Dutchess Menstrual Cup - Reusable, Soft, Medical-Grade Silicone Period Cups - Easy to Clean Tampon and Pad Alternative, Pink & Purple, Small, Pack of 2

I never write reviews, but I figured there are probably a few people out there on the fence like I was and maybe my experience will give them the courage to make one of the best decisions they could make. A coworker of mine had been talking up menstrual cups to me for a couple weeks. I had heard of them and had done a little research but was not sold on them. She convinced me and told me I would never want to use tampons again. The price was right on Amazon so I decided to give it one cycle to prove itself. I placed my order, my package arrived, and I awaited the day my period would start. The day came and it was time to give my new purchase a try. I had read the instructions and done the prep work prior to my start day so I quickly reviewed how to insert. I folded the cup in half and slide it in just like I have done every month for years with my tampons. It was in. I felt around the bottom to ensure it had opened up and it hadn't. Following the instructions I turned the cup a little and it opened up. I was good for the next 12 hours. And for the next 12 hours I had no worries at all. I didn't have to worry about leaking, or changing anything. It was amazing. It felt like every other day of the month life with no inconvenience of a period. I completely forgot I was on my period. Twelve blissful hours and I entered the bathroom to remove this wonderful period catcher from heaven. I decided that given the available options of removal, sitting or straddling the toilet-- I say these two only as I was worried about any potential messes-- I chose sitting at first. I sat down and reached where I had a million times before. This time it was different, I reached in and located the small, difficult to grip with any length of finger nails, stem and gave it a pull. It slipped from my fingers and the cup didn't budge. Panic hit. I reached in again and again the same result. All I could think of was the embarrassing trip to the hospital and how a doctor was going to have to remove this from me and I had no idea what or how much was inside. Was it full? Was it going to leak? How would I know this was my first time. I decided that I needed to try a different approach so I straddled the toilet and tried again. Again fingers slipped and the cup did not budge. I gave myself a pep talk and decided that I was going to grab it as tightly as I could and pull as hard as I could. Success! It came out and I didn't even have to give it as much effort as I had been working myself up to. My problem was that I was used to soggy tampons that took little to no effort to pull out. This was by no means soggy but it most definitely was doing its job for 12 hours. With a great deal of hesitation I inserted the second cup hoping that in the morning I would have better luck and an easier time with removal and went to bed. The next morning went much smoother and by the end of my first cycle I was a pro at insertion and removal. I have not touched a tampon since and I have no plans to ever use one again. I would recommend menstrual cups to every woman on the planet that still has a use or is going to have a use for some form of menstrual sanitation. This is hands down one of the best purchases I have ever made and even though I had a rough patch at the beginning, I kept at it. It takes a little getting used to but the freedom is amazing. My period doesn't even bother me anymore. It's just like every other day.

Alright, I've been waiting to buy a menstrual cup for probably half a year, since I wanted to use up my remaining tampons. I, however, didn't realize that I have half a million tampons in storage. Well, 6 months later, here we are! I'm 19 for reference and haven't given birth so I bought the smaller size. I received it in the mail and anxiously waited for my period to arrive. I chose this one simply for price and that the came with a cute little bag. Anyways, so I did a practice run the day before my period normally starts. I know you aren't supposed to do that with tampons because of TSS, so I figured it was okay with this. It was only for an hour anyways. It took me a bit to get it in and positioned right the first time, that's for sure. I couldn't for the life of me get it to open up! It took a lot of reaching for me to realize that it was in fact open and sealed, but still in the shape of a taco... perhaps I just have a narrow hoo-ha. I left it in there for an hour and came back to check. As I suspected it would, the cup had receded inside me and I had a 10 minute panic attack when I couldn't get it out. (Honestly, this is gross, but taking a poop really helped push it down half an inch and I grabbed it with no problem). Phew, glad that was over. Fast forward to the next day when my period came and I got the cup in with no problem (still not convinced it was fully open so I wore a sanitary napkin just in case) and waited for either a leakage, or nothing. The whole day passed and there wasn't even a teeny tiny leak. I was impressed since I ALWAYS leak with a tampon, no matter the size. Again, taking it out proved to be a bit of a challenge size the suction was strong and I had to pull pretty hard. I may or