To be completely baffled as to why the tampon is more popular than the mooncup?

[YunoYurbubson]

It just doesn't make sense.

I am a very recent convert to the mooncup and all I can think is wtf was I doing with tampons all those years?

I feel almost... betrayed by the generations of women who have made the tampon the mainstream menstruation product of choice.

Ignore your prejudices because those would work either way. If you were used to using a mooncup and someone suggested carrying around a bloodsoaked wodge of cotton wool on a string in your vagina instead you would think that was gross. It's just what you're used to.

So, prejudices aside. Agreed?

Lets just look at this logically.

The mooncup produces no waste, so no flushing things you shouldn't, no filling a bin with smelly waste, no furtive smuggling of used tampons wrapped in loo roll up your sleeve when there is no bin and you don't have pockets.

It's every bit as comfy and convenient.

It's cheaper.

And it is SO COOL seeing how much blood you have lost. I'm sorry, but it is. It's much less yucky because it's not old, brown drying smelly blood. It's a fresh little pot of new, clean blood. It's just not yucky.

And this isn't a thread to critisise or judge or feel superior. I just REALLY want someone else to be converted and feel the joy too . I want someone else to have the scales fall from their eyes and feel as delighted as I do right now.

If you get used to them they are cheap, I have had my mooncup for about seven years now, say thirteen periods a year, it's still as good as new. So it's lasted maybe ninety periods - my numbers bar is not working today, keyboard full of juice I think - that's a few pence a period. I used to spend maybe 5 pounds a period on tampons.

And it's great never having to buy anything again for periods.

According to the website you can, although I think I'd probably give it a period's grace just to make sure I got the hang of it first.

I was converted after a thread on here, went out and bought one but over 3 years later haven't had an opportunity to use it, am very and can't wait for competitive vol comparisons ,
damn pregnancies and breastfeeding ....

I love mine too. I bought it randomly after seeing one in Boots on offer several years ago.

I've worn it ever since and it's fab. As a conversion scenario... how many of you have done a long haul flight whilst on your period? And struggled with a loo the size of a postage stamp whilst knowing there's a queue half a mile long outside? Not fun, right?

Imagine this, then... Day One of period (and I used to cramp and flood for fun!)

Insert Mooncup before leaving house. Go to Mancs airport. Go through check-in. Fly NINE HOURS to Chicago. Change Planes. Fly to Houston.

Change Mooncup in privacy of hotel bathroom before going to bed.

No pain, no mess, nothing.

And that was the very firt time I used it!

It's fab. But I second whoever said to cut off the stem competely!

I don't love my mooncup but it is definitely the best of a bad lot of options. I couldn't use tampons before, they were vile when they went in (dry) and gag inducing when they came out (slimy bleurgh).

You don't leave your cubicle to wash it out ( you nutters for even believing that!) you break the suction seal and pull it out. You can take a bottle of water in with you if you want to wash it out, or you can wipe the outside with tissue so you can grip it properly, or you can do neither.

It is way more convenient in all situations, than tampons. Definitely cleaner and more comfortable feeling than pads.

I am not scared of my vagina, it is a part of my body fgs!

It did take practice the first few times and I was sore because I didn't completely cut the stem off and it rubbed.

To take it out, I find it helps to lean back and it just is much lower and you can grab the bottom easily.

Try it, it is so much nicer feeling than tampons and pads.

Another fan here too. I started using it in May 2009 ged 45. I did think that maybe it was a false economy as I might launch into menopause at any time, but I have used it every month and wish I'd known about it in my teens.

I too cut the entire stem off.

It's cleaner than sanitary towels and although I used tampons in my younger years, I couldn't keep them in after I had my Ds so was naturally worried that the Mooncup wouldn't stay in either, but it does, so anterior prolapse is not a problem.

The only thing I do worry about is that if I go back to work before menopause; I work in a really old and very dirty environment with no basins in the cubicles and with very little time to visit the toilet. I do have very heavy periods at certain times in the week on and I am concerned I may flood out. This has happened to me on a couple of occasions including at night.

