To get a bit personal and ask about your mooncup experiences?

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I will be honest and say that previously I have always considered the thought of using these to be a bit icky.

I remember having heavy periods in my 20’s but over the course of the last ten years (between pregnancies) I have had Mirena coils which made my periods incredibly light and short.

When TTC baby number two it took about 10 months and each period was really heavy but manageable with regular sanitary protection changes.

After the birth of baby number 2 my periods came back when my son was 14 months and I’m now on period number 4 since their return.

My periods are now horrendous!!! They are so heavy and I can literally feel the blood dripping out of me as I’m getting on with my day. I’m paranoid all the time about leaking and it has happened on more than one occasion because sanitary towels and tampons just aren’t containing the flow.

Anyway - after 4 months of this crap I have started to consider whether actually a mooncup wouldn’t be icky but actually my saviour!

I saw an advert for one yesterday where it has a valve on the spout so you don’t even have to take the mooncup out to empty it, you just squeeze the valve and the contents just pour out into the toilet as you’re sitting on it. It sounded pretty amazing.

I still have some reservations....like how uncomfortable it must be to put in, but I can’t carry on with having to deal with heavy periods in the way I’m currently having to.

Have they worked for others? I’ve seen them talked about on here but I’ve never read any posts in detail because I never thought it would something I would ever consider.

Are they as good as people say they are?

Amazing. I have had mine for about 9 or 10
years now? I wish I'd discovered them sooner in life. Although it's pretty handy for my unpredicable peri-menopausal bleeding.

I hate the feel of tampons - they have a 'dragging' feeling and I always think they are going to drop out. I had to buy some recently as was caught out and it reminded me of how much more pleasant it is to use the mooncup instead (if having a period can be described as pleasant :) ).

I have a Juju cup and I love It so much! Tampons and pads are seriously icky! Can't imagine using them. Using a cup feels so much cleaner and fresher.

I have really heavy periods so do need to empty mine a few times a day in the first couple of days but then it's just once in the morning and once at night (in the shower is easiest)
I wish I'd known about councils years ago! They are amazing, there are different sizes and it can take a bit of getting used to but so much better than tampons!

Just give them a go, I got mine off amazon, can't remember the brand but they were only £10 👍

Haha councils?! Stupid autocorrect!😆😆😆

Love mine!! Find it much comfier than a tampon and doesn’t smell either. Holds loads, and I find it weirdly fascinating to see how much actual blood comes out of me?

I've had a Mooncup for years, but have just ordered a Lena cup based on my results on a 'which cup should I use' quiz I found on here (not sure where now).
I love my mooncup, but it does leak a very little bit and I've needed proper back up at night, so I'm hoping a switch will help.

One of the great pros for me is that I can pop it in around the time period is due and not get caught out and also I use it when I'm racing (running) or doing boot camp and also just normal running/training in the week prior to my period as I find it helps with my weak pelvic floor (which seems to be worse in the week before period).

For running events it means not farting around with carrying tampons around - just empty and pop back in.

A pp asking about one for her DD. I'd say any time they're comfortable with the idea; the only limitation I could see is that dealing with it in school loos might not be great.

They definitely take a bit to get used to in terms of insertion and removal. It can be tricky to get it to open up until you get the knack and getting it out can be tricky if it’s moved up. Not sure how the valve would work as blood isn’t really a thin fluid! But wouldn’t go back now as definitely a game changer and no leaks after learning to check the seal.

Love mine, it cost about 3.99 from Amazon and is soft compared to the expensive one I tried before. It did take a while to get used to and I one managed to flick the contents all over the bathroom... Not fun... But is great now. My only issue is I don't like emptying it into toilets as it seems to stick at the bottom (I've heard toilet roll can solve this) so I only like to change it at home where my toilet is next to my sink. This has led to it being so full it slips on a couple of occasions. Not enough to come out but enough to make me damn uncomfy.

Still on the whole I wouldn't go back to using anything else! Oh does help I'm not squeamish about blood at all.

I'm another one who loves mine, used it for over 15 years now, would never look back. So much more practical for me - no worrying about having enough/right size of towels/tampons, can completely forget about it once it's in, zero cost once it's purchased...in 15 years I've only had to buy two!

Funnily enough I forgot to take it away with me last year and had to use tampons, I actually found them revolting compared to the Mooncup - soggy, felt gross pulling them out, uncomfortable. So I think the icky thing is more a case of what you're used to.

Just had a look at the valve one....not sure how this would work as cups sit really low down and in most cases the stem is cut quite short. If it’s positioned high up and a proper seal is created (to prevent leaks), then it will probably be quite difficult to unseal and remove!

I love mine although I had to snip the stem a bit for a comfortable fit. I can't use it for the last 2-ish days because I find things are too dry though.

I wish I had known about mine when I was in my 20s! I use the mooncup you can buy in Boots and love it although my periods are now so light after having a Mirena fitted that I sometimes dont need my cup.

