Mustachian time of the Month - for Women only

[curiousKait]

I would check out the sizing charts here: http://menstrual-cups.livejournal.com to get an idea of what different brands exist and how large they are for both of you.

Here's a link to a super useful size comparison chart: http://sizecharts.livejournal.com/
The Meluna Shorty Small is the shortest available in length and diameter.

I'm a huge menstrual cup fan! The Diva cup is the one most widely available in stores, so many people start with that and write off all menstural cups because they had a bad experience. I tell all my girlfriends to try a few different cups before deciding they aren't going to work out. Also, learn your anatomy :) What parts of the cup do you like so you can iterate on the next one you purchase? Small differences in size, width, softness, stems, hole placement, and shape will make or break it.

I have been using my Sckoon large for a year. It fit everything I was looking for in softness, shape, hole placement, capacity, and size. My previous two tries were a Lunette and a Meluna Mini Medium. It may not seem Mustashian to purchase three cups, but believe it or not, there's a market for used menstrual cups: http://mc-sales.livejournal.com/

[scrubbyfish]

Can't do reusable cause I currently don't have a washer/dryer.

p.s. I use disposable as back-up to the cup on heavy days only because my cloth ones pool vs absorb that phase, but I do use cloth on light/transition days. So, I use disposable for flow reasons, but in terms of washing cloth pads, hand wash is just fine. They're small, too, so take up little space in hang-drying. On a sunny day, I put mine in a sunbeam -the sunlight bleaches any stain out of the light-coloured pads. Using my flow-based combo, overall I end up using 2-4 cloth "liners" (thin, shorter pads) in a month, so not much work/space to clean by hand.

[ysette9]

Ever since I got on the pill I have just skipped the sugar pills and not had a "period" (i.e. withdrawal bleeding). That has been such an enormous improvement in quality of life! The one big bummer about trying to get pregnant was going off the pill and getting a period again.

With Obamacare now my pills are free so that is about as Mustachian as you can get. :)

[Zikoris]

Ever since I got on the pill I have just skipped the sugar pills and not had a "period" (i.e. withdrawal bleeding). That has been such an enormous improvement in quality of life! The one big bummer about trying to get pregnant was going off the pill and getting a period again.

With Obamacare now my pills are free so that is about as Mustachian as you can get. :)

That's the way to go for sure! I was on the depo needle for five years while searching for a doctor to do my tubal, and that was a nice side effect :)

[golden1]

I have a Mirena IUD (hormonal), and I am one of very fortunate women that has no periods at all on it - so I spend $0 on menstrual products and have for 12 years.  Most women report lighter periods, so this would still save money. 

If I had periods, I would try the menstrual cup for sure.

[MicroRN]

I use a combo of Diva Cup plus cloth pads.  I bought the first pack of pads, then decided that was silly and made the rest from scrap flannel.  I still have one small pack of disposable pads that I bought last year at some point.  I just keep one or 2 in my purse and locker and work, just in case.  The cloth ones are so much more comfortable.  I usually handwash them in the shower and hang them to dry so they take very little energy.

[Lyssa]

Tampons. Never noticed any bleaching or other strange effect.

Question to the cup users: Do you only use it at home or also while at work or travelling? If the latter is the case, how do you find opportunity to clean it?

On a related note, this:

http://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/23081/One+mans+mission+to+improve+to+womens+lives
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/22/sanitary-towels-india-cheap-manufacture

is an awesome story. And it certainly makes you appreaciate the wide range of products in developed countries.

[scrubbyfish]

Question to the cup users: Do you only use it at home or also while at work or travelling? If the latter is the case, how do you find opportunity to clean it?

Everywhere. I spoke to my tricky/non-ideal experiences upthread but I still use it everywhere. Trickiest: outhouses at Scouts camps, a stall in a market in Mexico with no sink anywhere in sight, and countries with sink in a room separate from a toilet. If I have a sink in the same room as the toilet, I'm all set. Short of that, argh. But part of that is because of the level of flow I have: far more than average. Thus, I'm at risk of exiting a stall looking like I've just killed someone.

[zsmith]

Tampons. Never noticed any bleaching or other strange effect.

Question to the cup users: Do you only use it at home or also while at work or travelling? If the latter is the case, how do you find opportunity to clean it?



It's actually really easy! I can leave it in for 12 hours or so, and that means I most likely won't need to clean it while I'm out and about. If needed I can empty it and wipe it out with toilet paper and then give it a good clean once I'm at home or in my hotel room.

[superkookyburra]

Ever since I got on the pill I have just skipped the sugar pills and not had a "period" (i.e. withdrawal bleeding). That has been such an enormous improvement in quality of life! The one big bummer about trying to get pregnant was going off the pill and getting a period again.

With Obamacare now my pills are free so that is about as Mustachian as you can get. :)

Same here.  I actually started doing this for mood-stabilization, but the no-periods part is sweet!  And now with the ACA, it's free!

[Blonde Lawyer]

I'm another disposable SoftCup fan and I wear them longer than indicated as suggested above.  I'm also on the birth control that only gives you a period once every three months. 

[Annamal]

Question to the cup users: Do you only use it at home or also while at work or travelling? If the latter is the case, how do you find opportunity to clean it?

It's absolutely fantastic while traveling (I was on the camino and did not want to carry anything I didn't absolutely have to) . One trick I use to is cleaning it while I am showering.

At work I will often use the disabled toilet (only one person on our floor has mobility issues at the moment but I still aim to be as quick as possible, just in case) as it has a sink for quick washing and warm water.

[Cookie78]

Ever since I got on the pill I have just skipped the sugar pills and not had a "period" (i.e. withdrawal bleeding). That has been such an enormous improvement in quality of life! The one big bummer about trying to get pregnant was going off the pill and getting a period again.

With Obamacare now my pills are free so that is about as Mustachian as you can get. :)

Same here.  I actually started doing this for mood-stabilization, but the no-periods part is sweet!  And now with the ACA, it's free!

I don't do this regularly, but I did this month because Mexico road trip was that week. I'm pretty sure my mood swings got worse, and my breasts have been so tender since I skipped that week. :(

[greenmimama]

I have been using and reusing Cloth Pads since 2004, I like them. If I had a heavier flow I would try the cup, but not worth it for me.

I sew and I used to make and sell them, pretty easy and lots of free tutorials online for anyone interested in it, You kind of need to make a few diff. ones to see which ones you really like, but if you can get away with a washcloth, that is awesome and cheap!!

[CestMoi]

I have a Keeper cup and sometimes use tampons, but my favorites are the Instead Softcups. An Instead Softcup fits like a diapraghm (higher up than the Keeper) and can be worn during sex. It's more comfortable, easier to empty, and easier to insert than the Keeper cup. The only drawback is that they're disposable (you can use one cup per period), and somewhat pricey. I wish there was a permanently reusable version of the Insteads available. But even with this drawback, I consistently use the Insteads over the Keeper. For me, using them is almost like not having my period.