Naturcup

http://www.naturcup.com

{more info to come later}

Squishiness Ratings

I’ve been asked about comparison “squishiness” of all the cups.  This is hard to rate really, but I will give it a shot.  This is just my opinion, it’s quite hard to judge, and the cup sizes actually make a difference in squishiness.  Some cups are stiffer at the rim, than they are in the body.

I’m rating these from 1-10.  1 being most squishy, 10 being least squishy.   Basically it is rated on how much effort it takes to push the material in.

Squishy at the top rim

Small Yuuki – 1

Miacup (large?) – 1

Large Coloured Lady Cup – 2

Small Diva – 2

Femmecup – 3

Small coloured Lady Cup – 4

Large Mooncup (UK) – 4

Small Mooncup (UK) – 5

Large Lunette – 5.5

Large Mooncup (UK) – 6

Small Lady Cup – 7

Small Keeper – 8

Small MeLuna – 9

Large MeLuna – 10

Squishy at the body

1 – Femmecup & Large coloured Lady Cup

2 – Small Diva & Miacup (large?)

3 – Small coloured Lady Cup & Small Yuuki

4 – Both sized Mooncup (UK)

5 – Large Lunette

6 – Small Keeper

7 – Both sized MeLuna

Yuuki – My Thoughts

I recently received this cup, and had a chance to test it out straight away    I was surprised to find the stem was not a hollow tube… it’s the same size as the hollow tube stems, but it is solid.  Which means if you like the tube stems but don’t like that they can collect blood inside them, then this stem would be great.  I like this cup… not sure why, since it doesn’t have anything that immediately jumps out as being innovative or special… and it has features I don’t particularly like (such as the angular holes and thicker stem)….but I like the degree of flexibility of the silicone, and the lack of ridge around the rim – it feels nice.

Testing it out – I was able to feel the stem for a while… because it is solid, and has lines on it for grip, I was able to feel it while wearing it.  After about 15 mins I was not able to feel it any more (I got used to it I suppose), and I think it pokes less than the hollow tube stems.  Probably because the Yuuki stem has a rounded tip, while the hollow ones have a flat tip (so more pokey).  I found it opened up easily, although they sent me the smaller size.  I had no leaks.

Gear – It came in a tube which was different.  It had an instruction sheet, but no pouch.  I don’t know if they normally ship them with a pouch or not, since mine was a freebie.  To be honest, not having a pouch probably wouldn’t make a difference to me, since a lot of people buy a replacement pouch elsewhere anyway (I used the Lunette pouch that came with my first cup for about a week then made my own because I hated it)

Personal Observations – I haven’t had much to do with the company – I e-mailed them to ask some questions and they replied prety quickly.

Ratings

I’ve rated all the cups I’ve tried. They can be found here: http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/my-comparisons-and-ratings

More Cup Photos

People asked me to take some comparison photos of the MeLuna, and since I also got the Yuuki cup since taking photos, I figured I’d go on a bit of a photo spree.

see many more pics by clicking –>

Yuuki Cup Pictures

I received the Yuuki Cup today, so here are some pictures

It comes in a tube!

With instruction sheet.  I actually like the tube idea… it’s different and protects the cup from being squashed.  Though the packaging makes me think of a sports supplement or something

The stem is about the same width as the tube stems of other brands of cup, but it is solid.  Because the silicone is softer than that of the Mooncup UK or Diva, the stem is more flexible, but not quite as flexible as the thinner tab stems of the Lunette or Miacup.

(The cup got a bit of fluff on it, so that’s what the speckles are on the rim, I didn’t realise it would show up   I need to take another photo)

The measuring lines and name are on the inside of the cup. Along with a number “1″.    There is another line on the inside, where the ridge on other cups pokes out… not sure what that is for…  The holes are on an angle, like the Diva’s holes

MeLuna – My Thoughts

I found out about this brand in a post on the Menstrual_cups community. I must say, I found the picture of the dolls wearing the cups as hats to be just waaaaaaaaaay too cute to not have a fondness for this company right there! (I love it when a business has a sense of humour and fun about them).

I wrote to them and asked if they could send me some samples, and asking for some more info on the cups, and I got a reply back straight away saying yes, and giving me the info I asked for (and several pictures). Which I was impressed with.

I was excited about this brand not only because of the cup-hat wearing dolls but they are also purple and with a tab stem! I must say though that the plastic composition doesn’t put me at as much ease as it would being silicone, but then that is only because I don’t know much about the type of plastic they use. Apparently the same type of plastic is used in the Instead cups and also in things like baby bottle teats – so I am going to assume it is safe for menstrual cups, as the company says. And to be fair, I was a little wary of silicone when I first started researching cups (hearing stories of killer silicone breast implants [though that is a different type of silicone])… I think sometimes we are always wary of something new, and that doesn’t always mean bad. But I do know that a lot of people (myself included) are a little scared of all plastics, with the things you hear about (chemicals leaching out etc.)

They do however have a “flaw”, which I assume has to do with production, that the silicone cups for some reason don’t have.  It is a round mark on the rim, you can see in the picture below.

The price is certainly good, which is one benefit of using the plastic they do, instead of the silicone.

