Growing older is absolutely not the horror show that fashion mags and self-proclaimed internet beauty gurus would have you believe. In fact, it’s from the wisdom that growing older brings that I have been able to confidently make life-changing decisions, realize that the ability to be comfortable in my own skin comes from within, continually learn and grow from my vast and varied life experiences and become more tenacious in my determination to succeed and provide a happy, healthy life for my munchkin.
Another magnificent aspect of aging? Really and truly not giving a f*ck what others think and getting on with what makes you feel contented, like trying new eco-friendly products that your younger self might have been wary of and with that I present my completely honest fab over 40 review series :
I’ve been yearning for an affordable, earth-friendly alternative to tampons & pads for ages so when I spied a steal of a deal on The Diva Cup I snapped it up immediately and gave it a whirl! Take a peek at my straightforward account of my experience with this piece of medical grade silicone with Fab over 40: My Menstrual Cup Review:
If you’re at all averse to honest body talk and period blood pop on over to my tutorial index and grab some crafty refashioning inspiration instead.
A bit about my female parts medical history:
I have a slightly tipped uterus – I’ve been through treatments for cervical cancer twice – I gave birth by caesarean section – I have debilitating menstrual cramps & migraines before and during my period – My period lasts 3 to 5 days – I used non-applicator tampons during the day & pads at night – My lady parts are now over 43 years old
I bought model 2 as it’s recommended for women age 30+ and/or for women who have delivered vaginally or by caesarean section. The cup comes with an instruction guide and handy washable storage bag (which I promptly washed inside out in a lingerie bag with my next load of laundry then hung to dry).
After giving the menstrual cup a thorough clean I followed the insertion instructions and actually managed to get it in the right place on the third try, yay me! (I’ve used non-applicator tampons for years and absolutely know my body so I think this may have helped with the awkwardness.)
A note about insertion: keeping the cup folded is a tricky business and it will unfold as it’s being inserted which causes me a wee bit of discomfort on the way in. Once inserted, rotating the cup into position can be picky if it’s still partially folded and the stem is slippery, bearing down definitely helps!
Removing the cup is just as much of an adventure as inserting it but it takes no time at all to get the hang of it and it’s truly interesting to see just how little (or how much) blood is discharged + it’s a great way to do a visual check up of what’s expelled before dumping, cleaning and reinserting it.
I was amazed at the relatively small amount of blood that was in the cup on my heaviest day (see above) as from the look of my tampons and pads I had assumed I had Niagra Falls in my uterus. Not At All!
I’ve used the cup day and night for my last 2 periods and have had zero leaks during my daily activities & no night leakage either + my horrific cramps have vastly improved!
Will I keep using this menstrual cup? Absolutely yes!
Have you tried using a menstrual cup? Let me know your experience in a comment below!
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I’ve used a menstrual cup around 14 years now. There weren’t as many on the market back then so I went with The Keeper cup. My cramping also vastly improved when I stopped using conventional products.
What I found during my researches is tampons leave behind tiny amounts of loosened fiber and insertion/removal causes abrasions. If the tampons contain rayon, well you get the byproduct of dioxin. Which is absorbed by that delicate part of our bodies (shudder). Tampons alter the PH chemistry of the vagina too…they’re just all around not good to use.
I also went full time to cloth pads. I’ve found the best ones are those that have a pocket so you can leave them as is for regular days but can stuff in an additional cloth for heavier days. And snaps work better than buttons (I’ve had few buttoned pads that came unbuttoned when sitting on the toilet…you can imagine how that went.)
Yup, I am convinced that some of my worst cramping was caused by the side effects of using tampons – my cramps have improved immensely since using the menstrual cup, I wish I had tried it sooner!
I am also 43 and just tried the Diva cup. I have truly heavy periods, I would soak a super tampon in an hour. I used the applicator free tampons when I was younger. I loved the ‘Diva cup but still needed to empty several times a day (package says you can go 12 hours) I switched to the larger capacity Super Jeanie brand I like it just as well as the Diva Cup but it hold just a bit more. I also use mine day and night. I am on my 6th cycle. I also noticed less cramping… I wonder why this is?
I don’t see my self switching back to disposable products again.
Thanks for sharing your experience Jane (+ the alternative brand better for heavy flow) 🙂 It’s so awesome that menstrual cups are completely safe and can be worn until they need to be emptied! I think the cramping may be less due to the lack of irritation that can be caused by tampons (?)