The Diva Adventures
Yesterday was my first day using the Diva Cup. And I wasn't all that impressed. There was leaking. All day. Not a lot of leaking, but just enough that I had to pay attention to the cup every two hours or so. Which is a far cry from the up-to-12 hours stated on their product documentation.
I got the Diva Cup for a number of reasons. The first was monetary: at about $50 CDN (retail, incl. tax) the cup had the potential to pay for itself in about 5 months (OB tampons + panty liners + pads = a shit load of money every month!) and then start saving me around $10 per month for the next 10 years (which is the recommended lifetime of the cup).
I also got the cup because I find all the other products uncomfortable. Tampons are either too absorbent (and therefore hurt going in and out) or not absorbant enough (and start to fall out on their own). Pads suck for voluptuous women: because of our chubby anatomy, all liquids get channeled to the bottom or the top almost always causing accidents, especially at night. Not to mention there is this big fat wad of stuff stuffed in your panties.
There is the mess factor to consider, too. Even after 25 years as a menstruating woman, I leak all the time! I start forget when I have to change a tampon, or get caught up in mommying, and suddenly there is another pair of panties (and sometimes jeans, sheets...) I have to scrub up in the sink).
Finally, in my job as a doula, I'm up and on my feet assisting women in a hands on way for around 12 hours. Within reason, I try to take as few bathroom breaks as I can so that I don't abandon a mother when she desperately needs support. And, when I finally do go to the bathroom, it's often located outside of the L&D ward - the bathroom in the labour room is for the mother and her partner and I only ever use it when a mother in in transition or pushing, making my leaving the room a major disruption for her. At a recent birth I left it too long bewteen bathroom breaks and ended up having a mess to deal with. I'd need a more efficient method of dealing with my period.
The Diva Cup has the potential to solve all these problems. It would be more economical, more comfortable and far more leak proof. Potentially!
After my first day I was not encouraged. There was leaking and at first I had some comfort issues. I wondered if my rectocele, saggy bladder (cystocele?) and saggy uterus (slight prolapse?) might have changed my interior shape too much for the cup to work. Some commentary online seemed to suggest that I might always have leaking, until I had some pelvic floor repair work done.
Could I live with that? Was the mess, mostly caught by the panty liner, within reason or would using tampons and pads result in less mess. I would hold off answering this question until my period was over. And perhaps until I had had two cycles to compare.
Things changed on day two. Unlike the first day, there was no leakage whatsoever! Every time I went to the bathroom I was giddy to see how clean everything was. Yes, I said giddy. It seems silly, but I was so happy and relieved that I seemed to be over the learning curve and that despite my lumpen anatomy the cup was catching all that it was supposed to be catching.
It appears that there will be a happy ending to the Diva Cup story.
Now, we will see how the cup performs overnight for the second night. There was some leaking last night, though not heavily. And when I got up in the morning the cup had slipped significantly.
Here is hoping I'm over the learning curve.
I got the Diva Cup for a number of reasons. The first was monetary: at about $50 CDN (retail, incl. tax) the cup had the potential to pay for itself in about 5 months (OB tampons + panty liners + pads = a shit load of money every month!) and then start saving me around $10 per month for the next 10 years (which is the recommended lifetime of the cup).
I also got the cup because I find all the other products uncomfortable. Tampons are either too absorbent (and therefore hurt going in and out) or not absorbant enough (and start to fall out on their own). Pads suck for voluptuous women: because of our chubby anatomy, all liquids get channeled to the bottom or the top almost always causing accidents, especially at night. Not to mention there is this big fat wad of stuff stuffed in your panties.
There is the mess factor to consider, too. Even after 25 years as a menstruating woman, I leak all the time! I start forget when I have to change a tampon, or get caught up in mommying, and suddenly there is another pair of panties (and sometimes jeans, sheets...) I have to scrub up in the sink).
