Years ago, my cousin told me about a reusable cup she used instead of tampons. All I had ever known was pads and tampons so the thought of my menstruation in a cup grossed me out. At that point of time I figured it was just something that an earth friendly person would use to cut back on creating waste. I never saw myself using a cup instead of a tampon and never a reusable one at that. Today, these cups are making it into the mainstream use. During the MNSU’s Her Campus meeting, our president asked if anyone has ever used a DivaCup or a menstruation cup, offering one member to do a trial and write an article on it, since we received it in our Survival Kit. I looked around confused as multiple girls raised their hands. This is actually a thing now?
I took the opportunity to try the DivaCup, but not without asking an abundance of questions and making a few remarks. Wait- you reuse this thing over and over again for multiple cycles? How do you clean it? What do you do when you’re in public? Is this gross? I can use this overnight? Sweet. This is perfect timing to try this out!
When I got home that night I went straight to the bathroom to look at what I had gotten myself into. The DivaCup fit into the palm of my hand and even came with a storage bag for between cycles. It wasn’t quite what I expected, more pliable but sturdy. There are small holes at the base of it to help suction to decrease leaks. Grips are near the base and stem to help with removal. There are also lines on the inside of the cup to help measure menstruation fluid in ml.
The DivaCup is inserted by folding the cup and placing it low in the vaginal canal. Once inserted, it is important to make sure that the cup has unfolded or else it may cause a leak. It took me a few times to insert the DivaCup correctly so I would advise people to read the directions as using a DivaCup is very different from inserting a tampon. I could not feel the DivaCup at all once it was in!
There were a lot of positive aspects of the DivaCup:
– I didn’t have to experience sneaking a tampon up my sleeve or into my boot while in public.
– I went longer throughout the day without having to sneak off to the bathroom.
– The DivaCup can be worn up to 10-12 hours while tampons should be changed every 4-8 hours.
– Less money was spent on my period each month because the DivaCup is reusable.
– Within a few months, with the money I had saved from not buying pads or tampons, my DivaCup had paid for itself. According to DivaCup.com this reflects a savings of around $100-$150 a year for DivaCup users.
– Many innocent pairs if underwear were saved. When inserted correctly, the DivaCup never leaked.
– I felt safer using a cup over a tampon general.
– The DivaCup does not add any additional risk for its users to get Toxic Shock Syndrome can while some toxic shock syndrome cases have been tied to menstruating women using super-absorbent tampons.
– Using the DivaCup really put into perspective how much I menstruate each month.
– Each cycle for each person varies, but each cycle 10-35ml of menstrual fluid is lost. Who knew? It looks like so much when absorbed by tampons.
– When I travel on my period, it doesn’t take up a whole pocket in my bag/purse.
– Gone are the days of having to fit a whole box of tampons into my carry on.
There were a few things that took some getting used to:
– Instead of just disposing of a tampon into the trash, with the DivaCup you have to empty your menstrual fluid and wash the cup. I got over this faster than I thought I would. It is important to always wash your hands before taking out the DivaCup. I take it out and empty my menstruation into the toilet, then wash the DivaCup with DivaWash. Water and unscented, oil free, soap will also do.
– When in public, I wash my hands before going into the stall, empty the contents, and then whip it with toilet paper before reinserting it. Once I am back to the humble abode, I make sure to wash it right away. Neither process is messy.
– It takes a few times to get used to inserting and taking the cup out. Some advice for first-time users: read the directions on this one! I had a mini panic attack when trying to remove the diva cup for the first time. There is no string to just pull it out of you – there is a trick!
– Now I find tampons itchy and uncomfortable when I use them. According to Divacup.com “many women do not realize that the feminine hygiene products they use are the culprits of their vaginal discomfort. The vagina is self-cleansing and continually produces fluid that “flushes” the vagina. When a tampon is inserted, its composition of rayon and cotton absorbs your vagina’s protective fluid, drying out and disrupting its normal pH levels. Latex-free, plastic-free, BPA-free, odor-free and free of colors and dyes, The DivaCup is made from health care grade non-absorbent silicone, which means it will not dry out or disrupt the natural environment of your vagina.”
I would recommend the DivaCup to the open minded, the unsure and to anyone who is about to dish out more money on tampons. I have now used the DivaCup for months and I don’t plan on going back!
For those of you who still feel unsure about DivaCups, I would recommend visiting The Diva Cup’s website or watching this instructional video on the DivaCup. The DivaCup has many great resources for those with questions about their products!