Testing it out – Firstly, it’s a very stiff material. Much more so than the other cups. It has the same sort of shape and rim as the Lady cup. With the folding tests I did prior to inserting the cup, I was a bit worried about the strength of the “pop” the cup does as you unfold it. But it pops out less violently when doing the “punchdown” method, so I used that.  It is actually nice to have a cup that pops open without problems when I’m inserting it on the toilet – I normally find that position a bit challenging to get the cups to open fully.  Even if once it did pop open too suddenly and give me a bit of a surprise

I first tried the cup with the tab stem. I found it very hard to grasp that stem. The cup has a lot of suction (more than I have experienced with other cups), so I wasn’t even able to pull the cup down a little to better reach the rim, as I am normally able to do. It took a bit to break the seal (especially since the rim is stiffer than other cups), and it was still more difficult than other stems to keep hold of (it was a bit slippery and thin).  Then I tried the ring stem – I was able to grip that better, so I would prefer this stem to the tab one.

Removing the cup is a little more “uncomfortable” (not painful, just not comfortable) than the other cups due to the stiffness.  I think the smoothness of the inside might make it easier to wipe clean than the other cups – it seemed to clean slightly more easily.  I like the  fact there is no writing or markings on the cup at all, so nothing to collect blood.

I noticed that when you fold the cup fully, little crack-like lines appear in the folds, which doesn’t happen in the other cups, so I assume it has to do with the plastic vs silicone thing? (or perhaps the cups they sent me are different in quality to what you would normally buy?) The “cracks” completely disappear when the cup isn’t being held in the fold, so I don’t think it is doing any permanent damage…. and also I didn’t boil the cup, I just poured boiling water over it and used a mild natural soap….. and I tried to fold it while still warm from the water, and it distorted the shape (oval). I folded it the other way to bend it back to round again, and it was then fine, but I don’t know if it would have stayed in that shape if I’d not folded it the other way.

I was trying the large size, and I had no leaking, though so far I haven’t worn it long enough to get anywhere near the holes.

Gear – I don’t know how they are usually packaged, but mine were packaged in a small plastic bag each, and then put in a mailing envelope. I assume customers actually buying these will get instructions – and I don’t know what other packaging they would use.

included with my samples was a pouch. Which is made from a blue suede-like fabric, with a silvery printed design of the woman and a moon. I quite like the pouch

Personal Observations – I’ve been impressed with this company. Not only with the fact they offer a good range of colours, but also a choice of stem types! Which is a great idea!!! When I have contacted them, the response was very quick and in good English (useful for us non-German speaking people)… and they have been more than helpful with providing extra images, and a sample of each of the colours and stem types of the cups!

Ratings

I’ve rated all the cups I’ve tried. They can be found here: http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/my-comparisons-and-ratings

MeLuna Pictures

The very generous people over at MeLuna have sent me some of their cups!  So I thought Id take some photos of them.

This is all the colours of the cups, and the pouch.  The pouch is a sort of suede-like fabric, it feels very smooth and nice.  The black is actually black!  solid colour (not transparent) and very black!  I’m sure there will be lots of gals who will love that.

I don’t know how they will show on your screen, but the green is a lime green, the blue is a quite bright blue, the purple is gorgeous   The “red” is a sort of orangish red.  They are all quite vibrant colours.

Fleurcup – My Thoughts

I only found out about these recently, and I was excited to see new cups available, and in colours!

I e-mailed them to ask for a sample, and unfortunately they refused, saying they are only interested in the European market.  (I asked them to reconsider, as European people do read my website too – but again no).  A shame, since I would have liked to include the Fleurcup with the other cups I have in photographs, be able to tell people more about it  (it’s look, feel and so on) and promote it more.

(They are actually the first cup company to deny my request for a sample)

So all I can comment on is that they look pretty and that their website is a little less professional looking than the other cup brands. Unfortunately there are no immediate plans for an English version apparently (it will come later), but you can use google’s page translator to translate the page from French to English.

Cup pictures from MeLuna

I e-mailed MeLuna and asked if they had any pictures of the coloured cups. They replied back straight away, and sent me several pictures! Including pictures of the cups next to tampons, which is a great visual reference for people who have never seen a cup in real life.  They are also sending me samples, so I will be able to include the MeLuna in some photos with other cups!   So here they are.

This shows the stem types available
(Ring, Classic stem, ball and no stem)

Shows the colours available

Fleurcup

http://fleurcup.com

Country of origin: France
Composition: Medical Grade Silicone
Sizes: Small & Large
Dimensions: Small = 41mm diameter, 47mm long without stem (23mm stem length) Large = 46mm diameter, 52mm long without stem 18mm stem length)
Capacity: Small = 20mls to holes 25ml to the rim. Large = 29ml to holes and 35ml to rim
Stem: Flat tab
Measuring Lines: No
Cost (RRP): € 26.99 [Currency Converter]
Guarantee: None
Been around since: Unknown (early 2009?)
Other Details: Comes in clear, pink, purple, orange and black. The website has great animated images of the folds

