Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Friday, December 7, 2007

Dueling DivaCups: A tale of Two Rachel(le)s

Back when the DivaCup Challenge was in full swing, two of the readers most resistant to the idea were Rachel (the Canning Queen) and Rechelle (The Country Chicken's Wife).

Sure there were other Rachels (or Rachel variants) who were already proud users or willing participants.

Sure I, myself, was immediately appalled by the DivaCup's function, dimensions and directions. But I got over it and life went on. Since the challenge, I fall in love with my DivaCup all over again every month as it reminds me of its many talents and advantages.

For those of you who missed out on the DivaCup Challenge and all the insanity that ensued, you can read about it in these posts. Be forewarned that several of the posts are graphic and/or just plain silly.

Anyway, Rachel, Rechelle and DivaCups popped into the forefront of my brain this week. Somewhere directly in front of the pineal gland.

Rachel got herself a DivaCup yesterday. She, too, is appalled by its dimensions and directions. Again, I admit the whole thing is mighty intimidating. But she is determined to conquer its many mysteries.

As for Rechelle. Well, I spent the earlier part of the week taunting her by offering to get her one for Christmas. Alas, she is still not interested.

Oh yeah, and Rechelle? That latex allergy excuse? Well, it's made out of silicone. And it definitely could double as a Christmas table decoration.

I'll wear you down eventually.

Ah, the DivaCup Challenge. My first challenge. Sniff! Memories...

29 comments:

Chile said...

Hm, should I leave this comment? It's way over the top... No one, especially Rechelle, ever goes way over the top. I mean, after all, "Holly Crap Balls" is quite tasteful, doncha think? Oh, I just can't. It's too tacky. Let me just imply that I was gonna say that you could have made the DivaCups a more Christmas-y color, Crunchy, so that Rechelle could come up with a tacky new post title for her new decoration...but I suppose the men would run screaming from the photo and the hold-outs would dig in their heels more firmly. Ah, well.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh . . . they're supposed to be used for holiday decorations. That explains a few things. No wonder the in-laws complained of a "silicone aftertaste" when I served them eggnog last Christmas. I guess I can e-mail Martha Stewart back and tell her she doesn't need to bother answering my question. Thanks, Crunchy, you're a real godsend. Truly, my cup runneth over. P.S.-Does anyone know where I can get DivaCups with coffee mug style handles?

Rechelle said...

Crunchy - I wanted to let you know that when a few of my local friends started reading blogs after I started writing one - was right around the time you put up the Diva Cup challenge. They were shocked and horrified, but I said to them - "Oh Good Lord Girls! For heaven's sake! We all had a whole BABY jammed up in there - what difference is a little cup???" To which they all fainted dead away. And every time the Diva Cup comes up they faint dead away again! I am getting tired of constantly reviving them. Us Kansas girls are just not as hearty as you Seattle types. By the way the urn is gorgeous, but I am with Chile - Red would have been nice.

ruchi said...

I am considering, *considering,* making wearing a DivaCup my challenge to myself for January. Because I figure, what the hell, I'll TRY anything.

But don't tell any of my friends. They'll freak out and stop inviting me to things. :)

Anonymous said...

HOLLY CRAP BALLS!!! You said Rechelle is "The Country Chicken's Wife!!!!!" ROFLOL!!! How did everyone else miss that one? Hmmm... can Rechelle get the Country Doctor into a chicken suit and tape her chasing him through the house? AW...the poor Country Doctor would be hen pecked!

And... just how big is that diva cup thing? Like a big gulp? I'm busy today. Too busy to read or post on blogs... so, I'll just have to read those back posts later...

Becky @ BoysRuleMyLife said...

Just have to say that's too funny! I never thought of decorating with them before. LOL!

My husband found the Diva Pin the other day and put it on as a joke - he had no idea what the pin went with. It was a hilarious sight!

Thanks for keeping us laughing!

Deck the Halls with Diva Bells... maybe a new song?

Going Crunchy said...

Hi Crunchy,

I haven't tried to a Diva yet, but I have switched to cloth pads. For those out there that can't quite meet the Diva Challenge, how about a cloth pad challenge?

I bought my first two on Etsy and my favorite was a Surrender to the Flow style though I can't remember the seller. They are SO easy to deal with and easy to clean. After I posted a reader sent me some Luna Pads to try and I've been most pleased with them as well.

My body feels tremendously better with not having itchy plastics up against me and they can last 5-10 years depending upon how well you care for them. I'll never go back! I'll see how brave I get about the Diva......

I actually took my (not used yet) samples into work and we all ooh-ed and aah-ed over how pretty they are. They are also better for your pocketbook, health and environment. Cheers !

MissAnna said...

