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Original poster

Mooncups - a tmi thread (as IF there's another kind where mooncups are concerned!)

92 replies

hunkermunker · 27/05/2007 23:29

How many times would you say you fill yours during the course of a period?

I think Franny said it was about three times for a whole period, but let's just say I'm ahead of that on day two alone... and [ow]

I'm thinking of getting a ticker... [wry grin]

OP posts:
suzywong · 28/05/2007 10:36

NannyL, what a dainty, princess-like person you must be!

I, by comparison, am a cacky handed leaky mare, I don't think I'm suited to mooncups.

FrannyandZooey · 28/05/2007 11:02

NannyL I think I have said this before but you REALLY should be emptying and cleaning it at least 4 times in every 24 hours for hygiene's sake

Hunker now I am paying attention I think it is more like 2x full over the entire period but I will keep you updated

NannyL · 28/05/2007 11:27

yes i know...

BUT its a risk i chooses to take

they advise it because of the risk of TSS... well so far there have been 0 cases of TSS with mooncups...

(IMO they are erring on the side of caution... like clothes labels that say dry clean only / dont tumble dry etccause they dont want to test if it can go in washing machine )

also i sterilise it every night... it goes in sterile and what goes in remains sterile until it leaves my body.

IMO id give it more bacteria by removing it and putting it back in.... also its never very full so removing it seems pointless more often.

FrannyandZooey · 28/05/2007 11:41

Oh as long as you know

it concerned me that you may not have realised this was not recommended, I hope you don't think I was being interfering

NannyL · 28/05/2007 11:54

not at all!

thank you! I know you are being helpful

it works for me and has done for the past year... should i get ill from it you can be the 1st to say i told you so

(not something i normally discucc in RL tbh!)

hippipotami · 28/05/2007 12:44

Here is a mooncup question I have been meaning to ask for ages:

You sit on the toilet, take your mooncup out and empty it. Then you have to rinse it before you put it back in right? If I stand up and hop to the sink I will leak all over the place (way tmi, sorry ) so how do you deal with this?
It is the one thing that really puts me off having one...

Aitch · 28/05/2007 13:08

you don't cos you've just wiped your fanjolele, just stand up, think of your pelvic floor and wash the mooncup.

BikeBug · 28/05/2007 13:15

hippipotami, I have this problem (and for the record I would say mine is full to brimming at least 3 times a day for the first 2 days, can fill up within half an hour... then will not fill up again between changes for the next 6 days (I hate my periods)). Wrt the sink thing, mine is next to the loo, so I lean over to rinse the mooncup out. If it was further away I think I'd either just have to leak and clean it up, or wad with a bit of loo roll for a moment. Far, far tmi

filthymindedvixen · 28/05/2007 13:31

Hippo - You can soon get into the habit of taking small plastic bottle of water in with you...

FrannyandZooey · 28/05/2007 13:32

Yes, just wipe yourself, and if you are really gushing, then pull up your pants with a wad of loo roll in them

NannyL I don't think many of us discuss this in RL

fuzzywuzzy · 28/05/2007 13:37

on day two my heaviest day, roughly about every 1.5 hours....makes for an interesting time at work, but it's only on day two...and OK this is really yuck, it's mainly clots which cause the need to errr change or whatever the mooncup equivelant.

Legacy · 28/05/2007 14:06

Hmm - I'm a bit like SuzyWong - and am finding mine a bit 'challenging' for my first heavy day - probably could fill it 4 times or so, but tend to be a bit over-anxious so end up emptying it every 1.5 hours or so for the first day.
Again, like SW, I went back to the 'dark side' of tampons for the first day this month - we had too much going on - was out and about/ decorators in and usual bathroom out of action etc. Have to say, I am tempted to go back to tampons for Day 1 in the future.

My biggest angst is that if it leaks it will leak 'gallons' immediately (not that it ever has... but it doesn't stop me imagining the carnage if it did ) whereas at least a tampon 'holds' it until you can get to the loo.

Still love mine for the rest of the time though - none of that second-guessing 'do I need to change it/ will I 'waste' a tampon if I do?' feeling

suzywong · 28/05/2007 14:08

it doesn't "do" blackberry jam clots does it? It just doesn't and if you don't have sole access to the lav and handbasin and a pretty fair guarantee no small child is going to come banging on the door then it's not the most convenient form of sanitary protection.

But I do so like it in principal. Shame.

