Diva Cup: My first impression

I've read so many helpful blog reviews, I figured why not write down my experiences with a new (to me) product. I would first like to say I was not compensated for this post by the creators of Diva Cup. They did not give me a free product either, probably because they don't know who the heck I am.

When I first heard of the Diva Cup, I was kind of grossed out. It's a silicone cup that looks somewhat like a condom and goes inside you and catches your blood. I'm not terribly squeamish about my own body stuff, but something about this was just too much for me. After learning more about it, I was intrigued, but still somewhat hesitant to shell out 40 bucks for something I may not know how nor want to use. I would read on mommy message boards that it was "so easy to use" and think, "Yea, but they also said the Moby wrap was easy and I still don't get it."  When I saw it on Baby Steals for half price, I decided to buy one. Recently, I tested it out. Honestly, the only reason I was brave enough to try it was because the only feminine care products I had were the boat size pads they give you at the hospital after delivery.

Let me just say I LOVE THIS THING! It was incredibly easy to use. There was no "learning curve" as far as insertion. The directions make it simple. Trust me, if I can do this, anyone can. It didn't hurt; it wasn't difficult, and once it was in I couldn't feel a thing. And to thoroughly test it out, I headed straight to the gym. After about 2 hours, I could start to feel the stem. I don't know why. When I was reading reviews, everyone said to cut off the stem. The "stem" is what you use to pull it out. No way was I going to cut that off before I was familiar with this contraption! I now see what they mean. The stem can be irritating. I'm still not ready to cut it off, but I did read that some people turn it inside out, so I took that route. It helps tremendously, and isn't harder to remove. I've used it for two days now, and I'm pretty sure I'm never going back. Aside from having to wash your hands reeealy good after inserting it and removing it, I have no complaints. At least not yet. I will say that for whatever reason, I'm not quite ready to wear it overnight. One word of caution- when you rinse it, do not turn the water on full force. Your sink and bathroom mirror will look like a crime scene. Ask me how I know. Below is my obligatory list of pros and cons. I hope this is helpful for someone.

Pros:

• cheaper- eventually it will be much cheaper than pads/tampons
• better for the environment
• healthier; I haven't researched because I prefer to remain blissfully ignorant, but I know tampons can't be good for you
• longer lasting; the website states in can last up to 12 hours

Cons:

• a little messier
• more expensive initially
• you can't just flush or toss it, so if you're out and it has to come out for whatever reason, you have to put it in your purse
• awkward to talk about with other women, or you know blog about for all the world one or two people to see, but you feel like you HAVE to tell everyone because it's so freaking awesome

So, there it is. I'd totally recommend it to anyone remotely interested. I'd love to hear from people who have one or are contemplating one.