I thought about you the other day when I got to use my Diva cup for the first time. :-) Little intimidating at first but so far so good! I'm considering using them as Christmas gifts next year as there's no way my friends would buy them on their own. I think you may have to resurrect the challenge for those of us that were too afraid the first time around!

Brave New Leaf said...

Shannon - how are the luna pads working out? How clean do they actually get in the wash?

Crunchy Chicken said...

Well, since Chile and Rechelle thought that adding a bit of red was nice, I went back and doctored the originally country doctored photo.

Needless to say, the result was a bit too graphic looking. But if you want a copy for yourself, email me at crunchychickenblog@gmail.com and I'll forward you the insanity.

Anonymous said...

For everyone's information, I am fully committed to trying the Diva Cup in a mere 13 days. I will be sure to post my intimate follow-up thoughts on my experience.

Oh yeah, to honor my committed-ness, I pinned my DIVA lapel pin to my purse today. I am ready for battle.

April said...

I just had to explain what a Diva Cup is to Clay and after a bunch of questions he finally said, "I don't know how you women function."

Crunchy Chicken said...

april - good gourd, the man is an architect. How much splainin' is needed? It's not like a wine bottle opener, or something complex.

BTW, tell him your nether regions are LEED certified. That will pique his interests.

Myshell said...

I Love Love Love my Diva cup! I made the switch early this fall and can't imagine how I ever got by before. I call mine "Freedom In a Cup!" And that is exactly what it is. Besides the convenience and altogether green goodness, my cycles have mellowed tremendously. I have three daughters and after each birth my cramps grew worse. Now my cycles come and go with ease, literally. You can insert the beauty and forget about it for a good 6-8 hours. I know everyone is different, but I am a pretty heavy flowing gal...I think if every woman took control of their bodies, used a better method of cycle waste, we could change the world. Think of the landfill ladies, that's all you have to do.
Cheers to all!
Myshell

Anonymous said...

I have an urgent question that nobody has addressed yet, and I apologize for the graphic nature of it, but...

Ladies, what about your HAND after you've taken the cup out or put it in? I need serious amounts of toilet paper, or an acrobatic lean over to the sink, before I can touch anything else without permanently staining it (not to mention dripping). Am I removing it improperly, so it empties half into me before I empty it into the toilet? I put in my Keeper in the AM and go to uni, then come home later in the day and take it out. I simply cannot deal with all the blood in a public bathroom. I'm bummed because I have some airplane travel coming up, and it may coincide with my period. I don't want to get stuck with a bloody hand in a tiny airplane lavatory!

...other than that, I feel good about not using tampons...

Myshell said...

Emily, I applaud your willingness to think outside the tampon. Just keep practicing and try something new if what you are doing isn't working. Just a thought, perhaps you need size 2 divacup? If you aren't already using one of course. This might help you in staying "fresh" longer periods of time.
I am really guessing on that though. I have only seen a size 2. Anyone know what the real difference is between a size 1 and 2 Divacup?
I think one of the beauties of the Divacup is the fact that you don't have to empty it/replace it every time you need to pee..eliminates having to use a public bathroom for more than you'd like...

Chile said...

Emily, try these ideas to reduce the mess. (Warning to readers: graphic!)
When removing the Keeper or Diva cup, pull gently until it is almost at the entrance. I often have to squeeze the base a little to release pressure, but not so much to make a mess. Pull forward when it's coming out so that the fluid tips out the back and into the toilet.
If you know you're going to have a mess in your hand anyway, you have to prepare ahead of time. At home, you might try having a few of your cloth wipes (good reason to have some!) available to wiping off your hands. Getting one wet ahead of time will help. Luckily, our toilets are right next to a sink in both bathrooms so I just reach over and rinse off my hand while still seated. Use the wipe to dry.
In a public restroom, you'll have to take paper towels in with you. Again dampening one first will be helpful. Who cares what others think! Or, take your own wipes and a baggie, although in this case, I opt for disposable.

Going Crunchy said...

Oh, way cool. The incredible MyShell just posted on here and she was the phenomenal person that turned me onto LunaPads!

All the pads clean up nicely. I toss mine into a bucket with water and let them soak for a bit and then dip and wring them out.

I then machine or hand wash and dry them either on the line for warmer weather or dryer right now. The lighter pinks only slightly dingy(er) but not so much more, but hey, that's what they are for. The dark ones I bought on Etsy don't show anything.

I think my husband keeled over when I watered the plants with the Luna water as I called it. A friend suggested I try it and evidently it's an amazing natural fertilizer. Um, maybe that's too crunchy!?!?!

jewishfarmer said...

Emily, my own observation is that I mostly don't make too much mess if I don't a. wait too long on heavy days or b. tip the damned thing over my hand as I take it out. But I'm not especially coordinated ;-).

