And, yes, by Flo I mean "Aunt Flo" ... you know ... that time of the month ... being on the rag ... your eriod ... Miss Dot ... your little monthly visitor ... sittin' at the red light ... the 28 Day Mamba ... riding the cotton pony ... changing the 'ole filter ... cycle of the moon ... surfing the red wave ... being on your pyramid ...Yes, fella's, that would be your warning. Get out or get ready.
This will be short and sweet (unlike Flo, who is usually a big pain and always overstays her welcome). It has been seven months since I began my relationship with my Diva Cup. Seven visits from the Flo-meister. A good seven full days for each visit. How are me and the Diva doing?
We're totally BFF! At first, I was thinking it might have been more of a crush, but now I can tell you that we have a solid relationship. We have traveled, gone swimming, done some manual labor together for hours at a time. You name it, and she has trudged right along with me - even camping - copping a squat in the woods (all you need is a little clean water - a water bottle is your best friend!). Now, before you all go posting your "Ewww" crud, let me remind you that I don't like gross stuff!! Keep that in mind. I'm not some freak that looks for disgusting things I can add to my life. I keep using family wipes, because they have many advantages, and they are not gross. My Diva - don't you dare call her gross. She's amazing.
There's no way around it - Flo can be icky. All products available to help ... er ... contain Flo, are making the best out of a bad situation.Diva handles Flo with just as much finesse as Tampax.
By day two or three of Flo's arrival, I am only having to think about Diva when I wake up and when I go to bed. Each time we cross paths, things are quick and easy. There was a learning curve in the beginning, and I'm not quite sure I would have been ready to start such a friendship earlier in life. However, being comfortable with my body ... well, we were a match made in heaven.
Not to mention, she is going to last me for a really, really long time. I've greatly decreased my contribution to the land fill every month. I don't dread it when I hear Flo ringing the doorbell. It's easier for me, but I also feel so much more connected to myself ... more connected to Flo.
Weird, I know!
All I can say is that is worth it to consider adding Diva to your life. Once you get past her unconventional ways, you may find love.
And if that doesn't work ...
Special acknowledgments go to Crunchy Chicken, from whom I piggybacked this video, and who also was my inspiration to give Diva a go in the first place.
15 comments:
I tried the Diva and I loved her for all the reasons that you listed (and more!)--not having to change her but twice a day, less waste, less money, greater knowledge of my own flow, etc. But, and this was a dealbreaker, she gave me a yeast infection. Grrr. I haven't had the will power to try her again. Did you have any problems with this?
Oh, and I think that there's a higher learning curve with her if you are plus size.
I have dealt with our yeasty friend while wearing my Diva. Just put in a fresh whole clove of garlic in Diva each time you clean her ... for 2-3 days. Worked for me!
LOVE my Diva!! :)
There's definitely a learning curve though, or at least there was for me. I'm hoping I don't have to go through the same adjustment period when my cycles start back up again. (I've been cycle free for 21 months thanks to pregnancy and round the clock nursing.)
For some reason, I didn't find the Flo nearly as icky in the Diva as I did when using paper products. I'm quite sold out for the cup, in fact I know of 3 people I've converted! :)
I'm a fairly new Diva convert...maybe 4-5 months now? I forget. Overall, I'm pleased. Our plumbing won't tolerate tampons and the thought of them sitting around in the trash was just too...ick. 2-3 times a day with absolutely no additional garbage or mess is fantastic.
However... (and I hesitate to post this as it really all stemmed from user error at the beginning and I'd hate to scare someone off...but...)
On my last cycle there was a mistake at installation, I drove 2 hours, got to my destination, stood up, and....woosh. Yep. Paints, coat, car seat...yikes.
Went into the public restroom in a very public building and attempted to assess the damage and as I was using the restroom and pondering my options...it fell out and into the toilet bowl. The dirty used toilet bowl.
Fished it out (ick!) and considered my alternatives: pull my ruined clothes back on and go wash it out in the (very public) restroom sink, then go back in and re-insert; wrap it up in some TP, call the pants a loss, and risk an even bigger mess until I could get some backup supplies or a more private restroom (and I was already late for a meeting in that building and had no idea where to go for supplies); or wipe it down and reinsert it and try not to think about it.
