Do I have your attention now?
I never thought I'd be telling the Internet about my period, but hey, here I am. Hi, Internet! I'm going to tell you about my period now. I wouldn't bother, because really boring, right? And gross. Think of this more as a public service announcement. In fact, it's not really about my period specifically, just something period-related. Here's the thing: you all need to know about the DivaCup. My best friend, Erk (alas, no blog to link to), got one and was all up in my grille about getting one. I finally caved, and holy fucking cow what took me so long? It's awesome. I'm using it for the first time today. I'd go on about it, but just read about it on the website. And trust me: it's not as icky as you might think. The insertion is nothing, and the removal is manageable. You need to be comfortable with your girl parts, but shouldn't we all feel comfortable with our girl parts?
Check it out. Trust me on this.
(FYI, I was a committed OB tampon user prior to switching to the Diva.)
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What about the tofu dogs? you ask. Well, let me tell you. I'll even make a transition from the DivaCup to Smart Dogs. Here goes: The DivaCup is something I thought might be gross, but wasn't. The Smart Dog is something I thought would be good, but was gross.
Ugh. I should have known better. The phrase tofu hot dog really doesn't inspire confidence, does it?
Here's what happened. I went grocery shopping at Stop'N'Shop, a local store that I hate, but to which I have a bunch of gift cards given to me by my generous coworkers. As I'm cruising the aisles, I happen by the meatless meat section, and the dogs catch my eye. The twins and I eat veggie at home (although we eat meat out, which I guess makes us flexitarians, which sounds pretentious and makes me feel a little lame, but whatever), and I thought, "Hey! Smart Dogs! Easy way to get (overprocessed) protein (and salt salt salt) into the twins!"
So tonight I included tofu dog rounds with their meal. I didn't taste them first, and whooooo boy, if I had, the twins never would have. I try not to let my own food biases get in the way of what the twins eat. I feed them papaya, for example, even though I think it tastes like vomit. But I won't feed them anything that's just not fit for human consumption, and these dogs fit the bill. GROSS. Awful taste, awful texture. Awful. Never again! Consider yourself warned.
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38 comments:
Ahhh, the Diva cup. Maybe I'll give it a go next month. Maybe.
I've been a happy user of the keeper (similar item, I'm sure) for almost 11 years now, including two years in a rural Peace Corps setting. Haven't bought a box of ob's in all that time. (I'm smug about it, yes.)
OK, I'm laughing because I used the store locator and the two locations closest to me that carry the DivaCup are Whole Foods and a sex shop. You gotta think there isn't a whole lot of stock overlap between those two businesses.
Seriously, as a longtime diaphragm user, I suspect I would find this easy to use. And I'd love to stop buying Kotex. Thanks for the tip!
But...dude. Why? Why would you want to collect it all in a little cup and dump it out? Aren't you worried about spilling it?
"Flexitarianism" is my new favorite word, and I've made up my mind to try the Diva- the fact that you were a former OB user helped tip the scales, for we are a sensible and enlightened bunch, if I do say so myself. The tremendous convenience (and camoflage) of being able to carry five OBs in an Altoids tin is outweighed by no other tampon, but could be outweighed by the convenience of carrying but one Diva... somewhere far more secret.
Snickollet, you are my hero. :)
ROFL at the Whole Foods and sex shop comment.
This might be my most embarrassing confession yet:
I like Smart Dogs. I like that they're rubbery.
I like them with the same strangeness as people who like SPAM and that gel crap on top.
I'm the only one I know who likes them...they must be stocking the shelves for me. And I'm a flexitarian too, though I've never heard that tag. Makes me feel all nice and categorized.
I've heard tons of great things about the Diva Cup. Since I'm going on 3 months straight of post partum bleeding, I just might consider getting 23 of them.
There was something similar to this diva cup out when I was in college. I don't think we were quite ready for it yet as I clearly remember all of us roomies throwing them around at one another rather than using them for the purpose intended. I could be ready now!
I might just have to give the Diva Cup a go. Today is day one of the period and as usual I am pissed off that #1 I was unprepared 'supplies' wise and #2 how frigging expensive those supplies are. (Would MEN pay that much? Would they cost that much if men menstruated? And come to think of it why is it called MENStruation?! ;)
I worried emptying and cleaning might be challenging in public but it sounds like it needs less attention than the typical methods. Very interesting information, thank you!
Amy in BC
I've been using the Diva cup for the past couple of years. Once I got past the "grossness" factor, it was so much more convenient and cheaper than OB tampons.
