For me to not trim the stem on my moon cup?

[Elephant17]

Never used one before, thought I'd give it a dry run (so to speak) to get the hang of it a bit before period actually starts...

I can feel the stem but it's not painful, I think I would get used to the sensation of it being there. I find it difficult to take out even with the stem intact, I don't know how I'd do it without?? I don't like the thought of squatting down in a public toilet.... but will leaving it make the cup dislodge and more prone to leaking?

Does anyone know if there's a reason, other than for comfort, that the stem mustn't extend out of the vagina??

The smell is much less of a problem with a cup because the blood never gets a chance to dry. Fresh blood doesn't smell nearly as much as dried blood.

It's great for light periods. I find it so much better for the 'something and nothing' days at the beginning and end of a period too.

I HIGHLY recommend checking out Bree on youtube for tips on inserting/removing a cup, choosing a cup that's right for you and all those practicalities: www.youtube.com/user/preciousstarspads/videos

You can get special wipes for menstrual cups but you really don't need them. Loo roll is fine. But if you have a light period it's extremely unlikely that you'll ever need to empty it in a public toilet anyway. You can safely leave them in all day. I change mine at home when I get up in the morning and before bed at night. That's it.

Bluelonerose
I have the coil too, no problems at all.

creaturefeatures

• I kind of fold mine in half then in half again and just shove it up. It is soo much, less difficult/uncomfortable than getting dryish tampons in and out of a dry vagina on light days.

• I seem to do well at finding toilets with basins in the toilet (I think these are becoming more poplular, sort of gender neutral cubicles). With those I empty it in the loo, then rinse it out in the sink, making sure to clean the sink very well afterwards of course. When I have had to use a regular public bathroom I just empty it and reinsert, then give a more thorough clean at home.

• I don't boil mine TBH, I let it sit in soap and boiling water in the bathroom sink, then disinfect the sink.

For a really heavy flow, you probably will need to change it during the day, but they can hold about 4 times as much as a tampon, so it'll still be easier than that. Also, they come in different sizes, holding between 34ml and 45ml, so you'll want to get one with a big capacity. They're also less likely to leak than tampons when they're full.

I tried using one before, the smallest size but I found it very difficult and uncomfortable trying to fold it and get it into place (I also find tampons quite uncomfortable during putting them in/getting them out).

• I've seen people saying it should sit quite low. How low/high should it go?

• When emptying in public loos, I'm guessing I'll need to take in hand wipes?

• Do you just empty and put back in? Someone mentioned wiping it first? I'm just wondering what to wipe it with - doesn't loo roll leave fibres on it? And wipes leave chemicals?

• I saw that you do a 'proper' clean at the end of your period by boiling in a saucepan...obvs I would have a saucepan for this specific use but where do you keep it to stop DH/DP boiling rice in it inadvertently? shock

To answer your questions:
The size depends on whether you have given birth vaginally. Folding the mooncup can be a faff but take your time and don't panic.

I put it in until no part of the stem sticks out (I cut about half of it off but it was years and years ago so I can't remember now). If it's too low, I can feel it, so I know to push it a bit further in.

You don't need to take anything into public loos, it's a personal choice. You can literally empty it then put it back. If I have to use a public loo, I try to find one with a basin in the cubicle but if not, I don't like wiping it off too much as it's harder then to reinsert. As someone up the thread said, it's easier to insert when it's wet. If I'm at home, I rinse it off and put it back.

I've been using a mooncup or similar for around 16 years now. I started with something called a keeper (I think it's American) and it was ok. Then someone on a forum said mooncup was better so I got one around 14 years ago and it's still going strong. I paid around £14 for it, so it has saved me a fortune. I used to sterilise it by using an old ice cream tub in the microwave for a couple of minutes (gets around the DH pan problem). Now I don't even bother doing that. It gets a good wash and is air-dried and that's it.

I have teenage DDs. One is definitely a pads girl. The other has shown an interest and when she decides she's ready, we'll have a look into the brands on offer. No pressure from me whatsoever.

To those who are wondering about the pain issue, when I was researching it years ago, one factor was that tampons absorb not only the menstrual flow but also natural secretions. The reusable cups only collect anything that would naturally flow out. They do not make you feel dry. To the person asking about light flow, to me they make so much more sense than a tampon. Even if there are only a couple of drops in the cup, you can empty it and put it back. You are not wasting an entire tampon - I don't think I would put a tampon back if it was very lightly used.

Finally, I broke my ankle very badly 15 years ago and was non-weight-bearing for 7 weeks. Try as I might, I could not get the cup in standing on one leg and couldn't squat down. I had to resort back to tampons for 2 cycles. What a relief it was going back to the cup!

Sorry, the top part of the last post was a quote and should have been in bold. My mistake

ateacupofgin
I have heavy periods, I often would bloody accidents in bed at night, this seems to have disappeared since using my Mooncup. Just remember to empty during any midnight trips to the loo.
The only times I have to empty mine in public bathrooms during heavy days, the lighter days I can leave it in for the full amount of time and it doesn't need changing each time you go to the toilet (I find tampons can sometime act like a wick when weeing).

Maybe try Mooncup with a pantyliner until you get used to how often you need to change on heavy days. Once you get used to it then quit the pantyliner.

I’ve used a cup since pretty much forever since discovering I was allergic to the bleachy stuff used in most sanpro. Much less itchy. Also much less gross and the disturbing than those odd occasions when you look down at your vadge and there is an entire human head coming out of it.

