These are all genuine emails with genuine answers. If you have a
question about the Mooncup you may well find the answer right here!
Public toilets
Dear Su,
How do you use it in public toilets?
Cheers,
Helen
Dear Helen
You can still use your Mooncup in Public toilets. Simply take a
small bottle
of water into the toilet with you and rinse it with this. Alternatively
you
can wipe with toilet paper and give your Mooncup a thorough clean
at a more convenient time.
Best Wishes
Su
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Light flow Dear Su
My flow is very light and I find tampons extremely painful to remove. Is it ok to use a Mooncup with a light flow?
Kath
Dear Kath
Yes it is fine to use the Mooncup when your flow is light. The Mooncup is not absorbent and will not cause dryness so you will find removal much more comfortable than with tampons.
Best wishes
Su
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Dispatch / Packaging
Dear Su
How big is the mooncup package - will it fit through my letterbox? If
not, is it discreet, i.e. can I get it delivered to my boyfriend's work
without worrying about causing any offence or much laughter ;-)
Yvonne
Dear Yvonne
The Mooncup comes in an A5 brown manilla envelope with an address label on the front and our company name and address written in small letters at the bottom of the label. There is no indication of what is inside the package. It may be helpful to you to know that the package is small enough to fit through a standard letterbox and doesn't need to be signed for so you don't need to be at home to receive it.
Hope this helps!
Best wishes
Su
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New moons (just started menstruating) Hi.
I've just heard about your moon cup and it sounds pretty good. I'm
wondering if it is recommended for use by a girl who has just started
menstruating. Any caveats I should know about? My 11 year old daughter
is not quite there yet but will be sometime soon and if this is
as great as it sounds I would like to recommend it.
Thanks for your response.
Joanne
Dear Joanne
Yes young girls (New Moons!) are physically able to use the Mooncup.
It is possible to use the Mooncup from the very first period as
our bodies are designed to give birth to full size babies at this
time! The more confident that your daughter is about her body the
easier it will be for her. As with tampons, it will require practice
at first. She may like to use a lubricant such as KY Jelly (not
petroleum jelly) to make insertion easier to begin with. I hope
that this helps.
Best Wishes
Su » back to top
Hymen
Dear Su,
I saw the Mooncup at the Mind Body & Spirit festival and was
rather dubious about it but I have been thinking about it quite
a lot as I want to become more active and learn how to swim. As
far as I am aware my hymen is still intact, so I was worried about
using it and wasn't quite bold enough to ask the lady at the stand.
Yours sincerely
Sharon
Dear Sharon
Thanks for getting in touch. If your hymen is still fully intact
the use of the Mooncup is likely to cause it to tear or break. The
hymen is a thin membrane, with a space or spaces for periods to
flow through, which partially blocks the opening of the vaginal
entrance. Hymens come in various shapes and designs. Your hymen
may be shaped like a septum (a thin line
of skin which divides the centre of the vaginal opening, as does
the septum of our nose), or you may have a hymen shaped like a crescent
moon around the bottom or side of the vaginal opening. Interestingly,
not all women are born with hymens, and hymens can break without
women knowing it. Strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding,
horseback riding, stretching, or dancing, can also cause the hymen
to break. Also a woman's hymen could have been broken or stretched
by sexual activity, even if she has not yet had sexual intercourse.
Once torn or stretched, the hymen becomes an irregular ring of tissue
around the vaginal opening. If you would like further advice I recommend
that you pay a visit to your local well woman or sexual health clinic.
Best Wishes
Su
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Leakage
Hi,
Just writing for some advice. I bought a Mooncup at Glastonbury
festival after wanting one for so long. I have been using it month
after month and still I leak. I have to use pads as well, and my
main reason for wanting Mooncup was for eco reasons. Please help
me because I don’t want to go back to the old ways.
Yours Catherine
Dear Catherine
I am sorry that you are having problems. There are some things to
try to stop the leaking. You need to check that the whole of the
stem is fully inside you. If there is any sticking out this will
make it leak as you move. You need to remove your Mooncup and cut
the end with scissors a little at a time until it is fully inside
you, and comfortable. Also check that you are aiming towards the
small of your back along the slant of your vagina, and try not rotating
the Mooncup after insertion, but clamp with your muscles instead.
Sometimes a full bladder or bowel can dislodge the Mooncup and make
it leak. If there is no improvement and you have the B model it
may be that you need the A.
Please email advice@mooncup.co.uk as we may be able to exchange your Mooncup for the model A. If you already have the Model A we recommend that you try some pelvic floor exercises to tighten the vaginal muscle.