I personally think that cloth pads and the diva cup aren't really an either/or thing. After childbirth, heavy overnights, etc... just make sense to use cloth pads in addition. So yes, IMHO, a cloth pad challenge is a good idea even for those with a diva.

Sharon

Karen said...

If you'd like to do a Lunapad/cloth pad challenge, I just want to let you all know that I have coupon codes on my website for Lunapads. You can find the post here:
http://www.pediascribe.com/20071026/lunapads-contest-and-coupons/

That post also links you to other posts I've had about Lunapads.
Hope this helps.

No DivaCup for me yet. Gotta talk to the ob/gyn about what my body will do after 10+ years on HBC.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the advice! I won't go with a bigger cup because I have a light flow (hence being able to leave it in for 8 hours) and no children. Maybe the trick is just to tilt it the right way when removing... practice, practice, practice! And those wet paper towels...

The GladRags have definitely improved my life, though. Not giving those up.

Anonymous said...

I recently went on a Lunapad / Divacup spree after reading your blog. Just wanted to post the results.

I got 4 Lunapad underwear -- 2 that were for heavier flow times, that have little elasticized loops to put your supplemental fabric in, and the others just with a lightly padded extra lining. I LOVE them. There was no leakage, and they felt great to wear.

However... I'm so sad to say that the Divacup didn't work for me. It seems to disappear up behind my pubic bone, and is next to impossible to get out. The little tip that you're supposed to pull on was waaaay inside, and there was no way to get a grip on it. I was very close to making an appointment with my doctor, but instead, had a long shower, squatted on the floor, and tried to relax. Eventually I managed to reach far enough to squeeze the base and release the suction, but MAN was it difficult.

I tried it a second time (bravely, I felt), and paid very close attention to the instructions, thinking maybe I had missed something. But again, after a half hour or so it just disappeared.

I don't know what went wrong -- I read on their site that if this happens then Kegel exercises might help. But what does that mean? I need to do Kegels for the rest of my life if I want to wear the cup?

I really wanted it to work, as I'd read so many Divacup praises. But I think I've given up on it.

Anonymous said...

Alright... you've convinced me. However, speaking of size questions, I notice they recommend the larger size for everyone over 30, regardless of whether they have kids or not. Does anybody around my age (late 20s to early 30s) without kids have ideas about which size to get?

Anonymous said...

and sea sponges work great, too! i love those little buggers. less messy (for me anyways) than the diva cup! and super comfy! :) i get mine from jade & pearl online!

Samantha said...

Hi

I first found your blog a little while ago while I was researching diva cups before giving them a try. Reading the comments on your site and greenasathistle which links to you was really helpful. I'm now on my second month of using the diva.

For Stephanie my advice is to just stick with it a little while. The cup does require that you be a little more comfortable with your body than you might already be but as long as you're calm and relaxed you can just try different positions to find something that works.

Samantha said...

Oh and I also wanted to post that a really great site for more information is: http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups

Its a "support group" that answers all sorts of questions and goes into a lot of depth.

Anonymous said...

Like for 79.57% of green products, I was skeptical first. When it comes to DivaCups, I was skeptical for a WHOLE year. Yep, every time I was in a store that carried DivaCups, I would stand there and imagine how that THING would fit. And then I would walk away. Finally last month, I said what the hell. And there is no turning back. Yippee! No leaks, no messes. Just to be a little more graphic, I actually got to see how much blood I lost. Amazing knowledge, useless but amazing nonetheless. Anyway, it is truly one of the best things I have switched to. Knowing what I know now, I'd do it even it had nothing to do with the environment. Happy New Year.

Anonymous said...

I got mine at South Coast Shopping for only $16.99 and it came one day! These guys are
fast.

Model 1


Model 2

DawnSierra said...

Since first reading about the diva cup I've wanted one. The hubby and I are on a VERY strict budget though and somehow that 20 or so dollars it takes never seems to be on hand when I can think of it.
Anywho just to get the basic idea of it though I tried instead cups. From my experience I've found that the general idea is really good however the instead cups don't leave me feeling reassured and I wouldn't trust using one if I was having a very heavy period. If I'm going out someplace I'll use something else well.. instead. I can tell though that this is FAR more preferable to wearing something that either feels (and sounds, ew) like a diaper or something that absorbs ALL your bodily fluids (nothing like that completely dessicated feeling, yuck) and gives you that super icky cottony pull. Gross!
Anywho thanks so much for bringing this to my attention and hopefully I'll eventually be able to scrape together enough money to get my own. lol *fingers crossed*

Oh! Oh yeah! And lest I forget.. theres that whole it being better for the environment thing. Yeah.. thats nice too.. ;)

Thanks for your wonderful blog,
ds