Monday, May 30, 2011

Monday's Mamas Musts: Menstrual Cups

I know what you are thinking - why is she going to talk about this, I don't want to talk about my period.  But this week is my first cycle since Little Man was born!  It is an odd feeling waiting for the return of your cycle after you give birth especially if you are waiting a long time.  For me it has been two years since I had a regular cycle.  Personally I did not feel like a woman without it.  It was nice for a while not to have it and not to have to worry about when it was coming or having to deal with all the symptoms and extra things I needed for it.  When I didn't have it though I would worry that I'd be caught some where in public without my necessary accouterments.

Disposable pads gave me problems with yeast and I always hated before when choosing a tampon that I either chose something with too much absorbency or too little.  Plus disposing of your tampons or pads had its own list of issues for me.  I hated the smell in my bathroom and when I was a teenager and didn't know better - I cost my parents a tidy chunk of change fixing our septic by flushing them.  I've been cloth diapering with Little Man so I thought maybe I should look into reusable options for myself.
I found that the women I went to for my other parenting and natural solutions had a wealth of information on the topic.

Hobo Mama: Instead vs. Diva Cup for Your Menstrual Cup Needs
The Green Girls: The Diva Cup
The Crunch Chicken: Two Years of Diva Cup

Menstrual cups can save you money, time and the environment!  You have a greater investment up front but you save money over time by not having to buy them month after month.  I will cover the cost of my cup after three and half months and be able to keep using my cup long after that!  Sounds a lot like cloth diapers, huh?  There are many options out there and apparently most women become collectors of cups - another thing they have in common with cloth diapers.

I chose The Diva Cup, which is latex, BPA and dye free and had excellent reviews.  It comes in two sizes: Size 1 for under 35 pre-pregnancy and Size 2 post pregnancy or older then 35.  The cup is sized so it can fit snugly inside.  It works with suction to stay in place and prevent leaks.  Fluid is collected inside the cup and you empty it in the toilet, rinse it and replace it.  You sanitize it before the first time you use it and then again at the end of your cycle.  It gets stored in the breathable bag that it comes in and it is always there for you when you need it.  Oh and neat little fact: Diva Cup was created by a mother-daughter team - Francine and Carinne!

So why is it a Monday's Mamas Must?  Because you only need one and it is very easy to travel with.  Having to remember only one of these handy little things is one less thing you need to think about as a mama.  Depending on your flow, it can be emptied once every 12 hours - time saver!  The contents are flushed down the toilet and it is reinserted - nothing for a toddler to "find" in your garbage!  It can be worn while swimming or exercising.  Reusable menstrual cups are very convenient for busy mamas.

Resources for further information :
Diva Cup
MenstrualCups.org


Are you a Monday's Mama?  Do you have a story to share or a product/service to make a mama's life easier?  Let me know and your article or product could be featured in the next Monday's Mamas.  

Monday's Mamas will be a chance for the working mother who identifies as natural or attached to share her story with the online community.  It can be a personal story or it can be an informational post about just how does an AP mama manage all those tasks we have to do while still caring for our children in the way we have chosen?  This is open any mama who maintains a dual lifestyle: working out of the home, returning to school or the work at home mamas (WAHMs).

To submit an article for consideration, please use the Google Docs web form or email your article to Shannon (artsymama.riley {at} gmail.com) no later then 11:59pm EST on Friday.

2 comments:

  1. I just did a post like this but I'm still having trouble with my cup. (It rides up) so I'm preferring the cloth pads as of right now :)

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  2. I definitely agree these are a must have! I too just came off a two year break from periods but I chose "The Keeper," made by the same company that makes Glad Rags, over the Diva, mostly because of shipping costs. In any case, I'm happy with the purchase and can hardly imagine how I ever lived without the thing.

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