Legacy · 28/05/2007 14:13

SW - bizarrely, the blackberry jam clots seem to find their way down the SIDE of mine - how does THAT happen - wtf?

suzywong · 28/05/2007 14:18

F knows!
I don't think I have the hang of getting the seal correctly, and as I live with MIL, and have the lav away from the basin and a ds2 who like to know where I am every second of the day, I don't really get the chance to practise. Plus it actually makes me feel a bit ill, all that squelching - don't have a problem with my fanjo, just no experience of working in an abattoir so not too keen on all the gore

wish I had a fairy brook a dripping instead, like NannyL

cathcart · 28/05/2007 14:21

...mmm...what an interesting afternoons read this thread! Feel like i should have my hair in curlers, leg wax at the ready and a face pack on right now
keep talking and i might buy one!
Do mooncups tend to have any effect on your 'normal' flow?

NineUnlikelyTales · 28/05/2007 14:50

I have a question....I've never used a mooncup and never even heard of them until I joined MN (It was probably Information Item #34998 that I have gathered since I did). I still haven't had a period since I had DS 8 months ago and I would like to try a mooncup when I do.

BUT I have always had really, really painful periods. Like you Hunker, I've ended up in hospital several times with the pain and had operations....but they never found a cause. I am dreading their return and hoping that it is like everyone says and they are less bad after having a baby.

So my question is, do mooncups add any pain whatsoever to the whole period process? Because I used to find that tampons did and so only used towels for years. I couldn't use a mooncup if there was any extra pain.

Thanks

DimpledThighs · 28/05/2007 14:58

empty it four times a day and the most is only ever half full.

hunker - sorry you have such a shit time with it all. feel quite lucky now!

FrannyandZooey · 28/05/2007 16:07

cathcart and NineUnlikelyTales, I have spoken to lots of Mooncup users on here, and I have often heard it said that the Mooncup makes their periods LIGHTER and that it REDUCES PAIN. Some people have theorised that tampons actually cause you to lose more blood because they are leaching it out of you. Why it would be less painful I don't know, but lots of women report they feel psychologically better about their period as a whole when using the Mooncup so that could possibly have a hand in it. However people with severe medical conditions have said that the Mooncup has lessened the pain of menstruation, so I don't think it is all mental.

I have never heard anyone say that the Mooncup causes their period to be longer or heavier, but I have heard one or two people say that it was uncomfortable for them to use.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 28/05/2007 16:18

I still haven't had my periods return after DD (9 months now), but I want a mooncup now for when they do. WHen are you doing a sale again?

(I really hope they do make it lighter, I tend to be a tampon and pad, and change it every hour or so kinda girl - ie really really heavy)

bristols · 28/05/2007 16:19

Ooh, have really enjoyed reading this I received my mooncup in the post last week and am now eagerly anticipating my period! Just one more question: Do you think I'll be able to use it straight away? I read on the packaging that the best time to practice was on the last few days of your period. Doesn't that defeat the object somewhat?

Have only had one period since DS who is now 9 months old. How long does it take to get into a regular cycle again? Not strictly a mooncup question, but definitely related...

FrannyandZooey · 28/05/2007 16:33

Norma, Bodykind are currently offering them at a better price than I can, so get one there. I won't be selling again until after their offer has finished.

They hold 30 ml, more than the largest size of tampon, so you would hopefully find that helpful whether or not it affects your flow (it doesn't affect mine, I don't think).

Bristols I practised inserting and removing it when I wasn't menstruating, which removed some of my worries about mess etc. You could run it under the tap beforehand so it isn't too dry. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to use it straight away once you get the basic principle, anyway.

I don't know how long it'll take for your periods to settle down, I'm afraid. I didn't have a period for nearly a year after ds was born but then they came back fairly regularly from what I remember. Different people have different experiences with this, from what I know.

abracadabra · 28/05/2007 16:54

My mooncup leaks at night so have to use a pad too - has anyone tried any of the reusable ones? What are they like? What temp do you wash them on?

NormaStanleyFletcher · 28/05/2007 17:13

Thanks for that Frances!

alfiesmum · 28/05/2007 17:15

I received my mooncup a few days ago, af arrived late this morning just as I was leaving to go on a long bike ride (typical!)so used a tampon.
When I got back I put it in with no problems. At first I could still feel it so I have cut some of the stalk off and now its fine! period always really light so hopefully wont have any problems.
Thanks all for the recommendations