Mooncups - how many people use them and how practical are they

[cba]

i have seen the term mooncup mentioned several times so i have just searched for them. Ok, are they easy to use, what about the long pipe bit at the bottom that you trim? How far up do they go?

Sorry if this seems a bit ignorant but I had never heard of them till joining mumsnet and I am seriously thinking of giving them a go.

I love my mooncup!

I used boil it in saucepan to sterilise it ready for the next month...but after that went slightly wrong (forgot about it & boiled the saucepan dry & it melted ) I've stopped doing that. Really missed as I couldn't afford a new one . Felt very un-liberated for a month until my lovely mum stumped up the cash for me. Now I just washed it through in the bath after AF finished. Perfectly clean. How often I change it depends on AF & what day I'm on etc but usually I try to empty it every 4-6 hours or so & I just rinse it out with cold water & put it back in. Totally hassle free & really annoyed I've suffered all these years with horrid tampons & papery pads

Be careful using it in the dishwasher. I don't think they are officially classed by the manufacturer as dishwasher safe. Someone I know damaged their's that way (the detergent eroded it a bit )

I use one, and thought I read in the manufacturer's instruction book that you can put it in the dishwasher?

As forgetting used to it, i found the thing that took a while was working out how much stem to cut off. I did it gradually, and I'm glad because cutting too much off could have been a disaster.

sorry 'as for getting used...'

I've always put mine in the dishwasher. The added benefit is the look on MILs face when she empties the dishwasher.

I had my ond one for about five years and I have to admit is became whiffy even after boiling so I chucked it and got another.

Sorry. Was that TMI?

Message withdrawn

I love my mooncup too and would never change back to anything else!

I'm thinking about it seriously. We're going to be travelling, it won't be long till I'm menopausal, and I spend 99p for sts that will last me 3 months. Cant do the maths!

After soaking in milton i rinse it and leave it to air dry and it gets a rinse again before being used again.

had mine for about 9 months now and love it. HAven't worn it whilst cycling and i think i read on here somewhere about how that was not too good. I am off on a long distance - 4 days bike ride, about 50 miles a day when AF next visits. SHould i go back to st's for the trip? ANyone know?

I love mine; I have really heavy periods and it copes really well. As for the night time, I try to wake up early morning to sort it, then go back to sleep for a few hours.

It was me that had trouble when cycling I think

I had it in too low, I reckon, it was only the first time I had used it

Cut off the stem completely - can't see that it would do any damage while cycling then. TBH, the stem gives you false confidence anyway. I always found it encouraged you to try and tug it out by the stem rather than breaking the seal properly giving you that lovely internal plunger effect (ouch!).

I couldn't agree more, RD.

I cut the stem off, too.

Bear down to get it out.

If you want one before Franny has them going cheap again, then flamesparrow is selling them through her new nappy business, here. (She has a paid for ad, so it's ok to post this!)

stem barely there, didn't mean to do it cut it short at the start. i just grab it further up and squeeze to break the seal so i suppose it'll be ok, thanks girls

Yep. Stem is totally superflous. Snip it.

I too have no stem at all on my mooncup!

Also ref the dishwasher thing: its medical grade silicon type stuff which in itself is fine for for the dishwasher.... in the same way that cotten can go in a washing machine even if it doesnt say so, this material type stuff is fine for a dishwasher

I have no stem at all.

You have to make sure it is in a little higher than normal if your doing something that puts upward pressure in the that area ie : cycling, horse riding, quad biking, too low and yep it is very uncomfortable.

pads and cycling don't mix - ouch!