Menstural cups?

Quality

ztoical wrote: »

attaching a breast pump isn't very natural either [or comfortable]

lol agreed..:D

cuckoo

echosound wrote: »

The first thing I thought of when I first heard about mooncups a few years back was "urgh, so in a public toilet you waddle out of the cubicle with your keks round your knees, tip out the blood in the sink, wash it out, smile at the other women recoiling from you, and waddle back in to re-insert it" - shudder.

If it needs to be emptied in a public toilet I don't have to leave the cubicle, i just tip the (surprisingly small) amount of liquid out, give it a quick wipe with loo paper and pop it back in again.

It's not like using a tampon, sometimes on heavier days removing one was like opening a dam for me. And, there's no string - happy happy!

But, it's also not like using tampons as it took me a while to get used to the cup - the first time i was really struggling with getting it in and out and was so annoyed at it that i had a glass of whiskey to relax - and then was able to figure it out. So, perhaps the cup is not an option for impatient pioneer pledges.

Beruthiel

ztoical wrote: »

including pesticides used on the cotton and chlorine used to bleach them.

That is something most women don't even think about when using ST's. The amount of chemicals they are introducing unnecessarily into their bodies.

ztoical - you can buy the Mooncup in Boots.

Seraphina

i actually can't believe the amount of childish 'eewww thats gross' comments. its your own effing blood! you think emptying and washing a little cup is more disgusting that the millions of bloody soaked tampons and towels that end up in landfill every year? far more hygienic IMO.

for someone who doesn't have a heavy flow, i find tampons very dry and uncomfortable at times, im definitely going to give these a go! never even knew they existed!!!

Beruthiel

Seraphina wrote: »

i im definitely going to give these a go! never even knew they existed!!!

I know! I didn't find out about them till last year and they've been around since the dawn of time. I reckon it's all a big conspiracy, the ST industry would go out of business if we all started using them.

If you've any problems getting started on it, gimme a shout.

carolmon

so what's the story re exercise and mooncups?

can we still rollerskate, skydive, horseride etc etc.............
(we've all seen the ads)

no really it's a serous question cos I swim regularly, are mooncaps suitable for swim/ gym??

I think they're a good idea, anything that cuts down on landfill is worth a think.

I have no squeamishness about them but would be concerned about leakage during exercise...... any people tried them when swimming?
carol

ztoical

carolmon wrote: »

so what's the story re exercise and mooncups?

can we still rollerskate, skydive, horseride etc etc.............
(we've all seen the ads)

no really it's a serous question cos I swim regularly, are mooncaps suitable for swim/ gym??

I think they're a good idea, anything that cuts down on landfill is worth a think.

I have no squeamishness about them but would be concerned about leakage during exercise...... any people tried them when swimming?
carol

Hey Carolmon I swim 6 times a week so finding out if I can wear the cup for that was important. Wikipedia has the following to say:

Can be worn during sports such as swimming. Tampons can also be worn swimming, though they may wick water, become saturated, and then drip dilute bloody water. Menstrual cups are therefore more reliable menstrual protection for public swimming activities.

Hopfully one of the ladies who has tired the cups has been swimming and can either confirm or deny said statement.

cuckoo

ztoical wrote: »

Hey Carolmon I swim 6 times a week so finding out if I can wear the cup for that was important. Wikipedia has the following to say:

Can be worn during sports such as swimming. Tampons can also be worn swimming, though they may wick water, become saturated, and then drip dilute bloody water. Menstrual cups are therefore more reliable menstrual protection for public swimming activities.

Hopfully one of the ladies who has tired the cups has been swimming and can either confirm or deny said statement.

+1 on that. The 'wicking factor' mentioned in the wiki with tampons is so not an issue with the cup.

The rim forms a seal with the walls of the vagina, and as the silicon is very flexible it moves with the body, so you could contort yourself into any and all positions. The only contra indication i've ever read about it would be extended time upside down (and i mean ages...) as there might be an issue of backflow (similar to in yoga when they say in classes to not do the upside down head pose thingy).

