Apr 14 2009
Do You Use a Moon Cup? The Menstrual Cup Review
This is a post for the girls. Since I’ve been writing a lot about cleaning lately and generally being a bit ‘girlie’ I may as well air my dirty laundry completely, and talk about the mysterious menstrual cup. There are a few different brands out there but personally I am a fan of Mooncups. And, though I don’t have ‘self sufficient‘ periods, I do have less wasteful and more frugal ones!
I have always worn tampons as I like having all the menstrual paraphernalia hidden away. No bulges for me, thank-you very much. But then as a teenager of the 1980’s I did wear many pairs of leggings. And, I’m sorry but menstrual pads and towels are not ‘legging friendly’.
But, as much as I like the convenience of tampons, I have always struggled with the fear of toxic shock syndrome and general health implications of tampons. I did look into organic cotton tampons but boy are they pricey! And, the fact is you are still putting a rough and absorbent, foreign body where it shouldn’ t really be. So there is still a risk.
As my green awareness has grown my attitude to tampons has altered. I stopped throwing them down the loo years ago, even though that’s what we were ’supposed’ to do with them. That didn’t stop the waste I produced though. It just got redirected to landfill, rather than the sea. I composted the cardboard boxes but couldn’t find a way of recycling hundred’s of tiny bits of plastic wrapper each year.
More and more, I’ve viewed tampons with disdain. There is so much waste involved and they aren’t any good for you. But, I have to be honest I had no desire to return to the sanitary pads of my youth. To those of you who use reuseable cotton pads and panty liner, my envy and congratulations. I know I really could just make my own and be properly self sufficient in all things menstrual. But I won’t, I’ve had it too easy for too long.
But, my eco-guilt and fear of toxic shock syndrome won out in the end. Last year I succumbed and purchased my first moon cup. Silly as this may seem, I admit to being a little apprehensive; what if I couldn’t use it – it cost £22! That seemed like quite a few tampons, and not money to be wasted. But I determined if others could manage it, why shouldn’t I?
On arrival, I was a little surprised by the size. But then, it isn’t an absorbent thing so it needs to be relatively large to fit snugly and catch all the menstrual flow. I dutifully read the instructions (all on recycled paper no less), sterilised the menstrual cup in boiling water and then used it! It’s very easy to get worked up about new things, but really it’s a pretty simple business. Which in hindsight is pretty blooming obvious.
Menstrual cups do take a little getting used to, but when when you first start your periods so do tampons and towels. I experienced the occasional small amount of leakage and worried I would never get the hang of it. But, even from the first month of using a moon cup, most days were absolutely fine.
As I said at the beginning I am a total convert. If you are thinking of buying some kind of menstrual cup here are some reasons to help you decide.
Benefits of a Menstrual Cup
Environmental Benefits
Less packaging, less waste each month, less cotton (one of the world’s biggest polluting industries) wasted.
Made of either latex (natural rubber) or medical grade silicon (from silica) one of the world’s most abundant resources.
Financial Benefits
One payment of £20 or there abouts for years of use. With women in the US spending, on average $150 a year on sanitary products, you get your money back pretty swiftly.
Health Benefits
No more absorbent cotton where bacteria love to multiply, reducing your risk of infections. Also, the lack of absorbency means using a menstrual cup will not affect the mucus secretions of the vagina, which are an important part of its defence mechanism and its way of cleaning itself.
There have been no cases of toxic shock syndrome linked to menstrual cups since their introduction in the 1930’s.
The smooth surface of the menstrual cups means they will not irritate sensitive skins, particularly important for those with allergies or thrush.
Vaginal health. I have to be honest and admit I did not previously feel my vagina was unhealthy, nor that it is more healthy now. But, I understand the principle. Using bleaches, rough textures, absorbent gels, fragrances and so on is bound to affect the state of the vaginal walls. Using just smooth silicon or latex has got to be better for the general state of health inside the vagina.
