In my original post about the DivaCup I briefly mentioned Lunapads as an alternative reusable menstrual product, but I hadn't yet tried them for myself. Since I was using the cup I saw no reason for purchasing a Lunapad. While learning how to use the DivaCup I was still wearing a disposable liner "just in case." I thought that once I became confident in my DivaCup skills that I would be able to stop using the liner and just go with the cup. I underestimated my paranoia! The cup has never leaked, but I just can't help wanting some extra protection on the off chance that it does leak. So after reading numerous positive testimonials about Lunapads I decided to try one out for myself. I purchased a mini pantyliner to wear as a back-up with the cup.
Before I continue I just have to say that I never imagined that one day I would be comfortable enough with myself to post a picture of my menstrual products online, but I really do love these so much that I want to share this information with every woman! And I do believe that women should not be embarrassed to talk about a natural bodily function in the first place.
So I've been using this mini pantyliner as a back-up and I love it! It's so soft and comfortable and it doesn't feel at all like wearing a disposable pad. It feels pretty much like a part of my underwear and I haven't had any problems with the pad staying in place as long as I'm wearing snug cotton underwear. It really does make the difference! Even the thinest disposable liner is made of scratchy uncomfortable plastic that is comparable to wearing a diaper (even though we may not consciously remember our diaper wearing days, this has to be close!) I love the Lunapad and I love that it has put my mind at ease and allowed me to wear the DivaCup with even more confidence while freeing me from disposable products AND saving me money!
With the proper care a Lunapad can last up to (and many times beyond) 5 years. The Lunapad isn't hard to wash. I recommend putting it inside of a mesh bag before tossing it into the washing machine. Also, the care instructions that come with the pad advise against using fabric softener when washing the pad and I discovered that the reason for this is because fabric softener affects the absorbency properties of cloth. (Who knew!) So I just toss it in with my bath towels.
I only bought one Lunapad as a trial run, but I'm already planning on buying a few more mini pantyliners and also buying a travel bag to store them in. The Lunapads website sells a bunch of different "kits" depending on what kind of flow you have (heavy, medium, light and even post-pregnancy). For anyone considering going the same route that I went, using the DivaCup with a mini pantyliner as a back-up, I would highly recommend this kit. I wish I had discovered this kit before I bought them separately!
Now, going back to the DivaCup and the new details that I would like to share about how it made my monthly visit from Aunt Flo, not just tolerable, but completely bearable and literally no big deal! After using the DivaCup for 3 cycles I am able to look back and compare them to disposables and I must say that I wish I never had to use disposables in the first place. Furthermore, if I ever have a daughter of my own I will definitely start her out with a fully stocked supply of Lunapads. I feel like washing and caring for the Lunapads also teaches a certain amount of appreciation for our things. In a world filled with one time use and disposable products we sometimes forget how to care for things because everything is expendable and replaceable. I also feel like disposable feminine products keep us at a certain distance from our bodies and our flow. It's like we're telling ourselves, "This is gross. Don't touch it. Crumple is up and throw it away and then hide any evidence in the trash can!" Using the DivaCup and the Lunapad has definitely put me more in tune with my own body and my flow. It's no longer a hassle and I barely even notice Aunt Flo's arrival and departure.
I was 11 years old when I took my first ride on the crimson wave and along with being nervous and not totally sure about what changes my body was going through I had to wear an uncomfortable, bulky, scratchy disposable pad. I just accepted this as my fate for the rest of my child bearing years, because I wasn't aware of any alternatives besides tampons and I wasn't ready to go there yet. It wasn't until high school that I felt comfortable trying tampons. I was beginning to really hate missing out on swimming at the beach at least 3 weeks out of the 3 months of summer. So I started using tampons and it wasn't half as bad as I expected. However, I hated that dry pulling feeling when removing a tampon on the last days of my cycle. Ugh! But again, I accepted what I thought was my fate. It wasn't until recently that I learned tampons not only absorb menstrual fluids, but natural vaginal fluids as well. Thus, the dry feeling. And tampons can even leave bleached cotton fibers behind. Yuck!
Enter the DivaCup. Besides the reasons that I mentioned in my previous blog I love the cup because I no longer have to put dry bleached cotton scratchy sticks into my vagina! The cup is smooth, soft, flexible and very comfortable. I can put it in before my cycle actually starts so that I won't be caught off guard. Learning about the DivaCup and how to use it has also taught me new things about my own body. I feel like as women we are still shamed by society for a lot of things and menstruation is one of those things. We're supposed to act like it doesn't happen and hide it when it does happen (and definitely not blog about it). The DivaCup has helped me "get over" this. Women menstruate. Once a month. In order to be able to procreate! There isn't anything gross about that.
A while back I watched a Tyra Banks Show about periods. In this show she was taking questions from the audience, had doctors to explain the medical side of menstruation and basically debunked any myths and mysticism surrounding the period. I recall her saying that her mother had told her as a young girl that there are three ways that you can tell when a girl is on her period: the scent, the dent and the accident! That always stuck with me, because in all seriousness those are the three things that I worry about most. The DivaCup takes care of all of these things. The menstrual fluid does have a scent, but only if it is allowed to oxidize aka hang out on a pad for a while before being disposed of. The cup takes care of this issue by keeping the menstrual fluid inside of your body therefore never giving it a chance to oxidize and create "the scent." The telltale dent caused by a bulky pad was one of my worst fears. I was always paranoid that people could see it! I don't have to worry about that anymore either. Last, but not least, the accident. Nothing is worse than having to tie your jacket around your waist in grammar school and call your mom to pick you up early. Accidents are the last thing on my mind with my Lunapad and DivaCup!
Now, I feel like I could go on and on and on about how much I love these products, but I will bring this to a conclusion. My hope is that this information will reach women who are looking for a better way to approach their cycles. It doesn't have to be a hassle or an embarrassment or a huge expenditure on disposables! As I've read through numerous reviews online about reusable pads and cups there are usually mixed reactions in the comments. Some commenters whole-heartedly agree that these products rock. Other commenters get stuck on the "ew, gross" line of thought even going so far as to say that menstruation is not a topic to be openly discussed. As for me, I love my Lunapad and my DivaCup and my vagina is thankful for that! :)
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