I had really heavy periods and used to empty mine hourly at the worst points. I'd always know if it was getting full as you start to feel it get lower. Rarely had a leak and then read about the twist to seal which stopped leaks. And it doesn't go up to the cervix either; maybe just an inch in from memory.

I loved my mooncup. Post hysterectomy now so it's gone to mooncup heaven. To clean it during the day when out and about, you can remove it and then pee in it to clean it. Urine is strerile as it exits the body and seeing as you are being environmentally concious, it's better than a baby wipe...even flushable ones take a long time to degrade.

And I just used to remove mine when sitting on the toilet, any mess that way is contained.

I'm one of those who had a miracle drop in pain, and it's also made my periods a day shorter

Ooh! I hope this happens to me permanently.

I’ve just tried my Mooncup for the first time and I’m in love with it.

I was definitely unsure at first but honestly, it just ‘agreed’ with me. I’ve been using tampons pretty much exclusively (hate wearing pads) since I started having periods 12 years ago. Recently, I have some sharp stabbing pains when using tampons.

This month the Mooncup seemed to hugely reduce my pain, and my period does seem to have stopped a day early. Hope this lasts!

I trimmed my stem down so that there are only a couple of millimetres left. If I insert my finger to pull it out, I can feel it about a centimetre inside.

When I first bought my mooncup I also picked up the cheapest milk saucepan the supermarket had (about £2) and painted 'mooncup' on the outside with nail varnish!

The difference mine has made is incredible. No more wasting liners because my period could start that day, no more ruined knickers because I've leaked and best of all no more itching. You can wear it for days before you start (rinsing each day of course), and for a few days after in case a bit has been lingering until you put your best undies on.

Main downside is that if I don't get it properly in I pee sideways...

Oohhhh would you recommend these? I saw an article about them a few years back and thought about it but then never really looked at it again.

. Are they comfortable, I'm guessing they feel like tampons?
. Easy to remove?
. Where can you buy them?

I'm guessing once you have them it's better to do a dry run first to make sure.

I am a bit about mooncups. I don't think it's gross I'm just uninformed.

How do they work?

How much blood/fluid do they hold?

My vision is of a plaster of Paris type plastic mold that you take out and then carefully tip the contents down the toilet?

I'm far too cac handed I think. Also don't really like the idea of the blood staying inside me rather than leaving.

That us why I use pads rather than tampons.

Please excuse my ignorance but I'd like to know

I’ve been using mine for 4 cycles now and becomes easier/quicker to remove as you get used to it.

If I need to change at work then I don’t bother with rinsing but wipe the outside and put it back in.

It not only holds more than a tampon but it doesn’t slip out like a tampon can (when full). TMI sorry but it holds clots in rather than allowing them to push the tampon out.

Mine isn’t a mooncup but some other brand. It was a pack of two different sizes.

The other advantage is that you an swim whilst using a mooncup. I can't swim whilst using tampons as they can't handle my flow.

Right, I've ordered one now.
Bit worried I'll find it tricky to place correctly as my cervix is off to the side, but it has to be worth a go.

OP not sure if this is relevant but after dc1 I couldn't get on with a mooncup at all all. After dc2 it's amazing and fits really well. So your body may have changed, but keep trying.

I had to cut the stem right off, it was rubbing otherwise. I also found it easier to get out without a stem because I just put my fingers right on the actual base to break the suction, rather than being tempted to tug at the stem.

No, it's better not to do a dry run first. It would be dry, and therefore uncomfortable.

It's not rigid at all. It's squidgy like a bottle test, but thicker and a bit stiffer.

I've never got on with tampons, but loved my mooncup. Took a couple of cycles to get used to it. When I bought mine, Mooncup offered a no quibble money back guarantee if you didn't like it after a few cycles.

Those who struggle with a mooncup, other brands might be better. I had a mooncup for 10 years prekids but after speedy births I found it uncomfortable.
I now use a meluna cup instead. They come in different sizes and also lengths for those who have a low cervix and need a short one. Plus they come in 3 firmness types soft, normal, firm according to how toned you are down there.

Try the website www.putacupinit.com for more detailed info about lots of brands.

Oh, and final tip, if you are struggling to get it in, or to get it to pop open once in, and very small amount of ky jelly around the rim helps loads.

Erm, obviously advice is about mooncups only.

I ordered one from Organicup.
It was on the Christmas threads that there was a BOGOF offer, so gave them a try. Haven't used it yet tho as they got lost in the Christmas Rush; but was given a full immediate refund and they sent me out new Ones! Has good reviews..
There's a Video on the site of how it kinda works!
And 90 days no quibble returns if not 100% satisfied!

www.organicup.com

I'm another Mooncup convert and evangelist

I trimmed off a small amount of the stem which immediately made it more comfortable as I couldn't feel it at all (it took me a couple of cycles to get up the courage to do this, though)

I insert it by folding it in half. A "dry run" is not a good idea, simply because it's dry! At the start of my period I run it under tap before inserting for the first time (it's fine after that). To remove it, I pinch the bottom of the cup and pull slowly - this seems to break the seal, but there is a knack to doing it so that the blood falls into the loo, not everywhere else, espcially when flow is heavy

The mooncup website has details on how to choose the right size (basically younger women who have not had children use a small one, older women and women who have given birth a bigger one), as well as information on how to use them, sterilise etc etc

Give it a go! What's the worst that can happen?

@WhyamIBoredathome that's really interesting about pelvic floor/firmness of cup. The one issue I have with my mooncup is that it does shift down over a few hours, because I'm frankly loose as a goose down there.

Without sounding extremely dim, would you need soft/firm/medium if your pelvic floor is shot to shit?