You know, I've heard good things about the DivaCup. I've also heard good things about NuvaRing (which really matters naught now that we're TTC, but I digress). Both have left me thinking, "Who in their right mind would go OUT OF THEIR WAY to go reverse-spelunking all up in there while Aunt Flo is in town?!" So, I guess maybe it's just not for me. But, as an interesting side note, DivaCup is also recommended to couples who are TTC to insert after intercourse to hold the sperm near the cervix. Hey, there's another time I don't care for spelunking!! Yeah... DivaCup and I aren't going to be friends. But I dig the fact that you have the girly freedom to blog about it!
OB and I have a nice thing going on. The Diva cup was just too much for me (or well, actually not enough?). I think the heavier the flow the worse it is. Yeah, it might be okay while inserted, but the removal is icky!
- A
woohoo for the diva cup! i started using mine a little over a year ago, and LOVE it. much, much better (and economical) than OB (i was a loyal user, too). welcome to the diva club; did your cup come with a lapel pin, and if so, are you sporting it?? ;)
Actually my twins love the "corn dogs" from Morningstar. That is the usual thing they pack in their lunch box. They also beg to take boca to school. The other moms think I am really off my rocker.
Ok I have one question. What do you do in public bathrooms? I'd like to think I'm not a squeamish person but I'm not sure how I would feel about someone coming out of a stall and washing that out in a sink. I might stare. With a mortified look on my face. I'm just saying.
Smart dogs are GROSS.
I *just* posted about the cup (mine is a mooncup, but basically the same thing) on my blog! I love it and can't believe it took me so long!
Hi Snickollet,
I've read your blog since March, but I don't think I've commented a lot. Thanks SO MUCH for writing about the Diva Cup. That looks amazing and I'm seriously thinking about getting one. I'm sorry to hear about Tofu Dogs. As a flexitarian, borderline vegetarian, I appreciate feedback on those types of foods. I thought I'd tell you that Soyrizo is amazing if you haven't tried that yet. It's meatless chorizo and goes great with rice and veggies. It has some zest to it, but not too much. I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks for the website! I've always hated contributing so much to landfills and wanted a viable alternative. They even have the Diva Cup at the Whole Foods up the street.
I love the idea that you only have to remove it, clean and reinsert every 12 hours. That makes a backpacking trip during a cycle seem like a viable option.
Halfmama--
We'll see about the public restroom thing. The package insert says that you can "wipe the DivaCup out with a damp paper towel" or somesuch, but you'd have to remember to bring the towel in the stall with you, etc.
To venture into TMI territory, the thing is that you can pee with it in, and you can go for WAY longer with the DivaCup in than you can between tampon changes. So chances are that you could avoid emptying it in a public restroom in most cases. I am glad that my workplace has one stall with a sink inside the stall. I'll be using that one during everyone's favorite time of month.
I started using the Diva about 4 months ago and love it! As far as the public restroom thing goes-I haven't had to change it in one yet. You can leave it in for 12 hours so if I'm going somewhere I just change it at home before we leave. BTW I have a pretty heavy cycle and leaving it in for 11-12 hours has not been a problem, no leaks at all.
Heh. heh. I've used a Diva cup for a couple of years. I was going to blog about it, but I never got around to it!
For me, there was a bit of a learning curve. Maybe I didn't know my girl parts as well as I should? Anyway, now I use it during the day but not at night. I know you totally can, but I just can't seem to shove it right back in after pulling it out from the days use. My vagina needs some alone time : ). But I've never had a problem with it during the day. It never leaks. I can avoid public restrooms because I only put it in in the morning and take it out before bed. It is great, great, great. But for me, I had to really, uh, practice the first few times I used it to get it right.
I love the Diva Cup - I've had mine for almost two years now, and after a couple of months of trial and error, I've never looked back. I switched after I discovered I'm allergic to the bleached materials in regular tampons and the adhesives on disposable pads. (I use Lunapads at night, or when the Diva Cup's just not cooperating.)
Re: public restroom - I've never had to empty the cup during the workday, either.
I love the Diva cup too! I was always scared of tampons and putting chemicals in my body. The few times I used tampons I loved them because I didn’t have to wear a pad, but I still did not like having chemicals inside of myself. The tampons made me cramp. The Diva cup doesn’t make me cramp and I feel so clean when I wear it. I also find it interesting to know how much I am bleeding. I have been using mine for almost a year.
Okay, while we are getting personal...I need to know, is there any chance in the Diva cup leaking? I mean my periods are so heavy (especially post-baby) that I leak through tampons. Is the Diva cup still for me?
No problem with getting to know my girly parts...I am a NuvaRing gal! Love it!
I learned so much from your blog today, I too am a flexatarian and never knew there was a name for it. I only eat meat when I'm at a guest house and don't want to cause a fuss.