I had very heavy periods - cup needed emptying every hour for the first 2 days of my period and I also used towels for added security. It was a bit yucky to get blood all over your hand as you empty the thing when its really full but tbh its not as bad as changing a shitty nappy!! Took me a few goes to get it in successfully but I love the fact that I can use it when I'm very light just for reassurance without the problems you get using tampons without the 'flow'

I’d recommend snipping the stem off - I couldn’t get mine comfortable until I did that.

Mooncups are immense. No leak, no fuss. Hugely heavy periods and has actually let me see that no, I'm not just making a fuss, that there is actually more to it than that. I tend to be able to get away with just emptying it at home.

One trick is when you are going to empty a full cup down the loo, is to pop some loo roll down first so it all flushes at once time. Otherwise you can occasionally get some blood sat at the bottom of the bowl.

I love my cup it's a game changer. I tried the one with the valve and it was crap! If your blood is like water then great but anything thicker it won't come out! And I got the standard cup as well from the same company and it was so flimsy and just all around rubbish I would avoid if I were you

I've got the Dutches cup at the minute and it is awesome, heavy days change every 5-6 hours I am the same soaking through a super plus tampon after an hour and a pad as well.

Love my moon cup. I have been using them for over 10 years. Have not used a tempo since. Still use the occasional towel, though am looking at washable towels.

I am suddenly (menopause) getting very heavy periods and it is great seeing what my flow is like and what my body is doing. On the first day of a heavy flow I have to change every couple of hours and then about three times a day.

I also found at first that my period seemed shorter.

I keep a bottle of milton in the bathroom and give the cup a sterilise when I am at the end of my period and again when I am due to start.

I have a couple and always make sure there is one in my makeup bag.

I love mine too and would never go back. I prefer the more rigid mooncup to the softer type as it is easier to insert and remove for me. My periods definitely shortened and I seem to have fewer cramps for some reason. I am really heavy on first day and do have to change it every few hours but otherwise no issue and it would be the same with anything else. I also cut the stem off mine

Total game changer. Love mine. Used it for 15 years. Took a few cycles to get used to it but so glad I stuck with it. Mooncup didn't suit my anatomy so use a diva cup now. There are all different sorts - firmness, depth, capacity depending on your needs so do your research. Love how I haven't spent any money on my period in 15 years. (Apart from replacing once or twice). Even on a really heavy day I only have to change it twice. Pair with some thinx and you're sorted!

Myself and Dsis1 both had one (each, we’re not so tight we’d share) and got rid for the same reason. When you take them out they’re very slippery. Also, they fucking bounce. Having your new BF call through asking if you’re okay as you hunt for bleach or antibacterial wipes in his loo, or your flat mate huff over the marks on the white bath mat they just bought is .

I used to go through a superplus extra tampon and a sanitary towel every 60-90 minutes. I changed to a mooncup and loved it. I could get 3 hours before it overflowed! On really heavy days I used a towel as well if there was a danger I might not be able to empty it in time.

Mind you, my heavy days also involved massive clots so that tended to fill it up quite quickly so if you don't have that, you will get a lot longer out of it.

Haven't had a period in 8 months now so I'm hoping I'm finally finished. Only wish I'd bought one years earlier as I feel I didn't get enough value from it😁

I'm on my third cycle with the Organicup and I'm really happy with how it's going. If you Google menstrual cups there is a website somewhere that has a quiz to help you pick the right one. There are also useful videos on YouTube with tips on how to insert and take out.
I did have a mooncup many years ago which I decided to try out whilst on holiday - big mistake! Spent about an hour trying to get the blasted slippery beast out, getting increasingly panicked (and thereby making it more difficult) on a cheap hotel bathroom floor. I think the size was wrong for me. But my big advice would be when you try it for the first time, make sure you're in a familiar home environment where you're comfortable and relaxed. Prepare to get rather intimate with yourself!

I got a JuJu cup when my periods starting getting very heavy during perimenopause. It’s frightening the first time you struggle to get it out (bear down and slide a finger up to break the seal) and I found it a bit painful when removing. Once in, it’s much more comfortable than pads and napkins and being able to go 12 hours without changing on light flow days was fantastic. I really liked not having to dispose of tampons.
I’d recommend it to everyone if I could.

Love it. Combine it with some period pants and about four washable pads and am so much more comfortable and need never ever buy gross pads and tampons again. Also I got it first for corporate working when I’d walk into busy office/meetings after four hour commute and not have to be sneaking tampons up my sleeve and bobbing to to loo to check for leakage all the time. Empty it about every four-six hours.

Could not go back. I currently use the biggest silja cup and would really recommend them. It's the same styles as meluna but silicone so easier to pop open. In my experience the mooncup was the easiest to use but the capacity just wasn't enough for me.

I've researched the valve ones previously and I think you would need to have the thinnest (?) periods because anything slightly thick stops it working. Plus most people are more comfortable without the stem, which you'd obviously have to leave on because of the valve.

Love mine. Changed brands and took a bit of getting used to as much softer and wider. I use washable sanitary towels on very heavy days to give me reassurance. If also found taking ibuprofen really helps lighten my flow