Before Period–Day 19.

Moon:  Waxing Gibbous

Flow/Texture:

Mood:  serene

Symptoms:  bloating, cravings, horn (with accompanying dreams)

Mucus:  white, greasy/smooth texture, normal scent, tasteless

I was a ravenous thing this morning.  I ate something, watched some Law & Order and suddenly felt calm, ready to work, fast, and read.

I’m starting the water fast at the end of the week, at which time I will mediate, drink my water, and read.  I’m not sure how this will affect my workout routine, but I just feel that it’s time–perhaps I might do yoga.  This is a feeling, this calmness, serenity, and surety, that I’ve rarely felt so I’m going with it.  I’ll do whatever it wants and go wherever it leads.

I read half of the Book of Daniel and took some notes before going to sleep.

The wandering eye has seized me:  other cups are striking my fancy.  I blame my Diva Cup’s perpetually stained, hollow stem and the sealing holes that are annoying to clean.

I’m looking at the Yuuki and Lunette especially.  The Yuuki [youtube video] is really cute and has a solid stem.  I like the Lunette’s [youtube video] minimalist design and flat, solid stem.  According to the video, apparently the Yuuki cup has either a hollow or solid stem.  Damn.

While visiting the yOni menstrual tips board again, I found a few that captured my eye:

H o o o w l
at the moon

Wear red.
It stimulates the circulation and replaces the red you are losing from the aura.

Spend time by the ocean. Use the beauty and power of nature, especially water, to cleanse, clarify and wash away the old and no longer useful thoughts and feelings. Long, hot, perfumed soaks in the bath are great. Clary Sage and Rose oils are lovely.

All things grow with water. Release your tears and fear not the murky depths of your unconscious. Use your menstrual time to bring the mind home and contact your true nature.

