To think a menstrual cup has changed my life, just an incy bit.

[fluffypacman]

I'm late to trying one always having thought that it would be a bit yucky. I've finally tried one and after a few attempts at different brands I've now found one that works for me......its revolutionary! Today on holiday I've barely had to think about my period. It's my heaviest day and we've been to the beach. I haven't needed to empty it once. With a tampon I would have needed to bring extras with me and would have worried about them leaking. I feel liberated (couldn't find a suitable forum to talk about this so dumped in aibu, sorry)!

Just wanted to say to anyone who either didn't know about them or thinking of trying, do it!

----

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.

[AlpacaPicnic]

Oh god yes! I wasn't brave enough to try removal anywhere but at home for the first couple of months but it's like anything - you get the hang of it after a while! I was convinced to try one after someone mentioned how it had eliminated their monthly bout of thrush and it's done the same for me! I was spending so much bloody (haha!) money on Canestan and now I haven't had a bout for several years.

I did once drop it - thankfully at home - and the cleanup mission was... lengthy. Thank god for lino flooring. But I would never go back now. In fact I had to buy some emergency tampax while caught unexpectedly out in town one day and it was so uncomfortable.

[BertieBotts]

It can be a bit annoying when I can't use a cup, for example, if I went on holiday without it, or after a miscarriage. Because it means that it doesn't seem to come out properly. And it means that I use reams of toilet roll every time I go and usually leave a little pool in the U-bend that I have to remember to remove. But it's not that bad, in the scheme of things.

I have no idea why or how it happens!

[Chikara]

I wish I'd know about these before I finished with periods. I think of the wasted money and damage to the environment from 40 years' worth of tampons and towels. I had no idea. No-one told me.

Thank goodness DD was clued up - it was she who told me about them. And it saves her a fortune. So much healthier too.
Spread the word!

[n0ne]

Love love love mine. They truly are life-changing, aren't they? I almost forget I'm on my period nowadays.

[Whatthequack]

Well ok I'm convinced, I'm going to purchase one!

[fluffypacman]

I initially tried softer cups si-bell and a larger luvurbody but got leaks. I don't think they were opening properly. I now have a lunette large cup ( I'm over 30 and have had a vaginal delivery) which pops open easily and is comfy for me. You can do different folds to get them in. I use the punch down method difficult to describe but if you're interested look up bree at 'precious Stars' on YouTube who gives loads of tips for use. One thing I would disagree with her about is that your cervix sits in the cup. I have a high cervix.....I've never found it and most of the instructions say to push it in far enough to so you can still reach it.

If it works its way up slightly you just relax and bear down and squat but I must say since finding my perfect cup this has never happened. You do get increasingly comfortable about rummaging down below and insertion isn't far removed from using a not applicator tampon. I love that I can wear it all day at work without having to change and all night without having to get up early. You can wear them for up to 12 hours and there's much less (if any) risk of toxic shock as they don't shed fibres in your fanjo.

The moon cup is the most widely available cup but it's a firm cup and not suited to everyone. I bought mine from 'Earth wise girls' and 'luxury moon' on line. I've heard reports that you may have to be careful if you have a coil about use as there is some suction involved. Generally you give the cup a squeeze on one side of the rim to break the seal as you pull it out.

When in a public loo I generally don't need to empty it as its capacity is greater than a tampon but if I do feel the need to double check I just tip the contents in to the loo and wipe it out with loo roll and reuse (you wipe your bum with the stuff after all!). Some people take a bottle of water in with them to rinse out down the loo.

I have found no difference with the length of my period but I know it's made a difference for many others and shortened it but I do love that it doesn't dry your inners out as it collects fluids rather than sucking you dry. I'm definately a convert after many years for tampon and disposable pad use.

One of the companies I mention above has a good comparison chart regarding sizes of different makes and what to try.

[DownWithThisSortaThing]

The 'suction/seal' thing is making me feel a bit squeamish now. I'm not bothered about putting one in but I am slightly nervous about taking it out for the first time. I've found tampons irritating since I gave birth because I used to be able to just pull them out but now I have to 'push'.
And pads I just find uncomfortable altogether.
Is it easy to get the hang of getting them out?

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

Can teenagers use them easily? Surely they're a lot bigger than tampons and must take a little getting used to because of that, especially if you have to get a couple of fingers in to get it in the right place?

And does it make a difference if you have a tipped uterus/cervix (not quite sure what the term is) - I do, and this talk of seal/suction is making me wonder if that would matter. I'm also not convinced about all the clots and stuff, some of them can be massive.

[sparechange]

The suction/seal tbing doesn't mean it is a sink plunger!

It just means that the ring around the top seals itself the whole way around the vaginal walls to stop anything leaking out

You have to fold it to insert it and it pops open once inside, but you need to either twist it around, or slightly pull it down or push it up (by a few mm, not much) to form the seal

Once the seal is made, you can't just tug the cup out. So to remove it, you need to break the seal by releasing edge of it before you can remove it

It is really nothing to fear, and is really easy to master after a few tries.
The best tip I had was to practice a few times in the shower (either before your period or during it) and then you're good to go!