may not have dumped the entire contents into my hand and then preceded to laugh and gag simultaneously, but that's for another day. Now, my period is almost over and I have perfected the art of creating the seal and emptying it out with (minimal) mess. I still refuse to take it out in public since I definitely would like to have a sink next to me to toss it in, and not have to worry about pulling my pants up with bloodied hands. Gross? Probably. But I had a lot of issues with tampons. Mainly, they leaked and it really annoyed me. I also hated grabbing the string when I peed. And I found that when I coughed a lot or sneezed, the tampon would shift downward and sometimes be extremely painful. They also kinda stink. They're expensive. They produce a tonnnnn of waste. And lastly, my male roommates/family do not appreciate trash cans filled with tampons. So there. I finally got a menstrual cup and it's as wonderful as I thought it would be. I honestly can't figure out why everyone doesn't have one. Whatevs. ***UPDATE 12/11/15*** I've had, what, 9 periods since I bought this? Something like that! Yup, still love it. I've had no notable issues with this and can't ever imagine going back to tampons. My biggest thing about this is that I can leave it in all day. I don't think I have a particularly light flow, I used to fill up a tampon every 4 hours at my heaviest, pre-menstrual cup. I leave this sucker in for 24 hours. Heck, 36 and I haven't had a problem. It's like I don't even have a period anymore! I wear a super thin panty liner and don't worry at all about leaks. No more digging in my butt crack to find a string, no more hohlding the string to the side when I pee, no more clogged toilets or stinky trashcans. I've seen the light, ladies. I can die happy now. ***UPDATE 6/30/17*** Wow, this got a ton of "helpful" votes. I feel kind of famous now. To the important part. The cup and I? Well cups. We're still besties. The pink one and I just got back from 6 month backpacking trip around the world. We had a blast together. Along the way I met tons of girls who complained about period troubles. I put my hand on their shoulder, looked them right in the eyes and said, "I have the solution you've been looking for." Ok, haha, done being dramatic. Seriously though, traveling was a breeze with these. I hiked, I surfed, I did yoga, no public bathroom for 12 hours? No problem. Final note and my first *complaint*: After, what, 2 full years my menstrual cups are in *almost* perfect condition. They're not pink or purple anymore, they're brown. Guess the blood stains them after awhile. Even though they're perfectly clean, they don't look like it.

I bought this cup about a year ago upon finding out my period would be upon me during a birthday trip to the bahamas. I wasn't going to sit out the fun, so I scoured the internet for a solution that would allow me to swim without issues. I was a first time cup user, virgin, and had never used tampons (too afraid of TSS). I bought it a bit before my trip so I could get used to it. The first few days were ROUGH. It didn't hurt necessarily, but there was a lot of crying, and I was convinced I was never going to be able to get it in me. I spent hours trying to put it in, then getting the fit right, then trying to convince it to pop. I somewhat ridiculously believed there was something bizarrely wrong with my body and I was incapable of using cups. Luckily, many of my friends use cups and were super supportive-- they also had a rough time of things in the beginning. Eventually I figured out: 1. Go slow-- my instinct was to shove it in and get it over with, which was ow, but I've found I just need to take some deep breaths and relax into it. If it takes 3-5 minutes to put it in, so be it. I just punch fold it, line it up, relax, and apply the slightest bit of pressure and wait as it very slowly gets where it needs to be. 2. I have to be laying on my back, I can't put it in from any other angle. 3. My cup never pops immediately-- no matter how much digging or twisting I do, or how many different folds I try. However, once I get up and start moving around, it usually pops within 2-5 minutes. I probably spent about 4 hours those first few days putting it in, twisting it, messing with it, taking it out, and trying again over and over to get it to pop. For me, it only pops once I've started moving-- stressing about getting it to pop and twisting it around just caused me a lot of frustration and tears. 4. I always pee as strongly as possible before taking it out, as it shifts the cup down so I can reach it and remove it easily. Sometimes even then, I still have to reach in as far as I can and bear down even more before I can grab it. There were definitely a few times those first few days I thought it had gotten lost and I was never going to be able to get it out. Nowadays, if I can't reach it I just shrug and try again later. 