Let me start with a little bit of a warning – this post is written for my female friends. Men, and I know of a few who read my blog, this post is for your wives. Not for you. Forward it on to them if you are concerned about their health or you are interested in saving money. And to be honest, I don’t know if I really want you to know some of the details that I will be sharing below. In fact, the Hottie Hubby said to me, “Do you really have to go there?”
Yes . . . ladies we are going to talk about an area where the sun doesn’t typically shine. It is a place that God made, but only your husband and midwife sees. . . your vagina.
Yikes. I said the V word!
I am in the beginning of my 30 Days of Being Thankful series. So, I thought I would feature my “little friend.”
I am thankful for the Diva Cup. There--I said it.
This is a personal, but necessary blog post. It is one of the last “organic tricks” that have up my sleeve err . . . vag. . . . not going there. By using the DivaCup I am saving money and saving the earth. Plus, I just like it better than using bleached paper products or plastic around a rather delicate but useful area.
What is the Diva Cup?
The DivaCup is a non-absorbent menstrual cup that simply collects menstrual flow. It is inserted in the vagina and sits at the lower base of the vaginal canal. It is worn internally, yet because it is soft and smooth, it cannot be felt nor will it leak when inserted properly.
The DivaCup is the most clean and convenient method of feminine hygiene protection. No need to touch the flow. It is worn low in the vagina, not near the cervix, so it is easy to remove. No mess!
The DivaCup ends hassles with unreliable disposables in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles. It is perfect for all activities – giving women true freedom without the worry, guessing and unreliability that disposable feminine hygiene products pose.
The DivaCup can be worn for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing and reinserting for use for another 12 hours. It can be used for light or moderate flows and is emptied more often to accommodate heavy flows. Perfect for overnight use.
If this is your first time hearing about the DivaCup, you might be turned off. I know that the first time some gals at church told me about it—I seriously thought they were lunatics.
But I kept hearing them talk about their DivaCup. They wouldn't STOP trying to convert me. You would have thought they were paid money to talk about the DivaCup or that their DivaCup gave them chocolate every month.
And so . . . I told the husband that the DivaCup was going to be a cheaper alternative to tampons. I ordered my DivaCup. But then . . . I got pregnant with Mr. Smiley before I had the chance to use it. So it sat for over a year.
13 months after Mr. Smiley was born, Mother Nature returned to my body and the DivaCup came out of the closet and into our bathroom. I can’t say that I was excited to meet my Diva. I don’t particularly enjoy menstruating (and I certainly don’t enjoy that word.) But I am thankful that I do menstruate, because by having PCOS it isn’t uncommon to have a condition called amenorrhea. And when you don't have a period it makes it rather difficult to have children (which was an altogether different problem I used to have.)
I was determined to avoid using disposable products for my feminine needs. I figured that if I was so adamant about cloth diapering, then why not do that for myself (not cloth diapers, but cloth pads and the DivaCup.) The DivaCup website has some great tips on becoming familiar with your new DivaCup.
But here is why I like it now:
- You feel cleaner and don’t have that menstrual smell.
- Your butt looks normal. No flat butt syndrome from a starchy plastic pad when you wear a DivaCup!
- Relatively few leaks. On the heaviest day of my period, I wear a Luna pad, in addition to my DivaCup.
- I feel more in control of what is happening in and to my body. Using the DivaCup makes you more aware of how your body works and what your body feels like. God was so creative when He made our “parts.”
- You never run out of pads or tampons.
- It is easy to pack. For those of you who have random periods, the DivaCup can easily hide in your luggage for an unplanned period.
- You don’t feel like you are on a leash.
- Not that I hide anything from my husband, but with the DivaCup it is possible for him to not know that I am having my period. I don’t know . . . that makes me feel prettier or cleaner I suppose.
- The DivaCup provides interesting dialogue with your children. (Not that I would know about that.)
- Cost! It is only $34.99. So I did some research and a box of O.B. Multi-Pack tampons costs $7.79 per box. This would last you maybe a month, possibly two. But for argument sake, let's say you buy a box every month. The total for a years supply of JUST tampons would be $93.48. This doesn’t even include sanitary napkins, which hardly seem sanitary. Just briefly shopping online, pads appear to be the same price, which brings the grand total to $186.96. Even if you replaced your DivaCup yearly, which is recommended, you would still save approximately $151.97.
- I sleep better at night. I don’t have to worry about leaking on the bed. The DivaCup captures everything for me while I sleep.
- Cramping feels lighter. (This is not a claim from DivaCup, but from me.)
- It “seems” like my periods are shorter, but I think that is because the whole monthly experience is more enjoyable, if you can call it that. (Once again, this is my statement, not DivaCup’s.)
So ladies, if you cloth diaper your children, yet you still use disposable feminine products I am sending you a serious challenge today. I want you to consider being kinder to your body by not using products that dry out your sensitive area or placing products containing harmful chemicals up near this wonderfully designed area of your body. The DivaCup is made from top quality silicone and is phthalate-free, latex-free, plastic-free, and BPA-free. The DivaCup can save you and your family some serious money.
Would you like to win one?
Rules
Please, please, please . . . do not put more than one entry per comment. I will be using www.random.org to pick the winner. So if you would like for your comments to count, leave individual comments.
All options are worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.
Mandatory:
Visit Diva Cup and leave me a comment telling me two important facts about the Diva Cup from the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
Bonus:
- List 5 other facts you learned from the DivaCup website.
- Become a fan on Goggle Connect of my blog, or remind me that you already are a fan!
- Become a fan of DivaCup on Twitter or Facebook from their website. (1 point each)
- Leave a comment and list 10 things that you are thankful for or blog about it using my 30 Days of Thankfulness button.
- Place my Granola Mom 4 God badge on your blog –only if you will leave it there!
- Blog about this giveaway, making sure to include both the www.divacup.com and www.granolamom4god.com address in your blog post. (5 points . . . so leave 5 comments.)
Remember, only #1 is mandatory. The rest of the entries are optional, but you MUST comment separately for each one.
Contest Ends: November 21, 2009 @ Midnight
The Fine Print: I will email you when you have won. I must have your email address to alert you to your prize. You can include that in your comment or email me separately at thegranolamom4god@gmail.com. You must respond within 24 hours.
Some More Fine Print: If you have ever gotten Toxic Shock Syndrome, this giveaway is not for you.
NOTE: The DivaCup company DID NOT provide me with a DivaCup to test. I purchased my own DivaCup a year or so ago, and only recently began using it. I like it so much, that I wanted to include it as A Way To Afford Organic, located on my sidebar. I contacted the DivaCup and asked them if they would offer a free DivaCup if I wrote a free review of the DivaCup. I am not being paid. I spent FREE time writing this LONG post!
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