aggravatedI bought my first cup (Diva) in November, and I am SO grateful to all you awesome folks for your comments, suggestions, and sometimes hilarious stories on here! I wouldn't have made it this far without you, I don't think....
Anyway, you've kept me hanging in there, but now I'm starting to get frustrated. I thought that using the cup would get easier with time, but so far it hasn't - at least not consistently, so now I'm finally starting to think maybe I need a different cup....
First let me say that I am SO in love with the idea of the cup (though I thought it sounded gross and weird, way back when I first heard about it). I have never liked tampons, and I feel more and more guilty every month about throwing all those pads into the trash, so that was my main reason for getting a cup. But I didn't realize just how much I would love wearing one, though - wow! Now I've gotten so I can hardly even stand to wear a pad for a few hours!
Unfortunately I still have to, and I feel like I'm still going through ALMOST as many pads as I was before I got the cup! I just can't wear mine that often, because the removal is SO difficult and traumatic!
Putting it in is surprisingly much easier than I expected (my first thought when seeing it -- "Seriously?? That has to go WHERE??"), though not always comfortable. I've found the punch-down fold is the only way I can get it in, but then sometimes it doesn't unfold right, and then it leaks....
But taking it out is almost always a nightmare of grunting, straining, squatting in awkward positions, while my arm and hand are cramping and aching as I dig around for ages to try to even begin to grab hold of the stem.... Which eventually leaves my poor "hoo-ha" so sore and traumatized that I can't even wear it again until the next day, which kinda defeats the point! I've never taken it out in a public bathroom because of this, and have managed to get it out over a toilet only two or three times - all the other times I have to squat in the bathtub. It just goes SO far up there, I can barely even touch the stem. I have learned how to use my muscles to push it down a little (I think of it as good practice for childbirth - LOL), but it still is really unpleasant.
I have reviewed all the comparison charts, and am leaning towards the Yuuki - it sounds like it is a little softer (the Diva is really stiff), and the stem is apparently twice as long, which would really help. I also looked at the Moon Cup, but though the stem on that one is long, it doesn't appear to have the ridges, so I think it might be difficult to hold onto? I just wanted to see what other people thought, before I buy another expensive cup just a few months after the first (I was going to try to go a year with the Diva, but now I just don't think I can.)
Has anyone had experience with the Yuuki vs. the Diva? Vs. the Moon Cup? Sorry for the really long post, but I would appreciate any feedback!
Thanks!
Rose.