5. Using the cup became a lot easier when I stopped stressing about it and putting pressure on myself to get it right immediately. When I took my time and just did what was comfortable, it stopped feeling like a world-ending ordeal. I will say that the cup is probably not for people who aren't willing to get very comfortable with themselves and their bodies. The first few days you use it (and for me, the first 3 months generally) there's a LOT of digging around and shoving fingers everywhere and getting very well acquainted with my anatomy on a whole different level. However, now that I'm a year in, it's fairly simple to put it in and take it out, and never takes me more than a few minutes. There's not pain unless I get impatient (though I can still always feel the pop, which is uncomfortable when it happens). Pros: 1. Practicality-wise, it's like I'm not even on my period. I don't have to think about my period all day except for when I'm changing my cup. It's way less messy and takes up way less mental space in my brain than other period options. 2. 2 cups means I can keep one in my purse and one at home, which is convenient if my period starts unexpectedly. 3. I don't have to stress about whether it's leaking or how many hours it's been since I put it in. If I get absorbed by a task and forget to empty it for 12-16 hours, I'm not going to die or go to the hospital or get blood all over my pants. I try to change it every 8 hours or so, but if I don't there are no serious consequences. 4. Very convenient for travel-- since I used to use pads exclusively, the insides of my thighs would get incredibly chafed when I would spend all day walking. The cup is much more comfortable, and takes up way less space in my bags than a bunch of pads. 5. More comfort with my body 6. The bag the cups came in is super soft and convenient and I love it. Cons: 1. Sometimes I think it makes my cramps worse, but I think that's mostly in my head 2. There is a very very very low level of discomfort when I'm wearing the cup, and I'm very aware of it for the first hour or so after I put it in. The popping isn't comfortable either. 3. I do personally have to lay down in order to put it in, which is difficult if I'm out and about. It can also be difficult while I'm traveling if the hostels I'm staying in only have communal bathrooms and no locking individual bathrooms. Even if they do have locking stalls or individual locking bathrooms, it's no fun to lay on the floor of a hostel bathroom to change a cup. 4. Sometimes my period is painful enough that I simply can't tolerate the idea of using the cup and adding even the smallest bit more discomfort, so I just use pads. However, it's nice to be able to choose. 5. Sometimes when I try to take out the cup it's quite high, and I can only reach the tip of the stem. It would be more convenient if the stem were slightly longer or if it had a ring. I know you can't pull it out by the stem, but sometimes I need to tug lightly on the stem a bit just to get it far enough down for me to reach it to break the suction. I can't speak to how this cup compares to others, but once I got the hang of it I didn't have any significant issues with it. Overall, I think anyone who's comfortable with their body (or willing to get comfortable) can make it work if they push through a rough first week and a bit of fumbling the first 3 months. In my experience, the cup is suitable and comfortable for virgins and people who haven't had children, and works well.

I previously used pads only, never got into using tampons. I experienced a heavy period after changing birth control methods. It was so awful, I decided I didn't wanna have to deal with this bloody crap anymore, even if my flow normalized. My mom recommended them to me long ago, but I was skeptical I would like it, since I didn’t even like putting tampons up there. Today I am on my second day of heavy flow and I am proud to say I am not even wearing a liner! I put on a pair of my favorite long briefs instead of designated period underwear and am not worried about it. I don’t ever feel like I’m bleeding. Even if I cough or sneeze, I don’t have to feel the blood gushing out of my vagina! I used the menstrual cup for over 9 hours overnight before it leaked, and all day for an 8 hr work shift today with no problems or leaks. I am on my feet all day at work, squatting, bending over, etc. Aside from having a very comfortable period, I am also excited to not have to buy disposable products. Ultimately, it’s a huge savings financially. No more having to run to the store for pads - YAY! And for anyone who cares about the Earth, the lack of waste is awesome. I can only imagine how much money I’ve spent on feminine products, and how many bags of trash I have filled since starting my period. It’s so awesome to me, I am also looking into reusable liners for spotting or if I’m worried about leakage. The menstrual cup has 100% replaced full sized pads for me, though! I’m also a traveller, and this is going to be a huge space saver. Even in the bathroom at home, it’s a space saver. And I don’t ever have to leave embarrassing trash in someone else’s house either. Now for anyone who wants to hear more about my experience, I’m about to get detailed. Let's be honest about how it will feel. Insertion was simple enough. Fold the cup in half and stick it in! I didn't use any lube. It wasn't necessarily super comfortable, but I don't think I will feel the need to use lube. Once it's in the hole, it goes pretty easy... just gotta get it up there a little first and then boom-bam, you're in. Every vagina is different, but I just wanted to note lube isn't necessary for everyone. To make sure the cup is