GladRags Moon Cup, Size A

Sooooo, yeah. I'm going to tell you what I think of something that I put in my vagina, and not even for fun. Here is my experience with it after one cycle of using it and the expectation of another cycle to start any day now.I actually ordered this at the suggestion of a friend who's used a menstrual cup for 15 years. (She uses the original rubber Keeper cup, but since I tend to have weird sensitivities to things and didn't want an itch that I literally couldn't scratch, I went for the Moon Cup because it's silicone. Silicone is good.) She also told me that, after two kids, her Keeper cup didn't fit right anymore. Despite my belief that the difference between a pre-vaginal-birth vagina and a post-vaginal-birth vagina probably isn't that much, her anecdotal evidence convinced me that perhaps it does matter. Because I've had two kids vaginally, I went for the Size A for my apparently now-wide-set vagina.I received my Moon Cup and felt like I should go sign up for a basket-weaving class, but instead I decided to give it a "dry run." It actually seemed to work just fine, and I thought I had hit the insertion jackpot (that's what she said). I must be so in tune with my vagina, right? Except the next day I decided to give it another go just to see if the prior day's success was a fluke, and I struggled with it for a few minutes. I didn't feel like causing my vagina pain, so I figured I'd just wait until I needed the cup and try it then.Now to get really TMI, I do have spotting in the few days leading up to my period, and unfortunately after my second child, my cycle is slightly irregular. I mean, it's not totally crazy, but my cycles can vary between 24 and 29 days, which is super annoying because spotting doesn't mean a 3-day countdown or anything. Sometimes I have spotting for as many as 5 days or as few as 1 or 2 leading up to the start of things. This is where the Moon Cup comes in really handy because I can actually use it during my spotting days and not have to use annoying, sticky pantyliners that have an unnatural affinity for my butt. I can't use light tampons during those days because dry pulling feels like nails on a chalkboard and will give me anxiety about TSS for a few days afterwards. So, point for the Moon Cup. I didn't do that last cycle because I was still a little nervous about it, but once I start spotting in the next few days, I will do so this cycle.To get TMI again, when my period starts, it's heavy. It's not fill-a-super-plus-tampon-in-an-hour heavy, but I definitely required super tampons and maybe a super plus for half of one day, depending on the cycle. Therein lies one problem, that I never know exactly what type of tampon I need and am afraid of overshooting it for reasons previously mentioned. The second problem lies in the fact that tampons always seem to leak for me. I always have to wear backup, and it almost always gets something. Because of my aforementioned hatred of pantyliners, I tend to use regular absorbency thin pads. So even though I'm already using a tampon, I have to use a pad to be comfortable and feel secure. That plain sucks. I'm not giving my money to Big Tampon anymore. Two points for the Moon Cup in saving money and in having no problem attending to my varying menstrual flow.To get TMI one last time, after my period is done being all heavy and gross, it gets very light very quickly. My review is basically the same as the spotting leading up to my period, in that my flow is too light for a light tampon, and I hate pantyliners. That's good given that I half expect to get my period on Thanksgiving, so instead of going to the bathroom way too often to check, I can just have my cup in and not think about it all day. So another point for the Moon Cup.Oh, and as far as insertion, I totally screwed it up the first day on my period. I had to take one of my kids to the doctor, so I was literally sort of shifty in the car there and sitting around in the doctor's office. Thankfully I got to go home afterwards and fix things. The issue was that I had not put it far enough in there. (I guess my now-wide-set vagina is longer than I thought?) The stem was sticking out, and the bottom of the cup was, too. I hadn't realized this right away because I had inserted it, then immediately stood up, which (sorry to be gross) sucked it into my body, so to speak. It wasn't until I got in the car (the first time I'd sat down since waking up) that I realized something wasn't quite right. For all those who are worried about this, it wasn't painful, and it still caught everything. Even though I had backup on, I still had no leaks! What I had to do was take it out and reinsert it, making sure I gave it a little push from the bottom of the cup using my first two fingers and my thumb. (It doesn't hurt, I promise.) I also trimmed the stem by half after I removed it.From there on out I had no problems whatsoever with the cup being uncomfortable or leaking, even overnight. I wore pads for an entire cycle for no reason at all, other than peace of mind. I do not intend to wear backup this time around, even at night, and I am not one to