When the cup is to be removed you give it a little squeeze at the base to break the seal, there is a definite sensation, like opening one of those air tight jars with rubber seals on them. Not that the cup is air tight, there's a few little holes under the rim. So, it's not stuck in there like those sucky things to stick to bathroom tiles!

I'm a lot more comfortable using the cup swimming than i ever was with tampons.

At the moment not every Boots seems to be stocking them - i got mine in the Boots in Stephens Green. They can also be ordered online from lots of places as well.

Crumble Froo

Beruthiel wrote: »

That is something most women don't even think about when using ST's. The amount of chemicals they are introducing unnecessarily into their bodies.

ztoical - you can buy the Mooncup in Boots.

AH! :eek:

right,t hat's official... im looking into this mooncup business. bah, dont think there's a boots over here.

cuckoo

Came across a site with exhaustive amounts of info (v well tagged posts) about using menstrual cups and all the different brands of them that are available:

http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/

(note: the mooncup uk is the brand that Boots are selling over here)

Knee-Vee

Oh, cool! I didn't know Boots had started stocking Mooncups! I've never used them, but if they're in any way comfortable I'd switch without a second thought.

I don't understand the ewww responses to menstrual cups. It seems a much cleaner way of dealing with menses than tampons and pads. I'm not a huge fan of either pads or tampons so I'd prefer any alternative. tampons are too drying and pads just make me self-conscious.

SW81

oh not so sure i like the sound of them. even the name is a bit off putting?

mudz

hi there, I bought some washable menstrual cloths about 2 years ago, at first used them a lot but now they have become an emergency backup. I found that they were quite bulky and then had to organise a kind of nappy bucket to store them in untill i had a wash going on. Then if I was out and about for the day, where to put the soiled one? Not really in my handbag!!! They were fine on days that I was at home in baggy trousers, so I went back to Natura pads, at least they biodegrade and dont have that plasticy layer. the cup sounds interesting though. Hope that is of help.

jam_mac_jam

I just dont see how this can work if you are not at home. How are you going to clean it? in a sink? jesus no thanks, not the same sink I wash my hands in. Oh and I know its natural but I dont wash my arse in the sink either and everything that comes out of there is natural. Call me a prude I dont like the idea of washing it out in public, that's the disgusting part. Each to their own though.

ztoical

had a go with the menstural cups this month - going to wait a couple of months before really committing one way or the other but so far pretty happy. My big hang up of inserting and removing proved to not be any more difficult then when I first tired using tampons. I go to the gym everyday and found I couldn't feel the cup at all - running on the treadmill, yoga class, swimming, no issues with any of them.

Gauge

Any Cork people know if the mooncup can be found in the Boots in the city centre? I looked in the one in Mahon but couldn't find it- dying to give this a try, I always seem to get caught out every month forgetting to buy tampons!

IvyTheTerrible

Crumble Froo wrote: »

AH! :eek:

right,t hat's official... im looking into this mooncup business. bah, dont think there's a boots over here.

I don't know where you are but check out the Lunapads website...I got my divacup there. The good exchange rate wipes out the delivery charge.

I'm still getting used to it but it is much more cost effective and environmentally friendly that disposables. Also I would say it's more discrete than cloth pads - you have to change the cloth pads more regularly and keep them somewhere til you get home. Also you have to soak your pads...it can be difficult to find somewhere discrete to do that if you are in a houseshare.

Niamho!