Be
selective
about how
and who
you spend
your time
with

Have a day off.
~~~
I’ve found this to be my best medicine. Meditate, dance wildly, be creative, have orgasms, watch the moon, sleep more, read, do nothing, do whatever turns you on.

Gather a group of women together, the more diverse the group the better. Tell them in advance that you’ll be getting together to talk about your moon time. Have everyone bring food. Make herbal tea. Share stories about your menses and what it has meant to you. It’s so empowering to be able to share these stories with other women.

Try not wearing pads or tampons. Just let your blood flow, fill all of your folds and run down you legs. Obviously, the price of laundry detergent means you can’t do this too often, but it’s incredible – the warmth, that heady smell, being bathed in your own lubrication…this is womanhood!

The Replacement

is here!  Yay!

Now, I’m free to bleed with joy.

Opening the box feels just like the first time.  I’m all grins.

Yes, I will boil it, watching it carefully, of course, before bagging it.

I won’t make any promises (and here I’ll retract any I’ve made up to this point) about boiling, except to be more careful.

The Replacement.

I just ordered a second Diva Cup.

I’d like to feel relief and joy, but really it just burns my buttons knowing that I had to order a replacement.

However, I now love the cup even more and appreciate what it offers.   Plus, I’m more aware of the evils contained in the “sanitary napkin.”

I’ll be putting the wine down for a while–the last bottles have stunk to high heaven–in favor of chocolate.  I’ve neglected it for quite a while as I’ve seemingly lost the taste for it. I think it’s time to get it back.

Diva Cup Review.

First Impressions:  It’s a thick, sturdy cup.  I evidently expected something flimsy.  I had no concern about it collapsing inside me.  Nevertheless, it is smaller in size than I imagined, being about the size of a tulip bloom.

Sensory description: It’s very smooth and quite soft on the outside.  Except towards the bottom, including the stem, where six concentric circles create the grip, all of the texture and writing appear on the inside.

From the smooth feel and mild rubber scent, I’d say it’s made from the same silicone as my Sugar Drop dildo.  Since lube makes her a breeze to slide in, lube should work easily with the cup.

The rim measures ½ mm in width.  Below and surrounding the rim are the four sealing holes–I easily punctured them the “Diva” pin included in the box.  Below them are the measurements rising from 7.5ml to 15ml on one side to ¼ oz to ½ oz on the other.

The stem measures about 1 mm, about the length of a fingernail.  I like the short stem.  The cup rides up only slightly, without breaking the seal.  Consequently, I find the stem usually right at the opening, hiding behind my urethra.  I have no problem gripping it.

The longer stem of the Moon Cup would have certainly protruded much further–perhaps right out onto my panties.  I know that trimming it is an option, but I would chop off too much.

Usage: The learning curve has to measure more than half a day.  Still, unless I’m on my period, how will I really know it’s working?

On the first day, I was persistent with my use of the push down-fold.  It worked alright–if we discount the “popping incidents” just inside my vagina (ouch).

Later that night, I struggled with it.  Either I couldn’t hold it securely in that position, or the cup wouldn’t open as I tried to rotate it.  So I read the directions.  Mercifully, they helped loads.

Before, I kept the cup folded until it was completely inserted.  Then, I tried to make it pop. With the C-fold, which is actually a U-fold the way I stick it in, the pop and rotation happen quicker. My hold is more sure.

Sense the Diva Cup is thick and firm, it requires the same firmness in grips, else the cup will open prematurely. Ouch again.

I’m pretty confident that I’ll become a cup convert.  I like it a lot.

First Day (Nov. 30.)

Moon: Waxing Crescent

Flow/Texture: light flow ¼ oz (7.5 ml), dark red, elastic, thick

Mood: fair

Symptoms: cramping, bloating, fatigue, irritability, headache

It’s two days early–it came sometime after midnight.  I don’t remember that ever happening.  What’s more, it caught me while in practice mode with the cup.  I was pulling it out after working out (Tae Bo & yoga) and to my honest and great surprise, I found the menses.  Holy crap!

There was no blood on the outside of it, so, apparently, I stuck it correctly. I’m wondering if the sucking action encouraged the early arrival.

I took a sniff or two and was shocked to find a scent not unlike my regular mucus and fluids.

I had played with the thing virtually all day yesterday–folding it, squeezing it, stroking it, essentially drawing out the time at which I would insert it.  Oops.

Before trying it out, I boiled it for about five minutes.  Yeah, and I had forgotten how well silicone retains heat.  So, after it cooled, I lubed it with my natural, oral lubrication and set to work.

It was a struggle, but I stuck with the Push down-fold and eventually got it to open inside me. I slept wearing panties in order to check for leaks.

After the first check around 1:30pm, I saw noticed no leaks, which was great.  However, after the second check later that evening, while on the toilet, I saw that I was leaking.

