As a woman, there’s one thing that most all of us have to deal with monthtly. Aunt Flo, your monthly visitor, Dot, the Bit@h, or, you know, your period. How we choose to deal with it is a personal preference, but since I was a teen I’ve been using disposable tampons. I could never quite feel comfortable using menstrual pads. But now that I’ve met the Diva Cup I’m thrilled to have another more environmentally friendly option.
After using the Diva Cup for my last period, I got a good feel for what it takes to use it successfully and in what situations it might not be as practical. I did find that it really was easy to insert and remove after a time or two of “getting to know it”. To insert, you simply fold it in half long ways and it expands once it is fully inserted. There is a small tip at the bottom to use to remove. The bonus? On a heavy flow day you can leave it in up to 12 hours without changing.
After testing it out, I came up with a list of pros and cons:
Pros:
Environmentally Friendly Financially Friendly Easy to insert/remove Can wear up to 12 hours on a heavy flow day Comes in two sizes, one for women under 30 who haven’t given birth, one for women who have given birth or are over 30 Easy to clean and care for Can’t feel it once it’s inserted Instead of buying tampons and pads monthly, it only needs to be replaced once a year.
Cons:
Can be messy while inserting/removing Difficult to empty/clean when using a public restroom There were times while exercising when I could feel it and wondered how secure it was The cup can spill while “emptying” Takes a little bit of practice to insert correctly Requires a little extra bathroom time to clean after removing/before re-inserting
Of all of those, the biggest issue I found was using it in a public restroom. Because it should be washed after removing/before inserting, you need a sink and mild soap or the DivaWash, a soap made specifically for the Diva Cup. You also should always wash your hands before removing and inserting the Cup, as not to introduce any germs into the vagina. You do have the option of emptying the cup and simply drying it with clean tissue after use (in the case of a public restroom or no access to a sink), but best hygiene is to wash after every removal before reinsertion.
Between periods, you need to store the Diva Cup in a breathable container. It comes with a bag it can be stored in for this purpose. At the end of your cycle it’s important to wash it thoroughly and you may even boil it for 5 minutes making sure there is enough water so that it doesn’t melt during the boiling process.
Overall, for my personal use the pros far outweigh the cons and I fully intend to keep using the Diva Cup. It’s a great environmental choice and at $39.95 at most retailers including Walmart and Target, it’s an economical choice.
Do you use the Diva Cup? I’d love to hear what you think of it.
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About Katie
I have never used one, because they always seem like they would be too messy. I prefer using a sponge tampon.
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I’ve heard several things about the Diva Cup but never used one myself. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
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