Instead cups?

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

BIL and FSIL are visiting and the timing will be bad for hanging out in a pool all weekend. Has anyone tried the cups? Any thoughts?

Marina007 · May 2010

Never tried. I'm initially sceptical, though. Are tampons out of the question?

LauraT25 · May 2010

A friend of mine in college used them and swore by them. They kind of gross me out, but she said she got over that really quickly.

Not to be nosy, but why are tampons not an option? I used to swim all the time with one, unless I just felt too gross to be in a bathing suit.

taraz579 · May 2010

I've actually tried one a few years ago,...it was actually a non-disposable one, called (get this) "the diva cup". I know it's tiny & flexible & I spent a lot of time on it, I could not get it in, for the life of me. The top was prolly about a 2 inch diameter, and whatever way I folded or molded it, it was just too large & I could not manipulate it properly.

Why not tampons, if I may ask?

So, I'm sorry, I didn't really help much, but that's my story....

Good luck

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

In my experience - and sorry for the TMI - they just get water logged and gross feeling. I don't like the thought of wasting a box every time we're in and out of the pool.

LauraT25 · May 2010

I knew someone whose roommate used a Diva Cup! She would rinse it out and put in in their dish rack, which was so disgusting and is the only reason I knew about it.

Also not really a helpful post, but those things do still exist.

LauraT25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:52546e89-212e-4f53-a1de-b3f31e7d72f8">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]In my experience - and sorry for the TMI - they just get water logged and gross feeling. I don't like the thought of wasting a box every time we're in and out of the pool.
Posted by brookelynpaisley[/QUOTE]

It's not TMI. I guess different people fit differently, so if it doesn't work for you I can see why you wouldn't do it - that doesn't sound pleasant. I used the 'sport' kind and never had that issue, so maybe if you're desperate you could give those a try?

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:3f97682f-5997-4747-afde-eff98a50c5a9">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]I knew someone whose roommate used a Diva Cup! She would rinse it out and put in in their dish rack, which was so disgusting and is the only reason I knew about it. Also not really a helpful post, but those things do still exist.
Posted by LauraT25[/QUOTE]

Ew yuck!! I would never do that. I just realized I should ask my sister - she's a swimmer and may have tried them. The weird thing is, we don't talk about that stuff. I still barely do. Internet "strangers" are easier to talk to than my own mother and sister.

glam70s · May 2010

I used them for a while.. They are rather messy, and aren't a good idea if your periods tend to be heavy. That said, the messiness never bothered me, so I did find them a good alternative on light days. I particularly liked that sex is an option when you use them, and FI remained blissfully unaware. Did you know sex helps with cramps?

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

Sport kind, huh? Maybe that's the problem - I use high absorbancy and it's too much. Maybe I just need smaller ones for that weekend

ohwhynot · May 2010

I know a lot of women who swear by them (well, 3). So, I know a few women who swear by them. I tried The Keeper, but could never get a good seal on it - I called it The Seeper (yes, gross, but at least I didn't put it in the dish rack) - it didn't offer enough security to me.

thesuninherhead · May 2010

One of my friends was telling me just how awesome these things are... she swears by them. That said, I've no clue how they would deal with being in the water (I'm picturing it getting a little loose and suddenly you being surrounded by blood, shark attack style). I would just go with tampons if I was so inclined to actually swim, but that's just me, and I don't usually swim anyway.

AmoroAgain · May 2010

I hate swimming at that time. I don't like tampons either. Blech.

LauraT25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:bb2a7ddf-7808-485b-98a2-21efbc7ad58f">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]I know a lot of women who swear by them (well, 3). So, I know a few women who swear by them. I tried The Keeper, but could never get a good seal on it - I called it The Seeper (yes, gross, but at least I didn't put it in the dish rack) - it didn't offer enough security to me.
Posted by ohwhynot[/QUOTE]

I actually laughed at this.

OP - I don't talk to my family about that stuff either, plus I figure the internet is a more diverse audience so I'm more likely to get feedback on oddball things. But I'd ask her if I were you, she could probably give you good advice. I haven't needed to use one in years, but the Playtex Sport used to work fine and I had a pretty heavy flow.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · May 2010

I have a keeper, and I really, really like it. Maybe TMI, but I can wear it all day, and I clean it out in the morning and at night. I'm with you on the tampon thing - after swimming and even every time I use the bathroom I feel a need to change a tampon. BUT I do know people who have gotten either a keeper or diva cup and then didn't like the way they fit. They're also about $35, but I feel it's a huge savings, actually, over buying tampons all the time. They're also good for people who worry about toxic shock syndrome and they're good for the environment. (Also, reusable cups are one of those things, like Neti pots, that I thought sounded really gross when I first heard about it, but then it grew on me and I wanted to try it.)