live dangerously. It's just a waste of money.I'm fortunate in that I'm self-employed, and our office bathrooms are like home half-baths. As such, I have privacy and a sink in close proximity. I did a lot of reading about how long one can leave a Moon Cup in for, and basically having to use a bathroom stall for this shouldn't be a regular thing for me. Most ladies shouldn't need to take it out during the day for most of the days of their periods. I learned not to bear down so much when I pee (I'm usually bearing down to pee in a hurry because I'm busy), but when doing #2 I did take the cup out. If I had been in a bathroom stall, I think I'd have just used lots of toilet paper to handle things. In a private bath, I just put the cup on a big wad of toilet paper (after dumping its contents in the toilet) and let it sit there while I do my thing.Now if you have trouble inserting the cup when you're not on your period, rest assured that it is actually a little easier when your period starts. It's more lubricated (sorry), but that also means that retrieval is a little more difficult due to the slippery factor. Bearing down a little while you remove it helps, as does one square of toilet paper for help with gripping it.Ummmm, ok, so I think I've covered everything. I'm not a super eco-minded person, but this just makes sense, both financially and health-wise. As for comparing cups, I actually found a young English lady (Precious Stars Pads) on YouTube who has done a ton of videos about all the different cups as well as her experience with them (including weird things like what happened to her cup one time while she was doing yoga). She recommended the Moon Cup and explained why, which, between my friend's recommendation of the Keeper cup and the information provided in the video, sold me on it. My friend told me she was on vacation and got her period unexpectedly (I think it was the first time after the birth of her second child) and had no choice but to buy a Diva cup. She dealt with it but did not like it compared to her Keeper, for whatever it's worth. Personally I think everyone's preferences are a little different, but the Moon Cup seemed to cover more of the things that I thought I would need out of a menstrual cup, if that makes sense.TL;DR I scoffed at the idea of menstrual cups for years, and once I tried the Moon Cup, I was a convert.UPDATE: So the day after I wrote this review, I got my period earlier than I expected. I was a little crampy when I woke up but wasn't sure if it was that or if I was having GI issues - but seriously, I should have known and brought my Moon Cup with me to work. So my choices are: (1) drive all the way home (not a short drive) to get it; (2) go to the drug store down the street and buy a second one (not cheap); or (3) suck it up and use a tampon. I'm super sad. I went all of my last cycle without using a tampon or anything more than a thin pad, and now I am using a tampon until I can decide what to do. I suppose it's better than being crampy on Thanksgiving, which I had half expected, but it is indicative of how much I really like my Moon Cup that I'm actually pretty bummed about using a tampon.

I care deeply about taking care of our environment, saving money, and making healthy choices. This certainly fulfills all of these things. However, it took me over a year after finding out about this amazing product to finally take the leap because it honestly just seemed really gross and way more hands on than I want to be down there. After weaning baby number 2, I had to face the reality of tampons yet again, and started thinking, it can't be messier than this swinging pendulum of bloody gauze which usually ends up wacking me in the leg before I can catch it and carefully hide it away in the trash wrapped in layers and layers of toilet paper. Not to mention, I have yet to find a tampon that doesn't leak. So, I bit the bullet and gave it a chance. This is where I go into a moment of blissful remembrance of the wonder of my first period with the Moon Cup... Okay, I'm back.These are the things I was afraid of: 1) It would be terribly hard to put in; 2) It would be terribly gross and messy to take out; 3) It would leak. When I tried it the first time, it went in the first time, no issue, just the way the instructions said. When it came time to change it, I actually had less mess than I do when changing my tampon. It didn't spill everywhere like some people have mentioned. This may depend on whether or not you cut your stem. I kept mine and it is really nice for pulling it back out. I can see how it could be messier if you have to reach up to grab the actual cup as you are pushing the liquid inside out by squeezing the cup. My last fear was also pleasantly surprised. The first month I used it, I had absolutely no leaking. A couple periods later, I experienced leaking (though minor). I realized that the problem was that I was trying to shove it up too high and when I corrected it, again, no leaking.Pros/Things to Know:- You will forget you are wearing it. It took me a little time (less than a day) to get used to the stem that hangs down. It wasn't uncomfortable. It was basically the same as getting used to wearing a tampon for the first time, only much...much more comfortable. Okay, that's an understatement. This is sooooooo much more comfortable than a tampon! I frequently forget I am wearing it.