Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

-------------------------- Why use a menstrual cup? -------------------------- Imagine a tampon that: - That you can insert & leave in all day - Is (practically) infinitely absorbent - Has ZERO CHANCE of TSS (toxic shock syndrome) - Won't get mangled in your bag/backpack/wherever you keep your feminine products - You can insert ahead of time without worrying about wasting it. - Produces no waste (nothing to throw away/flush) - Is REUSABLE Now imagine... - Never going to the store b/c you're running out of pads/tampons - Never having to worry about "Is it getting near my time of month?" / When should I start carrying pads/tampons? - Never having to ask your friend/coworker/classmate under your breath if they have a pad/tampon you can use, then calculating how much time you've got before you can get home to change it. - Never having to waste luggage space packing a box of pads/tampons (you might not use anyway). - Never spending money on feminine hygiene products again. Sound good? If your period is irregular, it doesn't matter. If your flow is unusually heavy/light, it doesn't matter. if you leave it in/forget to take it out after more than 6 hrs, it doesn't matter. Also- camping & hiking. Need I say more? With proper use, this thing can solve ALL the problems that make periods well, a problem. ------------------------------------ Downsides? Yeah, there are a few. ------------------------------------ 1) You have to be comfortable inserting your finger(s) into your vagina. 2) Until you learn to use it properly (practice makes perfect), you WILL experience leakage. Keeping some pads with you during your first few periods with this thing are a good idea. Here are the difficult parts to learn: - Insertion: You must make sure the rim of the cup is "popped out" and not still folded the way it was when you were inserting it, otherwise the seal will be incomplete & it will leak. - Knowing the suction/seal is present: experience is the ONLY thing that will help you here - Removal: You have to find your own personal method of removal that works w/o spilling the fluid inside the cup. Gently (steadily) pulling on the stem & reaching one finger up to break the seal generally works for most people. 3) The feeling takes some getting used to. When you first insert it, you will notice that it's there. Ignoring it becomes 2nd nature eventually though. 4) (This one is purely personal preference) It can get messy when you dump it out if there's no sink nearby to wash it. Washing a menstrual cup (before reinsertion) is unnecessary, but some prefer to. In a pinch you can just wipe it clean w/some toilet paper. ------------------------------------------- Notes on this specific menstrual cup ------------------------------------------- - The holes on the Lunette are positioned higher up than other cups, enabling it to maximize the amt of fluid it can hold (cups only start leaking once the fluid reaches the lvl of the holes) - The stem is SOLID (not hollow, unlike other cups) making it very easy to clean - The inside is smooth, once again making it easy to clean - The Lunette Model 1 is supposedly more flexible than Model 2 (& Lunette cups in general are supposedly more flexible silicone- especially when compared to cups like the Diva Cup Model 1 Pre-Childbirth). This makes them more comfortable. - High quality silicone increases the comfort level. Most cups you have to cut/trim the stem b/c it irritates the labia skin, but this one isn't a problem. I've heard of people who have a whole collection of cups w/removed stems where the Lunette is the only one they never bothered to cut. - The Lunette is more expensive than a lot of the cups out there, but it's worth it. I've seen far more people switch TO the Lunette than switch away from it. ------------ Notes/Tips ------------ - CLEANING: Standard soap and water is sufficient to clean the cup. (Some menstrual cup instructions recommend sterilizing it between periods via boiling, but you REALLY don't have to.) - CLEANING: Make sure the HOLES are CLEAR. This is absolutely necessary for the cup to work properly. - CLEANING: Placing your (clean) hand on top, then squeezing will force water out through the holes, clearing them out w/o the use of a toothpick. - QUESTIONS: If you're having trouble using/understanding the menstrual cup, YouTube is your friend. - PRICE: $35 is a really good price for this cup. I got mine when it was $40 & would gladly pay it again for how useful this thing is. - SIZE: If the cup ever starts consistently failing you (after you've learned how to use it) consider the Lunette Menstrual Cup Purple Cynthia - Model 2. - MIGRATION: If upon insertion, you find that several hours later it has moved further north (up into the vaginal canal) don't worry about it- that's normal. As long as it's catching the fluid, it's doing what it's supposed to.