Jul 24, 2009

Eco-Friendly Friday

The family is back from our mini stay-cation to Galveston. The kids had fun and I had a chance to try out a few new products I picked up from my new favorite baby supply store (see my last post, or check it out through the link on my side bar!)
I thought I'd start a segment on my blog called Eco-Friendly Friday's. The purpose will be to highlight a environmentally friendly option used to replace a wasteful habit. I will only mention things that I personally use (as with all things on this blog.) Just before the trip, I picked up a new product called the Diva Cup. Warning: if you are a man or at all squeamish about discussing feminine products I suggest you stop reading this post!
The Diva Cup is a revolutionary menstrual product that is actually a re-design of a older product. It is a sanitary product that you wear internally, wash, and reuse. Not only will you help save the planet by reducing the amount of plastic waste that goes into landfills from tampons and pads, but you will also save money! Are you sick of pads bunching and tampons leaking down the string? If so, this may be the product for you.
The cup is made of medical grade silicone and is sold with a fabric storage bag and detailed directions for product use. I can attest that it takes a couple days to get the hang of inserting the product, but once that is figured out you will be leak free and it can go a long time between emptying when you are on lighter days. The directions have the last step as a "spin" of the inserted product - this is where I was having trouble but once I got that down I have been leak free. When it leaks due to improper insertion it gets very messy very quickly. You will end up with blood all over the cup and your hand and will most likely have some bloody discharge for a little while after proper insertion.
One of the neat features of this cup is that it just collects the blood and does not remove the natural lubrication of the vaginal canal like tampons do. One downside to the product is that you do need to rinse it out, making public restrooms a bit challenging. The directions say that you can just empty it out into the toilet and wipe it off during outings and just wash it when you are able to. Seeing how I did vacation with this product, I know that you can wear it during all normal activities without issue - swimming, walking, running, etc.
If you have any questions or have used the product and can add anything, please leave a comment!

3 comments:

Whitastic said...

This is really interesting! A friend of mine told me about this product and she's been using it for a few years now. She really enjoys it.

Simplistic Mom said...

Thanks for sharing, I'm really excited about this product!

Mesina said...

I have been a loyal user of something very similar, the Mooncup. I love it, have attempted to convert my friends and loved ones over to the eco side but alas, some are just too afraid to get rid of their tampons and sanitary pads to try. I guess it's hard embracing a new concept when the old one works just fine. But I love it, it's fabulous! x