Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why mooncups aren't promoted more as affordable sanitary protection?

186 replies

malificent7 · 05/01/2018 18:36

Mine cost £1 from ebay. It was from China so a bit of a wait.

As it is reusable, it would be good for girls from poorer families.

In fact , why arent they promoted in general??

I guess there are a few drawbacks...can be a bit messy . I would never wash them in a public loo sink but they dont need to be washed everytime they are emptied.

Tmi sorry.

OP posts:
Voice0fReason · 05/01/2018 21:19

4. In the UK, it’s possibly more doable, but even then what would be your reaction if your 12 yo dd’s best mate washed her mooncup out in your sink? Or a public toilet in school? Would you want special sinks just for mooncups in schools? If so that’s a cost. Mooncups also aren’t all biodegradable and so every few years there would be 30 odd million to dump somewhere.

Nothing in that point makes any sense.
If a friend of any age washed hers out in my sink, I would neither know nor care. How is that any different to her washing her hands after changing a tampon or having a poo?

Where toilet cubicles are self-contained (as many schools are now doing) the sink is in the cubicle anyway, but even when it isn't, it doesn't have to be washed every time. A wipe with a tissue is more than enough.

I don't think your 30 million thrown away each year is accurate. I've had mine 17 years and don't see any reason why it won't last until I have gone through menopause. That's a hell of a lot less landfill than 25+ years of disposables.

mishfish · 05/01/2018 21:21

I can’t even remember where I first heard of these either

I love my cup and cotton pads though. My mum thinks I’m bonkers!

jenny I did accidently get mine too high up the other day and nearly had my whole bloody hand in getting it out 😂

nevereverafter · 05/01/2018 21:22

ny20005. Lol, sorry I just reread my post about flushable wipes not being flushable and it sounded a bit school ma'am'ish. I didn't mean it too. ☺️

wherethevioletsgrow · 05/01/2018 21:28

but even then what would be your reaction if your 12 yo dd’s best mate washed her mooncup out in your sink?

Um, why would that be an issue? Lots of dirty things go down sinks. Would people have an issue if someone washed their hands after going to the toilet and had got wee/poo on their hands? Maybe you use your sink for different things to me...

Or a public toilet in school? Would you want special sinks just for mooncups in schools? If so that’s a cost.

What? Why the horror of dirt/blood/whatever being washed down a sink? To clarify, you empty the blood into the toilet and you don't even need to rinse it in the sink if you are out and about, let alone build a special sink in which people are permitted to rinse an object which has a bit of blood on it Hmm

Mooncups also aren’t all biodegradable and so every few years there would be 30 odd million to dump somewhere.

Yes, they last years. That is a good thing. The average woman will dispose of about 240 pads/tampons in a year. Try multiplying that by 20 million or whatever and factoring in the people who flush tampons.

As for the hygiene in third world countries, fair enough, but many many women in third world countries will be able to have access to boiling water to clean the cup and that is sufficient. Anyway, a pp posted that link where Caster Semenya is promoting them in Africa so maybe they don't share your hygiene concerns. Seriously, anything has to be better than using newspaper. The point is an education programme. Many cultures don't believe in using condoms either but the point is to attempt to educate them to increase public health.

bananafish81 · 05/01/2018 21:33

I tried a Mooncup because I had to use a menstrual cup to monitor flow for my fertility treatment

MN made them out to be the second coming and once you try one you'll never go back. Afraid there are always exceptions though!

Nearly broke my vulva with the Mooncup, because even the smaller size (I ignored the directions telling me I needed the larger size because I was over 30, even with no vaginal births) shredded me to bits trying to get the bastard in and out (no problems with sex or tampons, but ended up so so sore at the fourchette / perineum trying to use the Mooncup.)

Tried a Meluna which at least came in different sizes. Less painful but still found it utterly grim.

I have very very light periods - I would maybe only fill one over a few days if I left it in that long, it's really only a dribble. Perhaps they're more beneficial if you have heavy periods? I loathed using it - but agree it would make sense to give it as an option to young women alongside pads and tampons, so they could choose for themselves.

I don't like non applicator tampons so the likelihood of getting on with a menstrual cup was always going to be slim however!

VioletCharlotte · 05/01/2018 21:51

Neverever thanks for the advice, I think I'll give one a go. I use non applicator tampons with no problem so I'm hoping this means I should be ok inserting it.

Aridane · 05/01/2018 21:54

What puts me off mooncups, in part, is the near evangelical fervour of some posters on Mumsnet about mooncups (not necessarily on this thread). Sorry.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 05/01/2018 21:57

Because they are revolting

I am also fed up with seeing local facebook sites discussing why they should only be distributed at foodbanks. Why should food bank users have the various choices of san pro removed from them?

londonrach · 05/01/2018 21:59

Mn is the only place in the worldive heard of them. In real life i know no one who use one. I will never. Think its a nich market.

CaptainHammer · 05/01/2018 22:06

@theeagle, mine are all from Etsy, Fannypaddams is the seller I use most. I find they wash really well.
I’m also not a fan of scented pads which I kept accidentally picking up!

totaldiva · 05/01/2018 22:17

Schools should teach young women about it though when they do sex education etc. They could even supply them with one.

