DIVA Cup - Medical Grade Silicone Cup for Period Care - Reusable Menstrual Cup - Up to 12 Hours of Continuous Wear - Model 1 (For Medium to Heavy Flow)

I did a ton of research before deciding on the diva cup. I had never previously used a menstrual cup.I decided on the model 2 since I'm 35 although I've never given birth. My first time using it was pretty easy and I'm going to list some really helpful tips as I go.Before you use it, wash it with hot soapy water. The hot water kind of makes the material a bit softer and comfortable to insert. I kind of squat and fold the cup like a taco by making a U shape by pushing the sides toghether, then gently push it in towards your tailbone rather than straight up. It should be far enough up that the base isn't sticking out or visible. You shouldn't be able to feel it. The first few times I put It in I could feel it and I was worried I got the wrong size, but it just wasn't in right (it took a few tries until I couldn't feel it). After it's inserted I kind on wiggle the base around so that it pops open and creates a seal. You can also push it up a bit if it's too low by inserting a finger and pushing it a bit at the top. So for my first period using it I thought it seemed like a lot of work and stressful to put in and take out (looking back now It's the complete opposite). I got lazy and used tampons half the time.When you go to take it out, bear down (I like to do this in the shower or on the toilet) and push with your muscles down there until the base is sticking out, then pinch the base hard to break the seal. Pinch and wiggle it while gently pulling it out. Pour the contents into the toilet and wash with hot soapy water and repeat.While researching, I had come across horror stories about it getting stuck, but I've never had that issue. Just squat and push down if that ever happens. I also heard people say they couldn't move their bowels with it in, or that it was painful, but I don't have that issue. I can go to the bathroom just fine with it in.I'm so glad I stuck with it and didn't give up because after using it for a few periods it got easier every time and is second nature now. It takes seconds to put in and take out and now there's no mess, waste or leaks to worry about. I have an extremely heavy flow and have never had a leak whereas before I was bleeding through a super size tampon in less than an hour. The diva cup is comfortable to sleep in and work out it. Sometimes it slips down a bit when I'm working out, but I just go in the bathroom and push it back up or even kind of pull it back in by doing kegel exercises (weird but it works). The diva cup is a harder cup which is good because that is what causes it to pop open inside of you and prevents leaks, but if you prefer a softer cup this may be too hard for you. If you are unsure or have never used one, its a good one to start with. My tips are to run hot water over it (Don't dry it off) before insertion to help it slip in easier (you can use lube too) and so the cold material won't be uncomfortable. Squat down in the shower to remove it and wash it each time you shower. Bear down in a squatting or sitting position to remove. To insert, stand up, arc your back like you are getting ready to do a squat and put one foot up on a ledge, insert and aim it up and back towards your tailbone rather than straight up. And finally, DON'T GIVE UP! It gets so much easier each and every time you do it. By period #3 you will be a pro. It can be intimidating at first, but it's so satisfying once you master it. It's so worth it.

My appreciation for this product can pretty much be summed up by saying: Why in the world did I not try this sooner??? My thoughts (including all the intimate details) follow.I'm one of those people who has never been a fan of the whole "dry wad of f------ cotton" tampon experience, so I made the switch straight from pads to this product. It took me a few days, but I think I'm used to it.I'm 30 and have never been pregnant. I went with Size 1 and it works fine, but does seem a little wide. I'm not sure whether I have a bit of endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, or just a cramped pelvis (or maybe a little of all of the above), but I can feel my organs (especially ovaries) get squished depending on the fullness of my bladder, colon, vagina, etc. Having this thing inside me, particularly on day 1-2 of my period when I was more crampy certainly felt a bit uncomfortable. Either I'd improved my placement somewhat by day 2-3 or the easing of cramps made it not as noticeable.I took the advice of another reviewer and did my insertion/removal in the shower. I use the double-fold technique shown in the directions where you pinch it and fold it in half, and then tuck one end of the top sorta into the fold so that the part you have to stick into your vagina is as narrow as possible. (It ends up looking like it does when someone rolls their tongue with both edges up but then folded over again.) I highly recommend the shower approach at least until you get used to it, and the wetness of the shower helps make it more slippery for easier inserting. I also would not try to change this in a public restroom unless you just really have to or have mastered the technique. It requires a little bit of digging around (and either squatting or spread-eagle). I finally went for the spread-eagle tonight on the toilet, and it worked a little better than I expected. I guess by my fourth removal, I've figured out what to do. I still think the shower is easier.Beyond very minimal slightly-pink tinged watery substance that isn't even enough to drip onto a pantiliner but I do see when I wipe (probably a hold-over from inserting in the shower), I have had absolutely zero leakage. None. I have stopped wearing a regular ultra thin pad and now just wear a pantiliner "just in case". Wow. Imagine going from an overnight pad, and still having the possibility of leaks, to wearing just a pantiliner and having no leaks. IT IS AMAZING!!!Because I only own one of these right now and the manufacturer recommends removing and cleaning 2-3 times per day and not wearing more than 10-12 hours at a time, my process has been: Wake up around 6:30am and remove in shower where I also wash it with a gentle soap (I use Alba's Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser but will probably get a bottle of Cetaphil just for this purpose), remove around 5:30pm, wear a pad for a few hours to let my body rest, boil it (manufacturer recommends 5-10 minutes), shower and insert before bed.Based on the diagram included in the instructions, I assume the stalk is supposed to sit sort of in or just above (internal) to the entrance of your vagina. This is how I've been wearing it.The instructions say specifically not to use castille soap or soaps with peppermint oil as they may make the silicone get cloudy or discolor. In general, you should not get oil on silicone because it can deteriorate.Pros:This thing is worth it for the vast improvement in the overnight experience alone, but it's great in general not to have to worry as much about anything related to periods, to feel so much cleaner, and to not have to deal with the dry cotton of tampons. Seriously. The menstrual cup is HANDS-DOWN the BEST PERIOD-RELATED INVENTION EVER. And you should try it. Also, it will pay for itself within a few months, and you won't be contributing as much to landfills, etc.Cons:The biggest con for me is the way it intensifies the crowded feeling in my pelvis. I'm wondering if I may need something slightly smaller in diameter, but it otherwise works OK, so I don't know. I also hate trying to grasp the tip of the cup with my fingers. I almost always manage to squish some flesh either between my fingers or between the stalk and my fingers. Beware of your fingernails when removing this. The first day or so of removal, the widest point of the cup also didn't feel that great coming out, but I've gotten a little better at bending the cup as I remove it (and I think also my vagina has adjusted to the width). Finally, the stalk part does sorta tend to poke my fleshy bits right at the entrance to my vagina due to how it sits. I've started inserting it just a little bit farther up and this lessened somewhat, but it still can occur. It is not nearly as pokey as you'd think because the silicone of the tip is somewhat flexible. It's mainly a problem if your labia or the entrance to your vagina gets caught between the stalk and something harder (e.g. a really hard chair maybe), but I have not actually been injured by any of this. It's just slight discomfort. And I think as I've gotten better at positioning that this isn't as much of an issue. As far as the stalk-related cons are concerned, it is possible to trim the stalk down to no less than 1/4-inch length. I have not tried that yet, and I'm not sure if I will. I'd rather not end up with a sharp edge if I can deal with the soft pokey edge, but I may if it keeps bothering me.