diva cup & mama cloth questions (again!!) wanrning TMI

[JenaW]

I am 3 1/2 mos pp and already on my 3rd round of using my diva cup (2nd pp period and some heavy mid-cycle spotting). I was so unhappy with my diva during my first period this time (I am not a new diva user, but for some reason is just doesn't feel right). I was so tired of the stem poking me (and I could not push it in any higher) that I trimmed it some more (as much as I dare to). this cycle, it was still poking me and DH suggested turning it inside out. I thought I recalled someone here suggesting that so I did. The poking issue is now fully resolved but I have developed another problem. It is falling out!! I get it in fine, and can feel that it is fully seated around my cervix and it feels great (which means I can't feel it at all). However, I am having an extraordinarily heavy flow (as in I am changing the cup every 2 hours). If I can't get to the bathroom the second I feel it start to leak (which has been right about the 2 hour mark for the past 36-48 hours), it literally falls out. I have yet to lose it completely in my underwear, but I feel like it is hanging right there. Today while shopping I actually had to waddle into the Ladies Room practically holding it in for the last few feet to the stall, and yesterday i actually lost it into the toilet a few times, which is not fun to deal with! I am not sure if this is a function of turning it inside out, or if it is simply too full and therefore too heavy, or if my anatomy is still distorted (loose?) from my 9th pregnancy and 5th baby a few short months ago. Does anyone have any advice? I do NOT want to go back to tampons, and I am hoping that if my flow slows down I will not have this issue. Does anyone else use theirs inside out?

Also, I bought some mama cloth from an etsy seller (lolas loft I think). I think karoly also bought some from her, so if you are reading this, perhaps you can comment. I was really happy initially. I love the look and feel of her pads and the prices seemed fair, and she was wonderful to work with. I bought a few postpartum pads and used them after the first week of bleeding. I also used them as back up for my diva (which has been leaking fairly often this cycle, but usually doesn't leak too much). I also have some pantyliners she made that I wear almost daily to help with my stress incontinence. My one complaint - after I wear them for a few hours, I start to feel "wet." They are flannel lined on top with white fleece on the bottom (at least I assume that is the way to wear them, although I much prefer the fleece next to my skin as it seems drier, but the white is so NOT practical!). The flannel just does not keep me dry. However, I have had no leaks THROUGH them (i think there is PUL inside). Can any of you comment on your pads. How soiled do they get? Do you use them alone or with something else? Do you feel dry all day while wearing them? How often do you change them during the day? How do you store and wash them? I rinse immediately with cold water until it runs clear (which seems to take forever as whatever is inside the pad seems to hold the blood) and soak in water/peroxide until I wash them. However, they are staining alot. No one sees them but me, but I am sad that my pretty fabrics (blues, greens, and bright flowers) are not as pretty anymore. I am wondering if I need to find some more practical (and maybe not as pretty) ones? Any fabric suggestions that I should look out for?

Thanks for your advice.

J

[Melaine]

I can't really comment about the inside out diva, but I did want to tell you that my younger sister could not wear the diva at all. She discovered she had a tilted uterus and once she had that resolved, she can now use it with no issue. I would think using it inside out the suction would not work correctly....but that's just my guess.

[JenaW]

there is definitely no suction...maybe that is why it is falling out. Although it only seems to fall out when it is full. The rest of the time it stays fine. Hmmmm. I am fairly certain I do not have a tilted uterus, so I don't think that is the issue. And I have worn it before, but when worn correctly, the stem is very irritating.

Thanks for your thoughts

J

[Melaine]

I have heard a lot of people are irritated by the stem. It seems like I read somewhere that a different cup of a different shape could be more comfortable.

[schums]

The poking issue is now fully resolved but I have developed another problem. It is falling out!! I get it in fine, and can feel that it is fully seated around my cervix and it feels great (which means I can't feel it at all). However, I am having an extraordinarily heavy flow (as in I am changing the cup every 2 hours). If I can't get to the bathroom the second I feel it start to leak (which has been right about the 2 hour mark for the past 36-48 hours), it literally falls out. I have yet to lose it completely in my underwear, but I feel like it is hanging right there.