MeLuna

http://www.meluna.eu

Country of origin: Germany
Composition: FDA approved TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) Which is apparently a (BPA-free) plastic that is used to make medical equipment such as catheters, as well as other products such as baby bottle teats and some vibrators. It may also be the same material as Insteads disposable cups are made from.
Sizes: S (small) and L (large) (With an XL coming out shortly)
Dimensions: S = 40mm diameter, 46mm long with ball end, or 55mm long with stem (40mm body and 15mm stem) L = 45mm diameter, 51mm long with ball end, or 62.5mm long with stem (45.5 body and 17mm stem)
Capacity: S = 11mls to holes 16ml to the rim. L = 17ml to holes and 22ml to rim
Stem: Flat tab, ball, ring or no stem
Measuring Lines: No
Cost (RRP): € 12.00 [Currency Converter]
Guarantee: Unknown
Been around since: Early June 2009
Other Details: Colours available: red, pink, blue, green and purple. With the website mentioning glittered and gold and silver options as special editions, and a poll offering options of various colours, including black. First cup manufacturer to offer the additional ball/ring or no stem options

Green Donna

http://www.greendonna.com

http://br.greendonna.com (only retail site currently available – in Brazil)

Country of origin: Unknown
Composition: Medical Grade Silicone
Sizes: Unknown
Dimensions: Unknown
Capacity: Unknown
Stem: Tube
Measuring Lines: Unknown
Cost (RRP): $60 Brazilian Dollars [Currency Converter]
Guarantee: Unknown
Been around since: Unknown (early 2009?)
Other Details:

Links to Youtube videos about Cups

In no particular order

• One Girl, Two Cups: How to Use Menstrual Cup -Talks about what cups are, using a Mooncup (UK)
• How To Use A Menstrual Cup Part 1 -Talks about what cups are – showing a Divacup
• How To Use A Menstrual Cup Part 2 -Talks about the Divacup
• Mooncup – In Spanish I think, but shows the C fold and Punchdown folds.
• Period Talk! DivaCup 101 – The Lunapads ladies talking about the Divacup
• Bloody Women! – A nicely done video talking about menstrual cups (Showing a Mooncup), and cloth pads (Showing Urban Armour “Power pads” I think).
• diva cup – Talks about the Divacup, and shows the difference between an expanded regular tampon and a cotton one.
• LadyCup – Spanish (I think), very well produced video talking about the Lady Cup
• Care for your Vagina! Use the Cup Instead of Tampons – Video about Insteads (disposable cups)
• MoonCup: “an innovative alternative to tampons” – A slideshow
• Tampon vs. Keeper: One Vagina’s Story – A puppet show
• Hopevids-Menstrual Alternatives – Talks about cups and cloth pads

Comment here if you find any more

New cup pictures

I took some new pictures of the cups I have.

MPower

http://www.mpowercup.co.za

Country of origin: South Africa
Composition: Medical Grade Silicone
Sizes: 1?
Dimensions: Diameter = 40mm, length (excluding tab) = 50mm
Capacity: 20ml
Stem: Flat Tab
Measuring Lines: No
Cost (RRP): R265
Guarantee: None?
Been around since: October 2008
Other Details: In an e-mail from the company they told me: “I specifically chose a non-coloured silicone for my MPowercup as my pharmaceutical grade manufacturer advised against a colour. Colour silicone is readily available but he would not 100% guarantee it for this particular application. I did not want to take a chance so went with clear as in catheter tubing and ICU tubing etc is also clear.”.  They also are running a program to give the Mpower cups to impoverished women in South Africa.

Alicia

http://thealiciainternational.com
Country of origin: India? (Australian representative, may be manufactured in India)
Lifespan:
Composition: Medical Grade Silicone
Sizes: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large
Dimensions: Unknown
Capacity: Unknown (Site says 30mls, but doesn’t say which size that is)
Stem: Hollow tube?
Measuring Lines: No?
Cost (RRP): AUD $60 [Currency Converter]
Guarantee: 2 years
Been around since: Unknown
Other Details: Not sure if they are actually in widescale production yet. I found out about them in Jan 2009, they don’t appear to have been around very long before then due to the website not having much detailed information, no online shopping cart system or actual product pictures. Appears not to be aiming for International market.

Purchase from: http://thealiciainternational.com

Coloured Cups

I thought I’d do a post about coloured cups, as I know some women are really enticed by colours. There are some great coloured cups on the market – which shows the cup manufacturers are thinking about their customers needs for visual appeal too.

LadyCup – Offers translucent Pink, Blue, Purple, Orange, Yellow and Green

Miacup – Offers an opaque (non-see through) purply-pink as their standard colour cup.

Lunette - Offers translucent blue “Selene”

MeLuna - offers red, pink, blue, green and purple. With the website mentioning glittered and gold and silver options as special editions, and a poll offering options of various colours, including black.

Fleurcup – offers pink, purple, orange and black

Yuuki Cup

http://www.yuuki.cz

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Composition: Medical Grade Silicone
Sizes: 1 (small) and 2 (large)
Dimensions: Size 1 = length (including stem) 67mm, diameter 42mm.  Size 2 = length (including stem) 75mm, diameter 47mm
Capacity: Size 1 = 15ml, Size 2 = 20mls to the edge = 25 and 37 ml
Stem: Thick solid stem
Measuring Lines: Yes
Cost (RRP): 15EUR or CZK $399 [Currency Converter]
Guarantee: 2 years
Been around since: 2007
Other Details: The stem is about the same thickness as the tube stems, but is solid (not hollow).