I'm still a fan, but I'm definitely more paranoid about that learning curve and proper placement after that!
I tried it and it totally didn't work for me. sorry. but I gave it a good shot!
Okay, I tried the whole thing in my mid-20's, but had the hardest time getting it in. Do you have to have given birth or something first? That sucker's like a football!
And, although, I'd love instructions on how to get it in there... it's not something I'm hoping to watch on Youtube, kwim?
Also, how do you pull it out without spilling the contents everywhere? Would love to try it again as tampons are starting to gross me out and I only use pads to collect Noah's urine samples. (lol)
Leslie
Never heard of this before now. Wow! Christine, I never fail to be educated on your blog! ;) Cool deal! IF I still have periods this would be one for me to try. But, since I had a procedure years ago due to fibroids, I no longer have to deal with Flo's monthly visit. YEH me!
Anonymous,
WHAT? You don't want us all knowing it was YOU fishing out the Diva of the nasty pot?!? So, we can all show up at your blog and express our disgust?!?!? LOL
Just FYI: the first two months, I wore some backup on the first two days (my heaviest days), just to be safe, and knowing that if someone is going to screw something up, it will be ME!
Leslie,
I don't think I could have succeeded with this in my early twenties. I just wasn't comfortable enough with myself at that point. :) You certainly don't HAVE to have had a baby to do this (there are two different sizes - one for gals who are pre-baby and nice and ... er ... snug! and then the rest of us).
I always do my dump-and-run over the toilet. Give her a slight tug and then a solid pinch to release the suction (cause if you don't, that would be like the weirdest and most uncomfortable tug-of-war in history). Gently bring her back into the real world, give her a little curtsie over the toilet and ta-da!
When your flow is heavy, you may have to dump-and-run more often. Every woman is crazy different. The first two months, I checked her regularly, until I felt confident in my process.
Also, they do have telephone support! So, while it's not YouTube, it IS a real, live person!
And don't let your husband hear you freaking out over the size of Diva! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
"Honey, I thought I was the size of a football?!?!?"
I have a diva cup and absolutely love it! LOVE IT!!! It is everything you said. It's much better than pads or tampons. And you are right, I have noticed that I am more aware of AF when she comes. I know my body better because of the cup. I have also noticed that after the first few months my period became lighter and cramps were not as noticeable.
I use reusable organic panty liners with my diva cup. They are wonderful as well. Much more comfortable than disposables.
Thanks for the comment on my post about your dishwashing soap. I'll have to try the Diva Cup once my cycle comes back. One of my favorite things about breastfeeding is NO FLO! I have a friend who makes reusable washable pads out of hemp. Maybe those and the Diva Cup could be a winning team for ladies with heavier flows.
@ noah bear (and for anyone else faced with the less-than-stellar instructions that come with the DC): check out this posting for pics of various folds you can use:
http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/453392.html
Don't worry! Nothing graphic beyond a hand showing you how to twist the lip into different folds for insertion.
And... I love my cup! First-time use right before a business trip, and I was nervous about possible disaster in a suit, but it was so easy and so much less of a mess than pads/tampons I'm a bonafide proselytizer now!
Is, thank you so much for the link!!
I'm going to try my hand at the "7" or the oragami. I just do the old "C" fold, but can see how it would be even easier to have it more bunched up.
So glad I posted this today - you gals are a wealth of information!
okay just read the whole site and am thinking about ordering one. i'll let you know how it goes. wouldn't this be nice if i needed this while in haiti!!!
:)Jamie
Laughing so hard I have to hold onto the desk to keep from falling off my chair! Fantastic testimonial. It's been in the back of my head to try this out (or one of the similar cups), but now I'm actually motivated.
Off to read the links ...
After yet another tampon disaster, I have just ordered my DivaCup. I am trying very diligently to get myself to a healthy, permanent weight so that I may wear sexy underwear and I will not ruin every new pair I own!
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