the Diva cup and use the punchdown/shell fold to insert. I’ve also cut off the tip, not because it was uncomfortable but because it was a space that I couldn’t clean and it was building up residue. On my heavy days, I empty it when I wake up, around 4pm and before bed (midnight). On my normal-light days this changes to when I wake up and before bed. I use the diva wash once a day during my cycle and boil it between cycles. It took me a while to figure out the angle it needed to be in, but figuring out where my cervix was really helped as the cup needs to fit around the cervix properly to catch everything.
Tips:
1. Cut your fingernails. I’ve stabbed myself in the vulva too many times.
2. If you know when your period will be coming, pop your cup in 12-24 hours before hand. This will save your undies. Having a cup in without having a period doesn’t harm you at all! Just make sure to take it out at around 12 hours and give it a wash with warm water.
3. On a similar note, I used to empty my cup when I got in the shower, wash my body, and then put my cup back in 5 minutes later. Don’t do this. For me, this was time for blood to come out and coat my vaginal walls. This stuff doesn’t end up in the cup and comes out and stains your undies. I thought for so long that my cup was in wrong and it was leaking. So make sure to empty and re-insert your cup within a minute or two to save your undies.
4. You have to be 100% comfortable with your body to use a menstrual cup.
5. Get to know your pelvic floor muscles, I find it helps a lot to ‘bear down’ and imagine I’m pushing something out to lower the cup so you can grab it. It also helps with insertion, I put the cup in, ensure it’s open and the suction is good to go by turning it all the way around, then use my pelvic floor muscles to suck it up the rest of the way.
6. This isn’t a tip, just a benefit I didn’t imagine happening. Not only does your waste production drop drastically, it also means you don’t have to empty your bathroom bin as frequently – hooray!

[tea]

Wow @sextronaut thank you so much for all of those tips!! I don’t use a cup myself since I don’t get my period with an IUD, but these are good to go to for reference! (And to share to my friends who do use a cup!)

[GoldenRose]

@sextronaut Wow awesome tips!! I do the same as number 3. and have noticed that sometimes there is still a little blood coming through sometimes so thanks for the tip! I’ve also notice when trying to take it out that I accidentally pinch my skin on the inside so I make sure to use my pelvic floor muscles to help push the cup down which I found really helps!

[EarthMama]

@sextronaut these are such great tips!! I am especially intrigued by number 3… I haven’t used a cup myself but it answers some questions my friends have had.
I’ve just gotten into ModiBodi period undies! Has anyone else tried these? They also take a little getting used to, but after I read that a pad takes 500 years to break down- I just couldn’t justify using them (or at least so many of them).

[stephaniaaaah]

@sextronaut ! Number 3 tip – Thank you! I would get annoyed because blood would come out and I’d put my finger in to check it was around my cervix and I couldn’t work out what was wrong

@earthmama oh are they any good? does it feel weird like you don’t have a barrier between your period and your pants??

[tea]

@earthmama 500 years!!!!! omfg, I haven’t tried period undies but I’ve been spotting lots with my IUD lately so I was thinking of giving them a go! Where did you get yours from?

[GoldenRose]

Just found this useful video on menstural cups that has a bunch of cool tips and tricks on how to insert them and clean them etc.!

[GoldenRose]

[tea]

@goldenrose what a good video!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Does anyone have any particular menstrual cups they’d recommend? I’m thinking of trying one if I get my IUD removed.

Also heard from a friend you shouldn’t use cups if you have an IUD because it can come out? Is this true @nurse_nettie?

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