5 Reasons Why a Menstrual Cup Might Be for You
Posted by Diana
March 5, 2014
I have a Diva Cup. I am not a hippie. These two statements often times seem mutually exclusive. This millennial is happy to let you know that they are not. My “feminine care” products story goes like this. First, there were pads. (Good girls use pads, they don’t use tampons, a family member used to say.) Then I got older and decided if using tampons meant I wasn’t “good,” then I didn’t want to be good. So I made the switch to tampons. I liked tampons enough. My experience with them was better than my experience with pads. And for a while I thought that was it. Until I discovered Diva Cup by accident one day. For those of you who don’t know, a Diva Cup is one of many reusable menstrual cups on the market. So what’s so great about a menstrual cup?
1. Convenience: You can wear a Diva Cup for up to 12 hours. I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in. You can wear it for a full work day (for some at least). This is where the caveat comes in. If you are a heavy bleeder, like I was pre birth control, you will have to empty your cup. However, if you’re not a heavy bleeder, you can wear it in the morning before you go about your day and not have to worry about emptying it till you get back home in the evening. I bet you can’t do that with your pad or tampon.
2. Cheaper than a tampon: “Feminine care” products are not cheap. The more you bleed, the more products you have to buy. I used to spend $9.99 every three months on a box of CVS Tampons Multi Pack Cardboard Applicator. That amounted to $39.96 per year. I purchased my Diva Cup for $35 at lunapads.com. I’ve had it for more than a year and I haven’t had to replace it.
3. No worries about the dog accidentally dragging out your used tampons in front of your friends: I don’t have a dog. However, I have heard enough stories from friends about the one time their dog dug through the trash and pulled out their pad/tampon and everyone saw it and they were embarrassed forever and ever. You will not believe how many of those stories I’ve heard. If your dog or anyone else finds your menstrual cup, they might mistake it for a teeny tiny funnel. Wouldn’t you much rather have that instead?
4. Never read another warning about Toxic Shock Syndrome: Some menstruating women like myself first learn about Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) from reading the little folded paper included in tampon boxes. Yes, TSS is often associated with tampon use, however, according to this article I just found, “toxic shock syndrome can happen to anyone. About half the cases of toxic shock syndrome occur in people who aren’t menstruating, including older women, men and children.” So you might still encounter TSS, just not on the box of a Diva Cup. Not to say that the Diva Cup doesn’t have it’s own health risks warnings.
5. Diva Cup was created by period havers for period havers: Diva Cup is the brainchild of Francine Chambers and Carinne Chambers. A mother daughter team who “after years of experience and research designed The DivaCup, a reusable menstrual cup that encourages a more positive period experience.” I don’t know about you but having a product that was created by someone who’s had experience of using it matters to me. And yes, I’ve had a more positive period experience since I started using their product.
The Diva Cup is not for everyone, I know that. It’s certainly not the only menstrual cup on the market. There are many reasons (financial, medical etc) why a cup might not work for you.You might not even have a period! But if you are considering a change in your menstrual care products, I encourage you to look into menstrual cups. The reasons highlighted above are just a small sample. Definitely look into a Diva Cup (it’s on sale at lunapads) or head over to Glad Rags to check out their (7) selections which include the Diva Cup. A menstrual cup could be for you. What I’m saying is that you have options. Do your research. I support you in whatever choice you make. When I say I support you, I don’t mean in the “postfeminist” way either, where we uncritically hail every choice a woman makes because a woman made it. What about you? Have you used a cup, Diva or otherwise, how did you like it?
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