I'm right there with you. A couple of days a month, my flow is about the same level of awful, and I have the same issues with the diva. I wear it inside out to avoid the poking. It's annoying, but the diva is SOOOOO much better than pads/tampons. I just use it as an "early warning system" to remind me to get to the bathroom! I might try wearing it right side out again, and see if there is any difference.

Since you could wear it the "right" way before, I'd guess that once your body is back to normal, you should be fine.

[lizajane]

I can't really comment about the inside out diva, but I did want to tell you that my younger sister could not wear the diva at all. She discovered she had a tilted uterus and once she had that resolved, she can now use it with no issue. I would think using it inside out the suction would not work correctly....but that's just my guess.

i have a tipped (tilted) uterus and i use it. i have to get it just right or it will leak. but it does work well for me (just out of practice, as i had a mirena for most of this year.) but nothing like jera has described. how does one resolve a tipped uterus????

[Melaine]

i have a tipped (tilted) uterus and i use it. i have to get it just right or it will leak. but it does work well for me (just out of practice, as i had a mirena for most of this year.) but nothing like jera has described. how does one resolve a tipped uterus????

Well, since we are already in a "TMI" post



.....my family and I go to a traditional medicine man, or as we affectionately call him, a "witch doctor". He fixed her tilted uterus, errr, rectally. She is totally fascinated by all alternative health topics, so she actually is interested in the stuff he does....I just close my eyes and wait for it to be over!

[bubbaray]

how does one resolve a tipped uterus????

Term pregnancy. Mine was retroverted prior to and during the early part of my PGy with DD#1. Its not now.

[lizajane]

Term pregnancy. Mine was retroverted prior to and during the early part of my PGy with DD#1. Its not now.

but i did that TWICE and it didn't resolve! maybe i am just super duper special. i mean, tipped.

[karolyp]

hi jera! i have that wet feeling too after a while. i actually think it's sweat as from the pul (sorry tmi i know). i change 2-3x a day. as far as washing go - i got this method from jo and it works wonders for mama cloth. i put the soiled pads in a sink of cold water and let them soak overnight. then i'll rinse them out and put in a wet bag. when it's time to do laundry, i put them in a bucket of HOT water (hot as you can get it) with oxiclean and let it soak a few hours to overnight. then i disgard the water and throw them in with the laundry and wala - the fabric is pretty again and the stains are completely gone! :)
hth and let me know if i can help with anything else.

[Momof3Labs]

I did the diva inside out for a while after DS2 was born (took about a year for AF to return postpartum). But then I started having problems with leaks - not overflowing as you describe, but just couldn't get it in there right and keep it in there. I finally chalked it up to anatomical issues and switched back to the disposable stuff (I use cloth between cycles for daily dryness), yuck.

Flannel is a damp material - you will feel damp with flannel against your skin. Flannel also tends to stain, so I always stayed away from it with cloth diapers. I have some pads topped with minky which cleans up beautifully, and it is softer and drier next to the skin.

[MmeSunny]

Well, since we are already in a "TMI" post



.....my family and I go to a traditional medicine man, or as we affectionately call him, a "witch doctor". He fixed her tilted uterus, errr, rectally. She is totally fascinated by all alternative health topics, so she actually is interested in the stuff he does....I just close my eyes and wait for it to be over!


Wow, does she pay him for that????? LOL. Seriously, though, whatever works.

FWIW, I also have a tilted uterus, to the left. (I like to say it matches my politics. . . ) and I use the Freedom Cup. I will occasionally have leaks on very heavy days if I don't change every 2 hours as well. I back up with a pad and there you go. It's never fallen out, but that's just me--I'll count myself lucky there.

Also, in regards to the fleecy side of the mama pads. Perhaps that is the side that it supposed to go against your skin? When sewing diapers, I know the microfleece goes against the baby's skin to wick wetness away into the core leaving the skin dry. Your pads may be different of course, but that thought occured to me while reading your post.