[Felascloak]

crochet they are bigger when open but when folded they are small and I think a teen would be fine with it. You don't need to use fingers to put it in the right place really. Just push it up folded and give it a spin when popped open.
I am going to encourage DD to use one, they are so convenient and much cheaper and environmentally friendly. No downsides as far as I'm concerned.

[pollyblack]

I got mine when i had VERY heavy floods periods on the copper coil and tampons couldn't cope. Loved it, such capacity and weirdly fascinating to see what was coming out. Now on the mirena and hardly any period and a bit sad my mooncup is redundant!

[BertieBotts]

I have a tilted uterus and have never had a problem with it.

You do have to push a bit to get it to come out/to get it far down enough to reach. The first time can be a bit scary but it really is not that bad. I remember feeling a bit like "I've managed to push a baby out of here so a little cup should be no problem, come on!" It did work. It's really no big deal now I'm used to it and although it does involve "pushing" it doesn't irritate me at all. So much more comfortable than pads because it feels like you're wearing nothing at all - and no horrible pissy string!

I wouldn't have been able to use one as a teen. I wasn't able to insert anything (not even a tampon) until I was somewhat familiar with myself down there which for me came after I was sexually active.

[BertieBotts]

I have a tilted uterus and have never had a problem with it.

You do have to push a bit to get it to come out/to get it far down enough to reach. The first time can be a bit scary but it really is not that bad. I remember feeling a bit like "I've managed to push a baby out of here so a little cup should be no problem, come on!" It did work. It's really no big deal now I'm used to it and although it does involve "pushing" it doesn't irritate me at all. So much more comfortable than pads because it feels like you're wearing nothing at all - and no horrible pissy string!

I wouldn't have been able to use one as a teen. I wasn't able to insert anything (not even a tampon) until I was somewhat familiar with myself down there which for me came after I was sexually active.

[MouseholeCat]

I've been using a Mooncup for a while now- started at 19, and know of people who started using them as younger teens (14/15). There's a youtube channel called preciousstarpads (I think) hosted by a great teenager who gives fantastic advice for younger girls wanting to try menstrual cups. She gives advice on softer and smaller cups etc

My favourite thing about it is that it can deal with clots, whereas I always found tampons were pretty shit at that. I also love how I feel clean during my period, not claggy and gross.

[BertieBotts]

Oops sorry

[MouseholeCat]

Should probably link... www.youtube.com/user/preciousstarspads

[BrightOranges]

I have wanted to try a mooncup since they first came out (no pun intended!) But like others am afraid of leakage and inserting/removing. I think I really should try it. I hate tampons and pads.

[Palomb]

They're great but not really big enough for properly heavy periods. I keep meaning to buy one of the bigger ones... Someone posted a link here recently and some of them are twice the size of Mooncups

[nennyrainbow]

I cottoned on to menstrual cups after reading about them on here and find they work best for me at night. I can get through even the heaviest night without leaking, which I couldn't manage with tampons. Day times are a bit hit and miss though. I find if I'm active that sometimes they slip down and leak which has never happened with tampons. Possibly I haven't put it in quite right and they are less forgiving of user error. But I also find them slightly uncomfortable during daytime particularly when active, because of the pull handle chafing. I shortened mine as much as I dared to but it didn't make any difference. I can also sometimes feel the pressure of the cup on my bladder but it doesn't seem to be a problem at night. So I use a mixture of cup, tampons and towels / liners for different times.

[Onehellofaride]

I love my mooncup! I got a small one as I'm in my late 20s and have had 2 ELCS. I am generally light as I have a Mirena coil but I've never had any interference or issues. Easy to insert and get out without that feeling that you can get with a tampon pressing down when you are going to change it.

[HappyAxolotl]

I love my mooncup. It took a couple of months to get familiar with it, but it has never leaked, my periods seem lighter, shorter and less painful, and best of all I don't get the week of severe thrush that used to happen after every single period when I used tampons. It never crossed my mind that the tampons themselves were causing it.

Top tip I heard was to put a little bit of water-based lube on the rim of the cup if it is tricky to insert.

[dontpokethebear]

I'm a bit evangelical about my cheap off amazon cup.

I don't whether my periods are lighter, but I used to have to get in the shower several times a day and have a rinse as it was just a mess

I have a slightly tilted uterus and find using the punch fold and inserting with the fold facing up gives me the best seal.
The only time I have leaked, was in the first couple of days of using it. Once you get the hang of folding and insertion it will be life changing

[PurpleThursday]

Never going back! Best thing ever!!

[Akire]

I had one about ten years ago but found it really painful to get out! Any tips? Least you can squish and fold to get in it which was ok once you had the hang but pulling an open umbrella out ouch ouch!

Surely if you have to try get couple fingers up there to try re fold it its just going squirt blood all over hand and Sleve so can't see how you all get them out without looking like a masacure!

[VforVienetta]

I was converted by an MN thread after DC1, brilliant things, loved it, but after DC2 my pelvic floor was MIA and the damn thing kept falling out. Literally .
The first was a Mooncup, second one I tried was a large short Meluna, but nope, still a total fail.
Been back on the pads for a couple of years now, and hating every cycle.
I miss my menstrual cup! Sad times.