My First Experience With a Menstrual Cup

I recently wrote about my decision to switch from tampons and pads to a menstrual cup, and I'd like to follow that up with some points from my first experience with my Diva Cup:

• Instructions: It's a good idea not to lose your menstrual cup instructions before reading them. I had opened the package to check out the cup and somehow lost the instructions by the time I was ready to use it. I decided to wing it, assuming that I'd already learned enough in my online reading about it.
• Support: It's also a good to have friends to turn to if you have questions, especially if you happen to lose your instructions. Online groups are great, but I happen to have some family members who use the same cup I have, so I was able to call someone if I had any questions, of which I had a few.
• I had NO LEAKING the entire time I used the cup. I had been cautioned to use pads the first few days or so just in case, but I didn't need them. I was very impressed, especially because even tampons leak when they get full.
• Frequency: I only checked my cup every 12 hours, morning and night, except once in the middle of the day when I noticed a little pink tinge when I wiped after using the toilet. I checked the cup at that time and found it was half full, so I dumped it, rinsed it, and put it back in.
• Insertion was easy for me. I used the C-fold recommended in the instructions (but I had actually read about this online prior to ordering my cup), and that fold worked really well for me. I tried the 7-fold and punch-down fold but couldn't get the cup to unfold properly after inserted, so I went back to the C-fold.
• Removal was tricky. I had been cautioned to make sure I broke the seal before removing, so I thought I'd have to get my finger against the rim and break it there. After asking my sister about this, she told me all I had to do was squeeze the cup and twist slightly, and that worked MUCH better. It doesn't really leak during removal, but most of the time I removed it while sitting on the toilet. Once I took it out in the shower, and simply squatted. It helps to bear down when I want to take it out, which leads to my next point.
• Sphincter muscles are amazing! Whenever I laughed, sneezed, coughed, passed gas, used the toilet, or got in certain positions, etc. I could feel the cup slide out ever so slightly, and sometimes more so. The same thing happens with tampons, only because the cup was sealed inside I didn't have to worry about it falling out like a tampon might. The cup always slid back into place afterward. After the first two days I got used to it and didn't notice the movement anymore.
• Comfort: The first time I had the cup in I could feel the stem rubbing against my private parts, and it was uncomfortable. I suspected I didn't have it in deep enough, so I readjusted it. At first I thought I might have to trim the stem for a more comfortable fit, but as I got better at inserting the cup it wasn't a problem anymore. By the time my period was ending I didn't even feel the cup.
• Cleaning: I boiled the cup before the first use, and each time I removed and emptied it I rinsed it in the bathroom sink before putting it back in. I always checked it in my bathroom at home, which was easy because I only checked it twice a day. I always washed my hands well before removing it.
• Leaves no trace! This is my favorite part. There was nothing to throw in the trash can. I always dumped the menses directly into the toilet before rinsing the cup. I also noticed there was no annoying smell. Disposable tampons and pads always have a paper/chemical smell that's distinctive. The only smell was the menses itself, which surprisingly was not offensive to me. There was nothing in the bathroom to indicate I was on my period, and nothing sitting in the trash can making the bathroom stink. My husband didn't even know I was menstruating until I told him, and he's usually the first one to notice.

Overall I'm very happy with my menstrual cup. The first few days were all about figuring it out, but once I got a feel for it I realized it's very simple and easy. I can now see why so many women recommend them, and I plan to use mine for as long as it will last. Goodbye to disposable menstrual products!