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Thread: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

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    Veteran Member toxicgirl's Avatar
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    Default natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    i'm thinking about trying an alternative to tampons. organic cotton ones are too expensive.

    i have heard of using natural sponges and have seen them in natural food stores. have any of you tried this?

    ps-i have a very heavy flow the first day or two, but it's manageable after that
    "RIP THE SYSTEM"

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    Featured Member ami's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I have heard of them, But I have never tried them....

    I use the cup. I only use one each month and just wash it well in hot water twice a day. one pack can last me a year that way and they are darn convient.... yeah I wish they were more biodegradeable, but they put less out there then pads or regular tampons (the kind with the scary applicator)

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    Veteran Member Mercury_Deep's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    Quote Originally Posted by ami link=board=5;threadid=10677;start=msg132647#msg132 647 date=1088869073
    I use the cup. I only use one each month and just wash it well in hot water twice a day. one pack can last me a year that way and they are darn convient.... yeah I wish they were more biodegradeable, but they put less out there then pads or regular tampons (the kind with the scary applicator)
    What I'm about to say may seem harsh, but it comes from a place of care and concern...along with a bit of knowledge...

    What's scary is the fact that you are RE-USING something that you bleed on for hours!
    Honey you're not going to save the environment with those things, throw that shit away!
    What quack doctor told you to do that?

    IMO, you'll be changing your name to toxicpuss if you keep ths up!

    Just remember, sponges hold moisture great, but they also provide a wonderful environment for bacteria to grow. Sometimes hot water alone isn't enough to clean something.

    Gee, that's just scary... and gross all at the same time.
    Eyeliner and charisma go a long way!

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    God/dess Lexi's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    IceQueen, those cups she uses are made of plastic or rubber, so they dont get contaminated. (once you winse them off with water and soap, I believe they are as good as new)


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    God/dess Lexi's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    toxicpuss? I think she means using the sponges and discarding them?
    Maybe I am assuming too much?

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    Featured Member ami's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    the cup is not a sponge. it is a plastic cup. there are two main brands out there. one variety is advertised as being reuseable for years (http://www.thekeeperinc.com/). the other brand is the Instead cup (http://www.softcup.com/) which is meant to be thrown away. they recomend throwing it away after each use(of course they want you to throw them away, they make more money that way). but I have found that washing it is just fine. especilly since I dont bleed much or for very long (4 days tops, normally only need something for 2.5-3 days). I have been doing this for sevral years now and have never had a problem. I will sometimes throw one away and get a new one if I am somewhere I can not wash it, ex: a public restroom. But that dosnt happen often because I can wear them for 12 hours straight, and even have sex with it in.

    really useing a cup is similar to useing a diaphram. if thats gross to you, whatever...

    ---------------------------------

    some info on sponges,
    I have never used one personally so this is just websites info mostly....


    sells and has some info on natural sea sponges:
    http://www.eco-logique.com/p-seapearls.htm
    "Remove and rinse your sponge at least every 3 hours, clean it at the end of your cycle, and replace it every 6 to 8 menstrual cycles. That's it! "
    "These small plant-like creatures release millions of egg and sperm cells into the surrounding water when they are harvested. They are a constantly self-renewing resource, and a natural solution for women seeking ecologically sound products for menstrual use."
    there is a huge section on cleaning:
    "How to clean Sea Pearls? Only use a mild, natural soap to wash your sponge. "
    "You can also soak it for a few hours at the end of your cycle..."
    "You can boil your Sea Pearls for 2 minutes, but it is not necessary."

    and specifly addresing your "toxipuss" concern Ice Queen;
    "Products such as Sea Pearls carry a very low risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Keep in mind that no menstrual product has zero risk of TSS."

    ---------------------------------------

    and costs?

    keeper cup (last indefinatly): $28.95, $27.95

    sea pearls sponge (set of two, each lasts 6-8 cycles): $7.99 $6.95

    instead cup (use 1-3 avrage/cycle):
    order online starter kit; $2.99
    in stores a 12 pack is useually about $6-7 or so....

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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I use sea sponges. At the begining of my cycle and if I'm out running around and don't want to think about it I use them with a cotton or wool pad, but after the first day or two they're fine on their own.

    To clean them I soak them in a vinegar/water solution for a couple hours, but that's probably not necessary.

    The only issue I've had is rinsing them in public. In my bathroom (and most gas station bathrooms) the sink is right next to the toilet, so I can pull it out, rinse it out, and stick it back in without getting up. In a public bathroom you have to get up to use the sink, and you'll get strange looks sometimes. I've learned to use my pussy muscles to squeeze most of the blood out while sitting on the toilet, but that doesn't last as long as rinsing it out and doing it right does.

    Lena



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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I've used the cups, a courple X. Never could get the gist of usin' 'em right...I think toxic shock syndrome was referred to..What about Seasonale.com? U only get 4 periods a yr. There is a recent post about this. I don't know, but somehow it doesn't seem healthy to keep that "bottled up". could be wrong...W


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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I would tooootally recomend a cup! I use the diva cup when I go out, or cant use sponges. Bleached dioxin containing tampons are pretty unhealthy...
    Cups can easily be sterilized by being dropped in boiling water...
    good luck!

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    Featured Member ami's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    yeah cups do take some practice, I find sitting on the toilet the only way I can get it in place right.

