Another mooncup thread ... questions ...

[Millie1]

..have been reading old threads and have just about convinced myself to try a mooncup but am not sure about size ... I've had 2 elective secctions and am over 30 but will I really need the bigger size? Even the small one sounds too big!! Thanks!

I bought mine in Brighton's excellent health food shop, Infinity Foods so I don't know.

Ok, bought mine [mooncup] at Boots £19.99

Very heavy times, just empty every 60-90mins you'll soon see if it got be longer btw empties.

Clots, oh yep no probs i have some humdingers and it has no prob.

Changing in WC, i have water in my bag always to deter me from buying a coke while out and about so i just use a little of this, a small pack of baby wipes or some waterless soap means you don't exit cubby with red digits.

Lochia, not the best idea as everything needs to settle down first, plus altered shape so could shift/leak.

Getting lost, yep can go up high but at least you know it can't go to far tho removal is a bit trickier than normal.

Sports,i scuba dive in mine, have been to 28metres with no problems, it was blessing as white tipped reef sharks were about at the time.
Have flown also long haul and a much more pleasent flight than previously.

Allergy/cystitis, i react to the creams for cap but not had a issue with this at all, have used for 12 days straight.

Bought mine in Boots too - partly didn't want to wait for it, but mostly to bump their sales figures up so that they don't stop stocking it due to lack of demand, and hopefully it will become more of a mainstream product as more people see it on the shelves.

Re: the cystitis. With the cap I can't be certain because obviously it's much higher up - but with the diaphragm I definitely think it was the pressure of the ring on the front of my vagina that caused the cystitis. I'm just wondering if you can't feel the mooncup pressing when it's in...?

i haven't but then sensations are pretty naff down there anyway, sorry not very helpful.

tho if not in right i get a pressure/uncomfy sensation.

Delighted to hear Boots is selling them. And at £19.99! That goes some way to sorting out my christmas pressies.

I got mine here .

I don't know what Boots' return policy is, but when I bought from this website their policy was a no quibbles refund if you weren't happy with it and they asked you to give it at least 3 cycles trial - ie they didn't expect you to return it unused in it's original packaging within two weeks etc.

Fab PC. They've really come down in price. I think they were between 25 and 30 quid when I bought mine about five years ago.

I've got a Mooncup and it's great to read all your posts as I wasn't sure what to do in a public lav, but now I do!

I'm new to mumsnet. I've got two kids but my sil is pg with her second baby (first is now 16...) and I'm helping her look into stuff. I've got a shop in Eastbourne with a website at www.birthandbaby.co.uk and we have Mooncups for £14.99 at the moment. Normally postage is £3.95 but for a tiny order like that we'd just do it at cost. They're under the 'adult toiletries' section. We follow the Mooncup return policy.

Hi eastmama.
Welcome to mumsnet.
That's a great price for mooncups! I paid over £25 for mine at a shop in Brighton, but that was about 5 years ago.

OMG ... got it, tried it and am shaking like a leaf cos it was sooo hard to get out. Someone please tell me it'll get easier and won't get stuck inside - any tips? Found it really slippy and hard to get a grip on . Scared to try again for now but would like to give it a shot later.

Hausfrau ... I left about .5cm of the stalk on but just found it hard to get a decent grip - was able to break the suction but it was getting a grip that was the problem. I guess practice makes perfect but it's sort of rocked my confidence a bit - and to think that I thought getting it in would be more problematic than removing it!!

I did, that was the easy bit. This sounds so stupid as I type it but it was getting the angle (and fingers LOL!) right to keep a firm grip and get it moving downwards that I had trouble with.

Try bearing down when taking it out. I find the whole shebang moves easily downwards and I break the suction by gently pinching the top bit, or even the side bit of the mooncup.

The stalk is a total red herring. I've cut mine completely off. I don't know why they even leave them on. It just confuses.

I remember the first couple of times it was a little tricky, but that's a distant memory. Honest!

Millie, you OK?

Please don't panic, I also struggled and posted on Mumsnet for help the first time. It does get easier! Won't bombard you with suggestions, but do let us know if you need more help.

Blessus ... this thing isn't made for easy removal. Tried again and yet again it was 10 mins of heartstopping 'I can't get it' before I got it out. On the up-side, I got it out twice - phew. This is going to be a bit graphic but what's throwing me, is what is the best way to grip it ... I feel all fingers and thumbs when I try. I will keep trying but think I'll have a break for a day (or til next mth) before I go again ... what isn't helping is that I'm working myself up into a panic from the moment it goes in and I know that's making me tense. I shall persevere ...

I built up the days for my first 2-3 months, and only used it at night from about the 4th or 5th month. Felt plenty proud of myself for getting there! Until then I used to lock myself in the bathroom for 15-20mins to get it sorted. Two things that I found helpful: remember your labour breathing - breathe out steadily through slack-jawed mouth and lips while bearing down; also, don't try to catch the stem (I pinched myself each time - ouuuuch) but catch the base just above the bottom, ie where you can squeeze it in, between your thumb and your longest finger. That's the best grip I found.

Anyway, keep trying, even if you give yourself a rest this month. It's worth it.

Thanks girls ... a break it is. For now, no more plonking the kids in front of the tv whilst I try to master it. Prettycandles - good advice, thanks, will bear that in mind for next time. I've just discovered muscles whose existence I didn't know off, in my hand and wrist!!! One more thing, please reassure me that it won't disappear onwards and upwards once it's in.

It definitely won't disappear! There have been times when I have lost track and wondered whether or not I had it in, but have always found it instantly upon bearing down and using my finger.

Sorry if TMI, but i grasp it between thumb and next two fingers and squeeze fingers into the middle of the cup then slight twist and downward pull, a slow steady pull else your into redecoration!

Millie it does take practise, relax and if you have 3 tries and no joy, leave alone for a bit and try again.

It can go up&up but it does stop, the only difference then is that you have to reach in a bit furthur.

Wouldn't swap mine for a thing.

All these mooncup threads!

I did not know about them until after I posted about a conspiracy theory I had in the middle of the night. Menstrual blood being used as a weapon of mass destruction for the cause of womens rights.

The mooncups are the vessels for collecting the WMD - I just did not know at the time

I just bought one from Boots today.

Got it in OK, but I can still "feel" it. Chopped the stalk a good bit (nearly off) but it feels like I need to get used to it a bit.