open, all I need to do is grab that little pull tab thing and move it side to side a little. Give it a little tug to see if you feel suction. If not, just wiggle it around again until you feel like there's proper suction. This is important, because you will leak if it isn't sealed. It does feel pretty weird to pull at the inside of your vagina and cervix with essentially a suction cup, but it doesn't really hurt, per se. It's just weird. Removal is where it gets more difficult. I personally was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it out. This is a silly fear. Even if I couldn't, it's not like it would be stuck there forever - your vagina would eventually work it down and out by itself. However, the first time I had to pull it out, I was actually so nervous my vagina literally tensed up and the cup got pulled up further from my hole. I was freaking out a little trying to reach up there, and then I realized I needed to relax. As soon as I relaxed, the cup dropped to a place that could be more easily reached. So don't freak out! It's still a little hard to pull due to the suction, but it gets easier the more you pull. I often squeeze the bottom of the cup to release the suction. It's kind of dangerous though, because if the cup is really full, it most likely will get messy if you squeeze the bottom too much. Inevitably, you will have some gross removals, especially initially. My hand looks like it belongs to a murderer some times. It's honestly pretty nasty. Good news, though! It gets easier as you learn how it works and get more comfortable. But definitely don't go to a public restroom and try to dump your cup before you practice with it a bit! Today, I decided I needed to dump it in the bathroom at work. I was right, it was super full... but I am still no pro with this thing, and some times I feel like it pops out really suddenly. So I actually ended up splattering a few drops of blood on the wall and floor! Oh lord... Luckily I got a great tip from someone I know who has used menstrual cups for a while now - get two or three paper towels and get them damp before going into the stall if you must deal with it in public - in case you get blood on your hand, your privates, or apparently the wall. I was thinking flushable wipes would be convenient, too. When you get a menstrual cup, get ready to learn about your body. It’s definitely an interesting experience at first. Ultimately, I am so happy I am learning about my female parts more, the good and the gross. The menstrual cup is your gateway to comfort - mentally and physically. I have nothing bad to say. It's worth the occasionally bloody fingers.

I never thought I'd be interested in using menstrual cups, but I recently read some reviews on menstrual cups in general that made me reconsider. These are my first menstrual cups, and I basically just chose the ones that seemed like the best value. I ordered the small size, which initially still seem pretty big. If you haven't tried menstrual cups before, I know they are extremely intimidating, but you really need to try and stay calm when first using these. The first time I tried these, I inserted it while in the shower. This is probably the easiest way to do it for someone new to these. I had seen from other reviews and tutorials online to fold the cup for insertion. I used a C fold, and while there was a slight second of pain when I first started inserting it, it was nothing overwhelming, and it was gone as soon as the lip of the cup made it past the opening. Once you get that first part of the cup in there, the cup basically just slides the rest of the way in, at least for me, so insertion is really not that bad. After you insert the cup, you are supposed to twist and tug it slightly to ensure that it unfolds all the way. If done correctly, you should experience some resistance as you pull on it because of the suction after it unfolds. Twisting it is really hard to do, at least for me. Maybe I'm not doing it right, but I can never seem to grip it hard enough to actually twist it. However, I still always try, and I will sometimes do some lunge/squatting moves just to get it to move around so I know it unfolded. I always make sure I get resistance from the suction before I'm satisfied that it's inserted properly. So, the first time I inserted it, I did all of this, and was extremely satisfied with how easy the insertion was. However, I then started to panic about whether I'd be able to get it out, so I attempted to get it out right after inserting it. I kind of pushed it up really far when I inserted it, so I could barely reach the stem. When you insert it, you definitely don't need to push it up far. It actually just moves into place if you have most of it inserted, so don't do what I did. Anyway, I was barely able to get a hold of the stem, and I started worrying about pulling it because it was really difficult to just grab the stem, and I kept pinching skin. If you have a small or tight vagina, it is going to be difficult to grab the stem and get a good grip on it like it was for me. After I was finally able to get a grip on the stem, I started pulling, but the suction made it really hard to pull it out. I was worried about pulling too hard and ripping the stem off. I was getting tired of fiddling around down there, and