- You only have to change it every 8 hours unless you are a heavy bleeder. The first time I tried it, I checked it every three hours because I am one of those heavy bleeders. For me, it is necessary on my heaviest day, but other than that one day, I change it every 8 hours. This practically means that you could put it in before going to work and never even think about your period until you get home that evening. Amazing, right???- Cramping is much less. I have absolutely no idea why this would be or if it's true for everyone, but it is true for me. I have next to no cramping. Combine that with how comfortable it is and how infrequently you have to change it and I rarely feel like I am even on my period.- No nasty build up of stinky used tampons/pads in your trash can.- It doesn't stink. Probably because it doesn't leak.- Which leads me to...it doesn't leak!- It catches your period so high up that you aren't really touching anything bloody to reach in and grab the stem. That part stays blood free - at least for me, which also means your hands stay basically blood free.- Easy to clean. After you dump your woman stuff into the toilet, a quick rinse with soap and warm water and you are good to go. Seriously no big deal. Takes as much time as pulling a tampon out of its plastic wrapper. *If you aren't in a bathroom with a toilet and sink together, you can give it a quick wipe with toilet paper and make sure to rinse it next time.- Very pliable to make insertion easy and comfortable, but holds its shape well when you need it to.- You can sleep in all of your crazy positions without worrying about leaking because this thing can sit in your vag all night and keep you leak free. Seriously. It's like you aren't even on your period.- It is really inconspicuous. I went on a trip with some friends. We all shared one hotel room for 4 days and rode in the same car. I didn't have feel embarrassed and forced to hide my contraband in the one bathroom that we were all sharing (men and women alike) because I didn't have any trash to deal with. I didn't have to change it frequently, so no awkward, "I NEED A BATHROOM, NOW!" While I still prefer the comfort of my own home for periods, this was much easier than tampons.- You are saving a ton of money using this as well as helping the environment. I spent between $6-10/month on pads and tampons (both because the tampons leaked for me). Being conservative, this thing paid for itself in less than 4 months. Even if you don't know for sure if you are going to like it, it is worth trying for that!- It's good for 10 years (give or take). That means I will be saving at the very least $336 over the next 10 years by using this product that I actually like better than all of the other options.Cons (if I can even find any):- It really is best to wash it after each use, so if you can't use a one person bathroom, it can become less than ideal, though not a turn off for me still.- You do have to wash it, which does require a little hands on, but not any more than I experienced with a tampon. I mean, you are washing your hands anyway, and it's not like this stuff stinks like it does when tampons or pads are involved!- After having two kids, I am not unaccustomed to putting things in or taking things out of that place, so...I don't know if this would be great for a girl just starting out. Completely untested by me in that area. I suppose that doesn't make this a "con". It's more of an "I'm not sure if this is suitable for teen girls".- Because you are not forcibly absorbing the blood but letting it come at its own pace, it sometimes takes an extra day to get it all. I thought I was done and stopped putting it in because I didn't get anything for a day. Then I bled in my undies a tiny bit the next day. Now I just know to leave it in a little longer than I think. Because it's so unobtrusive, I really don't find this to be an inconvenience. You could also just wear a panty liner at the end.- The little holes around the top sometimes get dirty and are a little more tricky to clean out. Still...not that big of a deal.- Okay, I'm really fishing now, but the bag it comes it will probably not be your favorite material. They come in a variety of patterns, none of which I have seen (mine or others) that are cute. But does it really matter? If it bothers you, find someone crafty to make you a new one! You don't even have to tell them what it is for...though, you should. This product is amazing and they NEED to know about it! (They really should be paying me. I am such a vocal supporter of them now!)Bottom line: Give it a try. It will change your life. And if it doesn't, you tried it with very little risk and the potential for a great deal of benefit!

Got this as I wasn't allow to use conventional methods due to Fertility treatment, its a bit fiddley at first and messy, but keep trying and maybe Ill get the hang of it.