Using a menstrual cup for travel: Diva cup review
Ladies, using a menstrual cup for travel has legit changed my life! I wanted to share my review of the feminine product I have used while living and travelling abroad for the last 2 years…The Diva Cup.
The Diva Cup is not only environmentally friendly and helped me save TONS of money, but it’s so practical for travel long term, active or off beat travel and camping.
Tanzania’s remote Gombe Stream National Park is only accessible by boat- you’d better bet there’s no pharmacy to buy tampons here!
I was interested in using a menstrual cup for travel due to the obvious benefits of it being reusable. For someone who travels light, this is a huge advantage (to not worry about packing months worth of supplies, or to have to hunt down your preferred product in a foreign country).
Plus, the impact of using a menstrual cup on the environment is extremely beneficial.
But to be honest, at first I was hesitant to try it…I wasn’t sure what to expect or whether it would be practical to maintain it in a context where there may not be clean water or public washrooms. Finally curiosity won.
My experience using a menstrual cup for travel
Pros of Diva Cup:
-Cost friendly (let’s say a box of tampons is $9.99… over one year you would be saving approx $120)
-Environmentally friendly
-Takes up virtually no room in luggage/ purse
-Comfortable once in place
-Customizable (you can order your preferred size – A= pre-birth, B= post-birth)
-No worries about how/where to dispose product during times when a garbage or toilet is not accessible (i.e. camping, squatter style toilets) because the cup is reusable – simply rise and repeat
-Never have tampon string hang out of bathing suit bottoms again
-Less dehydrating than tampon use
-No risk of toxic shock due to silicone material so you can use for longer periods of time (up to 12 hours)
Cons of Diva Cup:
-Very strong suction ..this means no leakage, but it can be difficult to get out with the shorter stem
Frequently asked Questions:
How do I clean the cup if I’m travelling in areas that do not have clean tap water?
I was worried whether this could lead to infection with using a menstrual cup and then rinsing the product with water in areas that could potentially be contaminated. I resorted to either using boiled water or rinsing thoroughly with hot tap water and soap. I have not have any issues with these strategies in 2 years (but you can always buy the diva cup cleansing soap if you are concerned).
The rural island of Ekewere, Tanzania is the perfect example of an isolated place where you will want a cup.
What do I do if I need to use a public restroom?
In public washrooms (i.e. at airport, campsite etc) I simply take a bottle of water with me into the stall. Empty and rinse the diva cup over the toilet with the bottled water and reuse. An alternative idea is to carry a small package of baby wipes, though if you are sensitive to perfumes or non-natural ingredients make sure the wipes are free of them.
Pro tip: Do not do this in an airplane bathroom sink (these are notorious for not draining and this is unhygienic for other passengers). Rinse over the airplane toilet with a bottle of water or clean with tissues/baby wipes.
Campsite tested in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
What do I do if I’m camping and there is no public bathroom?
If you are camping on your period without a toilet, I assume you are already comfortable with using Mother nature as your restroom. Typically on long trekking trips or back-country camping trips, you simply head out to the woods with a shovel when you gotta do business. You will need to take hand sanitizer, toilet paper or wipes, a bottle of water and a head torch with you. Most people would be taking sanitizer, toilet paper, the shovel and a torch with them, so you won’t look super obvious.
Wear the head torch so you can see what you are doing at night. Once you have dug a small hole, clean your hands well with the sanitizer. Use the same strategy here as above with the bottle of water; empty and cleanse the cup over the hole and reuse! Be sure to fill the hole when you are done!
The ultimate diva cup test.. fool-proof at 130ft below
Is it okay to swim with a cup?
Yes, using a menstrual cup is totally fine to swim with. In fact I used my Diva cup while scuba diving 130ft down the blue hole in Belize with no issues!
Overall opinion on using a menstrual cup for travel:
I liked the Diva cup enough to continue to use it even during the times I’m not travelling or camping, so it has now been 2 years of continuous use. I recommend for any model that you try, don’t give up on using a menstrual cup; it took me a few months to feel comfortable using it, but it’s a learning curve that is SO worth the effort!
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