The first month using this is a bit tricky as inserting it and taking it out can be a bit difficult. The second month was great I just needed to get used to it. No leaks. You don't have to worry about it all day long. You can use the toilet without worrying about a string or a pad. And it's good for the environment. I love it. I'm trying to get all my friends to switch.

It took me several days of use to figure out the right placement for the DivaCup. It's a bit tricky to get in place sometimes... sort of have to do a little jig afterwards to get it just right! After the first couple tricky uses, I love this product! I use the DivaCup with a liner and have no problems at all. A quick rinse off when I need to empty it, pop it back in and I am good to go! Saves a LOAD of money on pads or tampons that's for sure!

I am a woman with heavy and painful periods. I am also very active and like many not a fan of pads or tampons. Pads give you that horrible diaper feel, and tampons leave you well dry, uncomfortable, and I end up worrying if I will leak through and have a very embarrassing moment. Diva Cup has solved all of these problems for me. FYI: I've never had children and have cup 1.

What I love about the Diva Cup:
* It can handle even the heaviest periods
* I don't have to worry about leaking - okay, I'll admit at first I did because the Diva Cup, I found, has a bit of a learning curve. At first I couldn't seem to get it in right and would have some leaking through, but honestly when you figure it out it's absolutely flawless!
* It's super comfortable to the point I forget it's in - okay, not at first when you first insert it, you definitely notice it, but within 20 minutes you forget if it's in right.
* You don't have to worry how long it's in - I find I can go all day with it in if I choose which is really nice and convenient.
* It saves me money - I though it was a little pricey at first ($40 CAD), but when you calculate all the money you save on pads and tampons, it's well worth it and saves you a lot!
* It's eco-friendly - I'll admit I'm not a big eco-friendly kind of person, but for many others that is a major perk of the product thus I'll acknowledge it.
* It's very easy to clean - just wash and reload ;)

What I don't like about Diva Cup:
* Washing it in a public place - serious I think people look at me like I'm crazy when I go to wash it in the bathroom... to minimize it though I dump the blood, try to clean what blood I can off with toilet paper then go out and wash it when it's not a bloody mess.

The idea of this is really great, especially that it's enviromentally-friendly and definitely saves money!
I, personally, though didn't find it a great experience...

1. It's very very messy! Taking it out can result in it splashing, spilling, or getting on your hands/everywhere!
2. The stem. I cut mine to almost nothing, but I can still feel it stabbing the inside of me.
3. It's too big. I wish it would come in a smaller size because it ends up making you feeling very stretched out once you take it out.
4. A lot of the time it doesn't fully open when inserted, but at a random time throughout the day (after leaking) it can pop open which is really painful!

I don't know if it's just the shape/angle of my body that it doesn't work as well with, but I know people that the Diva cup has worked for great! And I do love the idea of it, I really wish I could use it more often! I definitely think it's worth a try! (Sorry for the mixed opinions, but it's exactly how i feel!)

Diva Cup is an environmentally responsible way to live for any woman. Seriously, just think about it, bleached tampons and left-over excess fibers – how is that any good for you body? Simple answer – it isn’t. On the contrary, it is harmful. I am usually not a big advocate for any product in particular unless I really feel there is a major benefit in it over any other, and I feel that the Diva Cup is the only worthy competitor on the market to tampon-pad duo.

Why you ask? It’s simple.

First of all let me clear the air by saying that yes it might be a little weird to clean out the cup in the public restroom. However, any woman should be familiar enough with her body to feel completely comfortable to touch herself inside and out! This is your body do not be ashamed of it ever, especially on your period – it is a beautiful thing, which seems, yes, like a nuisance every month, but essentially it gives you a chance to create miracles with like having a child. The ability to give life. So embrace it and teach your man to embrace it too. Tell him about your body and this Diva Cup number will allow you to get close and familiar with your body so that you can celebrate it and get all the in and outs, which I think will help you enhance your sexual life as well in the long run. I know I already learned so much about my body through this simple tool!

So how does it work?

