A woman’s period is caused by her uterus shedding the lining it builds every month in which a fertilized egg can attach itself and a pregnancy can develop. When a woman does not get pregnant, the lining is not needed and the uterine wall is shed, causing the bleeding and clots that a woman experiences approximately once a month. When a woman gets pregnant, and the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine wall, the uterus does not shed, and there is no monthly period.

When a woman gets pregnant she should immediately start missing her periods, although this isn’t always the case. Sometimes women will have a period that is much lighter than normal, or rarely have a normal period for the first month. There are even a few recorded situations where a woman has continued to have a period throughout her pregnancy. Sometimes there might be a little spotting when the period should have come, making a woman believe that she had her period when she is in fact pregnant. This spotting is called implantation bleeding.

Just because a woman misses her period doesn’t automatically mean that she is pregnant. There are other reasons why her period might not have come that month. Stress and life changes can have a big effect on the regularity of a woman’s period on track. Also, if a woman has recently lost or gained a lot of weight, her menstrual cycle could be affected. Starting, stopping or changing her birth control during a cycle could also cause a missed period. Breastfeeding can also delay the return of a normal period cycle by up to a few months.

There are many ways to discover if your missed period means that you are pregnant, but the most common and easiest is to purchase a home pregnancy test. Most of these are close to 99% accurate and can tell a woman if she is expecting a baby, or if she is just “late”. When in doubt, be sure to call your doctor immediately.

Perhaps you’ve heard of something called a Diva Cup. No, it’s not a fancy anti-spill sippy cup for that new little princess. It doesn’t spill, but it’s for mommy. The Diva Cup is a safe, comfortable, and earth-friendly alternative to all those bulky, leaky pads and tampons.

Think of all the tampons and pads that you go through during one cycle. Now think of all the women you know who have cycles and do the math. Wow, huh? That’s a huge amount of waste that we add to the local dumping ground each and every month. What would you say if I told you there was a better way?

The Diva Cup is available for anywhere from nineteen to forty dollars. There are two basic models. One model is made specifically for girls under thirty. They are slightly smaller and no more likely to damage the hymen than a regular tampon. The second model is made for the mature woman who has given birth or is over thirty. The Diva Cup does not interfere with IUD’s, but they should be taken out before intercourse.

Diva Cups are safer than tampons because there is no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome since the natural flow of your cycle is not staunched. They are also more comfortable to wear than a tampon since they do not slip out of place. They insert similar to a tampon, but are reusable. You simply wash them and reinsert. If you get stuck using a public restroom, you can simply wipe out the cup with tissue or a wet wipe which you probably have on hand anyway since you have a new baby. The cup is also less messy and more reliable than the typical pad as well as being a friend to the environment. Plus, after the initial cost, think of all the money you will save over a lifetime of cycles.

As you can see, the Diva Cup is a wonderful way to help reduce the footprint you are leaving on the environment. Plus, it’s economical, comfortable, and practical. Help spread the word about Diva Cups to all your best girls and help out the planet at the same time. Why not go greener and stay cleaner?