Cup Icons from Ladycup

The lovely people over at LadyCup sent me some icons to share

Tips and Help

It can be a bit daunting using a cup the first few times. If you aren’t familiar or comfortable with your body, it might be helpful to get yourself aquainted first. Don’t be shy! The following are some tips and advice collected from other cup users.

Cleaning

* To clean the airholes, fill the cup with water, place your palm on top, turn this upside down so your palm is over the cup and squeeze the cup – this should force the water out through the holes.
* Make sure the rim full pops out (You can feel this if you run a finger around the cup once inside).
* Squatting is a recommended position for insertion/removal, but if that doesn’t work, feel free to try other positions.
* Don’t let it get overfull, as emptying could then be messier and chance of leaks is greater.
* Carry a moistened face cloth or a bottle of water with you if you need to empty the cup while out.
* A kegel as you remove the cup can help.

Using

* Trim your fingernails before using the cup.
* You may need to trim the stick (But try with it uncut, and don’t cut it all off in case you have to return it – as some manufacturers won’t take it back if the stem is cut off)
* Remove the cup slowly, and make sure you have broken the seal, don’t just yank it out.
* Let the cup open as soon as the rim is in, then push it up further if you need to, or do a few kegels to move it further up.
* Turning the cup can help it get fully open and create a seal.
* If you are having difficulty, try a different fold.
* If you can feel it, or its uncomfortable its probably in the wrong spot.

Other

* It doesn’t go in as far as a tampon, it should sit just inside the vagina.
* If it gets “lost” don’t panic. Relax and do some kegels (pelvic floor exercises) to push it back out.
* Emptying it in the shower (while showering) means you don’t need to worry about spills.
* When emptying the cup into the toilet, flush straight away (or put toilet paper in the bowl first) or the blood will sink to the bottom and hard to flush out.
* Don’t be alarmed if the contents of the cup isn’t all liquid blood – menstrual flow is blood and tissue.

Because they don’t absorb like tampons do, you can have a “dry run” to test it out before your period so that you are comfortable using it before you need to. Although until you are bleeding you won’t know if it is working properly, it is helpful for learning insertion and removal and getting to know your body.

There is a large live journal community devoted to menstrual cups, where you can post questions and seek others advice – however… there is also a large memories section where you can look at previous posts because chances are the questions you have will have been asked many times before. Here is a link to that memories section directly.

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=menstrual_cups

FAQ

Can you wear them if you are a Virgin?
Physically, yes, just as you can with tampons… (there may be cultural/religious reasons which would prevent you using anything internally) I have seen some people comment that they have had problems and may need to break the hymen first if its not already.

They look very large and I have a small vagina – it’s not going to fit is it?
Without wanting to be vulgar, the vagina is made to stretch.. the cups are a lot smaller than a babies head, which the vagina can stretch to fit. Penises, vibrators etc. are all around the same size as a cup… which also fit into a vagina…. When women have problems with “being too tight”, its probably always because they aren’t relaxed. It almost seems to me that some women want to think that they are so”tight” that its not going to fit. There are 2 sizes in all the cups.. although the difference is usually only VERY small. They all come with age recommendations… If you really feel that you are better off with the smallest diameter cup, then the small Diva, Lunette or Lady/Pink Cup are probably best choices as they are the brands with the smallest sizes – however if your vagina is short, you might find the Diva is too long for you.

Can you wear them for swimming?
Yes…. some people are concerned they might leak, but I have not heard of anyone having this problem, and it has not happened to me.

Are they easy to use?
Ok…yes and no. It can take a few goes (for some women, lots of goes) to find the correct and comfortable fit…. some women get it fine the first go. Being relaxed and familiar with your body helps. After you’ve found that however, it should be easy then to use it each month. Apart from the insertion/removal -which is the tricky bit, it’s simply a case of tipping the contents out, giving it a rinse/wipe and putting it back in. You can steralise it daily or at the end of your period (or not at all – some women just wash them with soap…… but make sure you rinse it well before putting it back in as soap and vaginas don’t mix well…..).

Are they safe?
There haven’t (to my knowledge) been any reports of TSS with menstrual cups. If you are allergic to latex rubber then you cannot use a keeper (and there is apparently a risk of constant exposure to latex causing a latex allergy – however hundreds/thousands of women have used the rubber Keeper for years without problem). If you are having problems getting it in/out you might feel sore, and I suppose you could have problems if you did something like drop it into the toilet and then put it back in without washing it (bacteria and other nasties where they shouldn’t be). Nothing in life is ever 100% safe, but they seem to be a lot safer than tampons which women assume are safe because they are white, packed to look sterile and sold by big companies. They have been around long enough that if there were any major problems with their use, something would have been reported.

My Dr/Gynocologist says they are unsafe
Several women have has their Gynos do a swab of their cups and found nothing nasty growing on them. Drs and those who aren’t familiar with the idea will probably be ’scared’ of them….as it is natural to be concerned with something you know nothing about. Several people have reported their doctors being less than enthusiastic about the idea of cups, but very few have had any actual reason why they could be bad. Those who have given reasons usually relate to cleanliness (under the assumption that penises, fingers, tampons and other articles that are put into the vagina are sterile), TSS (despite the fact no reasearch has found cups to cause TSS) and I’ve heard one mentioned being concerned about having a cup in the vagina causing the vagina to stretch (but a full tampon doesn’t?). Of course you should always listen to your Drs advice, Particularly if there is a health/physical reason why cup use might not be recommended, but it is worth remembering that Drs do not know everything, and may simply not be well informed enough to feel they can recommend a cup. You can always consult a different Dr for a second opinion.

