What is a Diva Cup?

Menstruation is a monthly annoyance that all women of childbearing age have to deal with, unless they're pregnant. They can choose to either use tampons or menstrual pads, which they then have to dispose of in some way. Not only is menstruation physically annoying, it also costs money and has you running out to the store at inconvenient times. Does this sound familiar? It doesn't have to. There is an alternative, and it's called the Diva Cup. What is a Diva Cup?

A Diva Cup is a reusable menstrual cup made out of silicone. It has a short stick at the end to take it out, and is manufactured in two sizes. You choose the size depending on your age, and whether you have given birth vaginally before or not. The Diva Cup sits in your vagina, where it collects menstrual blood. You can easily remove it and put it back in, and it can be reused almost indefinitely. Of course, it does require proper cleaning (you can boil it), but other than that, it is hassle free. It might sound a little disgusting at first it did to me but the Diva Cup is actually very easy to use and not messy at all.

After I got my cycle back following the birth of my second child (see menstrual cycles after weaning from breastfeeding), I started using the cup and learned to love it. Menstruation actually hurts less and has become much less of a hassle than before. Inserting the Diva Cup has a learning curve. You have to fold it in one of several special ways, and once it is inside, it will unfold. The number of times you have to empty the cup depends on the amount of your menstrual flow, which is something that varies from day to day during your period. Overall, using a Diva Cup has been simple, there have been hardly any leaks, and I like it a lot. You might also be interested in what to expect from your first pospartum period.