But since my period returned after my second child, the Keeper's been annoying me immensely. I am definitely much more slack and open than I used to be; my period gushes in the first two days and the number of flow days is shorter now than in the past. I'm sure I need to be working on my pelvic tone, but I just won't be making that a priority for the moment. The Keeper slips down a lot (aggravating!), especially early in my cycle, or if it's full. If I've adjusted it a few times in a day, I give up and use tampons instead. And because I feel like it's stretching me out even further from the post-baby stretch, I end up curbing its use at the tail end and just using pantyliners once the flow slows. At the same time, my flow is so heavy in the beginning that I really need a cup to contain it.
So I'd like to get a different kind of cup. Ideally, I want to buy just one more cup and not think about it again. I guess I need something softer, shorter, squatter, fuller (apparently the latex Keeper is super stiff, and long and thin compared to other cups). I don't mind a learning curve for a new type of cup, but I do want something that will work with my untoned self. My original reason for getting the latex cup was that it's made out of a more natural material; even if I switch to silicone I'd prefer to avoid weird additives. Don't care about color. Will be trimming any stem. [EDIT: I will be cutting the stem off entirely, so it doesn't matter at all.]
I've seen a bunch of size charts, but they're exhausting to read, they vary slightly, they don't take into account the availability of a cup in my area, etc. I know some of you ladies are experts -- please advise!
I searched the archives here; this question
My guess from an hour of poking around various sites (which I'm already resenting, though answers to http://menstrual-cups.livejournal.com/3191066.html were quite useful) is the Lunette. Are the different colors different stiffnesses? Would I find something like a Selene too stiff, or, since I'm coming from the as-stiff-they-come Keeper, would I likely not mind at all?
Does that seem like a good plan? Is there a better one? It's just so damned expensive -- I don't want to make an obviously dumb decision.
Thanks a million!