Ah! is it just me thats Grossed out by this? (Sorry)
i dont really know why....i can only half read this thread without Clenching my ass in disgust.... Each to their own and all but theres just something not right about putting a little Cuppy thing in your Body...?
maybe i'm the Weirdo...hehe
And the thoguht of Putting Washable ones in the machine!? Knacker.... Sorry. i prob sound like a real bitch and i dont mean to but the two options would not even enter my mind.

ztoical

Niamho! wrote: »

Ah! is it just me thats Grossed out by this? (Sorry)
i dont really know why....i can only half read this thread without Clenching my ass in disgust.... Each to their own and all but theres just something not right about putting a little Cuppy thing in your Body...?
maybe i'm the Weirdo...hehe

Do you use tampons? I found the idea of them awful when they were first explained to me. Have to say I didn't find the cup much different from the tampons with regards to inserting and removing.

cuckoo

Niamho! wrote: »

Ah! is it just me thats Grossed out by this? (Sorry)
i dont really know why....i can only half read this thread without Clenching my ass in disgust.... Each to their own and all but theres just something not right about putting a little Cuppy thing in your Body...?
maybe i'm the Weirdo...hehe

I look at it this way - i can wash the cup with antibac soap and stick it into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 mins. I don't think a sexual partner would be that happy if i suggested the same treatment for anything else that would be going 'there'.

Niamho!

ztoical wrote: »

Do you use tampons? I found the idea of them awful when they were first explained to me. Have to say I didn't find the cup much different from the tampons with regards to inserting and removing.

I did use Tampons yes. My period is far too light now though to use Tampons. i Used Pads for years before that though.
theres just something about that Cup thing. mind you i might change my mind if i saw the Actual size of one. they're probably quite small??

rain on

Niamho! wrote: »

I did use Tampons yes. My period is far too light now though to use Tampons. i Used Pads for years before that though.
theres just something about that Cup thing. mind you i might change my mind if i saw the Actual size of one. they're probably quite small??

I was thinking about using them till I saw the size of them.. they were about twice the size I was expecting them to be, and that was the smaller version! I'll stick to my unbleached tampons for the forseeable future I think.

Beruthiel

Niamho! wrote: »

Ah! is it just me thats Grossed out by this? (Sorry)
i dont really know why....i can only half read this thread without Clenching my ass in disgust.... Each to their own and all but theres just something not right about putting a little Cuppy thing in your Body...?

Grow up. Seriously. :rolleyes:

Niamho!

I dont get petty on a Forum with people i dont know....

Its my opinion i just dont like the Idea of them. End of.

Clare Bear

Niamho! wrote: »

I dont get petty on a Forum with people i dont know....

Its my opinion i just dont like the Idea of them. End of.

Nah Niamh when I read your post I had to laugh cause I thought the exact same thing...don't know why either, just don't like the look or thought of them but each to their own.

d-redser

Hey girls this is my first time in the LL so hello to you's all!!

I have never heard of these cups before and being honest they make more sense than pads & tampons do...

I used to use the NuvaRing for contraception and loads of girls used to be grossed out when I told them I inserted it myself and took it out myself each month

Anyways, I am very interested in trying this out and seeing if I can use this full time instead of tampons.. Does anybody know where to get them on the Northside of Dublin??

I am hardly ever over near the green...

WindSock

Boots seems to be the outlet for them, d-redser. They seem to be sold out whenever I'm in there though. Must be getting popular.

d-redser

WindSock wrote: »

Boots seems to be the outlet for them, d-redser. They seem to be sold out whenever I'm in there though. Must be getting popular.

I will try boots in Blanch.. it's quite big so hopefully they might stock them..

Madame Razz

d-redser wrote: »

I used to use the NuvaRing for contraception and loads of girls used to be grossed out when I told them I inserted it myself and took it out myself each month

...

+1. I got the same reaction when I used Nuvaring! ITs not popular in this country at all but number one contraceptive choice in a number of european countries...its hammered the pill in France since its release!

All my friends were like EEEEEEWW thats disgusting.

Immature or what? Personally I thought the Nuvaring had far too many positives to get odd about putting it in and taking it out myself.

Tempted to try this mooncup thingy!

ztoical

manukahoney wrote: »

+1. I got the same reaction when I used Nuvaring! ITs not popular in this country at all but number one contraceptive choice in a number of european countries...its hammered the pill in France since its release!

do you know I'd actually never heard of the Nuvaring before this. Looked it up online and sounds interesting - did you find any negatives while using it?