[hellokitty]

I have a tilted uterus too and that probably explains why my diva cup doesn't work well on my heavy days. On my other days, it works perfectly, but I can't seem to get a good seal on my heavy days and yes, I do feel it slipping out as well. I have to admit that I have given up on cloth pads for myself. They don't stay put for me! They move around and I feel them getting bunched up. I basically have to use a disposble maxi pad plus the diva on my heavy days (this is like emptying EVERY hr, yeah I have miserable periods) and then on lighter days, I can get away with just the diva and nothing else. If I didn't have such a heavy period, I think I would like my diva cup a lot more...

[o_mom]

but i did that TWICE and it didn't resolve! maybe i am just super duper special. i mean, tipped.

Yep. Three times here. Still tipped. No diva cup help, though, I haven't had enough of a period lately to even consider investing in one.

[JenaW]

Lori - where did you find minky mama cloth? That sounds awesome!!

MmeSunny - I wondered if the fleece side was supposed to be up next to my skin, as I too remembered using fleece inserts with CDs. But the way the pad is sewn, it clearly looks as if the fleece should be on the underside, AND the fleece is white! I do often flip it over if I am out and can't change it and it feels wet.

Karolyp - thanks for the cleaning tips. I do do a cold water soak, but never thought of using oxyclean and I wash in cold not hot. I'll try that...thanks.

Thanks guys. I am determined not to give up on my diva as I refuse to go back to plastic pads and tampons. Last night my flow slowed significantly and I had no "falling out" issues this am, so I am guessing it is related to the amount the cup is holding. I have to admit it is SO much more comfortable inside out.

J

[Momof3Labs]

Jera - I found them here:

http://hyenacart.com/HappyMamaOriginals/index.php?c=12

But it was a few years ago and I think that the store has changed hands since then. It does look like she still makes minky, but it is sold out.

[calv]

haven't read the posts but did you snip the end of the diva? it bothered me a lot too and it took about 3 cycles for me to get it. insertion, cleaning, everything seemed like a mess and a pain to do. I'd rather use tampons. To me the tampons = less mess but I honestly now LOVELOVELOVE the diva. I got used to it and it's awesome.

[JenaW]

Thanks for the link Lori. I'll keep on eye on the site and see if it gets restocked.

caly - I did snip mine, two different times, and there is not much stem left, but it is still a bit irritating if I use it right side out. I think my cervix is still a bit lower than normal, and perhaps even a bit larger? It used to fit inside the rim of my diva and the cup would fit nice and high inside of me, causing no problems. I didn't snip it at all until after I wore it postpartum for the first time. (I think I bought it before I delivered Lexie, my 2nd youngest). IT was fine the entire time before I got pregnant with H, but now it is causing problems again. Now I have a hard time getting the rim to fit all the way around my cervix (which is probably why I get small leaks in between emptying it) and my entire cervix is much lower, forcing the entire cup to remain lower inside my V. I also noticed the last time DH and I were intimate, it was uncomfortable and I felt like he kept bumping into my cervix (sorry!). I missed my postpartum check due to a (minor) car accident, and frankly since I worked in OB and it was my 5th delivery, I really didn't think I needed one. But I am due for an annual in a few weeks, so if my next cycle is this wonky, I'll make an appt and mention all this to my OB.

J

[JenaW]

Karolyp ~ You are a genius! I just soaked my pads in hot water and oxy for an hour or so and they almost look brand new! Now why didn't I think of that??? I am not sure if the older stains will come out since they have already been laundered but everything from this cycle is gone. Thank you!!

J

[MamaKath]

Jera, Congrats on the new baby!!! I don't have much to add except to say THANK YOU for posting this. One thing I resolved to do this year was reduce my use of plastics and pads were one of my concerns. This gives me a good start and the chance to see that I really won't be the ONLY one doing this, lol. ;-)

[rlu]

For me a tipped uterus meant a prolapsed uterus and a pessary. Fun fun!