my ULTIMATE guide to alternative menstural products
hello ladies, i'm not sure if this is the right section to put this but hey, why not. all thoroughout university i was in an alternative women's health education group. we mainly did workshops on menstrual health and alternative menstrual products so i thought i would share my knowledge with you. there's so much more out there than pads and tampons and every woman should know whats available for her. also, i know many women here, when they do menstruate, have very heavy, long, painful periods. alot of these products can be a great help. so here is my ULTIMATE guide to alternative menstrual products. i'm happy to answer any questions you have. and for the record: i use the diva cup and LOVE it. Biodegradable pads/tampons What are they: exactly the same as conventional pads and tampons but with organic cotton and natural bleach. How to use: exactly the same as conventional pads/tampons Pros: easy, disposable, a great alternative to conventional pads/tampons, biodegradable, no dyes/bleach/perfume, pesticide free Cons: still creating waste, more expensive than conventional pads/tampons, still risk of toxic shock syndrome with tampons Where to find: alternative groceries, organic section of large grocery stores, health food stores, nature stores, online at http://www.natracare.com/index.htm Sea sponges What are they: sea sponges are an actual creature that grows in the ocean. They are boiled and cut into tampon like shapes. Some women also tie a nylon string in their sponge for easy removal. How to use: sea sponges are cut to size, boiled to disinfect, and then inserted like tampons. They can be washed/sterilized between uses and last 3-6 cycles. Pros: comfortable, you can have sex while wearing one, same as using an applicator free tampon, no dyes/scents/bleach, sustainable harvested, economical at around $20 a year, or cheaper if you cut your own from a larger sea sponge (found at art supply stores or cosmetic stores.) Cons: some people feel uncomfortable using a sea animal for their menstrual protection. Also with pollution in the oceans its uncertain what is exactly IN the sponges. They are also difficult to find and there is some upkeep with sterilization. Where to find:http://www.jadeanpearl.com, art supply stores (ask for natural sea sponges. Cut and sterilize yourself) Reusable pads What are they: washable pads, usually made from cotton, with snaps or Velcro How to use: use as you would regular pads. Soak in cold water and then machine wash and dry. Pros: reusable, no bleach/dye/perfume, can be homemade for free or jazzier ones purchased, comfortable, various sizes/degrees of absorbency available Cons: not as absorbent as conventional pads, some upkeep Where to find:http://www.gladrags.com/, http://www.lunapads.com, a do it yourself pattern is available at http://www.bloodsisters.org/bloodsisters/pads.html, also available at most environmental shops or women centered sex shops. Instead Softcups What are they: a flexible cup that sits under the cervix, similar to a diaphragm How to use: insert as you would a diaphragm so it sits just below the cervix. It collects blood. Remove and dispose. Pros: you can have sex while wearing the instead, doesn’t absorb any of the natural vaginal discharge, you can’t feel them, they say they are one use only but many women use one for their entire cycle and wash out between reinserting, can be worn for 12 hours at a time. Cons: creating garbage, steep learning curve, expensive Where to find: buy online or find where they are sold near you at http://www.softcup.com/index.php
Menstrual Cups (the keeper, diva cup, lunette, moon cup etc) What are they: a silicone or natural gum rubber cup that is inserted into the vaginal and collects blood How to use: wet the cup, fold in half and insert as you would an applicator free tampon. Turn ¼ to make sure a seal is in place. The cup has a “stem” that makes it easy to remove, break the seal, and pull, dumping blood into the toilet. Wash out and reinsert. Disinfect between cycles. Pros: environmentally friendly, lasts 10 year or more, 2 sizes for before and after childbirth, comfortable, some women report decrease in cramps while wearing it, will hold clots, brands made from silicone can be boiled to sterilize, stems can be cut shorter for a more comfortable fit, doesn’t interfere with natural vaginal lubrication, no risk of toxic shock, can be worn up to 12 hours. 1 year money back trial, comes with a discreet carrying bag, rubber varieties are biodegradable Cons: steep learning curve, gum rubber varieties are not suitable for people with latex allergies, large initial cost ($40+) but given that it lasts 10+ years it works out to be MUCH more economical. Requires a small amount of care (disinfecting etc.) Where to find:www.thekeeper.com/, www.divacup.com/, www.mooncup.co.uk/, http://www.lunette.fi/english_index.htmlthe keeper is American and made of rubber, the diva cup is Canadian, the moon cup is from the UK and lunette is from Findland. They are all silicone. All are slightly different designs so take a look and see which is most appealing to you. Otherwise they are available at most environmental shops and women friendly sex shops.
I ordered the Diva Cup last week and it just came in the mail today. I am excited to try it. I was surprised by the size (larger than I expected), but am still happy to have it.
Any tips/tricks, advice, etc?
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I ordered the Diva Cup last week and it just came in the mail today. I am excited to try it. I was surprised by the size (larger than I expected), but am still happy to have it.
Any tips/tricks, advice, etc?
here's a good page for different ways to fold your cup for inserting. http://community.livejournal.com/men...392.html?nc=58 most people use the "C-fold" but the others can be handy too. experiment to see what works. also i find it helps to run it under hot water to make it plyable, fold, and then run under cold water to make it more rigid but thats a pain if you're not at home.
the great thing about a menstrual cup is that if you are on BCP or know you are going to get your period that day, you can put it in in the morning before you start menstruating and then you don't have to worry about when its going to start.
for the first cycle you may want to wear a pad aswell incase you don't have a propper seal.
also, you can attempt a "dry run" with some lube to get the hang of things if you're feeing adventerous. just don't use sillicone based lube, it will make your cup melt.
some women feel the the stem is too "pokey" so you can trim it, just make sure you don't trim it all off.
ummm yeah that's all i can think of but feel free to ask if you need help.
The Diva Cup is great. I had the Keeper first, but I like having the clear silicone, so that I can see that it's really clean. My OB/GYN is extremely supportive of the use of menstrual cups as well. They don't mess up the moisture content in the vagina, they are great for the environment, and they hold a lot more than tampons, so they can stay in place for longer, which means less irritation.
I have only had to change mine in the middle of the day a few times. Usually in the morning and just before bed. On my light days I might even skip one of those.
Wow, I had no idea there were so many options. I am constantly having yeast infections the week after my period, and I'm sure you all know how fun those are. I have used the Natracare organic tampons, and they were great but just too expensive to buy every month. This cup thing sounds great...is it difficult to get it to fit correctly? Is it messy to empty out? I am sure I have more questions but cannot think of them. Thank you so much for posting this
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~Katie~ Diagnosed 04/2006
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This cup thing sounds great...is it difficult to get it to fit correctly? Is it messy to empty out? I am sure I have more questions but cannot think of them. Thank you so much for posting this
theres a bit of a learning curve with the cup, but id say by the time you're done your first cycle you have the hang of it. the fit is no problem because it is flexable so it sort of conforms to your body. once you get the hang of it, they are super comfortable.
most also offer a 1 year money back gaurentee so you may as well give one a shot!
my ULTIMATE guide to alternative menstural products 