my vagina was growing irritated, so I finally just pulled the stem really hard, and the cup finally came out. The whole process of removing it the first time took around 10 minutes, and my vagina was pretty irritated afterward. The second time I tried removing it, later that night, I experienced the same problems, but slightly worse because my vagina was still irritated and swollen from earlier, so it was even more difficult to find and grip the stem. It did get easier to remove with every attempt after that. Now that I've become more used to the process of pulling it out, here are my tips: 1. STAY CALM! Stressing out will only tighten your vagina and make it harder to remove the cup. 2. Push/bear down to move the cup towards the opening of your vagina to make it easier to reach and grab. 3. Don't be afraid to pull hard on the stem. It is necessary until you can break the suction. 4. Try to break the suction by pushing or pinching the base of the cup when you can reach it. This will make it much easier to remove. 5. Do not spend a lot of time trying to get it out. This will irritate your vagina, which will make things worse. If you are having trouble, take a break and do something else to relax before making another attempt to get it out. As everyone else has said, there is a learning curve to using these! It took me a couple days before I could insert/remove them outside of the shower, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Once these are inserted, you really can't feel them. I always have this awareness of something being in there, but I feel the same with tampons. I think they do put a little pressure on my bladder causing me to need to use the bathroom more, but that's the only side effect. If inserted properly, you will not leak. The only times I've had problems with leaking is if I wear it too long. My periods are really heavy the first couple of days, so the cups fill quickly. One night of wearing one of these, I did not leak at all for the first 5ish hours but began to leak later, and it was evident after I removed the cup that I should've emptied it earlier. So, if you're having problems with leakage, try using a different fold when inserting, make sure there is resistance when tugging the stem after inserting, and try emptying the cup earlier. Removing the cup is also not very messy unless you've leaked like I did. Otherwise, everything just stays in the cup. If you use a menstrual cup, make sure to WASH YOUR HANDS before inserting AND removing, make sure the cups are clean before inserting, and boil them between periods. I use vagisil to wash my hands and cups for insertion/removal during my period. They also sell menstrual cup wash, and some people just use water to avoid reactions with soap. No matter what method you use, just make sure you're being really sanitary. Overall, I do really like menstrual cups. They are cheaper in the long run than tampons and pads, and they are more environmentally friendly. I also don't have to worry about changing them as often as tampons or pads, and I don't leak like I do with tampons. While they might seem gross to some people, especially during removal, I actually feel like they are more sanitary. Insertion is actually really easy, and removal becomes easier with a few uses. The cups seem big and awkward, but you really can't feel them when they're inside. I was still able to feel the blood move around, like you can using a pad, which can make it feel like you're leaking when you're not, so I wouldn't say I completely forgot about my period when using these. However, that feeling lessens when the flow is not as heavy. I would definitely recommend these to any woman, and I think every woman should at least give these a try!

Buy a menstrual cup, they said! Life changing, they said. So easy to use! So, I ordered one here because I’m cheap and don’t like to talk to people. I’ve had two children by c-section and I’m a petite girl so I figured the small would be most appropriate. Spoiler alert: I was wrong. My little cup o’ love arrived and this morning, here comes our favorite friend. So I pull it out of the box (and sterilize it). If you’ve never seen one of these things, it looks like a tulip bud with a tiny threaded screw at the bottom. I didn’t question it. I didn’t think to myself, “this minuscule protrusion will be my future gateway to freedom.” I just accepted it. My friends had used one and they made it sound like they clicked ‘submit’ and POP, out it came. Why would it be any different for me? So I went on about my day. Nothing special at first. Lots of sitting. I even worked out and as I’m running and doing burpees, I’m amazed at how well this is working. This little tulip bud is pretty awesome! I finished my workout and decide now might be a good time to check the oil. Release the kraken. Like every other bathroom in north Texas’ houses, my toilet is in its own little closet. It’s about 3 feet wide. In fact, mine has grab bars installed due to a previous foot surgery. Ok, here we go - those friends said they just reach in and grab it, easy peasey! I’m doing the “I’m at a public toilet mid-squat hover” and reach in for the peg. There it is! I pull. My fingers slip off. Oh shoot. Must grip harder. I’m pulling. I’m losing it. It’s not budging. That little peg is