eco menstrual stuff - boring for men

[kiwirach]

hi everyone, i've read all the wonderful thoughts on the mooncup and about to buy my first one.....but was wondering, is one enough, or should i get 2?.
how many do you have?.
thanks in advance.

[Growing Mama]

I just have one mooncup and that is fine. I don't really know why you would need two? I also use some cloth pads that a friend made me for overnight but I am going to get some more because they are just so much more comfy the disposable ones.

[the.fee.fairy]

I have two, the first one went walkies in the pit i call a bedroom. So i bought the other size. Then the old one came out of hiding.

There is not a lot of difference in the sizes when it comes to wearing the cup (although, i'd be a bit wary if i were virginal/Hymen intacta).

Mooncups are groovy little cups. I introduces my friend to it, and we regularly spend an hour in the pub extolling its virtues!

I wish i'd known about it 10 years ago, i could have saved myself a lot of money and suffering!

[kiwirach]

i have one now and find it great. i have mentioned them to 2 friends....one is definately intrigued, the other does not want to know...says its wrong!.....shes going to take some convincing!.

[hamster]

Whenever I get comments about it, I always emphasise how much less painful and how much shorter my periods are since I've been using it. If I say it's because of concerns about landfill, people tend to look at me funny and think I'm a smelly hippy, but if I talk about all the chemicals in conventional tampons and towels and how they make your periods longer and more painful, suddenly people start to listen!

[Dori]

I've not heard about these at all, but will be off to Boots tomorrow to see if I can find one!

Thanks for the info - gratefully received!

[Helsbells]

For me its the grossness of having to look at and do something with my own blood, the thought of it makes me feel sick, I just dont think I could do it!
How come using tampons and towels mane periods longer and more painful?
I had thought in the past that I had more period pain when using a tampon, but I just wondered why this is?

[Smallholder1]

For me its the grossness of having to look at and do something with my own blood, the thought of it makes me feel sick, I just dont think I could do it!
How come using tampons and towels mane periods longer and more painful?
I had thought in the past that I had more period pain when using a tampon, but I just wondered why this is?

I think there's some ingredient in tampons that actively draws fluid from the body, all in the name of extra absorbency!

However, before I also became a Mooncup geek, I used organic cotton tampons which worked much better, with shorter, less painful periods.

[QuakerBear]

Dear Hellsbells,

As a result of reading Clara's comments on here I bought a Mooncup about six months ago. The first time I used it, it was abit messy getting out (sorry to be gross), to be honest I think this was because I didn't really knew what my body was like; dimensions and how I could use my own muscles.

Now that I'm more experienced I find it far more clean and hygenic then pads and more comfortable then tampons. Give it a go, it really is great.

The other point about seeing what comes out is that is gives you a chance to see what's normal for you, so if something does go wrong you'll notice it quickley.

As a new convert, I LOVE MY MOONCUP

[hamster]

For me its the grossness of having to look at and do something with my own blood, the thought of it makes me feel sick, I just dont think I could do it!
How come using tampons and towels mane periods longer and more painful?
I had thought in the past that I had more period pain when using a tampon, but I just wondered why this is?

I think there's some ingredient in tampons that actively draws fluid from the body, all in the name of extra absorbency!

However, before I also became a Mooncup geek, I used organic cotton tampons which worked much better, with shorter, less painful periods.

Basically, yes. The organic ones don't have it in, so they have the same effect, but I costed up buying organic ones for the rest of my child-bearing years and compared it to the cost of a Mooncup and the Mooncup won hands down, and that's without the landfill consideration...

When I first got mine, I used to change it in the shower cos I was freaked out by the mess too.

[red]

personally .. find it that it makes little difference to period pain, but is more comfortable to use. and (speaking as someone who has had a child), considerably more effective. ie lasts through the night.. can go swimming...
I'm a convert.

I'm thinking of buying another just in case they stop making them!!

[Annpan]

TMI WARNING!!!

I had a pretty bad case of, well, messed up downstairs, after having E... they never told me, but it was more than 10 stitches... I was refered for re-constuctive surgery... but I managed to sort stuff out OK without it.

I am now very afraid of using tampons again. Are the mooncup things easier and more gentle to use?

Before red mentioned it I had thought that I was a no-go, but I am thinking about it now...

[QuakerBear]

Annpan,

It's deffinateley more comfortable once it's in.

I'm going to be a little graphic from here onwards so if anyone feels uncomfortable please stop reading.

Putting the Mooncup in might be a problem if you're nervous. I've got the smaller size and at the wide end it's about two and a half inches in diameter. To get it inside you, you must fold it in one of two ways (clearley shown in the leaflet). It is possible to fold it because its made of silicone, however the silicone is quite strong and occasionally when you're putting it in for the first time your fingers slip as you fumble and it goes 'pop' and regains it's round shape. This doesn't hurt in any way but is a little surprising. Once inside you it regains it's circular shape and is held in place by the muscles in the walls of your vagina. You shouldn't really be able to feel it. But if it doesn't go in far enought you can feel the stem pocking out, again this doesn't hurt but isn't correct or comfortable. Also when you've just put it in you may think you can feel it, I'd advice just stretching your muscles, arching your back, clenching your tummy to let your body slide it into place.

Taking it out is also difficult in the beginning. The Mooncup is bell shaped and has a stem about one inch long which is what you hold when removing it. The first time I used it I thought I'd lost it and my uterus had somehow swallowed it because I couldn't find the stem. In actual fact the Mooncup sits quite high inside you and you do have to insert perhaps the first digits of your finger and thumb in order to reach it. Again muscles are key to removing it. If you just grasp the stem and put you can feel a sort of suction inside you which I'm not too fond of (but doesn't hurt). The best way is to move it lower down your vagina by just pulsing your musles abit till you can grasp the bowl of the Mooncup, which is helpfully textured for added grip. If you're in your own bathroom sit on your haunches and this will almost push it out. Anyway, once you've caught hold of the bowl the seal is broken an you can pull it down, tilting it slightly at the opening of your vagina so it comes out as a more comfortable oval shape rather then a largish circle.

All in all nothing is uncomfortable let alone painful and it is a clean way to cope with the liquid.

Hope that's helpful and I don't mind if this gets deleted for being too graphic.

Happy Mooncuping everyone.

[red]

poor you - sounds grim

Well, I admit when i got my mooncup in the post I thought something along the lines of 'good grief'... as it seems...er... massive.
but it is very comfortable.. really cannot feel it at all. now they say that about tampons.. but that is not entirely true.
Also cos its not absorbant, you can use it on lighter days without hassle.

if i were you I would get one, and have a go.. its so much better than anything else I have used, if it works for you it would be worth it.
but at the end of the day, you are the best person to judge.

[red]

oh and I cut the stem off the cup.. unnecessary.