Can you feel them when they are in?
I believe it would be up to the individual woman. Some women can (as they can feel tampons) and some can’t. Usually if you can feel it, it’s not a painful feeling, just an “I’m aware it’s there” feeling. If it is causing discomfort its probably inserted too high or not correctly somehow. Some women have to cut the stem off to stop feeling that, others can leave it whole. The feeling of the stem is an obvious poking sensation. I am sometimes aware of the cup but only when I think about it. I occasionally feel them stem (which I have left intact,as I have the Lunette), but its just a feeling off being aware of it, not uncomfortable in any way. If I let the cup open too quickly that can sometimes give me cramps, as it does for a few other women from what I have seen… but taking it out and trying again stops mine.

Do they leak?

They work by creating a seal against the vaginal wall, if they don’t form this seal properly, they will leak. This is why choosing the right shape and size cup for you is important. The cups all have air holes, so if you left it in place too long you may find it fills past the air holes and that could cause leaks. I’ve had the cup fill beyond the air holes without problem, but other women find they can’t. Not having it positioned in the right spot could cause it to not create a seal and that could leak, as could having a cup that is either too large, too small or not the right shape. There may be some women who would find none of the cups fit well enough to stop leaks completely, but most find success with their first cup, or after buying another cup in a different brand. I’m sure most leak problems would be due to the position of the cup, which may take a few cycles to perfect, so it does pay to keep persevering. Most women wear a pantyliner as extra protection, because as you empty your cup the blood continues to flow, any blood that had made its way down before you put the cup in, could stain your underpants… some women confuse this with the cup leaking because it’s not working properly. Several women have described a sort of “bubbling” feeling when their cup is too full and/or breaks suction, which is usually a sign that the cup is going to leak if not emptied straight away.

Can you wear them during sex?
You are not supposed to wear the reusable ones during penetration sex (I have seen 2 women comment that they have, how this is possible I don’t know, since they sit down low and have stem that couldn’t be comfortable to your partner). However you can wear them for non-penetration sex (such as oral sex) or take the cup out before penetration. The insteads disposable cups are more like a contraceptive diaphragm and can be worn during penetration sex as they are worn higher.

What happens to the returned cups?
Apparently all returned cups get destroyed. There was a theory that returned cups got sent out to people as samples, but the cup companies I’ve asked about this say that is untrue, so I believe all would destroy them.

You can get a sample Cup?
Yes and no….. When I talk about having “sample” cups, I’m not talking about the fact I’ve got samples to try out in the usual sense of the term….. I have received actual cups which from some brands have been punched with a hole to make them (semi) unusable… and I have received these “samples” to take around to show other women for promotional reasons, and to write about on my websites. They don’t give out samples to the general public for you to try before you buy… (and infact even I haven’t been able to get a sample of a US Moon Cup yet).

Can you wear them while doing yoga or anything where you go upside down (will the blood flow back up and cause problems)?
Well yes, physically speaking you can wear them when you would be upside down. If you think about it, its not that much different to when you are laying down. I haven’t heard of any definitive medical advice to say this can be dangeous (some say this can cause Endodemetriosis), but I have seen a link to a Yoga website that suggests this is not a good idea – though it also says its not a good idea for menstruating women to do certain positions regardless of their chosen method of blood catchment as it was more to do with the energy flow than actual blood flow. If you are concerned, don’t wear a cup overnight or if going upside down.

How can I make it easier to put in?
That depends on you really… some women seem to perfer using a lubricant (Waterbased only), some simply wet it with water. Some like it cold, some like it warm. Some say running it under cold water helps it pop open easily, some find a cold cup makes them clench their muscles more. I think the key thing is to relax. It’s not a race, take your time and if you don’t get it right simply try again or leave it for another go later. Don’t think of it as something you *have to do*, think of it as something you *want* to do (which might take the pressure off and relax you). It could take several cycles to get familiar enough with your body and the cup to get the insertion and removal all settled. Certain positions can be easier than others… I found lying down on my side to be easiest for insertion at first (not something you’d be able to do while out!), then after more practice I could do it while sitting on the toilet. I’ve seen the suggestion to try masterbation or gently opening the vagina with your fingers to help prepare your body before just shoving the cup in, which is a good suggestion.

How do I cope in public toilets?
That again depends on your personal preferences. You might like to take a small bottle of water or a moistened cloth with you so that you can clean up in the stall. NEVER EVER use the water in the toilet bowl to clean your cup!!!!!!! (I can’t imagine why anyone would want to, but I’ve seen people suggest it). One website claims you can even urinate on the cup to clean it. You can wipe it with toilet paper, a baby wipe or cloth before putting it back in, or you can use a water bottle to rinse it off. Some women don’t clean it at all. Your hands might get a little blood on them, so if you are not happy washing them in the sinks in public, you might like to take a cloth to wipe them. You could carry a small zip-lock bag in your pocket/bag to hold a cloth for this purpose. Remember though that apart from the blood, if someone saw your cup they would probably only know what it was if they had seen them before. So if they know what it is they are probably either a fellow cup user or have looked into it. It could be an opportunity to show other women the Menstrual cups too.