so small. I’m regretting the fact that I keep my nails short. I’m trying to use my stubby nails to dig into the threads of the peg. Ain’t nothing moving. That thing is holding on with 3000psi force. I own a Squatty Potty (those toilet-shaped foot stools - they really are awesome). I put my feet up on it. I’m working my kegels. I’m doing Lamaze breathing. I’m even “pushing” though I’ve never pushed in my life. It’s time to take a break. I’m about 5 minutes into menstrual-cup labor and I’m on the verge of freaking out. You know when you feel like you’re about to cry and you force yourself to laugh instead and it comes out like a squeaky toy that your dog is only obsessed with during the sad parts of “This is Us”? It’s at this moment I reach that point. I stop and go to the sink and wash my hands - clean, dry hands. That’s the ticket. What if this thing never comes out? What if it’s stuck forever? Why is it so far up there? Does a vaginal canal lengthen as you age? Do two pregnancies stretch things out? Even though neither of my children exited in that way? This was supposed to be easy. WHY AM I SWEATING? There is an urgent care right next to my house. Maybe it’s time to head there. There are two female doctors and one good looking male doctor on staff. Chances are, I’ll get the good looking male doctor. I can’t walk into that urgent care with a Venus flytrap stuck in my hoohah. I imagine all the lady-bit suction cups they’ve had to remove. I can’t be another statistic. I can’t give up yet. I head back in with clean, dry hands. More yanking and pulling. Deep breathing. Gripping the grab bars. One leg up on the grab bars. Laughing! NOT CRYING!! Do I know anyone who would come and help? Ok, that’s just ridiculous. I’m definitely sweating. This cervical suction cup has got to come out and I start thinking of all the ways I can dislodge it from its death hold. Is there a friend I can call? A former boyfriend? Someone I hate that doesn’t know it yet but we definitely won’t be speaking after this? What about household tools? I’ve got a crescent wrench in the garage that might grip that joke of a rip cord at the bottom of the buttercup. No, on second thought, I’m just not that in to tetanus. I’ve got a conference call in a few minutes. I need to either get this thing done or head to the ER. It’s last-ditch effort time. Let’s do this. Have you ever milked a cow? I haven’t. But I’ve seen it done in movies and PBS specials, and - what happened next - I can only describe in that way. I get one leg up on the grab bars, go in for the kill, and grab by the sides of my little tulip friend. I’m squeezing and pulling at the same time. There is a SQUEEAALSCH sound and I give birth to a tiny little butter tub. PRAISE JESUS - I’ve been released from the clutches of hell. People, I have not googled the frequency of menstrual cup suction ER visits because, quite frankly, I’m afraid to. But I am a survivor and I will live to tell another tale. Menstrual cups are not for everyone and, sadly, sizing charts are not available for such a thing. Err on the side of caution and protect yourself as Mother Nature intended: with itchy synthetic pads and tampons. Just kidding. I don’t have the answer. I do know that menstrual cups have a higher incidence of TSS and PID, so that is the reason I’m not trying this again. Stay sexy and don’t let your cervix get suctioned.

First a couple important things about me: 1) I'm a 33 year old female with no childbirth experience (I mention this because I'm always confused by the description. I'm over 25 so maybe I should buy the bigger size? But I don't have any kids, so maybe the smaller is better for me?), 2) I'm an experienced cup user, and 3) I'm a heavy bleeder. The Red Monkey on my back is a monthly blight to all that I consider good and wonderful in my life. Managing this monkey is a always a trial and requires some creative problem solving and a ridiculous ability to manage my schedule and ensure that I have access to a private lavatory for quick changes as needed, at all times. My cycle tends to last for 5 days with the first 2 days being unbearably heavy, the third day being confused as to whether it would like to stop or not (so my period almost stops, then resumes a few hours later with another heavy flow), day 4 is a medium flow, and day 5 is a light flow until it tapers off into blessed nothingness. Then because of all of the crazy heavy bleeding and my constant tampon usage, I then follow my period up with diluted hydrogen peroxide washes for the entirety of the following week, just to re-balance my overtaxed system. I explained all of the above because tampon usage has become an art-form for me as I try to decrease my risk for TSS (or toxic shock syndrome for those that aren't in the know). For the first 2 days of my cycle, I use Ultra tampons (by Playtex, not Tampax, because they fit me better and have less problems with leakage) that are changed every 3 to 4 hours. I also wear Ultra thin Infinity pads as my backup for the entire length of my cycle. Over night on these days, I'll wear my tampon for 6 hours before changing it when i wake up in the morning, and there will always have been leakage to my Infinity pads. On the next day, I either wear Ultras or alternate with Super Plus tampons that I change every 4 to 