Which is Better?

[iris0110]

I have been using cloth pads and Sea Sponge Tampons for several months now, but my sea sponges are wearing out and I am trying to decide what to replace them with. I really like the sponges because they are so comfortable and easy to use, but they break down pretty fast, and they aren't easy to use when out. They just can't hold up to more than an hour on my heaviest days. So I was thinking about trying one of the cups. I was looking for opinions on them before I buy.

The ones I have heard of are Diva Cup, The Keeper and the Moon cup, are there others?

If you use any of these which one?

Where can you buy them?

How much can they hold?

Are they comfortable?

Are they easy to use?

What are they made of (I'm allergic to latex)?

I think that is enough questions for now. My period is almost over and I would like to buy something so it will be here for my next period in a month. Thank you ladies.

[Ilovelife]

I have the Keeper, but I'm pretty sure you can't use that if you have a latex allergy! The Diva & Moon cup are both silicone, I think, so those would be your options. I think they differ slightly in shape, but have heard good things about both.

I find the Keeper to be comfortable and easy to use, but I do need a backup pad for the first couple days. I find it no problem at all to use when out in public restrooms, camping, etc. Someone else will have to fill you in on the details of the 2 silicone options. You could also search this forum since I know they've been discussed before. Good luck! I think you'll enjoy using a cup.

[Zanymom]

Like pp said, you should try the Divacup or the Mooncup since they are latex free. I had a Keeper cup and I liked it, but the tail bothered me so much I had to cut the entire thing off. But then I had a little accident and it got flushed down the toliet! (no my toliet didn't clug)

So I bought a Divacup thinking I would have to cut the tail off of it too, but I didn't have to do a thing to it! I found it to be more comfortable and flexible then my Keeper was. I love my Divacup.

[julesinottawa]

I have a Diva and I find it to be absolutely essential for my first day or two. It did take me a solid 3 cycles to get used to (had to cut the tip off right away) so be prepared for a bit of a learning curve. I almost gave up on it but I'm really glad I didn't. It's pretty easy to use, holds an ounce (I think). I bought mine at www.behindbaby.com but you can get them in many places online.

[Persephone]

If you use any of these which one?
I use the Keeper.

Where can you buy them?
I got mine with a couple of Lunapads from lunapads.com. But I'm not a big fan of lunapads anymore, I prefer another kind. But you can also get it at eco-logique.com

How much can they hold?
They hold 1fl oz, and for me that means I can wear it for 12 hours.

Are they comfortable?
Once I put it in, I don't notice it at all, it's quite comfortable. And I actually left the tail on mine. It rides up, and I need the entire tail to get it out again! On the first couple days of my period, I find it aggravates my cramps, so I save it for later in the cycle. I appear to be the weird one. Most people say it makes their cramps BETTER.

Are they easy to use?
They take a few tries to get the hang of it. The more comfortable you are with your intimate parts, the faster you'll catch on. I was doing fine by my second cycle using it. If you run into trouble, don't give up!

What are they made of (I'm allergic to latex)?
The Keeper is made of rubber, so you prolly don't want that one. The other two are silicone, so they're fine. I wonder about how ecologically sound the diva cup and moon cup are, because I don't know what goes into the manufacture of silicone. But the Keeper is made of natural rubber. However, I wouldn't feel bad about using the Diva/Moon cup if that's all you *can* use.

[hubris]

If you use any of these which one?
DivaCup

Where can you buy them?
I found an online retailer near me, pretty sure I found her through the Diva International website.

How much can they hold?
I've never found discussing quantity in ounces to be useful, instead I like to think about how long I need to go between "changes." I have a fairly heavy flow and with a tampon, I need to change every hour on my heaviest day. With the Diva, I need to dump/rinse only every 2-3 hours. I can't tell you how often you will need to dump/rinse, but I think it's safe to assume that you will be able to go longer with a cup than you can with a tampon. On very light days I check/dump/rinse once in the morning and once at night.

Are they comfortable?
Yes.

Are they easy to use?
I think so. Like anything else, there's a learning period. By my 2nd AF using the cup I was getting the hang of it.

What are they made of (I'm allergic to latex)?
The Diva and MoonCup are silicone...the Keeper is natural rubber, I believe if you have a latex allergy you should use a silicone cup.