A couple days ago, I received the most distressing, but expected notification from my women’s app called Eve (you should check it out), “your period is arriving in two days.” If you are like me then you know that menstruation is a week full of unpredictable events such as cramps, bloating, leaking, and migraines. What a horrible way to spend my spring break right? As I braced myself for what was about to come I remembered that I was just recently given a Diva Cup courtesy of Her Campus.
The Diva Cup is a menstrual cup that is a substitute to the traditional tampon and pad. I have had the Diva Cup sitting in my room collecting dust out of fear. What if it gets stuck? Does it hurt going in? I explored YouTube to do some research on the cup. After getting past all the horror story videos, I finally decided to get over my fear of the cup getting lost, which it not possible by the way (the vagina is only 2-3 inches deep) and give the Diva Cup a chance and here is my experience.
It was the first day of my period and I made it my mission to use this cup. I took a shower to calm my nerves and then I attempted to insert it. The Diva Cup has a steeper learning curve compared to tampons and pads, practice makes perfect. If you’re uncomfortable, remove the cup and try again. The directions provided me with two ways to fold it for insertion. I found that the second fold, which I like to call the fancy fold, was easier. I rotated the cup in a full circle to ensure it was open. The entire cup was now inside except for the stem and I could no longer feel it. My nerves came back as I thought the stem would go inside upon movement. Then, I thought to myself, so what if it does Destenie? It can’t get lost in there. Snap out of it. I kept checking every hour check on the stem and make sure there were no leaks. Now that my period is over, I can safely say that the Diva Cup will now be my method of dealing with the menstrual flow!
During those seven days, I leaked only once. The cup did not open fully because I forgot to rotate it. Now I know that rotating is not optional even if you believe it has opened. I am a beginner so there is room for error. Emptying the cup is easier that inserting it. Just pull on the stem to reveal the base of the cup, pinch the base of the cup to break the seal, and pull the cup out. I washed the cup with soap and water before reinserting. You can also boil it if you would like. Now I no longer need to buy tampons or pads.
The Diva Cup and other menstrual cups are cost effective in the long run, but up front, it’s a little pricey. Cups can range from $30- $40 depending on the brand, but in a couple months, you will have a return on your investment because you no longer need to buy tampons or pads.
This cup is perfect for women and girls in other countries who do not have access to tampons and pads every month. Menstruation causes women and girls to stay home and miss work and school every month. Many girls have to drop out of school due to so many days missed caused by periods. The Diva Cup and other menstrual cups are great alternatives to traditional period methods because of their durability and reliability.
Menstrual cups are also great for the environment. Just think of all the cotton that goes into make tampons every year. If more people switched over to menstrual cups it would be better for the Earth in the long run.