6 hours, depending on how heavy my blood flow is. By the last day, I start with Supers, then downgrade to a Regular, and finally a Lite by the end of the day for overnight wear, or I'll stick with a Regular and skip wearing a pad. Suffice to say that my cycle requires a lot of management. Enter the Dutchess cup. My prior experience with menstrual cups include using The Keeper, the Diva Cup, and Instead soft cups when I was in my early 20s. When I was younger, I didn't use Dutchess, but rather those other brands. I loved menstrual cups at first, but then because of my super heavy flow, I stopped using them and went with tampons. I'm a nurse and I wasn't comfortable cleaning my cup in a public stall with toilet paper every few hours. And there was no way I could wash out my cup at a link of sinks without grossing everyone out. So I opted to use the disposable cups. They work well in theory, but I changed them just as frequently and they were prone to leaks, so I didn't feel comfortable using them over my Diva Cup or the Keeper. Reaching the limit with my frustration, I switched over to Tampons and haven't looked back. Now, I'm several years older and about to get a Mirena IUD. While I'm transitioning over to being free of the monkey for the next 5 years, I imagine I'll still be bleeding sporadically, but nowhere near as heavily as I do now. For that reason, I've begun using the keeper again. For my last few regular periods, I've found myself rotating my Dutchess cups every 4 hours on days one and two, with leakage only when I surpass that time interval. But otherwise, going to the bathroom between hasn't been a problem (and no messy gross strings to grab, and no feeling like it's being pushed out by my muscles when I pee or poo, like i experienced with the Diva Cup). Also, no hard rubber nub poking my delicate flesh, like with the Keeper. Instead, just legitimate comfort- you really can't feel it- for hours. Emptying is easy- just bear down, pull the tab a bit, get a grip on the base apex, squeeze and twist to release suction, then gently pull out and empty into the toilet. The hardest part of this whole process is the cleaning. In a private bathroom, I'll rinse in the sink and wash with soap and water. In a multi-stall lavatory, I'll clean with wipes and toilet paper, then wrap in toilet paper and put away in my bag until I have a private moment to clean it. Soap and water to clean is sufficient until my period ends, where i then boil them for a few minutes, dry them on a towel, and put them away until next month. As an added bonus feature, these include little measuring ticks to let you know whether you've got a half ounce or full ounce of blood in the cup. If you look before you pour, you can at least get a rough estimate of how much blood you are losing over the course of your cycle. I use the P Tracker Lite app in the App Market to note the amounts in notes for each day of my cycle. It might be a weird thing to know, but I'm pretty anemic, and my doctors appreciate that little detail when I describe my behaviors and experiences to them. It's a pretty big detail that helps substantiate my claims to help determine treatments. I can't speak of the durability of these as I've only had it for a couple of months, but my Diva Cup got pretty discolored within a few months of usage- but it was also just a transparent white color. This are at least lovely shades of pink and lavender, so hopefully the discoloration will be less obvious. I'll update in a few months to note any breakdown or wear on these. In the meantime, I can say that I'm pretty happy about not having to go through a multitude of tampons anymore. I like that I only have to really worry about my time intervals with regards to when I change these. I've worn mine for up to 12 hours without any issues. I do always use back-up pads on days 1 thru 3, often on 4, and rarely on 5. But I've felt more confident going without pads on days 4 and 5 when wearing my Dutchess Cups, and I haven't had issues with leakage on those days. My recommendation would be to pay attention to your cycle and your anatomy. Size B Dutchess Cups work well for me. I wish they could hold a little more blood, but the size and contour work so well that I really can't complain. If you empty this at the appropriate intervals, you shouldn't have issues with leakage. Insert appropriately (fold-method) and twist for proper placement, then you're good to go. Empty every few hours and wear a backup pad while you're learning how frequently you'll need to empty this. If it's uncomfortable, pull it out fold in half lengthwise, and try again. I pretty much fold in half, and insert this with my middle finger, just about as far as it will go. I then let it pop open, and pinch the bottom twisting it a few times, then poke around with my middle finger to make sure I don't feel any gaps. I then give it a gentle final tug, wipe a few times to clean up any residue (using the Cottennelle flushable wet wipes), then stand up to make sure I can't feel it, then go on my way. I highly recommend giving this a try, even if other cups didn't work for you. Again, I do think that oddly enough, different cups may work better with different anatomies. This worked for me, but I did try out several to get to this happy place. Good luck!!!

