The Diva Cup - #Review and #Giveaway

This post WILL include information regarding menstrual cycles and other less often talked about subjects. If any of this makes you uncomfortable, please note that you were warned!

TMI ahead!

 

What is a "Diva Cup"? you may be asking yourself. Here are the specifications direct from http://www.divacup.com/ :   

"The DivaCup is a non-absorbent menstrual cup that simply collects menstrual flow. It is inserted in the vagina and sits at the lower base of the vaginal canal. It is worn internally, yet because it is soft and smooth, it cannot be felt nor will it leak when inserted properly.
The DivaCup is the most clean and convenient method of feminine hygiene protection. No need to touch the flow. It is worn low in the vagina, not near the cervix, so it is easy to remove. No mess!
The DivaCup ends hassles with unreliable disposables in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles. It is perfect for all activities – giving women true freedom without the worry, guessing and unreliability that disposable feminine hygiene products pose.
The DivaCup can be worn for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing and reinserting for use for another 12 hours. It can be used for light or moderate flows and is emptied more often to accommodate heavy flows.  Perfect for overnight use.
The DivaCup’s expert, proprietary, patent-pending features make it comfortable and assures ease of use and reliability. Perfect for traveling, running, biking, hiking, dancing, camping, swimming, diving, scuba, yoga, extreme sports and more..."


Now, that you have an idea of what a menstrual cup is and what it does, I'll tell you a little more about the Diva Cup. First, it is made of medical-grade silicone. You're probably wondering why you should care about that. Well, I know if I am putting something in my body, I want it to be safe! The Diva Cup is a solid piece of vulcanized silicone so there are no crevices for nasties to creep into. It does have ventilation holes at the very top to make removal easier, but those are easily cleaned (more on that later). Silicone is also safe for people who have latex allergies. The cup comes in 2 sizes to accommodate women who have never had children or are under 30 as well as postpartum and over 30 women.

Second, is it sanitary? Yes! The Diva Wash is extremely gentle and works well to clean the Diva Cup. There is no mess to deal with after your period is over since everything just gets flushed down the toilet. At the end of the cycle, you also boil (yes, actually boil) the Diva Cup to sanitize it and place it in its custom bag for safe keeping! And since that's all you need, there is lots of extra cabinet space that becomes available in your bathroom!

For me, personally, I have the Size 2 Diva Cup since I have a child. The first time I used a cup was a MESS! I couldn't quite get the fold right; I tried different positions to get it to go in correctly. I eventually got it in. I still wore a liner and had a little leakage. *Note: My first cup was NOT the Diva Cup and also was the wrong size for me.* Then, well, let's just say it got "stuck." I couldn't reach and my hands were so slick that I couldn't get a hold of it! I was flipping out! Now what do I do? Bearing down didn't work. Taking a break didn't work. Finally, Hubby had to come to the rescue...yes, my husband is officially the most awesome man in the world. After that incident I was nearly done trying with cups, but decided I'd try out the Diva Cup. I'm SO glad I did!

Off the bat, the Diva was much easier to insert. Of course, that may have been due to practicing with the other one. It took about 3 cycles to really get the hang of inserting the cup and knowing when to take it out to empty it. Back to the previous train of thought: When inserting, you simply fold it up and slide it in. Once inside, it sort of "pops" open and you push it a little further up to seat it and give a little twist. (On the rare occasion I don't get it seated correctly right away, a quick squat usually fixes it without having to take it out and reinsert.) That's it. You're done. For up to 12 hours. Let me repeat that. UP TO 12 HOURS. You can't do that with a tampon! My system is so sensitive to tampons that I have to change them every 4 hours or risk a yeast infection. That means I also have to wear pads to bed. You know the ones I'm talking about. They could double as a disposable diaper in a pinch! Very uncomfortable. With the Diva Cup, I simply need to make sure I empty it and clean it thoroughly before putting it in before bed. It even handles that morning "gush" that I'm sure you're all familiar with.

I have been using my Diva Cup for about 6 months now and I LOVE it! I plan to only use a cup from now on! My only problem was actually my own fault. I had irritation and itching from use after my period would end and I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized it was the antibacterial hand soap I was using. I learned the hard way why there is a statement not to wash your cup in antibacterial soap...and I had to replace my cup because of it. So, when I replaced it, I got the Diva Wash as well and have used it exclusively for my cup as well as to wash my hands before/after insertion. Yes, my system is that sensitive. However, I have had NO yeast infections or irritation due to the Diva Cup itself. NONE! I also don't even have to wear liners anymore because it doesn't leak. My favorite part is that I can sleep comfortably with it in as well as I can insert it just before my period starts so I never have to worry about ruining another pair of underwear again! This is probably the best investment I have made in a long time! Not only are my periods more comfortable, but they are noticeably less painful and a little shorter.

 If you'd like more information on the Diva Cup, feel free to check them out on Facebook and Twitter and check out http://www.divacup.com/ for Frequently Asked Questions. For a list of retailers, please head over to Where to Buy and click on one of the links! You can also visit their Store Finder to find a store near you that carries the DivaCup. Now, on to the fun part: DivaCup has generously offered to give away a DivaCup in winner's choice of size to one of my lucky readers! I am very excited to share this with you! All you need to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US and CANADA!

**I was not compensated in any way for this review. All thoughts are my own and true to my own experience with the DivaCup. Your mileage may vary. **

 a Rafflecopter giveaway