Diva Cup Product Review

Well, I finally went there people. After two months of staring at my Diva Cup sitting in my medicine cabinet, I finally mustered up the courage to actually use it this time.

And, I’m in love. Seriously.

Let’s dive in and find out why the Diva Cup is so darn fabulous.

Why You Should Consider Menstrual Cups

I couldn’t believe how much response my previous article, “This One’s For The Girls: Green Your Period” got from readers. Many of us want to reduce our waste when it comes to our menstrual cycle, but, old habits die hard it seems.

When you think about it, we don’t really have any contact with our cycles using tampons or pads. We use these products and then throw them away.

This adds waste to landfills, puts a strain on water treatment facilities, and it’s just more product we have to spend money on each and every month.

But, menstrual cups eliminate all that.

For instance, I spend about $150 per year on pads and tampons. I spent around $23 on my Diva Cup. That’s the last thing I’ll have to buy until it wears out, so I’m saving money almost immediately.

Plus, you reuse a menstrual cup every month. This completely eliminates all the waste that pads and tampons produce.

If you’d like to learn the full skinny on why greening your period is the way to go, please check out my previous article here. And, tons of women wrote on about their own experiences using menstrual cups and reusable pads, so don’t miss what they had to say at the end of the article.

Now, on to the Diva Cup…

My Diva Cup Experience, Part 1…

I ordered my Diva Cup right when I wrote that last article on how to green your period. So, it took me about two months to work up the courage to actually use it.

Why was I a chicken?

• Fear #1- First, I was freaked that somehow it would “get lost” up there; that I’d put it in, and not be able to get it out. I could envision having to call my gyno to get the thing out. Not good.

• Fear #2- I was afraid that it would hurt or be uncomfortable putting it in or taking it out. I’d been lurking for months on Community LiveJournal and had read that this sometimes happen.

Important Side Note: Community LiveJournal is the BEST resource for finding out everything you ever wanted to know about menstrual cups. There are countless personal stories, troubleshooting topics, and you can ask any question on menstrual cups and get plenty of awesome answers. The women there are incredibly caring and open, so don’t miss this resource.

Anyway, so that’s why it took me two months.

Now let me say this: I’m glad I started using the Diva Cup when I felt ready. If I had “forced” myself to use it when it came in, freaked out as I was, I think things would not have gone smoothly. Because I had that time to obsessively read and re-read the directions, hang out at Community LiveJournal reading stories, and just get myself ready, my first time using the Diva went amazing.

My Diva Cup Experience, Part 2…

Since I had given myself two months to freak out about this, by the time I actually went in to try the Diva for the first time, I was actually very relaxed. And, I think that’s really important. From what I’ve read online, being relaxed is key.

If you end up getting one, you’ll see in the directions that they tell you to insert the Diva aiming it horizontally towards your tailbone, and I think this is another piece of vital information. I didn’t know this until I ordered the Diva, but the vaginal canal doesn’t actually go straight up; it’s angled.

So, I kept those two things in mind: stay relaxed, and aim for the tailbone.

And, it went in with no problems. I reached in and rotated it (which it says on the directions is another important step), and after that couldn’t feel a thing.

It didn’t hurt going in at all, it didn’t “get lost” in there, and I had no leaks all day. And, it only took a few seconds. Bliss!

Taking out the Diva is, for me, the most time consuming aspect. I’m still not very savvy at this part, but I’m sure I’ll get better. And it’s not like it takes five minutes or anything; I’d say it takes me about a minute to get it out, probably less.

It’s important when you take it out that you squeeze the base to break the seal; if you don’t do this, it’s like pulling out a plunger. It’s going to be hard, and it’s going to hurt. So, just give it a squeeze; you’ll hear it when releases.

Is There A Gross-Out Factor With The Diva Cup?

Some people might think that emptying a cup filled with menstrual blood is gross. And to be honest, in the past I might have agreed with them. After all, using pads and tampons keep us really removed from our cycles, and what we expel from our bodies each month. We’re not used to seeing our menstrual flow in its natural form.

So yes, some women might be grossed out by this idea.

But, this is a natural part of our bodies, and it’s part of being a woman. I think society, and the media, have subconsciously “shamed” women into thinking that this is a gross thing that shouldn’t be talked about in polite conversation. And that’s just medieval.

I was not grossed out in any way by emptying my Diva Cup the first time. In fact, it was kind of fascinating.

I think if you keep an open mind and you’re willing to be curious about your body you won’t be grossed out either. It’s part of you, which I think it kind of neat. You can look at it and say “Wow, I made that!”.

Why I Love The Diva Cup

Oh, let me count the ways…

• I will never have to spend money on pads or tampons again.

• I will no longer be adding waste to landfills and waste water treatment facilities by using pads and tampons.

• I will no longer be putting tampons into my body (some experts feel that tampons may be unhealthy for women to use due to the bleaching process of the cotton). There is no risk of TSS with the Diva Cup.

• I can leave in the Diva Cup for up to 12 hours at a time, which means I won’t have to nip into public restrooms to change a tampon (which I HATED doing). It’s rare that I’m away from home for more than 12 hours at a time.

• I will no longer be “surprised” by my period; I can insert the Diva before my cycle even starts.

• I feel more knowledgeable and comfortable with my body and its functions now. Using pads and tampons kept me at arms length with my body. Not with the Diva.

• I don’t even feel the Diva Cup when it’s in there. The only danger is that I’ll forget to take it out. Yes, it’s that comfortable.

• I don’t have to worry about leaks, which happened all the time with tampons. My Diva hasn’t leaked once. When it’s inserted correctly it forms an incredibly tight seal.

• I can wear the Diva Cup at night while I sleep. I hated using those “night pads”; they always felt like a diaper to me. I am so thankful to be free of those!

• When I travel, I will no longer have to carry a huge ziplock bag filled with tampons, pads, and panty liners. All I need is the Diva Cup, which fits in the palm of my hand.

Last Word…

So, there you have it. I’m seriously in love with this product. It’s a great way to save money, and reduce a ton of waste from your life. I will never, ever go back to using tampons again.

I give the Diva Cup 27 stars out of five.

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