Weddingbee Blog
A few days before our wedding, I found out there’d be an unexpected guest. Oh yes, ladies, you know who I mean.
Good ol’ Aunt Flo decided to show up two or three days out. Lovely.
For those of you on birth control, you’ve probably thought ahead. Lucky you! You can plan your monthly visits ahead of time and control when Flo shows up. I’m pretty sure you’re not planning on inviting her to the wedding, are ya?
For various reasons which are hardly relevant to this discussion, I was not on BC at the time (though I am now). Thus, I was forced to deal with Flo’s unwelcome presence at our nuptials.
I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I have this unfortunate issue with leaks. NO FUN. No matter what kind of protection I wear during Flo’s visit, it always seems to fail me one way or another. Pads shift around, leaving swaths of panty unprotected. Tampons leak, forcing me to wear a backup pad. What’s the point of a tampon if you have to wear a pad, too?! Ugh.
For years, I’ve dealt with the hassles brought on by my monthly visitor — soaking my undies in water to remove stains, pitching the ones that weren’t salvageable.
But to chance it on my wedding day? When I’m wearing my pristine white dress? I DON’T THINK SO. There was no way in heck that I was going to deal with Flo’s messiness while wearing my wedding dress.
Enter the Diva Cup.
*cue angel choir*
I’d been reading about this cute little silicone cup for over a year. The idea of inserting a cup *up there* initially skeeved me out, the more I read about it (just Google it!), the more I liked the idea.
Listen to me close, peeps. When positioned properly (which isn’t too difficult), the Diva Cup keeps you 100 percent leak free. That’s right. NO LEAKS. NONE.
Additionally, you only have to empty that sucker every 8 to 12 hours. No more having to change your tampon or pad in a public restroom. You can wait til you’re back in your own home to deal with your private stuff.
Plus it’s less expensive than buying pads and ’pons for the rest of your life. One purchase of about $20 covers you for years!
My main concern was for comfort. I was worried I’d walk around all day in pain and discomfort. But I took a quick jaunt to Whole Foods the day before our nuptials to pick up a cup, thinking I’d at least try it for the rehearsal dinner to test how it felt once positioned.
It took a few tries, but following the directions provided in the box yielded a fantastic fit. It was no less comfortable than a tampon, for sure. And though I wore a pad just in case on the day of the rehearsal dinner, I felt free enough to go without on our wedding day. *Happy dance!*
The little cup did its duty for several days of our honeymoon, too. All my new honeymoon clothing and lingerie was safe from Flo! Thank you, Diva Cup. Thankyouthankyouthankyou. I will never go back!
(Also I swear Diva Cup has not given me anything for this glowing review. I just love mine THAT MUCH.)
How are you dealing with the potential for Aunt Flo to show up at your wedding? Are you messing with your monthly schedule or taking extra precautions to guard against leaks?
|
Share this post:
Dealing with an Uninvited Relative
I lovelovelove my diva cup. I’ve been using it for five or six years and I think it’s pretty much the greatest thing ever.
I have never ever heard of that, but it sounds pretty amazing. I might just have to check it out.
I’ve heard of it. It sooooooo grosses me out. I can’t wrap my mind around washing it especially in public places. Juvenile, I know but it’s the truth.
Ok this might be an awkward ? but can you “be intimate” while using it?
have i been living under a rock? i’ve never even heard of this! it looks kinda scary though…
Omg I’ve heard about that in so many places and I am totally intrigued. The thing that skeeves me out most is the washing it… I’m just not a very…. hands on? person. I don’t know. I need to get over it and order one I think.
@markyk: I never ever wash it in a public place. You only have to empty it once a day, so there’s no need to even mess with it outside the privacy of your own bathroom! Trust me, it’s waaaay less gross than dealing with a soaked pad or tampon.
@kjpugs: Haha, I don’t mind answering! I treat it like I would a tampon and make a quick trip to the bathroom to remove it head ahead of time.
Kjpugs, I use instead cups (disposable ones) and they advertise that you can “be intimate” with them in, although, I havent tried it and cant really see it working.
Im wondering if anyone has tried instead cups and the diva cup and can tell me if there’s much of a difference, I dont think id trust my insteads enough for my wedding day.
I agree with a few others, it sounds great and all, but the thought of washing it makes me want to gag…
I’m having to deal with all the bloating that comes with our lovely Aunt Flo and it’s all going on during my bridal fittings! ;/
Okay, SO GLAD you posted about this. I’ve been hearing about the Diva Cup for a while now, and I think I’m going to have to go for it.
Sorry Aunt Flo showed up “just in time!”
