about Mooncups

[Noonesfool]

Being absolutely amazing? I was a Mooncup virgin until this month. It's great! I had NO IDEA about the really cool suction thing.

I don't understand why they are not more widely promoted as an envirinmentally and body friendly choice. And surely they, with the appropriate funding, could be a great mentstruation product for women in poverty/crisis situations?

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Hello. This thread is a little old now. Take a look at our round-up of Mumsnetters’ favourite menstrual cups - with a handy guide to finding and using the right cup for you - for more up-to-date advice. MNHQ.

Just saying that tampons INCREASE the risk of TSS, but they are not the exclusive cause, and just because you use a mooncup doesn't necessarily mean that you can't have it. Don't ignore symptons, just because you are not using a tampon.

Doesn't work for me either. I have horrendously heavy periods though. I cannot WAIT for the menopause.

How can it make periods less painful? Surely it is the contractions of the Uterus that make periods painful.

Dame - I don't twist but I will give it a try and see if it helps.

Happenstance - I read a thread on here about tampons making period pains worse I was a bit but since I stopped using tampons I rarely get cramps.
When I used tampons I used to be doubled over and on co-codamol for the pain but it's all stopped now. I just be one of those people that cannot get on with tampons.

10 year user here. Try not to be evangelical but for me amazing. Also love the idea of all the Sanpro I have not used over those years.

Surprised at how few people have heard of it. Obv wouldn't work for everyone but a shame not more widely publicised. Doesn't make as much money as traditional Sanpro you have to buy monthly I suppose.

Holy cow, so many cups!! I had no idea! How do you choose without buying loads?

Best purchase I ever made. Been using one for about eight years, pre and post baby.

It doesn't work for everyone, it's true, but from an environmental and economical point of view I think it's brilliant and I wish more women would try one.

mellon Well Precious Stars Pads has a lot of information, I'd advise you to measure your cervix (which is a fancy way of saying stick your finger up your hoohah to see how far in you can get it) and measure that against the length of the cup and stem (for example if you could get your finger in to the second knuckle and the distance from your fingertip to your second knuckle is 4cm, you want a cup that's 4cm or a little less). Then buy a roughly medium strength cup in that size, unless you know you're pelvic floor is quite strong or quite weak in which case buy a stronger or softer cup respectively. I find Meluna are a good place to start.

I hadn't heard of Mooncups, until I came into MN and just after I'd entered the Peri-Menopause.

I'm pissed off that during all my sex/personal care education, these were never mentioned.

I'd suggested one to my DD, after she started having periods again (PCOS), after having a baby. She's found her one, much better than towels, she has heavy bleeds.

She thought she wouldn't be able to use one, because she, like me has a inverted womb, but she's found one that suits her.

I thought part of the reason why they are better was because modern sanitary wear, uses chemicals that draw liquid into them, like a nappy does. So your 'balance' etc is interfered with.

There's cultural reasons, why they aren't used in some regions, of the world.

I definitely think they should be more widely promoted as they sound like they have changed peoples lives, and yes they would be great in poorer countries! I just wish I could get on with anything insertable... The idea of measuring my cervix or pulling a suction cup off my foo makes me cross my legs.

Prior to using cerazette, where I get no periods (big yay) I used a moon cup and absolutely love it.

Just had a baby and had very minimal lochia (periods also pretty light, go me) but dreading my first period as my vagina is totally broken and I can't get the moon cup in

I have a diva cup and have been using it for about 5 months and I love it. Less period pains and no period poos either!

I've been using one for a couple of years now. It leaked on the heaviest day for a long time, but that seems to be less of a problem nowadays.

We're just recently back from a month long, long-haul trip. Just my luck that my period arrived the day we flew out, and the day before we flew back. 🙄 No issue for me changing it in the teeny tiny airplane loos.

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo Funnily enough it was the nurse when I was at my initial discussion to have a coil refitted after my dd was born who advised me to use a Mooncup with it, she said that she advises everyone who she discusses coils with to use one. After going home and Googling I ended up ordering a cup but cancelling my coil as I'm too afraid of it dislodging it, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the intention of the nurse and we're now stuck using condoms but I love my cup

I have a coil and use a mooncup and have had no issues!

I'm onto my second coild so had it for 7 years now and been using mooncup for about a decade.

Thanks, might be time to seriously revisit the idea of getting my self a cup!

Fair - you have to give it half a turn or it doesn't seal therefore it leaks. Hope it works

I heard about them on here and an another convert! Love my mooncup and will be suggesting one to DD once she's older

I have questions for all you experts!

1. Can you wear it overnight?
2. If you need to empty it at work/in a public loo, do you have to take it to the sink and rinse? What's the protocol?
3. How do you store it between periods?
4. Do you sterilise it after each period?

(Sorry, I'm sure all those questions have been asked a million times, but they are the concerns that are between me and a mooncup!)

1 yes
2 no, empty it down the loo , wipe with loo roll, re insert. You could take a bottle of water in your bag if you wanted to.
3 in its little bag in the bathroom cupboard
4 no,I give it a really good scrub using an old toothbrush and soap.

I think I read on here once that a poster had tried emptying hers at work in a cubicle and had to spend a good 15mins in there cleaning as the cubicle ended up looking like something of a crime scene.

I much prefer tampons.

Yes, you can wear it overnight.

At work, we have loos on another floor that are individual, with their own basins. I go down and use those. Other people will manage in other ways though - empty it, give it a wipe with loo paper, reinsert, and then clean at the next opportunity, for instance.

Mine comes with a little cotton bag, and gets stored in the bathroom when not in use. Thinking about it, you would need to carry it on you when you know you're due, but I've never been caught out and about without it. My periods always tend to arrive at home (mornings and evenings) these days.

I sterilise it regularly - to be fair, probably not after every single period. I clean it scrupulously every time I change it, though.

I wish mooncups worked for me. They would save me so much money.

Curls - you are supposed to sterilise them with Milton or boiling water after each period.

Presumably you have to release the seal on removal? Doesn't that - plus the whole pulling out a cup full of blood - mean that your hands/arms-thighs get splattered?! I'm picturing a loo cubicle resembling a scene from CSI 😳