Great ideas.

Yes I completely agree that menstrual cups are the safest and most comfortable way of having menstruation protection. It becomes easy to do all the physical activities during periods as well with the help of menstrual cups. Check here for some useful information about cups at http://www.cupissima.com .

 As scary as menstrual cups may seem, they truly are the best product out there. Completely safe and so easy to use, you just can't beat all the pluses of a menstrual cup. Make sure to do your research on what cups are out there and also to check yourself out to see where you are vaginally. Different cups work best for everyone, so it may be a while before you find "the" cup. Good luck!

If you travel - go with a cup! It is an excellent option. Finding pads and tampons is easy in a developed city, but travel farther out and you get what you find...if you find anything. Plus, if you have to burn your trash...well...they don't burn well!

When I moved overseas the first time, I switched to OB tampons and discovered they were the only ones to not leak. But still, I didn't like wearing them all the time but they were MUCH cleaner when I had no shower for months on end. However, I had to pack enough for 2 years as tampons were expensive and rare overseas (at least OBs).

Now, I've taken the next step to using a Lunette cup. It was an adjustment at first. I about gave up on it until I researched how to insert it and postiion it and watched YouTube videos. Happier camper now.

I have to say, in the Philippines when it's hot season you sweat a TON and I'm sure you know that having sweaty panties does not allow for pads to stick. I was so grateful for my cup! Besides not worrying about pads moving around, there was no chaffing from walking and sweating and clothing....No trying to wrap up tampons to throw in the trash...or worrying that there was a trash can....or toilet paper...Life became easier in that department so far. :-)

Everyone has probably stated all the reasons to choose a cup over tampons, but another very beneficial reason to use it is that you will understand your body better, as a result.  I didn't realize how hands-off tampons were until I gave the DivaCup a try, even withouth applicators.  If I feel that something might be wrong, I'm no longer afraid to check, because it's my body.

More than once, I've read women in forums mentioning how they didn't really know much about their body until after they became sexually active.  Then there are women who are still hands-off even afterward.  This strikes me as problematic for many reasons.  Fortunately, menstrual cups are very hands-on, so I'm hoping fewer of the next generation will run into this problem.  This, of course, depends on us getting the word out! :)

 I agree with other posters that my favorite reason to switch to a cup is the way you can just forget about it for 12 hours at a time. I love, love, love not having to worry about how long I've had my tampon in or whether my pad is starting to smell. I just put in the divacup in the morning and clean it out before bed. I simplify the mornings even further by cleaning out the cup while I'm in my regular morning shower. (If you get a divacup, I HIGHLY recommend the divawash. In fact, get that even without the cup. Best smelling body wash ever, without the unnatural chemicals.) If your period is predicable, you can even put the cup in a little while before your flow starts, which is not comfortable or safe with tampons. The cup feels better too - doesn't leave your insides feeling scratched up, dried out or sore like a tampon can. It doesn't release dangerous chemicals into your body either.

Another advantage to having a cup vs tampons depends on what your periods are like. If you pass large clumps/clots of blood and stuff, the cup is excellent. All that stuff ends up inside it where you can pour it out with low mess factor, instead of wrapped around a tampon threatening to drip everywhere before you can get it to the trash. 

Finally, by switching to a cup you drastically reduce how much trash you produce in your lifetime. The numbers on how many disposable products a women uses over the course of her life are astounding. A reusable cup can last for years, saving you money and keeping trash out of landfills. It also helps protect your privacy, as you won't be sneaking to the bathroom with your purse, stocking up on tampons at the store, or leaving tell-tale trash in other people's homes. I could go on for ages, but I think I've said enough :) For more divacup praise, check out the reviews at Lunapads http://lunapads.com/divacup/diva-cup.html.

The best reason to use a menstrual cup is that it reduces the need to fuss over your period.  Because you do not have to empty a cup as frequently as changing a tampon or pad, it is easy to forget you're even on your period.  Not only that, you don't have to think about re-purchasing disposibles every month or worry that you will run out. Everything you can do with a tampon -- you can do with a menstrual cup.

As everyone else has stated, there are several reasons to use a cup:  it is green, less risk of TSS, easy on your budget.  But at Lunette, we think it makes your period more pleasant so you can live your life.

There is a saying "the DivaCup changed my life" and it is true...menstrual cups are awesome for those who like internal products! try it! Another option is washable pads, which is my preference although I have a DivaCup for swimming or if I know I am going to be on the go most of the day.

I am so delighted that Be Prepared Period has launched this new forum! Menstrual cups are one of the best keep secrets that simply must become well known!  

We encourage all women to consider feminine hygiene alternatives to those products, since they are the only one with a significant risk of TSS.  For those who prefer internal protection, cups are a great alternative!  

Cups come in two forms: disposable (single use, much like traditional tampons and their healthier alternatives) and reusable.  

The #1 disposable cup in the USA is Instead Softcup.  They proudly proclaim over 100 million cups sold with no incidents of TSS!  

There are dozens of companies that make reusable cups, but only 3 for sale in the USA have received the FDA's 510K certification: Keeper (makers of the Keeper Cup and Moon Cup), Lunette, and Diva Cup.  

Among the benefits of all cups over tampons: 
-- heavy flow: holds more volume than a tampon
-- light flow: since a cup catches flow (a tampon absorbs) you will not experience vaginal dryness
-- longer wear time (up to 12 hours)
-- less waste (especially with reusable cups)
-- less expense (especially with reusable cups)

I encourage you to give cups a try!  Also, consider reading stories of women who have recently quit traditional tampons in favor of a cup or other healthier alternatives.  Let their stories inspire you. 

I LOVE the Instead Softcup!  I have huge huge allergy issues, which include latex and chlorine bleach, and adhesives -- which made disposable pads an tampons an absolute terror to use!  I discovered and switched to cloth pads after my now 9 1/2 year old son was born and I was using cloth diapers with him.    I finally tried the Instead SoftCup about 7 months ago.  I LOVE how convenient it is, how easy it is to clean, and that I can go all day or night w/out worry (except on day 1, when I am uber heavy and have to wear a cloth pad as backup).  I love being able to sleep in it, be intimate with my fiance, or wear whatever I am in the mood for, instead of something that will hide any leaks.   I also love not having to change it so often while out, which eliminates the hassle of toting around clean and used cloth pads.