Just like any tampon does with some caveats. Okay, first of all it comes with very comprehensible instructions that basically tell you to fold the cup in two and stick it gently down the vaginal passage. You need to be fully relaxed when you do it – take a bath before you practice. I practiced with it prior to my period so that by the time my “monthly gift” arrived I would be well-equipped. If you have used o.b. tampons before this will be a walk in the park, because you already pretty much did the same thing, minus the folding. It usually takes a little bit of time to get used to emptying it in the public washroom, but I usually carry a water bottle and hand sanitizer with me and it poses no problem what so ever. I had one leak throughout my time with the Diva Cup and that was because I popped it in at 9 PM at night and went to bed out of exhaustion and sickness and woke up at 11AM next morning. If you hold it in about 6 – 8 hours you should be perfectly fine! After you are through with your period you can just boil it for 20 minutes or use the Diva Cup wash to sanitize it and put it away until the next month! Nothing can be simpler.

I think this is such exciting alternative that you can have for about 40 bucks. If you are lucky, you can find it on sale for around $ 34.99 and it will last you anywhere from 2 to 10 years. It is also very beneficial to avoid having to deal with Toxic shock syndrome (TSS); a rare, but at times lethal syndrome associated with tampons.

So stop risking your life and the environment and just use one already. I think you won’t regret it!

It took me a looong time to give this a try. I read review after review to help convince me to give this a try. I read numerous websites and read articles and after hearing nothing but good I had to give it a try. I looked in stores all over my city and nowhere sells it so I had to order it off of the well.ca website.

This took me a little while to get used to. I noticed a little bit of leakage so I started to get a little discouraged at first but after a couple more tries at inserting the cup I found a position that worked best for me. It was so comfortable that I forgot I even had my period. I liked being able to go through my work day and not have to take multiple washroom breaks and carry my purse to the toilet. I felt relaxed going to bed and not having to wake up in the middle of the night to change the pad or tampon. I was able to stretch out in comfortable positions and not worry about leakage.

I no longer dread my period. The cute little case is discreet and doesn't make my bf feel gross if it happens to be in the washroom (he hates seeing boxes of tampons or pads). This is pretty much the best thing I have ever spent money on. And it's going to same me money in the long run! No more overpriced tampons and pads! No more waste for the environment! Yayyy!

I know it sounds gross, but it really isn't. It's a bit of a pain the first month when you get used to putting it in (tip: Don't worry about being able to "turn" it, just stick your finger in and make sure it's popped open), but after that it's golden. 12 hours without changing your tampon? Good for the planet? Good for your body? Just make sure you boil it after each month - it helps keep it from staining as much (my only real disappointment with the product), and also keeps it as clean as possible to prevent any irritation. Also, skip the expensive diva wash, and wash it with something like spectro gel instead.

This product is a Game Changer, girls. I can't believe I allowed my squeamishness to delay trying it out!

Ok, it's true: it's a little tricky to use and it can be difficult for those times when you're in a public bathroom. You need to be comfortable with your body, because just like the first time you tried to use a tampon you know that nervousness makes you clench up inside and makes it really hard to insert properly.

There is a learning curve. The first 2 cycles or so I wore a panty liner because if it's not "just right" there will be a little leakage (but then, I always had to wear a liner with tampons as I never did find one that was completely fool proof). You do need to give it some time before you decide if it's for you or not. You may need to experiment with different ways to insert (instructions are in the package) and depending on how you're shaped "down there", you may have to angle it up, down, or to the side a little. Same as when you're using a tampon.

TMI alert...

I have a really heavy cycle, so I have to empty once in morning and once in the evening. Sometimes I empty it right before leaving the house, just to make sure I won't have to change it in a public bathroom. Either way, you should be good for at least 6-8 hours.

You may find it pops out some when you're going #2. Just wiggle it back in and you're set. No need to take it out all the way and reinsert unless it comes out really far (in which case, you probably didn't put it in deep enough in the first place). If you're in a public setting (public bathroom, friend's house), I suggest you carry a travel pack of Wet Ones wipes or whatever to make sure your hands are clean (a) while adjusting the Cup, and (b) for coming out of the stall (!)

Follow the package instructions for insertion to the letter. One in particular - you must rotate the cup before it's all the way in or it won't pop open properly. I learned that the hard way! Also, resist the urge to push it in as deep as you'd wear a tampon. It makes removal really difficult.

Sex on the Cup? Not gonna happen. But I'm not generally in the mood during my Time Of The Month anyway.

