I’m getting ready to travel this fall, and according to my FitBit app, I’ll be taking along some extra baggage.  Nobody likes traveling on their period, but it seems like whenever you have plans, that’s exactly when it shows up.

Personally, I’ve always preferred pads.  My heavy days are too heavy to be changing tampons that often, and I hate yanking out a dry one on light days.  Even so, the pads come with their own challenges.  There’s the slipping, the leaking, the waking up on my back in the middle of the night, and they can be smelly.  They’re bulky and take up space in your purse and in the trash.  Why would I choose that?!

I was at the store getting various necessities when I noticed that they actually had some Diva Cups in stock.  I’ve always been curious, but it sounded like a hassle.  The pros were tempting though: eco-friendly, budget-friendly, neat, convenient and compact.  I hadn’t really realized they came in different sizes so I followed the guide on the box.  I went with the 2, because I’m 37 and have heavier days.

First Impressions

It’s pretty much what I expected as far as size and texture.  Should be pretty easy to use and comes with its own breathable cloth bag.  Great!  I was nervous about having to boil it, because I imagined that whatever pot I used to boil it would forever be my period pot, but my boyfriend put my mind at ease there.  I also noticed that the cup has pinholes around the rim so that it can’t make a total seal.

A day before I was due to start, I decided to give it a trial run to be sure that I can get it in right and that it would be comfortable enough to wear during the day.  PLEASE, if you’re testing it out beforehand, use some lube.  You’re not going to get it to open properly otherwise and can end up sore and uncertain.

I wasn’t sure I was doing it right the first day that I wore it out.  My search queries included “diva cup not opening,” “diva cup too big” and “diva cup cause cramping.”  I thought I might have to buy a smaller size, because I’ve never had kids and it just felt like my cup was doomed to fold up no matter what.  Then I found a really helpful video.  After following this advice, it was much easier to get the cup in place.

Does it Work?

Like a charm!  The only mishap I’ve had so far was accidentally pulling the cup straight out in front of me while I was on the toilet and having the contents fall on the floor.  I guess I thought it would all have fallen out in the toilet before it got that far.  Oops!  Other than that, it’s been super clean, easy to refresh, easy to use and really “forgettable” during the day.  Don’t worry, you won’t forget it’s in when you go to the bathroom, but the rest of the time, it feels like nothing and you don’t have to change it out as often as tampons.  The box says 12 hours, so you can get a good night’s sleep without worrying it’s going to make a mess or that you’ll have to get right up in the morning to change.  That’s another thing I really appreciate about the cup: period panties are a thing of the past!  I’ve had absolutely no leaking!  Even when I sprawl out in every direction at night, it’s been a perfect little guardian.  I freaking love this thing!

Do it or don’t do it; it’s your body.  This is just my personal experience in case you were on the fence.