Aaah, I love my cup so much! Glad to see one of the Bees writing about it! Seriously: changed my life!
interesting! I’ve never heard of the diva cup and I was able to avoid Aunt Flo around our honeymoon…but this might be just the thing during a busy time when I’m out and it’s awkward and inconvenient to be changing feminine products every 2 hours!
wow, never heard of the diva cup before… i’m definitely intrigued now…
I switched 2 years ago and love love LOVE it.
Thanks so much for writing about it Mrs. Bunny! It’s posts like these that got me to try it in the first place and I’m never looking back to stinky old pads and tampons again.
I use Instead regularly rather than the Diva Cup. And I’ve used it during “intimate” time though the fiance has to be pretty hard up to be willing. I think it depends on the guy though because he’s the first boy to ever complain. I don’t think it’s that different from a diaphragm.
I’ve heard about it from a couple friends but I’ve never seen it for sale in a store near me. Considering that I just realized last week that I’ll probably be on my period the week of my wedding it may be necessary!
Is it bad that I am WAY too chicken to try that?
I guess I’m just a little “eeek!”ed out about the emptying part.
@fiftyfootbride: @Mrs. Moonbaby: @markyk: Truthfully, I don’t know if I could have been brave enough to try it without the imminent threat to my wedding dress. Now I am so glad I did. IMO pads and tampons are much grosser.
Thanks for the post. I’m going to Google this for sure.
I have never heard of this before…. hmmmm. I’m definitely intrigued! Are there any other brands of these??
OK…so this is a gross question…but it’s the one thing that really stops be from considering this option.
Isn’t it…ummm..messy when it’s time to empty it? I picture a cup that if full of “Yuck” and could spill when you are trying to remove it.
Is this an issue?
On a side note..I sometimes wonder if I am the only girl of actually doesn’t mind tampoons! hahaha! You couldn’t PAY me to use pads, but once I started with Tampoons as a teen, I was hooked. I have never had pain, discomfort or frustration. I know many woman who are so eager for something to get them away fromusing tampoons….as for me…I don’t mind. Aunt Flo, she’s another very annoying story! But tampoons…not so bad in my book. haha
@luckyyou: Yes, google menstrual cup to find them! I don’t remember all the names.
@spraguebride: It’s way less messy than dealing with pads. The cup is very sturdy and won’t really spill. You just dump it into the toilet.
Whoa never heard of that. I used to have leaks too, then I switched to O.B. tampons. Soo much better, and they make them without applicators for less waste.
I wanted so badly to love the Diva Cup, but evidently my body just eats it, which makes it impossible to take out without hurting myself. *sigh* Back to tampons for me.
I’m with you Bunny! I’ve had mine for about 3 years and would never go back.
Healthies, cleaner, cheaper, less hassle, better for the environment, less leak prone? Yes PLEASE.
OMG the Diva Cup is AH-mazing. I switched about 8 months ago and, while I was definitely intimidated at first, I’ll never go back to tampons again!
I never really had a “problem” with tampons before, but I didn’t really like the idea of having toxic chlorinated cotton/rayon in such a “sensitive” area. I was definitely not looking forward to cleaning it out, but you get used to it. And now it’s great to only have to “deal with flo” once a day.
Also Bunny - thanks for talkign about this. It seems that the only way women find out about it is from talking to their girlfriends (that’s how I did and I’ve gotten several other girls interested). I honestly think it’s a conspiracy of the companies that produce the more mainstream products to keep us from knowing about our options.
woaaaah this is a TMI post, LOL.
i dunno, how big is this thing?! it looks awful scary to stuff ‘up there’. eeeek.
WAIT!!! So you empty this thing wash it and reuse it? And, Did I just read you are intimate while aunt Flow is around?
I’ve used OB tampons since I’ve been a teen. I had bought the Diva Cup, but it’s still in the cabinet…
@mrspaetz: Sorry to freak you out, girl! 
@sweetnenz: Personal much? LOL. Just kidding. My mister isn’t the type to mind that sort of thing, so … yeah. I admit it. And yep, you empty, wash and re-insert. It’s very hygenic, poses no risk of TSS, and is good for the environment!
@Pamela: I had issues removing it at first, too. The key is breaking the suction. Read the directions again to see what I mean.
If I go off the pill, it’s Diva Cup for me. I go through tampons like nobody’s business, and there’s no way the Diva Cup could be grosser than pads/tampons.
I’ve never heard of this thing - but it sounds like it’d be worth a try for sure. I’m a leaky kinda girl, too - and washing the underwear and stuff I’m betting is just as gross - and no worries, when I’m not on a heavy flow day, I’m with you on the intimacy!
I’ve never heard of this thing but I’m really interested!! At $6 a package for tampons/pads, it’s definitely a savings!