Best Wishes
Su
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Which model
Dear Su
How can I tell whether my Mooncup is the before or after childbirth
model and what is the difference in size?
Hazel
Dear Hazel,
If you hold your Mooncup up to the light you will see an A or a
B stamped in the bottom of the cup. A is after childbirth, and B
is before. The length of the cup is 50mm for both models, and the
diameter across the top is 43mm for the model B and 46mm for the
A. The stem is 21mm long. I hope that this helps.
Best Wishes
Su
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Lubricants
Hello!
I am about to order a Mooncup (just waiting for my next paycheque),
and I have a question. I know that oil-based lubricants and latex
do not mix, but I also know that one of the unique things about
the Mooncup is that it is silicone, not latex. Does this mean that
I can use oil-based lubricants to help with insertion, without worrying
about damaging the rubber? Thanks so much for your help!
Kate
Dear Kate
We recommend that you do not use oil-based substances with the Mooncup
as apparently they can weaken the material over time. Water based
lubes are fine.
Best Wishes
Su
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TSS
Dear Su
I've been using my Mooncup for the first time these past few days
and it
seems to be working really well. Everything everyone says about
it on your
site is true. I particularly like the idea that I can forget about
it and
just need to empty it once on waking and once before sleep. However
I'm still a little concerned about the risk of toxic shock syndrome
from leaving it in for a long time.
My cup only gets about half full in half a day, so is it okay to
leave it in for those 8 hours without changing it?
Thanks
Lucy
Dear Lucy
Thank you for your email. I am glad that you are getting along with
your Mooncup! You are right to be concerned about toxic shock syndrome,
and with the Mooncup it is important to regularly remove and clean
it as by doing so you prevent any build-up of the bacteria that
cause this illness. We recommend that you remove and clean your
Mooncup 4 times during a 24-hour day and that you boil it for 5
minutes between periods. TSS has been linked to high absorbency
and prolonged use of tampons. The Mooncup differs from tampons in
that the material that it is made of does not support the growth
of bacteria in the way that the rayons and cottons used in tampons
do. Menstrual cups have been around since the 1930s but have not
been associated with toxic shock syndrome. TSS is most common in
women aged between the ages of 15 and 19 and the risk of contracting
it decreases with age. As a precaution, you should be aware that
the symptoms of TSS could include sudden high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea,
dizziness, fainting, or a rash rather like sunburn. Should you experience
these symptoms during your period you should remove your Mooncup
and contact your GP immediately. I hope that this information is
useful for you.
Best Wishes
Su
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Promotional info
Dear Su
I bought a Mooncup at this years Glastonbury festival and would
like to spread the word to some of my friends and family. Those
who are Internet friendly I have directed to your website but I
have been asked for written information such as the leaflets I was
given with my Mooncup. I was also wondering if you had any stickers
I could have to advertise the Mooncup around my University. I am
a student and think that there would be many people interested in
such an effective alternative to tampons.
Many Thanks.
Julia
Dear Julia
Many thanks for your email. I am glad you like your Mooncup! Please
email your address and I will send out leaflets and stickers to
you. Please let me know if you would like more. Many thanks for
spreading the word!
Best Wishes
Su
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Sex
Hi
Can you advise if the Mooncup is safe to leave in during penetrative
sex (not obviously as a method of contraception)?
Thanks
Mickie
Dear Mickie,
No, the Mooncup is not for use during sexual intercourse. It would
be in the way as it sits low in the vagina, not high like the contraceptive
cap.
Best Wishes
Su » back to top
Removal Problems
Dear Mooncup
I have just tried my Mooncup for the first time. Am I alone in having
problems removing it?
Please help!
Helen
Dear Helen,
No! It is a question of practice, and some women find removal a
little difficult at first! You do not explain what the problem is
exactly, but there are two usual difficulties:
1 Too much suction: Before inserting your mooncup, try inserting a pin into the small holes around
under the lowest ridge on the rim of the Mooncup. These can become
blocked, so wiggle a pin in each one to ensure that they are clear.
You can always release the seal by inserting your finger alongside
the Mooncup and squashing it sideways, if squeezing the base does not work.
2 Not being able to get hold of the Mooncup: this is a combination
of position, and, often, panic! Try to sit on the loo or squat,
and use your 'bearing down' or pushing muscles to move the Mooncup
down before you try to get hold of it. You should be able to move
it down to the entrance to your vagina where it is easier to get
hold of! The best method for doing this is to use a sequence of small downward motions. It may feel as though th Mooncup rises again after releasing each motion but it will be gradually pushed down. Small motions avoid tension and panic!
