Tuesday 7 October 2008

One of those "way too much information" posts

Let's put a few warnings in place here:

We're talking periods and sanitary products here so, men, unless you are REALLY, and I mean REALLY in touch with your feminine side, you may want to click away now. Ditto any women who don't want/need/care to read about them.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

OK......

Anyone heard of a Mooncup?

I'm not quite sure what planet I've been living on for the last few years but until I read an article in a magazine on Sunday, I had never heard of a mooncup. As far as I was concerned you had three basic options for dealing with mentural flow: tampons, pads, or nothing (apparently that's how some people deal with them). Apparently not so, there are also mooncups. I can't decide if the word makes me want to gross out or think of cup cakes.

So, what is it? The Mooncup is a reusable menstrual cup around two inches long and made from soft silicone rubber. It is worn internally like a tampon but collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing. Unlike tampons the Mooncup is not a disposable product, so you only need to buy one. I'm guessing you can figure out how it works and what you need to do with it.

Getting that ewwww feeling yet?

Apparently they are popular with the ethically minded because of their environmental benefits. Neither do they contain bleaches, deodorisers or absorbency gels. It does not interfere with your "healthy vaginal environment", nor has it been associated with toxic shock syndrome.

I am 100% getting the benefits of using one of these. What I'm not entirely comfortable with is the practicalities of using one. £20 is a lot to spend to just try something out but I am tempted. Most of the testaments I've read are positive but does anyone out there in blogland use one? I'd be interested in your thoughts and feedback.


25 comments:

  1. Don't do it*!

    *I can offer no reasonable argument as to why not.

    And yes, despite the warnings I read the whole blog. Nowt wrong with menstruation - it's pretty natural all told.

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  2. Somehow I knew you'd read it Stu!

    I can't think of a reasonable argument as to why not to try it either but I can see where you're coming from....it just doesn't seem "right" does it!?

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  3. I heard of mooncups about 2 years ago,mentioned it to a friend and she has been delighted! If you can cope with it - in the end much cheaper because it is reusable.

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  4. Are you serious????
    too wierd....never heard of them!!!

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  5. Have seen adverts for these on backs of toilet doors and seen them mentioned in grafiti! Was never curious enough to find out whether they were actually real...

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  6. Seems I've heard of them, maybe in the doctor's office, and my first thought was ewww. I don't think I would try them, to me it seems it would be uncomfortable and I'd walk around knowing it was there all day. Luckily I had a complete hysterectomy about 10 years ago and haven't had need for anything like this in the last 10 years. :)

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  7. Not EWWWWWW at all! I used to be way into "health food et al" and it was suggested that a woman make her own washable pads from cotton ... ummmmm, I was never that ORGANIC ... look at these though: INSTEAD ... they are disposable versions of the thing that you described.

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  8. I have trouble removing the tampon without the "ewwww..." factor. I can't imagine having to remove the cup. I would spill it all over the place, make a huge mess, and then have to vomit...

    Nope...nope...nope....ugh!

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  9. We have a product called "Instead" here in the States. I used it for a bit, but honestly, they didn't work well for me, due to a girly part abnormality I was born with. They're disposable, but instead of multiple tampons or pads, you can use this little cup all day. I think it's a personal preference, and I'd certainly try them before dropping twenty pounds on one of those cups.

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  10. You may be interested in reading this:http://chickenlisa.blogspot.com/2008/04/mooncup.html
    me I'm sticking to tampons..

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  11. I'm with tiggerlane ---- I can't imagine cleaning it out to reuse it! I no longer have to worry about it, but when I did, it was uuuugleee!

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  12. Oh my...Um I was just letting my Mommy read but I stuck around & read a little & I have to say I'm so glad I'm a dog! Mommy says it looks uncoftable!
    Hugs & Snugs
    Eduardo the Snuggle Puggle

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  13. I'm planning on trying these. I'm attempting to be more environmentally aware and seeing those throw away cardboard tubes each month kills me. Almost Mrs Average at the Rubbish Diet may have tried them, and if not she'll know someone who has. I'll try them if you try them AOJ, they sell them in Boots right?
    Km at Temporary Insanity has vowed to try them too, but she plans to be pregnant soon so may not get round to it for a while.
    There's definitely an ewww factor but I think they're worth a go.

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  14. I use one, though mine is called a Diva Cup - same thing. It's great, it's clean, it's easy, it's cheap, environmentally friendly etc etc...

    It takes some getting used to just like tampons and sanitary pads did all those years ago but it's GREAT!!

    I'd recommend trying it out.

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  15. Well I've never heard of these and of course I'm way past needing to worry about such things! Not so sure I would have tried it, although it sounds a good idea.

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  16. Years ago I got a grosser looking vwersion called a Keeper & used it every month ~ even in a village in Russia with no running water. I found it wonderful & comfortable. I'm not exactly sure why I stopped when we moved to this house with no running water, but I did & then the girly doggy ran off with it. I got a Mooncup & wasn't that impressed with it & then it went the same way as my Keeper, so, determined to persevere, I got another as they're the only thing available here, but I still prefer the Keeper I had first ~ these are prettier, but not as comfortable, well, not for me anyway.

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  17. I have seen these on Crunchychicken.blogspot.com

    She swears by the Diva Cup. SHe has a ton of posts about them.

    I can't even use a tampon, so I wouldn't ever try them, but if you could use a tampon, I think they would be great.

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  18. I've heard of them, but honestly, I can't even think of how you would use one or how it would work. Do they leak? What about clots (sometimes they're pretty big)? How often do you have to change/empty it?

    Being on the edge of the change of life, things have gotten pretty awful down there - I just can't wait until it's over!!!!

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  19. Despite the manufacturer's assurances (and they have a conflict of interest, obviously), I just don't think it's a good idea to have a silicone rubber thing inside your vagina for any length of time.

    Nothing was meant to be in the vagina for long.

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  20. Okay...checked out the site and read through carefully and um...yuck! I mean what if you are in a public restroom? How pleased is anyone going to be to see you rinsing that out in the sink and then ...wait...how would that work exactly? you can't have it in while you go wash it out..
    Okay...this whole thing is just wrong.

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  21. Rayne beat me to what I was going to say. I was trying to figure out how that would be if you were in the bathroom in your office or some other public place. Gross! I would not be happy to walk in and see someone else cleaning one out so I really wouldn't want someone else watching me. I don't think this is something I would try even though I try to be fairly good to the environment.

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  22. As for cleaning it out at work or in public, it's all in the timing, I've never taken mine out anywhere except my home.

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  23. I still thik "eeeeewwww" and wonder if they're as uncomfortable as they look. No, I don't want to find out.

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  24. back in the 70's (okay - I know I'm getting old) there was a little cup called a Tassaway. Except it was disposable.

    it was exactly what Tigger said above... it was dangerous

    in the early 80's I was an office manager and there was a young college age girl who thought Tampons came in different sizes because womens intimate places were just like their feet. Some are small and some are big. ha ha ha ha

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  25. this is something i just. cannot. do.

    *shudder*

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