AWESOME post! I have never heard of this, but I am SOLD! Thank you so much!!
Thanks for posting about this so honestly Bunny! I love tampons so I don’t know if I’ll try it, but thanks for giving some options!
I’m suprised so many people have trouble with tampons. I don’t even think about them-and since I’ve been on the pill, my monthly visitor only lasts a day if I get it at all-soo I highly reccommend going on the pill.
PS-this cup kind of scares me. lol. no offense to anyone who uses it.
It’s funny, I have read about the Diva cup on other blogs where girls are talkin’ (probably Jezebel.com) and the women who use it have like, the passion of the converted. I have rarely seen a group of people so entirely committed to a product!
i haven’t had any issues with tampons and i really get skeeved out with putting stuff up there [it took me a while to wrap my mind around the whole tampon thing] so i doubt i’ll be trying the cup. errr. lol.
I am totally intrigued! I work in a office of ALL GUYS and our bathroom is like right in front of everyone, plus we have our desks set up in a big circle so lets talk about the awkwardness of needing to change feminine products or restock the supply (fortunately we have a special “ladies room”) but seriously… it sucks! Thanks Bunny for the info, I’m googling now b/c nothing can be as bad as I’ve been dealing with lately!
I LOVE my diva cup!
It’s also more environmentally friendly then throwing away thousands of pads/tampons in your life!
To those who are sketched out, its really not that bad. Its more natural feeling to me then shoving a bleached out piece of cotton up there 
I have heard of the Diva Cup before and it’s cult following… I might try it! If people LOVE it then I might too- what do I have to lose? We’ll see…
I also use instead, it does take a little getting used to, but no restrictions! I love them!
Any information about risk of TSS? Would be interested in hearing if the risk is comparable to tampons.
I have friends that love this and I also have a friend where this caused a bladder infection which in turn caused a kidney infection (due to the shape of her body, it caused a ‘lip’ to form in her bladder. . .anyway too long to explain but it scared me to death). My other friend said she loves it so much that would never deter her. I just think it’s not for me.
Okay, I’m super intrigued…(pardon the TMI-ness of this post) especially because I have a night-time leak problem. Day time is okay, but my sheets never make it out of “that week” undamaged. Can you use it all night? No worries, no leaks while tossing & turning in the night (not “that” kind of tossing & turning)?
Thanks for posting this, Bunny!
i love my divacup too! been using it for two years and never had a problem.
@ms.pascua: yes you can use it at night! up to 12 hours
Wow! I’ve never heard of such a thing. I’m definitely going to look into this. I would love to do away with tampons for once. Thanks for the heads up! These are the types of posts that make me happy I read Weddingbee!
The girls at work had a HUGE discussion about the Diva Cup. I’m scared to death to try it, though. I just KNOW I wouldn’t be able to get it in correctly!
I love love love my diva cup. I have a PinkCup as well, and love that too - not as much as the Diva though. My period is so much more manageable - and cramps aren’t as bad!
http://www.menstrualcups.org is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more - it’s a LJ community.
I’m so glad you wrote this post. Whenever I think about starting a wedding blog, I think about writing basically the exact same post!
I’m definitely intrigued. I just got a diaphragm since I have decided I’m no longer okay with constantly being on hormones, or dealing with the side effects… and I’ve known a number of girls who have had blood clots, and I’ve know families of girls who have had pulmonary embolisms or who have died of stroke because of birth control. There’s no way this can be worse than a diaphragm…. And it’s so inexpensive compared to all the darn tampons and pads I go thru!!
This is really interesting… I am definitely considering trying it.
I’m just like you… I go through tampons faster than I can believe & I’m always leaking! Ick. Also, pads gross me out. Who wants to sit in a diaper?? Blech.
This sounds scary, yet wonderful. I’m going to do some google research! Thanks for such an honest & real post
i LOVE my diva cup. my inner eco-friendly hippie loves it too
LOL! When I first read your post, I thought you really meant a RELATIVE!!! I was so intrigued to see how you dealt with that “person”…. but very interesting. I have never heard of it, but there is a first tiem for everything
I have been using DivaCup for about 4 years and since then have been trying to convert all of my ladies! Though initially when I told everyone about it, they saw the size of it compared to the size of a tampon and just didn’t think it would feel comfortable. But honestly I barely feel it when it is in. I would also add that if you have certain days that are heavier you would have to empty it more often. To answer the question about emptying it in a public bathroom, I usually either carry cottonelle wet wipes and use those to wipe it out, or if available use the handicap stalls with the sinks in them to wash it out. Just always thoroughly wash it out when you return home. I also always boil it after each cycle.
yea! i <3 my diva cup too! i’ve been using it for ten months and will never go back! it took a couple months to get used to inserting it so it wouldn’t fold in on itself, but now that i have the technique down, it’s awesome! i also heartily recommend lunapads.com as backup or even if people don’t switch to the diva cup. they have a product to protect your sheets. and they donate reusable pads to girls in africa. so glad this is becoming mainstream! i love never having to visit the pad/tampon isle ever again. 