Do they hurt to remove?
Some women might feel a little discomfort. The main thing to remember is to break the seal first, don’t just yank it out. (You stick your finger up to the rim of the cup, press it in and you might hear a lovely “schloop” sound as the suction breaks) The stem isn’t like a tampon string – generally you don’t pull it out by the stem….. you also should fold the cup slightly while inside you and most people find it easier to hold the base of the cup for removal than the stem. Your cup should come with instructions on how to do this. Since tampons absorb liquid leaving the vagina dry and the tampon larger than it was when you inserted it, many women find those are uncomfortable to remove. However with a cup they don’t absorb anything and don’t get bigger, so your vagina’s natural lubrication should be enough to help it slide out easier than a tampon would. Given the shape of the cup, removal should be easier than insertion, because the smallest end is coming out first! The rim can be a little uncomfortable coming out… but that will get easier over time, and it is overall only a quick process taking it out.

Where can I buy one?
You can buy direct from the company themselves, or other sites (even on ebay) Places that sell nappies/diapers and cloth menstrual pads often stock them, as do some healthfood stores. Doing a “Google” search brings up thousands of results that should help you. You might be tempted to go for the cheapest one, the one made in your country, the one wth the best trial period, or one that seems most talked about, but do some research to see which one suits you best, as they are a big purchase, and you don’t want to buy one without thinking about it.

Do they have a trial?
Miacup has a 6 month returns policy, Keeper (and presumably Moon Cup (US) has a 3 month one.

The Divacup has now taken away their 12 month trial. Mooncup (UK) used to have a 3 month one, but now would seem to do just exchanges for other sizes – preferring (like the Lunette manufacturers) to help women work through their problems than just refunding money. Most women seem to be able to get the first cup they buy to work… most women have a few “teething troubles” getting the cup to work their first few cycles, which is normal. Being able to return the cup is useful if you are not sure which size you need to get, and to be honest, Diva was a popular choice largely because of its return policy, but interestingly, it seems more Diva cup users find they need to buy another brand for better results – this could simply be because its the more commonly used cup so will have more people using it anway…. but it really is worth looking at other things than just price and returns policies when looking for the right cup for you.

What if it gets lost up there?
Your vagina is not a neverending tunnel! It’s extemely unlike that its going to travel up very far..its not going to enter your cervix and be lost forever. But it can feel that way when you find you can’t immediately feel the stem. If you can’t find it, bear down (almost like you are trying to do a poo), and at the same time, feel up as far as you can, and you should find it. Don’t just yank it out, you’ll have to try and break the suction, by poking your finger into the rim to poke it in, which releases the suction.

If it really has travelled up higher than you can reach, and bearing down doesn’t get it any closer, then as embarrasing as it might be, go to your Doctor, and they can remove it for you. I know 2 people who have done this, and I believe you’ll find Doctors have seen all sorts of things, so don’t be too embarrased! I don’t want to alarm anyone by telling them it can happen, but I’m wanting to say that in the VERY uncommon event it should happen, you’re not alone, and that you needn’t worry that it will be lost forever…

Cup Images

These are pictures of the cups I have. (none of the stems have been trimmed)

Diva (sm), Femmecup, Keeper (sm), Lady Cup (lge), Lunette (lge), Miacup(lge), Mooncup (UK)(sm), Pinkcup (sm)

Cup Icons – Miacup

They are 100×100 pixel icons suitable for blogs/forums or other such use. Feel free to use them.. To use them,right click the one you want and save it to your hard drive… then upload it to the forum/journal.

Miacup – My thoughts

I first heard of this brand when they e-mailed me to let me know they had set up their online store with a coupon for me to obtain a free cup…… which I was very greatful for! Having a look around their site I was very impressed with the amount of information on there – they appear to be genuinely interested in helping women with the product…. and of course the cup’s colour seemed very appealing, being one of the only cups available in an opaque coloured cup (since the Keeper is technically a “coloured” cup, brown being a colour afterall). I thought the cup was pink, as is shown in the main pictures on the site, but looking at their video on folding, the cup looked purple. I was excited to get the cup so I could see just how purple it was.

Because Lunette has always been my favourite for a few reasons, mostly being lack of writing and the tab stem, the Miacup also having these features is what first drew me to the cup… It is very similar in shape to the Lunette. The colour as well is a huge bonus for me, given that I am a purple nut!

Testing it out – It has the same more defined rim as most of the other cups, which makes it different to the Lunette, but otherwise, they are basically the same. The Miacup silicone is a little softer than the Lunette, and my Miacup is indeed purple. A pinkish purple, but more like the colour shown in the video, rather than the pink looking one shown. The colour is similar to the colour they use in their headings and buttons. The colour isn’t completely uniform, it has the occasional speckle/grain of lighter colour, which doesn’t bother me at all as the surface is perfectly smooth. I like that there is no writing on it (they have the Miacup logo on the inside rather than any writing). My only issue with an opaque cup is that with the Keeper’s holes you can’t see if they are dirty or not, but the Miacup holes are larger, and you seem to be able to see through the holes enough to see if they need cleaning. Also if you are interested in measuring your flow, and seeing the contents of the cup, an opaque cup is not the best choice. On the other hand, I do like the fact that an opaque cup won’t discolour like the silicone ones do. As with the other rimmed cups, I felt this cup more with insertion and removal, and a little blood got caught under the rim, so the outside needs marginal more cleaning than the smoother outer cups. But the flat stem is comfortable like Lunette, and overall I very much like this cup.