Standing or lying down makes your Mooncup harder to reach.
And yes, staying calm is helpful too!
I hope this info is useful.
Best Wishes
Su
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Post-birth Hello,
I've been using a Mooncup very happily for the last year. I'm now
expecting our first baby in October, and I wondered if I can use
the Mooncup for the bleeding after the birth? I've heard that you
shouldn't use tampons, but wondered whether the Mooncup would be
OK.
Best wishes,
Kelly
Dear Kelly
It is not recommended to use internal protection for the first six weeks after giving birth. This is because of the increased risk of infection (after trauma to the vaginal tissues.) It would probably be a bit too tender
as well! I would use washable cloths for this post birth bleed.
Good luck, and best wishes
Su
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Urinary tract infections
Dear Su
The Mooncup sounds like a very interesting product, but I would
like to ask you a question before trying it. When I used a diaphragm,
I had problems with urinary tract infections. Have there been any
experiences of women suffering urinary tract infections from the
use of the Mooncup?
Many Thanks
Sarah
Dear Sarah
The diaphragm is worn higher in the vagina than the Mooncup, which
sits low down in the vagina, where a tampon would sit. However it is still possible
that the rim of the Mooncup may exert pressure on the urinary tract
and if you have been affected by problems of this nature in the
past we would recommend that you check with your GP before using
the Mooncup.
Best Wishes
Su
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Thrush
Hi Mooncup!
I have always suffered with thrush and I find that using the
diaphragm contraceptive cap makes this worse. Do you think that
the Mooncup will aggravate the thrush too?
Cheers
Maia
Dear Maia
Thanks for your email. To the contrary, women who have suffered
from thrush with tampons have reported an improvement with the Mooncup.
The diaphragm is made from latex rubber, and many women have an
allergy to latex, even a minor allergy, which may have contributed
towards the infections. The Mooncup can be boiled between periods
or soaked in sterilising solution to keep it clean. The most important
way to prevent infection is to wash your hand before inserting or
removing your Mooncup (this applies to tampons too!). I hope that
this info is useful.
Best Wishes
Su
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IUD
Hi Su,
A friend passed on your web link to me - it's amazing. Please can
you tell me whether it is perfectly safe to use with the IUD?
Thanks a lot and keep up the good work,
Kate
Dear Kate
There should be no problem with an IUD. I have used the two together myself as have hundreds of other woman. Its a good idea to ask your GP/clinic if they can trim the IUD strings to keep them short. You may also like to check your IUD strings periodically to make sure it hasn't been dislodged. If you have any queries you should check with your GP/clinic.
Best Wishes
Su
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Silicone Implants
Hi Su
I am a little confused regarding silicone, with regard to problems
women have with breast enlargements!!, I don't have much of an understanding
of this, and am looking for some feedback. Thank you for your time
Anna
Dear Anna
The Mooncup is made from a very different material to the breast
implants that caused so many problems. They were gel held in a bag
and the gel started to leach out over time into the body. The Mooncup
is made from a solid medical grade silicone, the sort of material
that replacement heart valves or catheters are made from. I hope
that this is useful.
Best Wishes
Su
» » back to top
Endometriosis
Hi Su! I have recently purchased a Mooncup over the Internet
after hearing about it via this webgroup on livejournal.com .
It seems now that there has been a petition to the FDA in the USA
regarding other brands of menstrual cup and their supposed links
to endometriosis (www.endocenter.org)
Understandingly, there's been some concern over this, and I was
wondering if you would have any comment? Thanks.
Rachel
Dear Rachel
Many thanks for the links. Unfortunately, the causes of endometriosis
are unknown, and may be multiple. It has been suggested that devices
which block the release of menstrual debris, such as menstrual (and
perhaps tampons?) may be linked to the onset or worsening of endometriosis.
Please bear in mind that at this time there is only a theoretical
link between the use of menstrual cups and endometriosis, however
as a safeguard I would recommend emptying your cup as often as possible.
Best Wishes
Su
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Heavy periods
"Hi I am using my mooncup for the third month and think it is wonderful.
However, on the heavy couple of days, it does leak which means I have to
use
a pad as well. I have tried all the advice: pointing at small of back,
clamping down instead of turning, but it hasn't made any difference. I do
yoga so my vaginal muscles are in quite good shape (i have two children).
Any other suggestions?
Thank you
Thank you for contacting us for advice. Yes, the Mooncup works very well with heavy periods. It forms a seal with the vaginal wall, which makes it very reliable against leakage and holds approximately 3 times more than a tampon or sanitary towel so you will find that you have approximately 3 times as long between needing to attend to your Mooncup. Please feel free to contact me again if you have any further queries at all.