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    Veteran Member toxicgirl's Avatar
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    thanx 4 the replies all. i have tried instead in the past, but it leaked horribly and i couldnt get it to stay in at all. a girl that used to work in my club was using the keeper, but considering my trial with instead i dont know how well it will stay in. does the keeper stay in better than instead?

    ice queen- really differ on ur opinions. tampons are made of rayon and contain toxic bleaches in them to make them white. the rayon filaments can stay in ur twat (after u pull the tampon out) and cause problems.
    "RIP THE SYSTEM"

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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    Thanks Toxicgirl, but I'm still not convinced that it's ok to reuse a cup or a sponge.
    BTW,
    I've used the cup before and found it to be unreliable. I've also posted my opinion about that in the past.
    Eyeliner and charisma go a long way!

  13. #13
    aussiepunkshocker
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    Default Re:natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I've used sponges before but found that I would queeze them whilst they were in place, so it was pointless. They'ed probably be ok for lighter days, but my periods are pretty unpredictable so I stick to tampons. I have heard about the cup but not seen them for sale here - we never got the contraceptive sponge either. Not sure why.
    I agree about the chemical thing with tampons and buy organic whenever possible. It's really outrageous that all tampons arn't organic when you think about it!


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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    soooo, has anyone used the sponges while having sex (i've heard this is possible)? What happens if they get pushed too deep and ya can't reach.......
    "Whether YOU think you can or YOU think you can't you're right!" -Henry Ford

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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    Oh my god Lena..... I think that is so cool. I'm totally trying it! I hate tampons.

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    Featured Member Naida's Avatar
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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I use the MoonCup (the medical-grade silicone cousin to the Keeper) and I find it highly reliable. Much easier to keep in place than the Instead, which I tried for all of ONE period, I hated it that bad.
    I start out heavy (think 4-6 super tampons a day) and it kinda tapers down to about the 3rd or 4th day, when it nearly stops- then, it comes back with an effing VENGENCE(!) to last until about day 7. Of course, my cycles are naturally a good bit wider apart. I'm hoping that getting back on 28-day BC will help that though.
    Anyways, even on my heaviest days, I empty my MoonCup every 12 hours (despite the suggestion that I should do so every 8 hours at most) and even then, I'm sure I could leave it in longer, given the capacity and lack of chemicals.

    To clean? Soak a short while in a vinegar solution if you're a naturalist like me, it works fine at killing surface bacteria and the material is nonporous, so surface cleaning is all it truly needs. If you're really obsessive about making sure it's COMPLETELY clean, you can soak it in a mild bleach solution (which I wouldn't suggest- I mean, who wants something that's been in bleach in their COOCH of all places?) or, and I need to stress this word, CAREFULLY boil it in water. Boiling it in water over the obvious 212 degrees is like putting it into an autoclave, which is what surgeons use to clean their nondisposable surgical instruments. No matter what you do, let it air dry at room temperature out of sunlight.

    My Cup has lasted 2 years so far, and trust me, as a nurse's daughter, I'd never use anything that was less than medically acceptable as safe for my body. Now- can you claim your paper tampons are ENTIRELY sanitary, much less STERILIZED?
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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I sometime use natual sea sponges when i know im going to have sex. They are ok for a few hours at a time, but I wouldnt reuse them. Yeah, they can get slippery when youre trying to take it out. Rough sex can lodge it pretty far up there sometimes, but its not impossible to take out.

    Ive tried boiling them, soaking them in vinegar but i gave up on trying to keep them sterile. Sponges attract germs, nothing can be done about it.

    Softcups (Instead) gave me horrible, horrible cramps. My muscles kept dislodging it whenever I coughed or laughed. But some women swear by them.

    I want to try the beppy. They are popular in england. It looks easier to use than sea sponges. http://www.beppy.com/tampons/
    I'm getting my Dial-A-Stripper service up and running again. If you are in NYC or NJ and are interested in private party dancing, email [email protected] with your SW handle, contact info, photo (if you have one) & best time to call and I'll get back to you asap.

    If you're having a party and need strippers, email me with the details and any questions you have. Thanks!

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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I use the sponge. It tends to leak on heavy days so I always wear a cotton pad with it for the first 2 days. The public restroom issue is a major pain in the ass, though....

    To keep them clean I soak them in water and tea tree oil when my period is over. A sponge with a little tea tree oil is also great at clearing up yeast infections.

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    Featured Member Naida's Avatar
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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I like the idea of being able to have sex with the sponges, since I'm a horny little bitch myself, bleeding or not. But the one thing I can't get over, especially since I started using my Moonie, is the idea of absorption versus collection. With absorption, it soaks up the liquid blood (along with your natural vaginal fluids, ick) but it just plugs up the clots of tissue, if not letting them leak past. That's what I hate most about tampons myself. I can actually feel the tissue still up in there and it feels absolutely gross to me. With my cup though, I don't feel them at all (unless I turn upside down on a ride at the carnival or do an inversion) since they get captured in the bell.

    The sex seems nice, but I'd rather deal with a little extra clean up. It's just not enough to convert me.
    Exotic dancing is like any other job.
    If you work in an office, you wear dress shoes and a suit.
    If you work in a restaraunt, you wear skid resistant shoes and a uniform.
    If you work in a strip club, you wear 7" stilettos and lycra g-strings.

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    Featured Member Katherine's Avatar
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    Default Re: natural sponges 4 ur period- need help

    I use beppy and I love it! There are two versions and I use the 'wet' version. I like it cause it's easier to remove.

    You can have sex while using them. As long as it's not totally soaked with blood everything will stay clean.

    They have to be shipped to the states and shipping costs a lot so it's better to order a bunch at once!

    Sophia_Starina = stripper goddess


    "Guys are so damn lame, the only way they can halfway make up for it is by opening their wallets."

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