I haven’t heard about this, but it’s definitely an interesting idea and has me thinking! Great post!
Woah, good product review! I’ve been on the fence for a long time but all these positive notes and good advice have finally convinced me to give diva cup a try.
Wow great reviews - thanks ladies for all of your input! I had heard of the Diva before, but never been brave enough to try it. Might need to get up the courage to try it out for the holidays!
I love my Diva and haven’t used any other menstrual product for three years now. I’m never going back. It’s comfy and way cleaner than pads or tampons, plus without tampons’ TSS possibilities. (Tampons put you at risk for TSS primarily because the fibers are abrasive and drying, thus causing teeny scratches that infection can enter through. The cup doesn’t have this problem. AFAIK, there has never been any demonstrable link between cups and TSS.) So long as you change it regularly, there’s no real spillage issues. It does have a bit of a learning curve, but nothing particularly bad.
The LJ community that jcnesq referenced above (www.menstrualcups.org) is the best place to start learning about cups. I found it when I was contemplating trying it out and it was invaluable. Those girls know their menstrual products!
I did once try Insteads, and they’re totally different from the reusable cups. The Diva and other types of reusable cups sit low like a tampon. (Which means no hanky panky with it in.) The Instead sits up high by the cervix, like a diaphragm– though it is not a diaphragm!–so it can be left in during sex.
Insteads are also not reusuable, which cuts the biggest part of the appeal for me.
I am an absolute cup convert. I really think it’s dramatically altered my quality of life for the better. Seriously. My period is no longer a big deal. At all. And that’s great.
I’ve been using Instead for about 7 or 8 years now. They gave samples out at the Austin Marathon one year. A friend had heard of it and another friend (guy) picked up a sample for his daughters (they were athletic). I love the Insteads.
I’d heard about products like this before, but I just never believed they wouldn’t leak! I can understand why a tampon doesn’t, because it’s absorbent, but how on earth does stuff not get down the sides of this? Awesome!
I might be the only one who is NOT freaked out by the idea of emptying it! The, er, Aunt Flo residue doesn’t worry me at all. I’m actually more freaked out by sticking something inside me and not knowing what it’s doing in there or if it’s fill up or whatever.
Very interesting, I’ve never heard of this product before! But then, I’ve been on depo provera for years, so (thank god) don’t have to deal with ‘aunt flo’ any more!
Hi Mrs. Bunny! I love my Diva Cup too which is why I took this photo. I see you’ve tried to attribute the photo to my site, but the link is broken.
Could you correctly link my image and the source link to 10 Reasons the Diva Cup Can Change Your Life for full attribution. Thank you!
[...] Dealing with an Uninvited Relative by Mrs. Bunny [...]
Thanks so much for posting this! Please allow me to emphasize, the Diva cup is much, MUCH better for the environment than pads, tampons or Instead. Not only do you save thousands of thrown-away products from being tossed into the landfill every year, but the production of pads and tampons uses a lot of greenhouse gases, water, pesticides (for cotton) and bleach. Bleach and pesticides are not things you want held up to a mucus membrane in your body for 12-18 hours a day. I’ve been on organic all-cotton tampons for years and recently switched to Instead, though I don’t like them because of all the plastic thrown away every day. I’m going to switch to Diva ASAP, thanks again!
Bought one this weekend!! Should be ready to try it within a day or two… or maybe I’ll be trying a pregnancy test. Ya know. Either way.
After reading this post, I went out and bought one. I am just now trying it out and I LOVE IT! I can’t even tell it’s there.
| Visit our sister sites | Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Fertile Thoughts Infertility Support |
Mrs. Bunny, Columbus Age and Occupation: 24, Associate Editor/Reporter Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Reporter Engagement Date: September 23, 2008 Wedding Date: July 2009 Venue: Everal Barn, Westerville About Me: Organized, but messy. I love art (all kinds). I don't have any secrets. I talk a lot and listen even more. I show love by baking. I'm timid by nature, but brave when it counts. Mr. Bunny and I work at competing weekly newspapers, which makes it a little interesting trying to describe our work joys and frustrations without giving away too much before the paper comes out. In spite of that little hurdle, we've managed to build a pretty solid relationship in the short one-and-a-half years we will have been together when we tie the knot. I can't wait!
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Latest Gallery Pics