Practical Benefits
I didn’t really consider these before I purchased a moon cup. But with use, there are a few practical benefits which are worth considering:
More room in handbag and bathroom cabinet.
Less stuff to carry around each month, and much more discreet.
Fewer visits to the bathroom as the mooncup will hold much more than a tampon.
Less leakage – once you get the hang of it!
The smug factor – I’ve improved my carbon footprint and my wallet easily!
What Type of Menstrual Cup to Buy?
Well, there are surprisingly few options, so its not so difficult.
The ‘US original’ is ‘The Keeper
In which case the US company also offer ‘Moon Cup‘ made of medical grade silicon. The cloth bag to hold the Moon Cup is made by retired US seamstresses and the instruction leaflet is printed on recycled paper, so you can see the company is keen to promote their green credentials.
The ‘The DivaCup
There are disposable menstrual cups – Instead Softcup
‘Mooncup
Please, if you do not already use a moon cup or any other menstrual cup, consider the move. They can be a little tricky to start with (though I hear lots of women tell how easy, straightforward and natural it seemed immediately, so maybe its just me), but they are really worth the effort.
With a mooncup you can reduce your impact on landfill and reduce the amount of chemical toxins your body has to deal with. That, plus all the cash you save means the moon cup should definitely be considered by anyone currently using tampons. Everyone should try a menstrual cup!
For a more self sufficient future
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Thanks for writing this post!
I’ve always been tempted by the idea of a mooncup but am put off thanks to my body’s decision to grant me a heavy flow… How reliable is it at night?
Hi Jo, I’ve found it really good at night. The only time I’ve really noticed an issue was when doing something very energetic like cycling and hadn’t quite got the seal sorted. But, practice makes perfect!
They say the capacity is enough to hold about 1/3 of your total monthly flow, so it shouldn’t fill up in one night. I have heard lots of women say periods get lighter from using a mooncup, but I don’t think that is proven and I can’t say I’ve noticed that (though I’ve never had particularly heavy periods anyway).
I use the Diva Cup and I love love love it (and no I don’t use the special wash, I didn’t even know it existed) Besides everything you mentioned, it’s great for me as a lifeguard/swimming instructor. No soggy tampons, no worrying about the string showing. It’s good times.
Hanna’s last blog post..Music
Hanna – glad it works – they all look pretty identical size and shape wise as far as I can see. Much better than tampons though – wish I’d known about menstrual cups years ago. I was just surprised about th overkill on their website trying to sell the special wash.
Great post. Perhaps, I should try to give my £20 one another go. For me it was the fear of feeling like you had lost something ‘ up there’ and the difficulty of retrieval. Also, the first time I did use it it was a weird experience. I felt it was going to let me down.
This was a very good post as to the dangers of the other products. Tampons usage long term has been linked to cervical erosion??. I may be wrong on that point but I had heard of this.
Will continue to look at your post again.
Thanks from (cloudgazer- Twitter).
I can’t get mine to work! I was actually happy for my period this time around so I could use my diva cup, but I am having issues. It’s easy enough to get in, but (and this is embarassing) it sort of gets sucks up a ways. It says not to put it in more than even with the vaginal opening which I do, and then it climbs up. I’m afraid it’s going to keep going. I try to turn it when it is still low, but it doesn’t pop open.
Sorry you’re both having issues. It does get easier I promise. There are a few different ways of folding the menstrual cups, which may help – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAKpyw-R-po
The main thing though is don’t panic! A few pelvic floor squeezes and they do move back down!
Hhhmmmm, what’s going on? I’m 34 and never even heard of these things! Must be leading a very sheltered life! I shall investigate! You learn something new all the time on this site
Sootie, they are definitely worth a look. Since posting I realised I missed out a certain brand from the Czech Republic which come in a huge range of funky colours too! http://www.ladycup.eu/
Thanks so much for your terrific posting. It’s really great to see that so many women are beginning to be bothered by the waste that is caused by disposable menstrual products, and are therefore turning to reusables.