I used an earlier version of the Diva Cup - and mine got stuck one time, oh my the horror has me close to tears just thinking about it. I also had a really hard time in public or anywhere really it was just too messy for my taste. But more power to people who do it.
hmmm, I'm going to give it a try. I'm an OB user as well. Although sometimes I am forced to use pads, because my periods are so heavy right now. I'm so over getting my period. I can't have any more kids so what's the point?
While we are on the subject of too much info, does anyone else have problems with her vagina ejecting tampons. Holding a plates or a tampax tampon in place for me is impossible and the OBs are the best by far, but still problematic. Sigh.
As someone who has had good and bad experiences with meatless products, I figured I'd pass along one of the good ones. Try Gimme Lean (it's a take-off on Jimmy Dean) soy sausage, which is sold at Stop & Shop. There's also a ground beef flavored one, but one of the reasons I don't eat beef is because I don't like the taste so that one's pointless for me.
As for the Diva Cup, well... thanks for the recommendation, but I'm not so sure it's for me. (Good for you for posting on the Internet about your period, though!)
okay, I have NEVER heard of the Diva Cup and I just don't know if we're going to be friends either but I didn't realize just how popular it was!!! wowza! I'm with half-mama...I don't know if I would be okay with *not* empyting it during my work shift but wouldn't be able to unless the ladies room was completely empty! I respect your opinions Snick but don't know if you've switched this consumer over...just yet. :)
Had to comment here... I actually use something called Instead http://www.softcup.com/
And let me just say it is a million times better then even the Diva cup in my opinion... The only thing that Diva wins on is the reusable aspect...
I always love to tell people about the Diva Cup. I wish I had found it 20 years sooner! I have (had, I had a hysterectomy in June) really, really awful, extremely heavy and painful periods. I finally got a Diva Cup last January, and it changed my life for the better. My daughter (she's 2) points to it, and says, "Mommy is that for your [insert baby word for lady parts]?" And I tell her "Yes, honey, and when you are a big, big girl Mommy will get one for you, too!"
The public restroom thing works out (you can use TP to wipe it down, in a pinch, it empties into the toilet, and the outside stays quite clean), and even with a really heavy period (I used to fill up a pad and super tampon in a little over an hour), you can go several hours before emptying the Diva. It also doesn't tip and spill when you remove it. I do martial arts, and the Diva Cup stayed in place during workouts (when neither tampons nor pads would!). The cup has little marks indicating how much blood has been collected. That was quite handy for telling my doctor how much I was bleeding.
I wanted to add that I tried Instead, and it didn't work for me, always tipped and leaked and was very messy. I was afraid that the Diva Cup was like Instead, but it's not. It's inserted up higher, and stays in place very well.
I've never commented before, although have been reading occasionally for a few months, but am compelled to comment on this.
I'm your total opposite. Love Smart Dogs (and TofuPups). But the Diva Cup? I tried it, and, umm, it got stuck. I could *not* get the damn thing out, and finally had to resort to asking DH to help me get the thing out. Boy did I have to pay for that one! But I should've known--I also have never been able to use a diaphragm, due to similar issues.
On another note, you don't know me at all, but I'm truly sorry for your loss. I'm an Oregon girl too, temporarily lived in Boston (well, Watertown), so feel like we do have a few thing in common...
Hey,
I'm a dedicated Keeper user and it's so awesome. There is a site (http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/453392.html) that has photos of all the different folds. I had mine for close to a year before I started having some trouble with leaking, and this site helped me out a ton. there is a also a Yahoo group that has a lot of good information. Thanks for spreading the word!
Wow! I just went to the OB site you mentioned, is it true that there's only one brand of tampon in the U.S. that doesn't have an applicator?!?
I have seen Tampax applicator tampons here in Australia but no other brands have them (and I have never used an applicator, personally). What a waste of resources and space! It would make tampons a lot less discreet to double their size.
I had not heard the word "flexitarian" before. I like it. I usually refer to myself as an "opportunivore", in that I eat what's put in front of me. If I'm cooking for myself it's either vegetarian, or a dish where meat is used as a condiment, but I have no dietary rules, as such.
Finally a better way! I love the DivaCup, period. Got my Diva Cup at www.southcoastshopping.com for $17.99! International, email them for a shipping quote.
I love my DivaCup!! Should have been using this years ago. The best price I found is at South Coast Shopping for only $17.99 and arrived in only 2 days! Model 1 and Model 2
You convinced me. I just ordered the Diva Cup!! One less thing not to be so wasteful!!
I'm intrigued with the Diva Cup. Currently I don't have a period due to the presence of Mirena in my life (IUD; TMI) but there may come a day when that changes.
Good to know!
Have you tried Quorn Dogs?
I think they're very good, and I am not usually a fan of meat substitutes!
Love your blog...
http://www.quorn.us//cmpage.aspx?section=OurRange
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