Fertility Nitty Gritty: 5 Reasons to use the Diva Cup

The Diva Cup

I know the name sounds funny, but it's a real product; I promise! I decided to make this post part of the Fertility Nitty Gritty series because it deals with, ehm, that lovely time of the month, so it's not directly related to fertility issues.

My good friend, Heather, and my sister-in-law, Missy, both swore to me that they A. loved their Diva Cups, and B. were sure it would change my life.

Turns out, they were right.

I've had a love-hate relationship with tampons and pads (don't we all!!) since I started my period at age 12. From my first period, I always suffered terrible cramps and heavy bleeding (that's the endometriosis), which made both period products less than ideal.

Pads were uncomfortable, leaked, and had to be changed often. Tampons were hard to get in (again, endo), leaked, and had to be changed often. My mom had suffered twice from Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), so she was always the first to tell me that I ought to be careful when using tampons. Some women are more prone, apparently, to suffer from toxic shock, and my mom is one of them.

When I was twenty-two, an acquaintance had told me about her hippy-granola sister who used a glass tampon (YIKES) that was reusable and great for traveling. I remember thinking that was CRAZY and I wasn't interested in any such thing. And if you are sitting there thinking what I thought--holymoseswhowearsaglasstampon?!?!?!--then I will say that menstrual cups have been around a long time, and a glass tampon really isn't the scary risk you're thinking it is at the moment. Since it's nestled safely in a space that's surrounded by some pretty strong muscles, it really can't break.

But I digress...

But then came the hearty endorsement of the Diva Cup, and I decided to give it a try. While using a menstrual cup takes a little practice and a little getting used to, here are some reasons it's definitely worthwhile:

1. It's non-toxic and has a low risk of causing TSS. 

The cup is made of medical grade silicone and is free of dyes and chemicals. The Diva Cup manufactures exclusively in dye-free silicone to keep harsh chemicals away from a woman's most sensitive parts--no latex or other allergens are present, and the percentage of women who are sensitive to silicone is very, very low.

While Diva Cup makers can't claim that you can't get TSS from using the Diva Cup, when you read the medical information on what TSS is and why it happens, it's not hard to see why using the Diva Cup would lower your risk. TSS is caused by Staph bacteria that grows into higher amounts than normal, usually when a tampon or menstrual sponge is in place. While they don't know exactly why TSS develops, it's thought that the absorbency of tampons is part of the issue--when menstrual blood hangs around in your vagina for a long time, coupled with super absorbent material that dries out your vaginal wall, you have perfect conditions for the growth and spread of staph bacteria (GROSS). 

The Diva Cup, however, isn't an absorbent material, and once it catches your menstrual fluid, it's no longer in contact with your vaginal wall, which significantly reduces the likelihood of developing TSS. 

2. It's reusable. 

Call my a hippy-granola, but I like the fact that the Diva Cup is sustainable. I can clean and use it again and again, rather than contributing to all the waste that our society already produces. And if you feel squicky about that, it's really not bad. You just pull it out, dump it in the toilet, rinse, and put it back in.

3. It helps you learn about your body and your cycle.

One of the best parts of my first experience with the Diva Cup was actually seeing how much menstrual fluid my body actually produces in a certain amount of time. I know that sounds strange, but since I am woman struggling with fertility issues and endometriosis, information about my body is critical for my healthy and possible pregnancy achievement.

I also found it fascinating that our periods really only produce a few ounces of fluid...which isn't all that much, particularly since it can feel like you are bleeding A LOT at times! 

4. Leak-free, long-term use.

LOVE THIS!!! I have always, always, always leaked. I've always had to wear a panty-liner with my tampon to protect against leaks, meaning that I had to double-up on period products.

LAME!

But the Diva Cup doesn't leak, and I can wear it all day (and all night). Because the edge of the cup sits right up against my cervix and the silicone molds to my vaginal walls, there's no leaking.

YES! 

5. No more odors.

Along with no more leaks, the Diva Cup also prevents odors, which is pretty awesome. Menstrual fluid starts to take on less-than-pleasant odors when it is exposed to air. The rim of the Diva Cup molds against the vaginal walls and keeps air out, so odor can't develop. When you take the Diva Cup out, you dump it, rinse it, and put it back in--no icky smells at all!


Those are my top five reasons to use a Diva cup, though I will say this: there are a lot of brands of menstrual cups. I use a Diva, my other girlfriend uses a Lena Cup, and there are several other brands to be had.

One final note on using a menstrual cup: it does take some practice to get the hang of how it goes in and where it's situated. And yes, in the midst of that practice, you might feel like you have your hands up your lady parts all day long. 

That being said, you'll get the hang of it :-)

So, what about you? Any luck with a menstrual cup before?