FirenzaMonet

This post is long overdue. Not because I've been meaning to write it, but because my lazy (and cheap) butt didn't have the time or courage to spend a little bit of my monthly budget on this piece of silicon that, literally, changed my life.

For my social media friends, you guys know that I spent the week in Cabo during Easter. What you may not know is I spent most of my trip on my cycle.

Sidebar: my mom hates the word "period." I have become a pro at code switching around her.

Anyways, because I use an amazing period tracking app (sorry Ma), I knew that in the middle of my trip, Aunt Flo was going to visit. So, a few days before my trip, I did what I had been thinking to do for at least six months: I purchased The Diva Cup.

Another social media fact about me: I often poll my Facebook girlfriends about women stuff. Waxing, periods, vaginas, dumb men, etc. I may have posted something related to my menstrual cycle and it started a conversation about The Diva Cup. I was so surprised to find out that many of my friends already use it...and they swear by it!

I think that it's only right to tell my loyal readers how awesome this thing really is (y'all been riding with me hard, especially since I haven't posted in a while).

A Few Things You Should Know:

1. You can buy it on Amazon. I think I paid about $27. Which I think is about the same as buying it from a store. Especially since I have Amazon Prime.

2. It's going to be awkward at first. Folding a small cup and sticking it in your cooch is never something you imagine doing gracefully. It sounds and looks as awkward as it is. But, I can guarantee you will get it after the second or so try. It is VERY easy. I did not expect it to be.

3. Reviews say it'll be messy the first time you use it but I've never had a more clean period. I have a very heavy flow and often the toilet looks like a crime scene around Day 2 or 3. But, because this thing is so easy to remove, the dump isn't messy at all. You'll def need access to a sink in order to rinse or some really good damp wipes. But it's not as messy as the reviews make it seem.

4. There will be a liquid-like substance that sits on top of the menstrual blood. This is something that I wish someone would have told me. I wasn't ready. Apparently, it is either plasma from the separation of your menstrual blood or discharge. According to my research, as long as it isn't thick and white, smelly, or itchy, it's normal. But, I'll admit, I was a bit alarmed at first. My cup was completely full but only about a third of it was actually blood. But if what the interwebs are saying is true, the plasma and blood cells have separated in the cup and it's totally normal.

5. If you have an abnormally heavy flow, you WILL need to change more than twice a day. My period is pretty normal. About 4-5 days with 1 or 2 heavy days. My heavy days are about a 7/8 on a scale from 1-10. I could go about 7-8 hours before I had to change. Don't believe the 12 hour hype on those heavy days.

6. You WILL leak on the first go round. You have to get use to how to get the suction just right on this thing. If you follow the instructions, you come pretty close so you'll have minimal leakage. I realized that around Day 4, I had figured out what it feels like when the cup is opened all the way inside of me. So that was helpful. You'll figure it out but don't throw out your pads/liners just yet.

7. You're going to strengthen those kegel muscles in no time. Your diva cup will never get stuck. You may not be able to find it immediately but you'll have to use your kegels to push that bad boy down. For those of you who may not be familiar with the anatomy of your cooch, the kegel muscles are those that support the uterus, bladder, small intestines and rectum. So just push like you're having a bowel movement and you should be able to feel it.

Bonus: kegel exercises help strengthen those muscles and apparently make for better sex!

8. Yes, a cup fills with blood and sits inside your vagina until you pull it out. I was talking to my mom about switching and she could not wrap her mind around the idea that this little cup fills with blood and she has to dump it out. If you weren't before, you will become one with yourself VERY quickly. But it feels great! It's very empowering because you begin to understand your body a little more and have a better idea of how much blood you actually lose during your cycle. I think it also helps us to be very aware if something is off; which is extremely important.

All in all, I am so glad that I've made the switch. It was easy and reliable during my trip to Cabo. I wasn't worried about it, I didn't have any complaints about it, and I highly recommend every woman at least try it. It's worth the 27 dollars.

Until next time, girls...

TGwBH