Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post and contains graphic descriptions and information about female menstruation.
This summer at the annual Her Conference, attendees were given a Diva Cup in their goody bags. What is a Diva Cup you ask? It’s a reusable, bell-shaped menstrual cup that is worn inside and sits in the vaginal canal to collect your menstrual flow instead of absorbing it like pads, tampons and period panties do.
Knowing me, the modern day woman comfortable talking about sex and periods, I was very gung-ho to try this out. I’m always looking for new ways to control my flow and avoid any middle school mishaps of tying my sweater around my waist. I’m also terrified of tampons, so I didn’t know how this was going to be. Also the Diva Cup has been known to be an environment-friendly solution to pads and napkins that collect in our landfills and cash in my pocket.
For anyone who has never seen a Diva Cup, they come in two different sizes, Model 1 and Model 2, and the number is stamped inside the rim of the cup. The difference between the two sizes is 1/8th of an inch. Model 1 is recommended for women under 30 who have never delivered vaginally or by C-section. Model 2 is recommended for women ages 30 and over and/or have delivered vaginally or by C-section. Model 2 is recommended to women over the age of 30 years because our hips naturally widen, and our muscles lose elasticity, even without childbirth. Your “vajayjay” muscles hold the cup in to prevent leakage, so sizing is very important to use the appropriate cup for your age.
Just recently I had my period and got very excited to try out my new Diva Cup, knowing that again I wasn’t pregnant, despite the fact boys don’t talk to me. I ripped the box apart and opened the instructions to see how I could get this “leakproof” solution into my “hooha.”
I walked into my bathroom, read the instructions, freak out for half an hour, and then I went to insert the cup into my “vajayjay.” The instructions were simple. First, you fold the cup into a U-shape and hold it firmly. You then insert it into your “hooha” with your vaginal muscles relaxed, which I wasn’t because even tampons feel uncomfortable. The Diva Cup should be inserted horizontally, and the tip of the stem should be no longer than ½ an inch into the vagina. If you insert the cup too high up it could cause leaks and making removal more difficult than it already is. You have to grip the cup base and rotate it 360 degrees as you insert it to ensure the cup is full opened.
For removal, you pull on the stem gently until you reach the base, pinch the base to release the seal continue to pull it down. Empty the contents into the toilet and wash the cup with mild soap and water, unless you’ve invested in the DivaWash. The Diva Cup needs to be removed twice in a 24-hour span and washed before reinsertion.
In my case, my Diva Cup was only in for 2 minutes before I started panicking. Not fully reading instruction I tried rotating my diva cup after I had fully inserted it in hooha. Also not being able to reach the stem of my cup made me feel as if I had no hope. When I did reach my stem, I pinched the inside of my vaginal wall in panic. I recommend keeping calm and using your vagina muscles during this time. For the short time I had it in, it did it’s job, collecting instead of leaking, and that’s good enough for me to give it another chance. Now it sits in my bathroom, collecting dust.
The Buzzfeed ladies probably had a better time than I did. I feel as if the diva cup deserves another chance because I did feel secure while it was inserted. I just need to trust the diva cup and try again in three weeks. I’m always looking for ways to make my period more comfortable instead of spending money to use pads all the time.
So what’s next for me? Either using tampons, Diva Cup take two, or period panties.