My confidence in my ability to make the cup pop and spin had diminished and the drippy drips were the result.  Admittedly, it got frustrating–I just couldn’t get the thing to pop. I wonder if the Hitachi and the resulting orgasmic contractions were involved.

The directions did help in the end.  As a result, I’ll use the C-fold for now.

And still no scent!

I’m going to need a lot more practice time.  Actual lube may be the solution–should make rotating the cup easier.   Sitting on the toilet seemed to work better than squatting.  Oh man, it’s so going to fall into the bowl.

I’ll give my impressions and description their own, separate post.

Cramps were mild, yet irritating simply for being there.  The water helped.  The bloating is slowly subsiding.  The fatigue vanished a while ago.  The headache–Once again, after massaging olive oil into my temples, the headache disappeared before I knew it.  I have my cure.

Cup and Lunapad Thoughts.

Rationalization Alert:

I prefer getting my body accustomed to the Diva Cup before buying Lunapads:  Establish how my flow works with the cup:  when and how often I should empty it, leakage concerns and accidents, insertion methods and depth, cleaning.

As far as information goes, I found a Live Journal community on menstrual cups.  It includes some great pictures on folding techniques for easier insertion. That second set includes several, detailed pictures on folding the Keeper, the chocolate latex version of the US Moon Cup.

This Dutch site contains pictures of those same folds.  Nothing drastically different, I just find them more aesthetically pleasing than the others.

The folds as following:

• The C-fold
• The Seven-fold
• The Push/Punch down-fold
• The Origami-fold

I have no idea which I’ll use as everything depends on the size of the cup.  Still, I think I like the Push/Punch down for the apparent simplicity of the fold and the resulting shrinkage of the cup.

I also found a cleaning tip for the sealing holes.  Apparently, they not only get stained, but are difficult to clean.  Some use tooth picks, toothbrush bristles, earrings, and needles to clean them.

However, there’s another technique I’ll call the palm method.  Fill the cup with water (in the shower to avoid a mess), cover the top with your palm, flip the cup, then press it down against your palm.  This apparently forces the water and menstrual fluid through the holes.

It’s important maintain clean holes because dirty, clogged holes make breaking the cup’s seal to remove it quite difficult.  Unfortunately, I can imagine the excruciating vacuum action courtesy of those clogged holes.  Yowser.

I plan to boil mine before and after each period to remove the bacteria.  During, I see no problem with simply rinsing out and maybe using a little soap.  I’m reading, though, that some use tea tree oil, a wiki skimming of that little piece of plunder is really promising, vinegar, and peroxide.

Including lots of information on several, different menstrual cups, Ecomenses, has more tips on using the cup.  She also has, if you’re curious, some pictures on what a filled cup looks like after describing the first day of her experience with the Lunette.

2nd Day (Nov. 8).

Moon: Waxing Gibbous

Flow/Texture: heavy, dark red, watery, thin

Mood: fine

Symptoms: mild cramping this morning

I get to follow the moon this time around.  Got to see it right above the house, looking all bright and beautiful again.

The heaviness of the flow has me questioning the cup again.  I’m wondering if the seal will break.  I know it worth trying out, but I’ve got new questions!

It could, you know, just suddenly pop and there goes all the blood.  I don’t suppose it would be a tragedy, but still, one does except a certain amount of security.  Then again, nothing is certain.

However, while masturbating yesterday, I discovered a new benefit to the cup:  No pad blocking Mr. Hitachi’s access point.  No panties either for that matter.

Despite my newfound trouble, I’m looking forward to trying it out and will probably send off for it sometime next week.

It just occurred to me to wonder how the vagina clears itself of all the blood.  Sure, it oozes out onto the pads, but how does it all finally come out.  I certainly don’t reach up in there. So, I’m wondering–since the cup won’t be absorbing anything, just catching it, how will it all come out.

Then again, I’m thinking of it in terms of the first day’s elastic, sticky texture.  Today saw a watery texture which would of course flow out much easier…

A self-cleaning wonder indeed is my little woman tube.

Lunapads and the Diva Cup.

I’ve decided to buy the Pads & Pantyliners Intro Kit.  I weighed it against the more expensive Starter Kit and found the latter lacking.

The primary reason being the lack of transition pads.  The starter kit contains only two types:  (2 Maxi Pads, 2 Maxi Liners, 2 Maxi Wing Liners, 2 Mini Pads, 2 Mini Liners and 2 Mini Wing Liners).

Granted, it comes with eight supplementary liners.  Nonetheless, the two-option kit won’t fly with my period.  I have maybe two heavy days then I slip to medium then virtually nonexistent (brown) days.  The Starter Kit seem geared toward women using pads only, not as backups for the Diva Cup.

The Pads & Pantyliners Intro Kit contains 1 Maxi Pad, 1 Maxi Liner, 1 Maxi Wing Liner, 1 Mini Pad, 1 Mini Liner, 1 Mini Wing Liner, 1 Mini Pantyliner, and 1 Teeny Pantyliner.