Best Wishes,
Donna
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Backflow / inverted postures
Hi, I have been looking through your site and think that the mooncup looks fantastic but i have one reservation/question. As the menstrual blood is just collected rather than absorbed, what would happen if you were to go upside down or lay down with your pelvis raised above your body. I know this sounds a really strange question but i do really want one and i just need to know what woud happen if i was to lay down or go on an upside down ride at a theme park. Sorry if you think this is an odd concern!
Thank you for your enquiry. Firstly your concern is far from odd, it is not an uncommon query. Using the Mooncup as a collective device will not create any additional risk than these kind of activities may be associated with when you are menstruating. I don't know if you are aware that there is an ongoing debate regarding whether or not it is appropriate for women to adopt any inverted postures during menstruation, for instance shoulder stands in yoga are cnsidered by some to be alleviative menstrual symptoms during a period, whilst others say that this posture should not be done during menstruation because of the potential for retrograde flow (back flow). It comes down to a personal decision, depending on your opinion. I include some internet links below on this subject...
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/546_1.cfm http://www.yoga.com.au/Infosheets/Menstruation%20Info%20Sheet.pdf http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/5572 http://www.skys.com.au/women_inverted.html
I think that overall the concerns in these areas are associated with being in inverted postures for a prolonged time, and even then the retrograde theory is just that, a theory, it has not been shown be true. The Mooncup is suitable for night-time use and all forms of sports so there is no need for concern in the doing the activities you describe. I hope that this helps you, let me know if you have any further questions. Best Wishes, Donna
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Insertion problems
i just received my mooncup through the post and am finding it really hard to use. i can't seem to insert it. could you give me any tips?
thank-you
Thank you for your email. I'm going to need a bit more detail to be able to offer you specific advice for the difficulties you are experiencing, why exactly can you not insert it? If you are having problems with keeping it folded you will need to practice until you find a method that works for you. If you are having problems with actually passing it through the entrance of your vagina again with practice this will improve. The most important thing is to remain as relaxed as possible, otherwise our muscles tend to tense up and work against us. Just take your time and practice now and again when you are not menstruating until you feel you have gained confidence and found what works best for you. A water-based lubricant (such as KY jelly)can also make things easier initially.
Also make sure that you are running your mooncup under water before attempting to insert it as this reduces any potential friction too.
I hope that something here will be helpful to you, but let me know more specifically what guidance you need and I'm sure we will be able to find a solution for you.
Best Wishes,
Donna
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Sports I am almost convinced about buying a mooncup however I do a number of aerobics classes during the week. During the week of my period I do sometimes go but often wear a pad as well as a tampon in case of leaks when jumping - would a mooncup be OK during exercise (including in swimming pool?)
Thank you for your enquiry. The Mooncup is ideal for use whilst doing all sports, including aerobics and swimming. Many women tend to use a pantyliner whilst they are still gaining confidence in the reliabilty of their Mooncup, but before long it will provide you with far more confidence than other option. Feel free to contact me again if you have any further questions at all.
Best Wishes, Donna » back to top
Is it messy?
I only heard about your mooncup today, but am intrigued, especially for the health aspects. I have big reservations though about how messy it is and difficult to remove. Can you please tell me whether this is true? Do you tip any blood into the toilet then wipe it? Is there then a lot, it sounds horrible! Is it like inserting a tampon though in terms of the amount of blood you come into contact with?
Thanks!
Thank you for your enquiry. The Mooncup is actually suprisingly unmessy to use. Yes, when you insert its the same as inserting a tampon with regard to the amount of blood you come in contact with. When you remove the Mooncup the outside of it is generally clean, with all your blood collected inside of it. It stays upright (and is rarely full anyway) until you tip it up to empty it down the loo. Then you simply rinse, or wipe, befor re-inseting. You will see your blood, but you will not have much actual contact with it. Many women find that once they get used to it, seeing your blood is actually a very good way of being in touch with your body and can lead to a greater sense of acceptance and well-being during menstruation! Its really not horrible, its just different at first. Let me know if you have any further questions at all. Best Wishes, Donna » back to top
Night use
Hi can you please let me know if the mooncup is safe to wear at night? Many Thanks
Dear Sarah, Thank you for your enquiry. Yes, the Mooncup is sake to wear at night. You will need to ensure it is empty before going to bed and then empty it again as soon as you wake, but because it is safe to be in place for 8 or so hours there is no problem with using it at night. Please feel free to contact me again if you have any further queries at all. Best Wishes, Donna » back to top
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