Gear – I got sent a very attractive boxed version, which I assume is not how normal customers would get their cups, but I’ll show what I got anyway. It came in a box that was sealed with sealing wax and cord, and even had a ribbon inside so that when you lift the ribbon all the leaflets etc. came out of the box easily. I was extremely impressed It was like a nicely wrapped gift!

The pouch is satin with their logo embroidered on, and a satin lining. It is by far the best made and most elaborate cup pouch I’ve seen. They provide a small booklet that gives instructions on use. Which is the most informative instructions any of the cup manufacturers provide (second would be Mooncup (UK) who sent me a little booklet in several languages). I also got some leaflets and business cards with a 5% discount code on them. I like the minimal themeing on their printed matter – looks like recycled paper with just the pinkish purple and a dark grey writing. Nice and subtle.

Personal Observations – I’ve been very impressed with this company. Their FAQ section shows they have been looking around to see the sorts of questions women want to know and provide answers, and their forum will enable more discussion which is great. When I’ve suggested some ideas for the website I got back positive replies (and straight away!), which shows that the company seems to be interested in what people have to say. I like that the company donates money from each sale to charity (and encourages customers to donate as well), and is concerned with environmental issues.

Ratings

I’ve rated all the cups I’ve tried. They can be found here: http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/my-comparisons-and-ratings/

Pink Cup – My thoughts

Basically this is just a pink coloured version of the Lady Cup, so see my thoughts on that here here

While pink isn’t my favourite colour, I think I prefer the pink over the clear cups (and certainly more than the yellow Mooncup (UK) or brown Keeper).  Its quite a nice subtle pink, just enough to let you know it’s not clear, without being overpoweringly PINK  if that makes sense.  It is still completely transparent, so the pink tone to the cup has not affected the ability to see into the holes.  To me it makes the cup appear a little less “medical” and a bit more like an accessory.  I think it’s fantastic to see a cup brought out in a colour, and hope to see more colours available in the future.

Comes in it’s own pinkcup bag, they seem to be essentially marketing it as a different product (much like Keeper Inc. doesn’t just market the Moon Cup (USA) as a “silicone Keeper”)

Cup Icons – Femmecup

They are 100×100 pixel icons suitable for blogs/forums or other such use. Feel free to use them.. To use them,right click the one you want and save it to your hard drive… then upload it to the forum/journal.

Femmecup – My Thoughts

The cup itself seems virtually identical to the Mooncup (UK). The only difference I can see is the Mooncup has rings around the base and stem to grip with and the Femmecup has a spiral instead (which I do like). The Femmecup has a clearish white silicone, which is much more appealing than the yellowish Mooncup.

It feels thinner than the Moonkup (UK), and I was sent 2 samples, one of their newer versions which have larger holes and a slightly softer silicone… their silicone still feels slightly different to the others to me…. it’s almost like the silicone is more plasticky than the more rubbery feel of the other cups.. but I think it’s easier to get/keep folded than Lunette and Mooncup (UK)… and about the same as Diva. The stem seems to be thicker (it’s the hollow tube kind) than Mooncup (UK), so untrimmed it feels a bit pokey (like most of the other cups). The holes were tiny, probably the same size as the Diva, and as with the Diva, putting my palm over the cup and trying to squirt water out didn’t do anything…. but in the newer sample I have, the holes are larger.

Its got the website address in raised letters on the inside, and 2 measurements 15mls and 7.5mls inside. Flat bottomed but no size marking (since it comes in one size only – which appears to be the same as the small Mooncup). Nothing on the outside except the spiral and the thick ridges and the thicker ridge rim (like Mooncup).

Testing it out – I tried it once for a “dry run” and once with my period. I found no leaking, it opened up fine…. same slightly more uncomfortable insertion than Ladycup or Lunette because of the rim being more bumpy, but it’s only in comparison to flatter cups. I’d expected the holes to fill up with blood as they had done on the Diva, but they didn’t. I don’t know if that was just luck or something different with my blood that cycle, not sure, but I was happy about that, since cleaning was then easy. I did get some blood collecting around the writing on the inside, which I hadn’t noticed until next time I went to use it and saw the dried blood there… so I need to do more than my lazy rinsing methods that work for the Lunette.

Gear - The bag it comes in is like a lighter weight version of the Mooncup bag (unbleached cotton). I also got a stack of (very nice) flyers to hand out. Mine was sent in a padded envelope, with the cup in it’s bag, inside a plastic display type packaging with cardboard top (like you’d expect to have a hole punched in so it can hang in shops). With it’s instructions. My newer sample came with a (flat for postage) box in their pink and blue colour theme so that I had an example of that packaging.

Personal observations – One of the nicest of the cup companies I’ve dealt with. Not only did they send me a sample in the first place (without a hole punched in it!), but they also sent me an updated sample when they changed the cup slightly, and the new packaging, so that I would be updated with their product. All e-mails have been very friendly and personalised to me (not your standard automatic responses), I’m quite impressed with this company.

