Talk to me about mooncups and camping...

[SarahTancredi]

I started a thread a few weeks ago asking for help and was given some good advice re contacting customer services who fir lena cup in particular were amazingly quick to respond and really helpful . Despite their assistance I do believe it was sadly just the shape in the end that wasn't quite the right fit for me and reluctantly I had to try a new cup which I think is now "the one" I have used it for one cycle and have one more practice cycle to perfect it.

Which leads me to the next question. We are supposed to be going away with family next month if all goes well and we don't end up all locked down as severely again. So in the eventuality that the camp site doesn't cancel the booking deposit was paid well before covid was even a thing .

Just how do you deal with them on a camp site. I did debate just sticking with what I know and taking the tampons. I'm already dreading having to use disposable pads for the week, and when I saw my tampons in the cupboard this morning I just couldn't even face looking at them so really don't want to take them.

So I need the advice of you seasoned users to help me work out how to do this ...

Tia

I'm afraid I don't use my Mooncup away, due to the hygiene issues. I use flexdisc instead. Not much use to you now, I know, but possible for future trips? They are disposable, every 12 hours, so no need to touch them / yourself except to insert or remove. I used them when working in Africa where access to water for hand washing outside of the hotel was not guaranteed, and have stuck with them. Great for camping, for the same reasons.

I don't even know where I'd start with a flex disk. I think I have quite high cervix so I can't even reach it to position a disk

I'm guessing that with your cup, you'd have to ensure you could boil some water in your camp kitchen to clean it. It might be a bit of a hassle, but not much more than at home, and I would double up with a pad overnight just in case (washing sleeping bags isn't fun). Just relax and have fun - camping is a slower pace, so it doesn't matter if you need 10 mins here and there. 🙂

Well luckily its a caravan ( a towing one) so I have access to More private stove. I do however also have a microwave steriliser and I think there was a microwave. But obviously also depends on what facilities are closed off/removed .

I'm trying to picture my dads face as i boil my cup in the baked bean pan

Guess I just wanted someone to tell me it was do-able

You don't need to boil your mooncup every time you change it. But you do need access to soap and water and a private sink to wash it out at ideally. Will really depend on the facilities where you're camping but generally I am a bit grubby when camping so not sure I'd fancy using one in those circumstances!

How long are you there? I only rinse mine while I'm on my period then clean it after my cycle
Sometimes I use just warm water and some mild soap

I wouldn’t take my moon cup camping - I’ve had one too many crime scene bathrooms when I’ve changed it at home that I wouldn’t risk somewhere that I didn’t have my own, private bathroom with sink where I can rinse it out properly.

I use it and reusable pads 90% of the time so I’m good with using disposables the other times.

Supposed to be there 2 weeks ( I say supoosed to be as obviously no one can be sure its even going ahead yet)

I'm actually only due on or the last three days ( which are obviously the heavy days). I'm.still really unsure about what to do. Damn u MN and your stupid recommendations...i was only grave enough to even try the cup a few weeks ago and now I really hate the idea of going back to tampoms even with the murder scenes and teething problems...

I find it by far the best thing to use for travel/ camping because you don't have to traipse to public bathrooms carrying supplies. Totally unnecessary to boil between each insertion. Who told you to do that? Just rinse it or if in a public loo use wipes and dispose in the sanpro bin.

I camped around California in remote locations often without running water and used the moon cup. Easy. Bring a small bottle of water to the loo and hand santiriser. Sanitise hands, rinse mooncup with water and return to its home. Rinse hands. Sanitise again. Give it a boil once home.

So much nicer than tampons when camping!

Water and sanitiser I can do..

I know one restraunt we have booked has fully enclosed loos so i could theoretically give it a really good wash in the sink there ...

Sorry - didn't mean to imply that you had to boil it between emptying, but I had assumed camping in a tent, and a lot of sites are not opening shower blocks at the mo.

In a caravan, with access to running hot water and soap, you'll be fine. The van toilet cartridge will likely have chemicals in it anyway, and nothing needs to change re: disposal. You might want to let whoever is doing the disposal, tho, just in case! 😀

Oh I never use the caravan toilet. God no...always the facilities

I used mine when camping, but then the facilities were good where we were and I knew I could use a toilet with a sink inside.
I don’t sterilise apart from between periods. It was fine and better for me as if I’m just using pads at night I always leak so didn’t want to ruin my sleeping bag.

I find it far better as you don't have to struggle with finding places to dispose of used sanpro. I sterilise mine between periods in a small jam jar (dedicated to the purpose) that can be placed in the microwave. For most changes you can just wipe out with toilet paper and reinsert (or aome people have recommended taking a bottle of water into the cubicle to rinse) so as long as you can get to a sink you can use occasionally you'll be fine. I've never had any spraying incidents let alone murder scenes!

It's really not that big a deal. If the toilets have sinks inside then you're fine to use it as usual. If the sinks are outside the cubicle then rinse in the sink if it's quiet or take a bottle of water into the toilet and rinse it that way.

You know what I've actually just remembered that there's a row of sinks that have curtains that pull across so i could privately wash cup out there.

If it is do-able then I will give it a go. Suppose I could take the tampoms as back up..

I always use mine camping. If the toilets don't have a sink enclosed with them i take a bottle of water to rinse it. Once i've finished my period i wash it out with soap and water in the sink (tend to do this very late at night when no one is about) then boil it when i'm hope. It's much less faff than pads or tampons.

Ok so you have convinced me... although final decision will come depending on how the next one goes and whether or not I can insert and remove quickly and without being a contortionist. Alot of pressure to nail it on the second period

Wouldn’t cope without mine, camping or not. I’ve been in a tent with mine before now, having to pop to the loo 3 times a night wasn’t fun but better that than tampons! (Seriously heavy flow).

You’ll be fine, honestly 👍🏻

I used one at a music festival and took a large bottle of water into the portaloo to clean it with. Unfortunately it was messy when I tried to rinse it out. Water went all over the place! But the loo was already a state anyway so I felt less bad. I'd probably consider alternatives if I went again though.

I don't understand why you'd need access to sterilising equipment? You just rinse it out in between emptying it and putting it back in. Then give it a proper sterilising wash when you get home ready for your next period. I've camped with a mooncup and it's so much easier than having to dispose of pads/tampon! If you are worried about leaking I'd recommend investing in some period pants. Have a good time away :)

I don't understand why you'd need access to sterilising equipment? You just rinse it out in between emptying it and putting it back in. Then give it a proper sterilising wash when you get home ready for your next period. I've camped with a mooncup and it's so much easier than having to dispose of pads/tampon! If you are worried about leaking I'd recommend investing in some period pants. Have a good time away :)

Well there's been a slight change if plan now anyway we are staying in a static caravan as opposed to a towing caravan due to facilities being closed off at the campsite. So I will definitely be using my cup now and I will take some cloth pads really can't face the disposables and yes I already got period pants for cup back up at work.

Honestly I'm.nearly 40 ill be requiring periods till I'm 70 to get my money back on this lot

I often have to use grubby public loos when I'm at work and I use a cup. One bit of advice, and it could be seen as wasteful, I use disposable gloves when I need to empty it as it can be a bit tricky putting yourself back together with unclean hands iyswim!!
Definitely no need to sterilise during your period, just rinse - presumably you'll have access to a shower? Or use water wipes to clean?
I could never go back to tampons