On the whole though I do try to promote to my friends and family the Mooncup, but they don't seem convinced. Me? I've already saved a fortune! :)

Have just ordered one - decided its got to be worth a try after reading all this!

Solo - nothing to stop you wearing a towel as well for times when your flow is heavy and you may not be able to get to a toilet. It still holds more than a tampon so the problem is no greater than with tampons

Seth, I know, but I hate the thought of returning to a different type of protection, plus the expense of course!

I just searched for a Facebook group and could only find this one.
I like 'Copadeluna'.

seth - did you see that Robert Downey Jr was amongst the people who 'likes this'

Well, I think Mooncup is an awful name but there´s also one called Diva Cup

I have to admit that after reading the entire thread I am almost converted. I have a couple of worries....

I'm worried about getting it out!! What if it gets stuck? What if I'm hopeless and can't get it out??

Also, I use tampons, and sometimes when I go for a wee and don't need to change my tampon, I find that I have to because weeing has somehow put it in the wrong position (pushed it lower) and it's flipping uncomfy!! Can you use a mooncup and wee without it shifting position?

The first time i used one i thought i'd got it stuck. Perseverance, breaking the seal by squeezing the cup- you'll likely hear it pop.

as, according to my midwife, my lady parts are not as closed as they were, wouldn't it just fall out?

am yet to try though. haven't had regular periods since my first pregnancy in 2005....

I have a rectocele, and a small cystocele (:() and I still use a mooncup. So I would be surprised if you were too big.

I do get problems sometimes when I poo, and the mooncup gets pushed around due to the rectocele (), but that's not really a problem, as I'm sitting on the toilet anyway. I haven't noticed any problems with my bladder, even with the cystocele - no urinary infections or anything like that.

I don't think I will ever bother trying, my periods are so light I only use one mini tampon a month, so a whole packet lasts me a year.

Plus, I would not want to sit there in a cubicle at work waiting for someone to leave so I could wash the thing in the sink. So what do do? Put it back up unwashed? Give it a quick rinse in the cistern?

Do think they are a cracking idea, but just not for me.

I'm really tempted to go and buy one now. Only trouble is, I have a lodger in my house. I really don't want to be sterilising mine on the stove when he comes in (which he does at different times every day).

'hmmm are you making soup bathbuns?'

Getorf, you don't have to rinse it every time - you just give it a quick wipe with loo paper and pop it back in.

bathbuns, you can use a cup of water in the micowave, or use milton tablets, or even educate your lodger about the mooncup!

ok, Q, for all you experts. Would LOVE a solution - when i empty mine down the lav, I always end up with a little red pool at the bottom even after I've flushed, so end up flushing twice and/or trying to disperse with loo brush, thus giving the impression of having done a huge double flush poo.

So, how do you avoid that?

bathbuns, I love mine. the aforementioned problem is for me the only drawback. I recently lost mine and had to use traditions methods, out of interest tried both tampons and towels, and was shocked how uncomfortable both were in comparison. Was most relieved to find my mooncup.

I empty mine then rinse under hot tap. If in public loo cubicle I just wipe with bog roll and pop back in. I only sterilise mine at the start if each period, either boil it up in a pan or bung it in the dishwasher (pre cleaned obv)

toilet paper in the loo first and empty it on top of that. Not 100% effective but helps.

nursery, put a few sheets of loo paper into the toilet bowl before you empty it - this will catch the blood and you can flush it all away.

X posts:) I have tried this but not worked fully. Maybe I'll try with more or get industrial strength bog roll. Maybe mine isn't thick enough?

DOes anyone remember that waterproof greaseproof paper bog roll they used to have in school? Bloody hell, what was the point.

Just when I think Britain is going to hell in a hand cart I remember primitive things like that bog roll and realise how far we have come after all :)

Aha, you are thinking of the beloved Izal medicated.

I saw a card once, that had "I love you more than Izal medicated toilet paper" on it.