Finally, in my job as a doula, I'm up and on my feet assisting women in a hands on way for around 12 hours. Within reason, I try to take as few bathroom breaks as I can so that I don't abandon a mother when she desperately needs support. And, when I finally do go to the bathroom, it's often located outside of the L&D ward - the bathroom in the labour room is for the mother and her partner and I only ever use it when a mother in in transition or pushing, making my leaving the room a major disruption for her. At a recent birth I left it too long bewteen bathroom breaks and ended up having a mess to deal with. I'd need a more efficient method of dealing with my period.
The Diva Cup has the potential to solve all these problems. It would be more economical, more comfortable and far more leak proof. Potentially!
After my first day I was not encouraged. There was leaking and at first I had some comfort issues. I wondered if my rectocele, saggy bladder (cystocele?) and saggy uterus (slight prolapse?) might have changed my interior shape too much for the cup to work. Some commentary online seemed to suggest that I might always have leaking, until I had some pelvic floor repair work done.
Could I live with that? Was the mess, mostly caught by the panty liner, within reason or would using tampons and pads result in less mess. I would hold off answering this question until my period was over. And perhaps until I had had two cycles to compare.
Things changed on day two. Unlike the first day, there was no leakage whatsoever! Every time I went to the bathroom I was giddy to see how clean everything was. Yes, I said giddy. It seems silly, but I was so happy and relieved that I seemed to be over the learning curve and that despite my lumpen anatomy the cup was catching all that it was supposed to be catching.
It appears that there will be a happy ending to the Diva Cup story.
Now, we will see how the cup performs overnight for the second night. There was some leaking last night, though not heavily. And when I got up in the morning the cup had slipped significantly.
Here is hoping I'm over the learning curve.
posted by mamaloo at 1:19 AM
6 Comments:
Now, I haven't used one (my flow is nutso little since the ablation so why bother) but from what I've read, the first day or three there is some leakage....as it adjusts....
ask karrie at momvoyage.wordpress.com. I know she LURVES hers.
and 50! They're like 34 or 39$ around here....
dying to hear more about it. i'm contemplating buying one. one thing i'd like to know - how easy/difficult is it to get it in and out? and is it messy getting out?
I originally had some issues too. I find that if I insert it willy-nilly at any time I might get leaks. However, if I time it with the morning shower and get all the bits cleaned up and then insert, I'm good. I am able to wear mine from morning shower and then empty and reinsert at bedtime. The next morning I get up and repeat the shower and insert process. I've become so confident with mine that I don't even bother with pantyliners any more. I'm glad yours is starting to work well for you.
There *is* a learning curve with the Diva. I've had mine for nearly a year now and wouldn't give it up for anything!
But the first two cycles (especially the very first one) were terrible. I felt a lot like you: was it even worth it? I had a lot of leaking, and lots of fumbling trying to figure out how to use the darned thing. I was even considering returning it.
My third cycle with the Diva was when it all started working for me. I got the hang of how it works best for me insertion-wise and now I almost never have leaks.
On the first (heaviest) day of my cycle, I usually wear a liner just in case. Also I can only go about 8 hrs before having to change the Diva. But after that I do like Jenschulze: insert in the shower in the AM and remove at bedtime. Sometimes I wear it overnight but usually just use a cloth pad. I use New Moon pads (http://www.newmoonpads.com/) and they are the BEST. I don't even notice them, despite them being thicker than disposable pads. I think because they're made of cloth they breathe and are much more comfy.
Anyways, just wanted to encourage you to keep trying a bit longer with the Diva. It's so worth it now that I have the hang of it- LOOOOOVE not having to worry about changing products all day!
Thanks for all the encouragement and interest! When I started writing this entry, my husband was worried I was talking about a subject that might turn some women off, but I knew y'all were just dying to talk about your periods!
I mean, we have them ever single month and in any given month we each have a 1 in 4 chance of actually being on our periods - it's a wonder we don't talk about it more!
I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised to discover a couple of Diva girls amongst my gentle readers.
I'll post later tonight about more of my experience and answer some questions.
Very interesting. Once I start my period again, I might give it a try. I've always refused to wear tampons (way too invasive and potentially toxic), but I think I could deal with something non-toxic in there if it meant less throwing out of stuff. Let us know how it goes with period #2 and if you're still into it.
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