I am a young woman who has never given birth so I ordered the 'small' size B. Upon arrival, I boiled the cups for the suggested 3 minutes and stored them in the cute bags until I needed them. I've used tampons for a few years now and I feel comfortable with them that I decided I could handle a menstrual cup. I have endo and tons of bleeding and ridiculous cramps. On my heaviest day, it's typical to change a 'super' tampon once an hour. So I bought these cups with high expectations, especially after reading fantastic reviews. Okay so first period day, I pull out a cup and decide to get started. Having never used something like this before, I was super nervous and couldn't really figure out how to fold it. I struggled for 10ish minutes before quitting to do some research on insertion. Once I figured out how to fold it, I tried again and got the cup inside my vagina. Okay that's good, so I expected it to magically pop open and everything would be okay. Nope. I fiddled around for a few more minutes trying to twist the base of the cup, push up and then pull down etc. Nothing worked. I quit and researched some more. After that, I tried again to no avail. By this point, my vagina was decently irritated with clueless me poking around and upsetting it. Like 6 hours later I tried again for an hour and a half, taking some breaks to try to understand what I was doing wrong, but mostly just getting increasingly frustrated because I was so excited when buying these and I really wanted them to work out. Finally, I surrendered and went to sleep devastated. I don't write about my failure to discourage anyone from buying these (because it was definitely my inexperience and not the brand of cups) but to show someone struggling that it is totally possible to get menstrual cups to work out, even after so many failed attempts and a discouragement that brought me near tears. (Thanks, period hormones.) The most important thing I learned in this process is to respect your body enough to let her have time to adjust to something so new. Most of us aren't very experienced with poking a small cup into a very private area, and that's totally okay! I shouldn't have expected perfection right away and neither should you. Your body needs an adjustment period. Next day, I tried again and I finally got it!! After trying various folds the day before, I settled on using the C fold. I propped one leg up on the closed toilet and used one hand to hold the top of the fold closed while my other hand guided the bottom of the cup. Once I got it settled, I prodded around the rim with my finger to try and feel out any dents. After a minute, I felt satisfied that it had popped even though I din't feel any 'popping' sensation. I tried to tug it down to see if it would budge and the suction was secure. I went about my day, doing various activities that included the elliptical, and chasing after an active baby. I thought for sure that the cup would fall down at some point, or that I would feel it suddenly poke me and make me yelp in pain, but of course those didn't happen. Once the cup is opened and suctioned, it's not gonna move. I put it in at 9:45 A.M., wore it until 8 at night on my second day. For me, it was so much easier to remove! In the shower, I first pushed down with my pelvic muscles (like pushing out a baby) until it moved down a little. Then, in a low squatting position, I felt around until I reached the tip and pulled down enough until I could firmly grasp the base. Voila, it was out. Overall, I am so happy I stuck with the process and I love these cups! They are a total period game changer. No more obnoxious pads or tampons that create tons of waste and sometimes feel bulky to wear. Some tips I've gained: 1. Relax. Seriously, your vagina contracts and expands based on how you're feeling and when you're super nervous (like I was) she's gonna clam up and things are gonna be difficult. If you can't get it, just chill for a little and give it a go a little later on. 2. Keep your hands and the cups clean. Your vagina is the last place you want nasty bacteria. Don't be gross. 3. Don't be worried about it getting lost. The vagina is only 2-3 inches long unaroused and then comes your cervix which nothing, except a baby can get through. It's totally impossible to lose something in your vagina. 4. Some websites recommended placing the cup lower than you would a tampon, but I found the opposite true. For me, it's comfortable to wear it higher up and I'm still able to reach the stem. All in all, give these cups a try but don't be discouraged if things don't work the first time. It took me so long to figure things out but I'm thrilled that I stuck with the process because the cups have made my periods so much more manageable. Girl, you've got this.

ماناسبت لي