Just when you couldn't get enough Diva Cup threads...

[MrsMike]

I tried out my Diva cup for the first time yesterday. I LOVE IT! This is the awesomest thing ever. I am still using Seventh Generation pads as a back up because I don't have cloth yet. That's coming next. I had a few questions about the Diva Cup for veteran users. How long did it take you to become a pro at it? It's been taking me almost 10 minutes to insert it each time. I never feel like I'm rotating it correctly (like it says to do in the instructions), though I haven't had any leaks at all. Plus, I end up having to take it out and re-start a few times. Also, has anyone left it in for longer than 12 hours? Is that safe? What are y'all washing it with? I didn't buy the Diva Wash. I've been using unscented Dr. Bronners soap.

[blairhoney]

1. I just finished my second month with it and it takes me well under a minute to put it in. I've never been able to rotate it - I just make sure it's all the way open (no dents in the rim) and I've never had any problems. It took me most of my first period (plus some "dry" runs). I use the punch-down fold.

2. I've left it in for up to 24 hours without any problems, and I've heard of others doing that as well. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving it longer, but that's just my personal comfort level.

3. As for washing it, I sometimes wash it with Cetaphil (close to neutral pH), but mostly all I do is boil it at the end of my period for a couple minutes. I figure not that much can live on medical-grade silicone for long anyway. It seems like what you use depends on how prone you are to yeast infections, etc. I don't think there's any need to use any soap at all, though.

[canuckgal]

I used to use the Keeper a few years, but don't anymore (I'm an RN and exposed to lots of latex anyway and am starting to get some irritation from gloves, so I thought it best not to have latex up there if you know what I mean). I found it easier to insert, and still have to practice with my Divacup though, but it is getting easier.

Someone once posted a link to a website that had a number of different folds pictured. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

As far as leaving it in more than 12 h, I dunno, according to thier literature it shouldn't cause toxic shock or anything like that but... I am battling yeast infections monthly the last 18 mo, and they start within days of my period ending. Usually they are pretty mild, but noticable and definitley yeast though. Dh and I have even been on oral meds, I am taking megadoses of acidophilus, avoiding sugar, etc. I have even resorted to buying a whole new cup, and set of cloth pads, towels, underwear too. I am hoping it is not the cup however, and have e mailed the company for some suggestions like using divawash when emptying it vs just water. I do tend to leave my cup in long stretches sometimes like 8-10 hours or more, especially if I am busy at work, and wonder if that may have something to do with it. I usually just rinse it when emptying it, and wash it with hot water and ordinary soap at the end of my cycle. I may try boiling it or something, and have also bought the divawash this month.

My doc said that maybe I should resort to pads more, that maybe I need the "cleansing" of flowing more onto a pad and not having it all held in. I have always been a tampon gal and HATE that feeling of flooding my pad when my flow is heavy. I have bought more cloth mini pads (vs the pantiliners I already have) and may try that and only use the cup in my day or two of heavy flow/overnight and see how it goes.

I DO love my cup and pads though! I love that I am not throwing gross disposables out, and don't run out of supplies!

[sandy'smama]

Good on you for having a go!

I use the mooncup which is silicone (I think) and very easy to fold. It took me whole one period to trim the stalk to a good length (all off in my case) and another one to get really good at putting it in. Now it is a breeze - 30sec? maybe less.
I rinse it out if I can after emptying and at night (I prefer cloth pads for the night as the mooncup tends to migrate north when I sleep for some reason...)
I wash it and boil it for a few min before putting it away for a month.
I am sure I have left it more than 12 hours on occasion (travelling, plain forgot etc) and never had problems.

[perl]

Oooh yea! I'm still in love with mine. It takes less than 10 sec for me to pop it in and then run a finger around the inside (for some reason, this keeps it from pressing on my urethra somehow, which blocked the urine flow and was very weird and uncomfortable.)

I used to wash it out with soap, but that was giving me yeast infections so now I just rinse with water and boil at the end of each cycle. The only reason I don't leave mine in longer is b/c (TMI ALERT! TMI ALERT!) when I have a bowel movement I have to take it out or else I would just push it out into the toilet when I bear down. So I usually take it out every morning after my coffee!