Ratings

I’ve rated all the cups I’ve tried. They can be found here: http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/my-comparisons-and-ratings

Cup Icons – Ladycup and Pinkcup

They are 100×100 pixel icons suitable for blogs/forums or other such use. Feel free to use them.. To use them,right click the one you want and save it to your hard drive… then upload it to the forum/journal.

Lady Cup – My Thoughts

The sample they sent is a proper cup – no hole punched in! So that was very nice of them. First impressions were “ohh wow – it’s bendy!” It was a softer feeling silicone to the other cups, so a lot more flexible. However, I later found out that the cup they sent me as a sample was made with a thinner silicone than the cups they normally sell. So I got another sample, the smaller size this time, and the silicone on that is as the ones they sell. Which is still softer/ more flexible (squishier) than the other cups. I was surprised at the 2 rows of holes, and the fact the holes are quite large. Its also the plainest cup, with no writing or markings inside or out – except the small bumps on the bottom to help grip (where some of the other cups have lines/ridges). Because there are no ridges on the outside of the cup, it is much more comfortable for insertion. Not that any of the cups are “uncomfortable”, but it’s a noticeable difference.

It does look a little more “budget” than the other cups – as several people have commented on (I don’t think it looks “cheap” but if you were to line them all up and ask someone which was the cheapest, I’m sure they would pick lady Cup) – with the lack of writing and the lack of the ridge near the rim… In my opinion the writing on the cups is pointless though…you generally know what cup it is without it having to tell you – most people only have one (and even me with my lot of samples can tell them apart without having to read any of them) and without writing it’s easier to clean… and the lack of ridge makes the cup more comfortable to insert. So I think the plainness is actually a bonus, and I’d prefer a plain cup over some of the others.

Testing it out - Folding it and inserting it was easier than the other cups. The thinner sample cup was incredibly easy to keep folded due to its softer silicone, but the tradeoff for that was it didn’t pop open easily once inside. The softness of the silicone in that thinner sample cup meant it didn’t want to pop out violently like the others. I was able to get it to open, but it took a bit of poking and about 5 “stirs” (putting my finger to the rim and moving around, pushing the vaginal wall out to let the cup open) to get it to open properly. When I e-mailed the Lady Cup people to give them my thoughts on it, that is when they told me that the sample I received was the thinner silicone, so I asked for another sample, which they generously did. Which I had no problems getting to pop open. The silicone on the proper cup is less flexible than the thinner sample, so has the same “pop” that the other cups do, but it is still soft and easily folded.

Cleaning was easy – the easiest of all the cups. The blood stayed in the holes on removal – like it does in all the cups, but washed away when I rinsed the cup. I didn’t need to actually clean them at all. So it’s the easiest cleaning cup I’ve tried yet. The stem is more comfortable than the other tube stems because of the softness of the silicone, I’d probably be able to leave it untrimmed without too much complaint. Its not as frosted as the other cups, so it looks clearer.

Gear - My first one (the thinner sample) was sent in a small box surrounded with shredded paper in a packaging box… so it was very well packed. It came with an apricot coloured cotton pouch, a sachet of lubricant and 2 milton steralising tablets. The second one (the proper cup) was in the apricot bag, inside a plastic bag (as you would expect for display) in a mailing bag. The coloured cup samples were again all proper saleable products (I believe), packaged in individual boxes with the colours marked on the sides, packed into a mailing box with padding.

Personal observations – A lovely company to deal with. They actually e-mailed me to tell me of their product when they started out, so I asked for a sample which they provided. I also suggested some changes to the way things were said on their website due to some translation problems, so I’ve had a few e-mails back and forth with them. The correspondence I’ve had with them was quite positive. And, not only did they send me a sample in the first place (without a hole punched in it too), which is very much appreciated, but they also sent me a sample of their proper cups, so that I would have one of the proper products to be able to compare, and they have sent me each of their coloured cups as well! All e-mails have been very friendly and personalised to me (not your standard automatic responses), so I’ve been extremely impressed by this company.

My love of purple is fairly well known…. and while I have always been a huge fan of the Lunette because of it’s design, I have to say the new purple LadyCup has really become a favourite. Infact all the colours are great. I’m not normally a fan of orange, but the orange LadyCup is really nice too (sort of reminds me of tropical mangos or something), and the colourful bags are a nice touch, with the cup name on a tag on the side of the bags, and the ribbons matching the cup colours. They seem to put a lot of effort into little touches like that.

Update:

There has been a few problems with some of the coloured cups.  It would seem that some batches are prone to splitting.  The company is replacing split cups, and have sold off remaining cups from those batches as “trial” cups, only guaranteeing them to last one use (although some women get more than that).  As a way to let women try cups inexpensively.  I bought 2 of these “Trial” cups, and found the silicone to be lighter in colour, and also stiffer than that of the non-faulty ones I have.

I do not know if the new colour for these cups is the more transparent/lighter versions, and all cups will be this new colour or if this lighter coloured cup is only from the defective batches, and only the defective ones are this light.

“Trial” Lilac cup, “proper” Lilac cup, “Trial” Blue cup, “proper” Blue cup (small size)

Cup Icons – Mooncup (UK)

They are 100×100 pixel icons suitable for blogs/forums or other such use. Feel free to use them.. To use them,right click the one you want and save it to your hard drive… then upload it to the forum/journal.