Dancing around the mooncup

[sqbr]

About a year ago I decided to investigate alternative menstrual products, partly out of eco-sensiblity but mainly because they sounded really useful.

Years and years ago I bought a felt pad (I think it was a Rad Pad, but if so they have drastically changed their designs) from a closing down sale at a hippy store, which I was pretty happy with until I left it to soak in a bucket and forgot about it, at which point it went mouldy and I threw it out. They said to just fold it around your underwear and let friction hold it up but I also used a safety pin. It was pretty bulky but cottony "wings" were a nice change from plastic. I should hunt down a replacement.

Now apart from the environmental angle, something which struck me recently is that there might be a way to avoid the annoying situation of being stuck at someone's house and unable to (a)Replace your pad or (b)get rid of it. So my next purchases had these issues in mind.

I then bought Eenee Eco Pads. These are just cotton pads with no sticky section which are held on by friction inside a small harness which clicks onto your underwear. These are terrible, at least for me: they keep falling out! Or at the very least getting all squished and misshapen. Still, it is useful just being able to flush them down the toilet.

Finally, the Mooncup: a latex cup which acts kind of like a tampon which you empty and rinse to re-use. I kept hearing good things, so I ordered one online. I am definitely quite happy with it. It took a little getting used to and emptying it is rather..visceral but it's So Convenient for when I'm out: If I have private access to a sink I can empty it and clean it without needing a bin or extra pads etc and even if all there is a is a toilet (as at work: I am not pouring this stuff down the sink where my workmates can see. Eww) I can just wipe it out. I've always found tampons uncomfortable and the Mooncup doesn't bother me the same way, and as an absent minded person it's happily not a risk for toxic shock EDIT: so apparently it is.

The one problem with the Mooncup is that it's kind of expensive given it doesn't work well for everyone. There's a cheaper version called a "Keeper" they had for sale at the Maylands Environment House (where I got the Eenee from) but I don't know how good it is.

EDIT: Lots of very useful information in the comments! Thanks you guys!

Comments

[seaya.livejournal.com]

A harness is like the bad old days. *shudder*

I find tampons to be non uncomfortable, well putting them in sucks, but once they are in, you shouldn't feel a thing. and they are thinner than that cup thing. I can't bring myself to do it, because it's thicker than a tampon. I only use tampons when I'm swimming, anyhow. Normally, I use plastic pads with loads of absorption. If someone wants to magically cure my nerve issue and other nether region problems, I'll do environmental stuff. But, since they cannot, I couldn't care less.

[alias_sqbr]

Oh yes, if they don't work for you don't use them. I still use plastic pads since I haven't felt like trying a different enviro one after how terrible the Eenee ones are. Life's too short and difficult to be virtuous about EVERYTHING.

I think my issue with tampons is they dry me out which makes my skin all irritated, not the size, so the mooncup is better for me. If you have sensitive nerves then it might indeed be uncomfortable, I don't know. Though you do squish them up to insert them, so it's not as bad as it looks :)

[auntpol.livejournal.com]

I find my mooncup way more comfortable than a tampon because it's less "scratchy" and also bends to the shape of my vagina much better than a tampon does. The silicon is really quite squishy!