I imagine using the maxi pads for the first two days with or without the cup, depending on how good they are.  During the medium and light days, I would use the mini pad or the Diva Cup, then finish off with the mini pantyliner or teeny pantyliner on the brown days.

I have more options with this kit and a better sampling of the Lunapads products.

Now, I’m trying to decide whether to buy the Amazon Diva Cup or the Lunapads one.  Amazon’s is cheaper and requires no shipping and handling charges.

The Lunapads version is $3.09 more plus shipping charges.  However, I like the idea of my pads and cup arriving in the same package.

I like the Amazon option best.  Besides, I might find more stuff from Luna to buy, or I decide against pads altogether–I might not need them.  I doubt that, but you never know.

Menstrual Cups.

In doing a teeny bit more research on menstrual cups, I seem to have narrowed the choices down to the Moon Cup/Mooncup and the Diva Cup.

I’m eyeing menstrual cups because I’m tired of pads.  The more I read about them, the less I like them–exaggerated propaganda or not.  Mostly, I hate buying them all the damn time (well, semi-regularly) and I hate false-alarm waste.

I like the Mooncup or Moon Cup (US version) because of the long stem and ridged body.  With the long stem, I’ll have an adequate grip when pulling out the cup, and the ridges are grip-friendly, too.  Nonetheless, in regards to the ridges, a simple denting to break the seal, making it easier to grip and ease out, should do the trick.

The Diva Cup on the other hand has a clean, smooth body with a ridge near the rim.  The ridge just oozes security.  However, I don’t like the stubby stem.  I realize denting and kegels will help remove the cup, but securing the cup inside creates a different set of…tasks.

The long stem on the Mooncup also helps me rotate it to lock it in place.

Some potential cons:

1. having to empty it at inconvenient times
2. possible leakage–Lunapads to the rescue?
3. possible mess, spill during removal and insertion
4. slippery cup–harder to grip

My main concern is # 3.  After and maybe before reinserting the cup, fluid could sneak past the cup to spill onto my fingers which could then stain my clothes.

Because of # 3 and #1, I’ll require moist towelettes and water bottles.

The pros:

1. less reliance on pads/no more pads–no false alarm pad waste, no pad leaking concerns
2. financially sound investment–will pay for itself long term
3. the whole environment thing–fewer dirty pads accumulating in landfills
4. get more in touch with my body
5. decrease in unknown chemicals floating around my body

I see that Diva Cups are available at Amazon.  That certainly tips the scale a tad.

Some tips on the cups on general:

• be sure the holes aren’t clogged.  The clogs create apparently circulation draining seals, making it difficult to remove the cup
• as with silicone toys: can be boiled after each cycle, but soap and water are fine
• a simple water rinse during works if emptied during the day
• stems can be cut for comfort
• air dry
• the cups generally sit low in the vagina–no need to kiss the cervix
• wash it out in the shower

Information Binge.

I’ve been reading up this morning on menstrual cups and Lunapads, and, consequently, found myself at a website on a woman who tracked her complete cycle with wonderfully graphic pictures–had me craving a speculum, a camera, and a helpful friend.

I’ve searched out information on menstrual cups before–even picked out a brand–but due to confusion about sizing and the whole having-to-adjust thing,  my interest fell off.

Yet now because I’ve decided to delve into my cycle, I’ve cultivated a sincere interest in obtaining one.  (I’m thinking especially of the awesomeness of seeing the fluid in its unabsorbed state).

I came back to menstrual cups by reading about Lunapads.  Suddenly, these are a wonderful idea.

Despite being a grownup, I like the pads’ bright, girly colors.  They would definitely lift the spirits during those bleeding days, perhaps eventually sloughing off the doom and gloom attitude.  And maybe cramps will follow–one can always hope.

During this information binge, I realized my shameful lack of knowledge of on my own lady parts and workings.  The cervix (obligatory wiki link) in particular.

I’d come to fear the cervix, associating it only with excruciating pain should a penis touch it.  I still cringe at the thought.

Now, I’ve always seen pictures, or should I say drawings–like the wiki link–of the cervix as a short tube above the vagina, but they never translated into anything meaningful.

I’m learning, thanks to a blog on cups, that the cervix moves around during all the menstrual phases, to either block(low position) or facilitate (high or up position) pregnancy.

The pictures of the menses seeping from the cervix [warning: oh yes, it's graphic] were spectacular.  I’ve always had this ignorantly abstract image of the blood coming merely from the vagina–forgetting about the uterus and how the lining exits.

I’ve read of women actual pushing the cervix out of the way should it fall too low in order to put in their menstrual cups.

That’s crazy stuff, but it heightened my curiosity about my own cervix.  I’m still afraid to touch it, but not as much.