I know instead cups fit a lot differently than the reusable silicone cups, more like a diaphragm. And - again, TMI - supposedly you can have sex with them in, too. That's pretty much all I know, though. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try them, if you don't mind being out the money the box costs if you decide you don't like them.

thesuninherhead · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:3f97682f-5997-4747-afde-eff98a50c5a9">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]I knew someone whose roommate used a Diva Cup! She would rinse it out and put in in their dish rack, which was so disgusting and is the only reason I knew about it. Also not really a helpful post, but those things do still exist.
Posted by LauraT25[/QUOTE] Oh my gosh, that is hideous.

ggmae · May 2010

Brooke, you're more daring than I am. I just don't swim at the time.

andyandhillary · May 2010

I have two friends who have tried and loved them. One used it while she was a missionary which was extremely helpful and the other one just used it for fun (lol). Both seriously love it.

That aside, my mom works for Ob-gyns and not one of them said that these cups were a safe or good idea. I can't remember exactly why but they up and down said it was a horrible idea.

klynette84 · May 2010

Whenever I go swimming, I use lite or regular tampons. As long as it's in there high enough and properly, it shouldn't get water logged. I do know several people who swear by Diva cups. I haven't gotten the courage to try them yet though.

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:daabfbbb-1cc7-4030-80b4-7ddc7238cea7">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]Brooke, you're more daring than I am. I just don't swim at the time.
Posted by ggmae[/QUOTE]

That's what I'd prefer to do, but it would no doubt scream "I'm on the rag!" which for me is downright mortifying. I'm weird like that.

ThePinkSuperhero · May 2010

I use a Diva Cup- love it. Like said above, it can sometimes be a pain on the heaviest days, but other than that, it's great. I would never clean it in the dishwasher, though, that's really gross.

thesuninherhead · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:9eab925d-1f7a-4a9b-87d2-7728d1ab5b9c">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE] One used it while she was a missionary which was extremely helpful
Posted by andyandhillary[/QUOTE] I misread this sentence and was rather concerned by how the diva cup could be helpful for missionary! ha.

ggmae · May 2010

Ha. I read it the same way, Sun!

andyandhillary · May 2010

Hahaha, nice.

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

Thanks for all the help and advice ladies. Perhaps I'll give them a shot. I really appreciate the feedback

Mrs.B6302007 · May 2010

I use a DivaCup which is the non-disposable version. I think the Insteads are a bit more flimsy so there could be an issue with some leakage due to bad sealing.

LesaBear · May 2010

I tried to use them once. They were too big for me, for lack of a better way to put it. I thought I would get used to it and tried to keep using them for a few days. I ended up being really sore and unable to have sex for a few weeks. Not a good experience.

Calumet · May 2010

I bet (though I have no idea...) that the dishwasher sanitizes it, because it uses steaming hot water... I bet if you just rinsed something like that and never boiled it, it would grow bacteria? I don't know. Or do you just replace it frequently? I have never heard of these before this thread, but I am intrigued! Sex during that time of the month, sans the mess, seems like it's worth looking into (sorry if that was TMI)

brookelynpaisley · May 2010

The Instead cups are disposable. The Diva and some others are not, hence how it ended up in the dishrack. Supposedly, you can wear them longer than tampons, depending on flow.

Mrs.B6302007 · May 2010

I have a specially designated cup that I boil my DC in. The coffee cup lives under the bathroom sink so it can never be accidentally used for coffee.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_instead-cups?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8fc1ebeb-d62c-4c0b-81b9-5db9e8934340Post:b31cd855-dcb7-472b-b0ea-ff61dd82a8df">Re: Instead cups?</a>:
[QUOTE]I bet (though I have no idea...) that the dishwasher sanitizes it, because it uses steaming hot water... I bet if you just rinsed something like that and never boiled it, it would grow bacteria? I don't know. Or do you just replace it frequently? I have never heard of these before this thread, but I am intrigued! Sex during that time of the month, sans the mess, seems like it's worth looking into (sorry if that was TMI)
Posted by Calumet[/QUOTE]

<div>I don't know if they grow bacteria per se, but boiling water definitely sanitizes them. But only the reusable ones, which you can't use during sex. The disposable ones you CAN use during sex, but I've never tried them.</div>

Instead cups?

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