I saw one of these for the first time at Walmart yesterday. I've never even heard of them. Has anyone tried this product? I imagine it would be messy!

I think I know what you are talking about, the Diva cup right? Its something that I have always wanted to know about and see how it works, check out their website and see... it never hurts to look, thats kinda what i did and it made me even more interested in it.

I have a Diva Cup. It's fantastic!
Not having to buy tampons ever again, not contributing to all that waste!
The cup is pretty easy to figure out. Flatten, fold and insert. (you definatly have to be comfortable with putting your fingers inside yourself...)
Once you insert the cup, you need to make sure it pops open, or it may leak. So rotate it (the instructions) or move it in and out slightly (for air to push it open). (i find that adjusting it is easiest in a deep squat)

Once it has opened, you may want to push it in deeper (dont worry, you can't lose it) so you won't feel it as you go about your day.

You only need to empty it 2-3 times a day, and you can sleep with it in! when you need to empty it, if you can't feel it with your fingers, contract your lower abs and push downwards (push like you're having a bowel movement) until you can feel it. (again, squatting helps)
Once you can grab it, to release the suction, press one side of the cup's wall and pull it out. empty into toilet, wash it out, and replace.
It takes just a couple times to get good at it.

just think of all the tampons you'll never have to use again!
it's so worth it.

-L

YUCK! I tried valiantly to use one of those things because I loved the idea of it - 4 months later I still absolutely hated it. It ALWAYS leaked, and I could never get it in far enough that I wasn't aware of it (and often it would pinch). When I would try to pull it out to empty it, I got blood shoved up my fingernails. And if you must empty it while using a public multi-stall bathroom, you have to put it back in unrinsed, wipe the blood off your fingers as much as possible with dry toilet paper, hope you don't miss a spot and therefore get the blood on your clothing, and then go out to the public sinks to wash your hands (and generally not be able to get the blood out from under your nails until you can go home and shower or soak your hands in water). Give me tampons any day.

i'm with you, its great. the only problem i had at first was spilling it when removing it, i overcame this by removing it in the shower cubicle. anyway it doesnt happen anymore, so problem solved. mine doesnt leak, and there is no smell or other problems.

I tried the Diva cup as a teenager and didn't really like it for some of the reasons mentioned above by opus88. However, I do want to try it again, at least for at night. Remember there are several brands out there, so one might work better for you than others. There is the rubber Keeper (not even sure you can get that anymore), the silicone Diva Cup (US), the Mooncup (UK), and the Lunette.

If you are interested in alternative, healthier menstrual options you could also try reusable cloth menstrual pads.