Re: sterilization - I think this is an insurance liability dodger for Diva Cup. I know several women who use the Cup and only occasionally sterilize it. Using a fragrance-free clean rinsing soap (like Ivory) or the Diva Wash you can buy will get your Cup quite clean. I'm sure there are many out there who would insist on sterilizing every time, so please don't just take my word for it. Not sterilizing every time will also prolong the life of your Cup substantially (but don't NOT sterilize just to save the money on a new Cup). This is like sterilizing a baby bottle nipple or pacifier - the more you boil it, the shorter the lifespan. Also, if you have hard water you may want to use distilled (can buy it at the store) so there won't be mineral build up on your Cup.

The bottom line? NOW I have a happy period! I still keep pads and tampons in the house for those times when I don't want to wear it (ie. if I'm concerned about changing in public), but otherwise I think I'm converted for life. You can find it cheaper online or sometimes women's health clinics have them stocked. Organic grocery stores is also a good place to look.

Try it! I love it!

I read a review of the Diva Cup on here a while back, and while initially I thought it sounded like a medieval torture device and was SO scared, but my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to go to their website and check it out. The website was FANTASTIC. It answers every question you could have and it was SO informative. You can read it here:

www.divacup.com

(BEST) Pros (because there are SO many):

* less waste – WAY better for the environment
* smaller risk of toxic shock syndrome
* you can SLEEP in it!!! NO LEAKS!!!
* you only have to change it twice in a 24 hour period

Cons:

* takes a little while to get used to
* sounds REALLY gross

So intrigued, I told a friend about the Diva Cup and she thought it was the most revolting thing she had ever heard. But (sorry for the intimate details, but this topic kinda callsl for it) my periods had been really uncomfortable lately. I use tampons, and have been getting really itchy “down there” during my period and found out that it is likely because tampons are cotton and designed to ABSORB. And when they say absorb they mean EVERYTHING. This means, not only your menstrual fluid, but also the secretions your body naturally makes to clean you out down there. This is bad bad bad. You need these fluids, and in my case, my body had begun to protest my using tampons (using scented products can also cause this kind of reaction, so I would like to note that I was using unscented and was still uncomfortable). I decided to stop being squeamish and just give it a try. I wasn’t going to review it (out of embarrassment over my friends reaction) but SCREW IT … I LOVE THIS THING and I would love for you ladies to benefit from my experience, so here is my review:

It costs about 40 bucks, which may seem like a lot, but a box of 36 tampons is like 12 bucks or something. Add the occasional pad and/or pantyliners, multiply it by 12 months, and the Diva Cup ends up saving you a bundle!

You have to use a wash called the Diva Wash with the cup. The wash is purchased separately, but you don’t need to buy it. You could also use a mild non scented soap. The wash is designed to be gentle to preserve the silicone. You need to wash your hands with this wash before you insert/take out the cup. You also need to wash the cup every time you empty it and put it back in.

My FAVOURITE part is that you only have to change it twice in a 24 hour period. (Of course this could change depending on the person but for it was once every 12 hours!!!) This means, once when you wake up, once when you get home (or go to bed) and you’re good to go. No more remembering how long it has been since you put in your last tampon. OH MY GOD I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. Also, this means you can sleep in it! Another HUGE plus!

It IS a bit uncomfortable at first, but once you get used to it, it’s just as comfortable as tampons. Also, it is a little tricky to put it in/get it out at first, but you get used to it. The package comes with very detailed instructions, and if you follow them, you will be just fine. I got it in properly my first try without too much difficulty. I found that taking it out was a bit trickier, because your instinct is to want to take it out quickly, but you have to be a little careful because you don’t want it spilling everywhere (This sounds gross I know, but honestly, this is your own body we’re talking about here. You should be 100% comfortable with it!)

Two minor things I was slightly unhappy about:

1) You have to replace the diva cup once a year. I thought I was making a lifetime investment, but perhaps that was a little naïve of me.

2) After every period, you have to boil it to sterilize it for 20 minutes. I don’t know about you, but the thought of putting that into a pot that I cook in seems too disgusting for words. I simply bought a new small pot, and will only use it for that one purpose.

Overall I think this is a great idea (granted a little unorthodox) but once you try it, I can pretty much guarantee you will be happy. If you are interested I would highly recommend visiting the website and reading it. That coupled with the amazing reviews on chickadvisor pretty much made it to brainer for me.

This product is very compicated to first time users and may be uncomfortable as well.It can't be sanitary..can you imagine...you are in a public bathroom,you have to clean the cup...how on earth do you clean in a public bathroom and you can't very well clean it in the sink....very very unsanitary and not effective for what it is.