Diva Cup

[yeester.livejournal.com]

Hi!
I just joined the community because I have a question about the popularity of the Diva Cup. I've been using it since my last menstrual cycle and I absolutely love it. Overall, I think it's wonderful, it's better for the environment, my body, and my wallet. My roommate, however, asks me, why is it then that it isn't more popular? And I couldn't give her a straight answer.. I tried looking it up but with no avail.
For those of you who have tried the Diva Cup, what do you think of it? And why is it that, with it being cost-effective, without risk of TSS, and environmentally friendly that it is not better known or more popular?
Thanks!

Comments

[dindin.livejournal.com]

I don't use the Diva Cup because I don't feel like dealing with my menstrual blood. If it works for you, that's fabulous. It's just not my cup of tea, and I'd wager to say that for most women that's why they don't use it.

[crazykittylady.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and most women are pretty squeemish about touching themselves.

[yeester.livejournal.com]

See that's what I figured as well, that most women are uncomfortable with the whole idea.

[slayertatiana.livejournal.com]

I know about menstrual cups, but I don't use one because for one thing I'd have to send away for it and I don't have a credit card, and for another I really like my reusable cloth pads. I'm rather interested in the cups; I suppose it's inertia more than anything that I haven't tried one.

[autumn-sylver.livejournal.com]

You don't need a credit card. I just went to the divacup website and found an order form (http://www.divacup.com/ssl-pages/en/mail_in_order_form_CA.html) that you can print out and send it in with a cheque or money order.

[yeester.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing then that you have one? How do you find it?

[autumn-sylver.livejournal.com]

No, I don't have a divacup. I found the form on the DivaCup (http://www.divacup.com) website.

[bikinikiller.livejournal.com]

i don't know about diva cup, but i have a keeper that i can't use because it's too big...

maybe that's part of it.

[autumn-sylver.livejournal.com]

The divacup comes in two sizes. I think it's more for reasons that were already stated - a lot of women don't like the idea of touching themselves, or they don't want to have to deal with their menstrual blood (especially all over their fingers).

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

1.) Anything out of the mainstream is going to be hard to market because it's not as readily available. I'm sure if you could buy it at CVS more people would take an interest in it.

2.) If more people talked about this kind of stuff like us younger ladies tend to I'm sure word would have spread much faster. I think a lot of people just use whatever their friends/family use.

3.) If it's not generating a shit-ton of money every month, it's not going to be as easy to find. Mainstream drugstores want high rates of turnover and CONSISTENT high volume sales so it's going to be easier to find things that need to be purchased constantly.

[swiggett.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about all of your points. When I finally decided to get one, it was a round about process to find actually find it!

I found out about menstrual cups from a very hippie-ish friend in HS when polling for tampons, and was kind of shocked by the idea at first.

I love how cost effective and ecologically sound the cup is, I just hope that the companies can find enough women who want to try it, or who have dogs that chew them up! You've gotta like the fact that the menstrual cup companies know they won't be making tons of resale customers monthly, but they still manufacture their product, despite limited sales.

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

Yeah it's nice to know that some people still make goods/offer services for the good of the consumers, not to line their pockets.

[yeester.livejournal.com]

Thanks. This was a really detailed answer. =)

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

I ramble.

[swiggett.livejournal.com]

I read in one LJ community a while back that tampons and cups were actually invented around the same time, I believe the victorian era... but I don't remember clearly. At that time it was considered very improper for a lady to touch herself. Tampons could avoid that with applicators. Cups can't, so tampons too off.

I suppose that mentality has stuck with us. And at least in the US, it's not very capitalistic, I suppose. As has been pointed out, one woman won't be plunking down large sums of money monthly or so for a cup, but will for tampons. Companies can make more money off of disposable products.

I don't know how to really hype it up more... save by telling almost every woman I know about it. I do wish I had known about it/ purchased one earlier. For various reasons, the cup isn't mainstream, again, as has been pointed out, and people don't always like the "other." It was kind of awkward the first few times...really getting to know my body that well to use the cup. Not everyone wants to do that.

[amberica.livejournal.com]

I LOVE my Diva. I suspect that part of the reason they aren't more popular is that they don't put as much $$ into advertising as the disposables. I mean, if every customer only needs to buy 1, how can that generate enough $$ to fund advertising all over the place like Tampax and Always have?