I hope that you and your site visitors will want to see a concrete rendering of exactly HOW HARMFUL disposable menstrual products are to the environment. Just check out Keeper.com’s Comparison Photo Page. On the left side of the website, you will see a button with the words, “New: Photos!” in red. Clicking on this button will lead you to the Comparison Photo Page, which shows — in pictures — exactly HOW MUCH WASTE the average woman who uses tampons creates in one month, one year, ten years and 40 years. (And by the way, the average woman menstruates for forty years!)
I think you will agree with me that these photos are worth at least A THOUSAND WORDS, because, frankly, I don’t think that women who use disposable menstrual products — which is, unfortunately, MOST women — actually like to think about the lifetime accumulation of waste they are foisting on our environment.
This visual provides actual proof of the huge amount of environmental waste we women create, in this small area of our lives alone.
And you’ll just love the photo on this Comparison Photo Page of the DUMP TRUCK, which is FILLED with 260 POUNDS of tampons and packaging. Believe it or not, the average woman actually uses (and tosses into the environment) that many pounds of tampons in her menstruating lifetime – and if she uses disposable menstrual pads, there will be even more waste!
Thanks!
Julia Schopick
Director of Marketing
The Keeper, Inc.
Keeper.com
Wow Julia, those pics really do tell a thousand words. Anyone thinking of a menstrual cup is sure to be swayed even more. They really are scary.
There are even more brands nowadays.
To name but a few:
Meluna http://meluna.eu/ (German)
Fleurcup http://fleurcup.com/default.htm (French)
Lunette http://www.mylunette.com/ (Finnish)
Miacup http://www.miacup.co.za/ (South African)
Femmecup http://www.femmecup.com/ (British I think)
All worth a look!
There are far more cups available now in different sizes and colours, the Meluna range has brought out a variety of different stems also!
I have been using my LilacCup (coloured LadyCup) for several months now, and I will NEVER go back!
It’s a shame that alternative feminine wear isn’t taught in schools, maybe cup users should start some sort of petition for this to be so!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cups
http://www.femininewear.co.uk/
Also, I would not suggest the Keeper Moon Cup if you’re wanting to buy a cup from a more ethical company.. as they unfairly took the name of the UK MoonCup and a lot of stuff went on to make it near enough impossible to buy the UK one in the US now.
Wonderful information. I have been considering getting a menstrual cup but have been somewhat confused about the different brands, companies etc. Realizing that as much as I need to be responsible environmentally I also have to keep in mind what I can afford regarding product quality, shipping and company customer service and warranty – hence being financial responsible too.
Thank you.
Thanks Sandra. One thing I keep meaning to mention here is that many women worry about odd heavy days or nights and will the moon cup still be able to cope.
Firstly, usually they will, but secondly if you are really worried such as on a day out, just use your old tampons for the day, then switch back to your mooncup when you get home. Reverting back to the old favorite method for the occasional day is a no worry way to cope with heavier days and still means that for the rest of the time you are saving money and resources.
It seems that many women try the mooncup or divacup, have a mishap in the early days and revert back to tampons and towels and leave the menstrual cup in the cupboard. Instead be realistic, if you are having ‘technical difficulties’ in the early days, don’t panic, just use your cup when you are at home or when flow is light and you will get used to it and eventually be able to rely on it every day, wherever you are going.
Using both types of sanitary protection is not perfect but who is?
Go to menstrualcups.org for TONS of info on cups, how to use them, answers to any problems you might have( insertion,removal,leaking,health problems,sports,heavy flow), To see if you can still use one if you’re a kid/virgin or both( I’m 14 and a virgin and I use a cup( the Lunette) just fine!), to see if you can still use one if you have an IUD( you usually can). As for heavy flow, here’s capacity comparison charts for the site( comparing different cup capacities to regular,super, and ultra tampons) http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/1285963.html
There’s also a cup community for blind cup users! http://community.livejournal.com/blind_cup_users/