This^^

As s teen in the nineties we got all given a little box of pads and tampons at school in the first year (age 12ish). I think it would be much more beneficial to give girls a moo cup and a few tips on using it. Mine changed my life, unfortunately I didn't hear about them until I was over 30.

BertieBotts · 05/01/2018 22:35

I have a meluna, wich was cheaper, I can't remember how much now. I agree moon cups are a bit oversized.

Worries from Chinese products is about it being a particularly sensitive area of the body and some plastics having hormone disrupting effects. I'm not particularly one of those people who worries about things like that, will happily microwave plastic food containers etc, but a friend is a petrochemical engineer and very strongly advised me that this is an area to take seriously. As it's potentially there around 20% of your life it's worth thinking about IMO.

CraftyGin · 05/01/2018 22:36

Who would fund the great Mooncup giveaway in schools?

AManWalksIntoABarOuch · 05/01/2018 22:44

I get that they don't suit everyone. I also get that some people don't want to try them.

But for those people who use tampons, particularly non applicator ones, why do some of you find the idea so revolting? I'm nlt aiming that at anyone in particular. I just genuingly don't get what the difference is. Especially, if you don't flush the tampons (you're not meant to).

Original poster
malificent7 · 05/01/2018 22:45

No idea why buying from China is bad...im pretty sure its much safer than tampax...

OP posts:
KERALA1 · 05/01/2018 22:46

Been using mine 11 years. Evangelical fervour here. Feel better than tampons, better for environment and save me money. What other product cheaper, greener and better than the universally accepted one?

Heard about women not being able to afford sanitary protection why not just give them all a mooncup each?

Oh and the at work thing? Take a bottle of water into loo with you and rinse it off plus your hands in the cubicle.

Original poster
malificent7 · 05/01/2018 22:47

One negative ive heard of is the fact that they may dislodge the coil on removal. No idea if this is true or not.

OP posts:
wherethevioletsgrow · 05/01/2018 22:51

Who would fund the great Mooncup giveaway in schools?

The government? Same as it funds lots of things that are given out in schools. Look, it's hardly some radical idea that something that is environmentally friendly and saves money should be promoted.
I am guessing that none of the people who say mooncups are disgusting have used one. Personally I find it more gross when blood leaks through a tampon, staining my clothes or wearing a pad while feeling blood leak out and worrying it will soak through. Or leaving used pads/tampons in the bin to fester for several days until it is emptied. With the mooncup I have never had a leak and change it much less frequently.

bananafish81 · 05/01/2018 22:53

But for those people who use tampons, particularly non applicator ones, why do some of you find the idea so revolting?

I don't use non applicator tampons

An applicator just pushes in externally

I pull it out using a string, into a bit of toilet paper, which is wrapped up

At no point do I have to go rummaging around in my vagina or get menstrual secretions under my nails

I didn't find the idea revolting. I found the actual using it really grim. I still use it because I have to monitor my flow (or lack thereof). Still hate it a year later!

wherethevioletsgrow · 05/01/2018 22:53

No idea why buying from China is bad...im pretty sure its much safer than tampax...

Yup, I am guessing many of the people who are saying it is so bad to use a mooncup have no issue at all with bleached cotton soaked in chemicals being shoved up their hoo-ha.

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of the more expensive brands are made in china too.

KERALA1 · 05/01/2018 22:54

Think they would only suit if you ok with non applicator tampons which I was. They are no more "disgusting" than tampons. Odd attitudes. I would hate to use tampons now never looked back.

Wonder if the fact they not widely known about some sort of conspiracy by sanpro industry to keep everyone buying their products...

CraftyGin · 05/01/2018 23:00

Why should the taxpayer pay for giveaways in schools? They don’t pay for Always?

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 05/01/2018 23:02

^Yup, I am guessing many of the people who are saying it is so bad to use a mooncup have no issue at all with bleached cotton soaked in chemicals being shoved up their hoo-ha.
Wouldn't surprise me if lots of the more expensive brands are made in china too.^

Which had to comply with EU and UK legislation before they could be sold in British supermarket.

However, buying directly from China on ebay neatly sidesteps EU and UK safety legislation.

Gwenhwyfar · 05/01/2018 23:03

"As s teen in the nineties we got all given a little box of pads and tampons at school in the first year (age 12ish)."

I'm surprised by this. I was 13 in 1990 so probably just a bit older than you. We were given sanitary towels only and pre-teen girls weren't encouraged to use tampons then.
I really don't think most girls having their first period are going to find the mooncup easy to use and am not sure it's suitable as the first type of san pro used.

wherethevioletsgrow · 05/01/2018 23:06

Why should the taxpayer pay for giveaways in schools? They don’t pay for Always?

They did a handout of sanitary towels when i was at school, so yeah they do actually. Oh and there is a benefit to the taxpayer because of the environmental impact.

Are you the one who said that landfill sites are not full of sanitary towels as well? Sorry, I forgot how they break down immediately and are transformed into unicorn dust.