Anyone use a Diva Cup?

[julie128]

Has anyone used a Diva Cup? (divacup.com for info) They have glowing testimonials on their website, but I know they're not going to print the bad reviews. What's your experience with Diva Cup?

[mirthfulmum]

I have been struggling with mine for 2 cycles. Currently I hate it.

Okay I'm going to try not to get too graphic here but there is a learning curve apparently. And for me the curve is pretty darn steep. I can not get the stupid cup to OPEN into a cup once inserted. I can't give the cup a "spin" once inserted to ensure correct placement. And I find the whole thing of squatting on my bathroom floor for 5 minutes, with my fingers inside my vagina desperatly trying to get the Diva cup properly inserted while my boys are banging on the bathroom door yelling "Mommy! What 'cha doing? Let me in!" very unpleasant and stressful.

Tampax takes 30 seconds.

[Trishy]

I use a mooncup and could not live without it. I honestly forget I have my period because of it.

[frog]

turtle and I both use them and we love them.

I can't get mine to spin, either, but I've figured out that after I insert it, if I pull it back down a bit, it flips open and seals itself.

There's definitely a learning curve and I suspect how long/steep it is varies woman to woman. The cup's made my period much more manageable (I used to bleed through pads and tampons the first two days and I don't have that problem with my cup) and it's decreased the length of turtle's from 4-5 days to about 2, and cut down on her cramping to the point where she no longer has to take any ibuprofen at all.

[julie128]

2 questions:

What's a mooncup?
ETA: Never mind. I found their website. It looks as though it's about the same thing and the same price.

How does using the Diva Cup shorten a period and reduce cramping?

ETA, again: I found a website that has DCs for $27.50 (nearly $10 less than others) and no shipping cost. Happynursery.com.

[mummy marja]

I have a Keeper (another version of Diva Cup)and I LOVE it! It took me about 5 cycles to really get used to it though. Now I couldn't live without it. I'm pretty sure if you don' t like it after 3 months you can return it, so give it a try!

[mamimapster]

I My diva. However, the learning curve for it was about two/three months-this was the case with both of us. (warning TMI: when I first got it I though I def. had a size too big. Now, on thd third Cycle of using it I've kind of figured out how insertion works and it is not like inserting a tampon at all- this was where I had a problem with it not opening. if you fold and make it kind of point towards your back instead of up, allowing it to open during insertion it seems to work alot better, I can't spin mine-still think it is a little big, but I can kind of twist from side to side to make sure it's open. What I love is once it's there I dont have to keep removing it over and over or deal with a lot of leakage. I use a cloth pad as a backup on the really heavy days, but since I've figured it out I really dont' have to at this point.

[elisent]

I've used mine for one cycle and I love it. I've used the disposable Instead cups for a while so I am used to putting things up there. I had some problems getting mine to open and spin, too, but by the end of the cycle I got it down. Turns out I was putting it in too far and (tmi) I was constipated, which didn't help.

Elise

[mirthfulmum]

Okay, you all inspired me to give the Diva cup another try. And today I actually got it to work! I was so happy, I was feeling a little left out of the Diva cup love.

But now that I've gotten the Diva to work for me I'm hoping I won't be using it for awhile after this AF. This is the TTC thread after all.

[frog]

But now that I've gotten the Diva to work for me I'm hoping I won't be using it for awhile after this AF. This is the TTC thread after all.

Amen.

I'm not sure how the Diva reduces cramping and shortens periods, but I suspect it has something to do with the absorbent stuff in the tampons, rather than anything the Diva does or doesn't do?

Of course, that's a total guess from me. All I can tell you is what's happened with us.

[julie128]

Originally Posted by mirthfulmum

Okay, you all inspired me to give the Diva cup another try. And today I actually got it to work! I was so happy, I was feeling a little left out of the Diva cup love.

But now that I've gotten the Diva to work for me I'm hoping I won't be using it for awhile after this AF. This is the TTC thread after all.

Hey! I didn't know where else to ask about the menstrual cycle!

My mom said she had a Keeper and it leaked. Hm.

[CorbinsMama]

Like frog, I always had bleeding accidents the first couple days. Now I don't even think about it because I love my Diva!

To get this back on thread topic, I started Lupron last night so now I'll be waiting for my Lupron period to start. I'll use the Diva one last time and then I hope that's it for a long, long time!

[mamimapster]

[QUOTE=frog]But now that I've gotten the Diva to work for me I'm hoping I won't be using it for awhile after this AF. This is the TTC thread after all.

LOL! This is why I resisted geting one for so long! I thought why get one when hopefully I wont be using it for a year or so

[Synchro246]

I like menstrual cups.

I don't consider the fertility forum necessisarily TTC.

[Chele]

using it right now....love it!!! This is my fourth cycle with it and I think I am just now starting to get the hang of it. Don't give up it is worth it!!

[koofie]

I have been using my diva cup for close to a year and love it! I sometimes have a bit of an issue that once it is inserted, I have some leakage from the stuff that was not caught by the cup when iserted, but I usually just wear a small pad so I don't have to worry about it. It took me about 4 or 5 months to "get it", but even if I didn't get it in correctly, it still lessons the flow that my pad needed to catch.

Good luck! It is well worth the $ once you get it right. I went to Hawai'i last month for a week and brought it and a few thin pad along for AF, and didn't have to buy anythign there or pack anything.

I also like that you can pee with it in and not have to worry about a string hanging out and getting wet. TMI, I know, but it really makes a difference!

[ani'smommy]

I have only used the diva for two cycles, so I'm still learning, but man, once you get it in right you can totally forget about it all day long. It is awesome. My cramps are gone, too. I don't know how, but they are.

[cozzensclan]

I have used a Diva cup for a long time (well, I did before I got preg. anyway ) You definately have to stick with it, it takes some patience to learn to use it properly. For those who can't get it to spin to help form a seal, rub the top edge with a few drops of water just before you insert it. Also, I had to cut the little nub thing at the bottom completely off because it kept poking me. Once that thing was gone - MUCH more comfy to use.

I was a little unsure about it too before I ordered mine, but I figured it would be worth trying. I would never go back to pads or tampons. I love never having to worry about running to the store at midnight to get more tampons. I also feel like I know my body better because I can moniter my flow very easily (Actually that's one of the ways I first knew I was pregnant. Something I would otherwise have mistaken for a light period, I was able to tell it was just spotting.) I could go on and on about all of the advantages to using it, and I really can't think of anything I don't like.

[trmpetplaya]

I just started using mine yesterday and love it!!! I had heard that it can take a couple cycles to get used to it, but in my case I guess I got lucky and had no trouble at all I have only heard good things about them (which is why I got one...) from my friends. The only person I know personally who didn't like hers was someone who always finds negativity in even the best situations so I take her complaints with a grain of salt.

love and peace.

[Jilian]

I'm a Diva too I've been using my diva cup for over a year now, maybe 2 years I LOVE it. I had trouble getting it to pop open too but then a mom here told me to keep my Diva low and trim the "stem". Ever since I did that I haven't had a problem.

For some reason I can't use my diva the first day of AF, it is just too uncomfortable, but tampons are too. I get REALLY bad cramps and I think that is why. So if your Diva hurts a lot the first day, try it again in another day or two.