Feminine Hygiene Moneysaving Alternatives

Marigold123

My suggestion would be one of the 'buy it now' listings on eBay. I had a quick look on Kelkoo just now, and that seemed cheapest. Don't forget to include postage in your total cost.

Choose size A for women aged 30 and above, whether you've had a baby or not, and for women under 30 who have given birth vaginally. Size B is for women under 30 who have not given birth vaginally.

I have been using my mooncup for what must be over five years now, as has a friend of mine and one of my sisters. We all think it's brilliant. I also gave mooncups to my two other sisters as birthday presents a few years ago, which went down a storm.

The mooncup is made of silicone, (also called silicone rubber, although it contains no natural rubber), so is ok for those who are sensitive to rubber and latex.

Anyone who wants to ask me anything about the mooncup is welcome to PM me. The mooncup site itself, mooncup.co.uk, is also very useful.

Good luck ladies!

Marigold

londoner1998

stinamoo wrote: »

keelykat - it's just silicone, no rubber natural or otherwise about it. Not sure why they have that confusing wording! I haven't had a baby and use it fine, and I think I'm reasonably 'tight' as well You may want to try out different folding and insertion methods once you get one though, the instructions tell you to fold it in half then half again whereas I like the 'punch-down' method which gives a smaller circumference for insertion - QUOTE]

Hello!

I can subscribe to this, the 'punch-down' method works perfectly for me... I have just finished using it for the very first time (I put it away now with a lot of love, I has won me!), right from the beginning , heaviest bit of my period right until the end, when the cup came out empty... absolutely marvellous... I am a tiny, tiny woman , 34 and no children, but I went for the smaller size because I have practised yoga for years now, quite advanced so my pelvic muscles are reasonably well trained...I can categorically say that it copes with the heaviest of the period, but you need to empty a bit more often, of course (but not as often as a tampon, by miles). The only tiny bit of leak I had was due to not having the cup fully open (second day). But other than that I am amazed at the comfort and how clean it is. You can literally forget you are wearing it!!!

Keelykat: don't be scared, give it a go- I haven't had any cramps or period pains, even during the first day, so may be it is that as the cup doesn't expand like a tampon, it doesn't irritate your delicate tissues... I have heard others saying the same. All in all, a much more natural and clean option. I have changed in public toilets and in the office (once as you don't need to change so often) and no probs, even thoug it is the first time. Also, the best is that right at the end, no dry, scrappy feeling at all...fantastic!:rotfl:
Be good to yourself, get a Mooncup!

Marigold123

Gosh yes, there are loads of varieties these days. I don't know about now, but the original 'keeper' was made of rubber, which is probably why some people are still a bit wary of the allergy side of things. I don't know if they have changed their manufacturing methods since then but they may well have.

I'd just like to comment on one of the earlier posts, that I don't think it's helpful to wash the mooncup in hot water when 'changing' it, during your period. Protein based substances, such as milk and blood, are easier to rinse away in cold water. Hot water tends to 'set' stains because heat de-natures the protein and makes it more likely to stick to whatever it is in contact with. Hence, you rinse babies' bottles and soak laundry stains in cold water, not hot.

It sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but I think in this situation hot water actually works out as less hygienic, not more. Obviously you are going to sterilise it in boiling water or whatever at the end of the month, but that won't be until after you've given it a scrub up in soapy water to remove any residue.

Otherwise, as they say in the literature, silicone is a very poor place for bacteria to breed, as it is non-porous and very smooth, so rinsing, (or even wiping out with toilet tissue), during your period is completely adequate. It also says that there have never been any reported incidences of toxic shock syndrome with the mooncup or any of its sisters. I'm pretty sure that is still the case, even with the increasing popularity of this kind of feminine protection.