BTW, this would be a great topic to bring up in menstrual_cups - Feel free to bring the conversation/questions over there! ^_^

[enallagma.livejournal.com]

I've been using a keeper since I was in 2nd year University (about 5 years or so) I happened to find out about it from a Lonely Planet website bulletin board because I was going to be travelling in Ecuador for sometime and wanted to see if alternatives existed. I love it because it is environmentally friendly, saves money, and for me it is so much easier and cleaner than dealing with leaking tampons.
Anyways, I just think it is hard to find out about. I tell everyone I can. Word of mouth moves slow, but it still makes me feel good when I convert someone to the cup.
Also on the vaginapagina page someone mentioned that you can now get a DivaCup at London Drugs (a fairly large chain in Canada), so that is great news for increasing awareness about the cup.

[yeester.livejournal.com]

Yea, so far I've been telling everyone I know too. I really like it. Glad to know others enjoy it too. :)

[meowmixness.livejournal.com]

I actually saw some sort of a menstrual cup at wal-mart but I think it might have been the disposable kind. That kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? I'd like to try the diva cup but I just haven't gotten around to it. hehe you guys should make some sort of a divacup banner to promote them if you like them so much.

[amberica.livejournal.com]

Those were probably Instead SoftCups - I didn't like them. They were too messy and like you, I thought being disposable made them pretty pointless. And having sex with one in was NOT as easy as they try to convince you it is!

[yeester.livejournal.com]

They promoted it as being able to have sex with it in? Weird.

[grrly.livejournal.com]

is it just me...or are they massive. I couldn't even imagine sex with one of them in. Where was the penis supposed to *fit*. i hated instead. I love my diva.

[amberica.livejournal.com]

Haha - yeah, I think they're HUGE too, but they sit in a different place than the Diva. The front rim of Instead tucks up behind your pubic bone, and the back rim tucks up behind your cervix, so the penis actually slides under the softcup - allegedly.

I'm constructed on the smaller-than-average side, so that humongous thing (the CUP) kept springing out from behind my pubic bone during regular activities. I think I only tried sex with one in me once, and I think the penis is the only thing that blocked the cup from dislodging!

But I agree with you. Diva Love Forever!

[seedycorner.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about getting something like this. How often does it need to be emptied? I know that will differ from person to person, but would you empty it as often as you'd change a tampon. What kind of care doesn it require in between cycles?

[amberica.livejournal.com]

I empty mine every morning and every night at bedtime, but it's usually only about 1/4 full or less (the Diva holds 1 ounce).

When changing it, I just wash it with hot soapy water. At the end of my cycle, I boil it for a few minutes. Then I boil it again right before I start using it on my next cycle.

I was hesitant to get one until I found menstrual_cups here on LJ - all the gals there give great support and tips, and it was always comforting to know that I wasn't the only one with a little trouble at the beginning! (There's definitely a learning curve, but it's worth it once you get the hang of it. There's nothing nicer than avoiding a chafed vagina from a too-dry tampon - ick!)

[yeester.livejournal.com]

That is actually one of the worst feelings ever.

[yeester.livejournal.com]

No, not nearly as often as a tampon. It holds 1oz, and an average menstrual cycle is 3-4oz (obviously depending on the individual) and they recommend that it's changed 2 or 3 times a day. You rinse it with hot water when you change it (if you like) and I usually soap it in the shower with me in the morning too. Between cycles you can sterilize it in boiling water for a few minutes or just clean it with a mild unscented soap.

All this info is also on the divacup website: www.divacup.com

[amberica.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't women learn to be less squeamish if they had a reason to get to know their bodies better, though?

I know lots of Diva users who have grown fascinated with the appearance and natural changes of their menstrual fluid throughout their cycles. (I know, I know, it sounds crazy and weird, but it really is amazing to get that kind of understanding of your own body! ^_^)

[yeester.livejournal.com]

I agree, but I think it's hard to get over that initial hesistance.

[moonhut.livejournal.com]

I agree with everyone else!

Lack of advertising...
Not trusting it because of the lack of advertising...
Not wanting to touch themselves - or see their blood...
Not the normal hygeine item...

I just wanted to say that I too have a cup - love it and recomend anyone to try it! Plus they have money back gaurantee's cant go wrong!

moonhutnaturals.com

[(Anonymous)]

I'm interested in using one, but I can't for practical reasons:
My workplace doesn't have single toilets. That means there is nowhere for to discreetly wash up. I don't want to be 'caught out' by someone coming into the toilet when my hands have blood on them.
Katie

[yeester.livejournal.com]

That's okay. Most of the time, you won't have to change it often enough to have to change it at work. And if you do, it's just about being comfortable with. All you have to do is wipe your hands down in the stall with some TP (no blood on the hands!), wash it in the sink, and you're ready to go. It may not be discreet, but then I guess, be proud? You're using something good for yourself and the environment.