As I’ve been an incredibly satisfied diva cup user for nearly a year I thought I’d share a few of my top menstrual cup tips for those who may still be on the fence about switching to these fab eco-friendly bits of medical grade silicone:
If you’re not familiar with menstrual cups take a peek at my fab over 40 diva cup review first. Should you be at all averse to honest body talk pop on over to my tutorial index and grab some crafty refashioning inspiration instead.
As with anything you’re putting in your vagina, it’s much easier to insert a menstrual cup with some lubricant. I find it easiest to remove, rinse and reinsert my cup in the shower or I simply put a bit of water around the rim of the cup after emptying and rinsing if I’m already going about my day.
Getting the cup to pop open once it’s in position can be a bit tricky so I only insert the largest folded part of the cup and then gently twist it just inside the vaginal canal until it unfolds. When the cup is open I simply push it up into the ideal position.
The fear of leaking cups are one of the main reasons so many women refuse to try menstrual cups. Mine has never leaked and it’s very easy to ensure yours won’t either! As menstrual cups require a suction seal around the vaginal wall to prevent leakage all you have to do is run your finger around the base of the cup. If it feels flat or folded it has not popped open. Grab the stem or bottom of the cup and turn it until it opens.
Only use the stem to find the base of the cup, do not use it to pull it out like tampon. Use those pelvic muscles and bear down to push the cup down your vaginal canal. If your cup is slippery and hard to grab use a tissue to wipe the base before pulling it out.
Does the idea of changing/emptying it in a public toilet freak you out? Fear not! Menstrual cups can be used for up to 8 – 12 hours so it’s highly unlikely you’ll have to change it on the go, unless you have very heavy periods. Should you have to empty your cup while out and about there’s no need to wash it, simply wipe it with a bit of toilet paper and reinsert then rinse your cup properly when you get home.
Cleaning menstrual cups during your period is a snap! After emptying my cup I simply rinse it with warm water. There are specially formulated menstrual washes & soaps on the market but I personally don’t think it’s necessary to lather up my cup just to insert again.
Once my period is done I sterilize my cup in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Popping it into a whisk ensures that it doesn’t touch the hot pot. Once it’s completely dry, I put it away in the handy storage bag it came with until my next cycle.
This fantastic video from Put a Cup In It allows you to see exactly how those groovy menstrual cups get the job done:
Check out these 6 folding methods from The Pistachio Project and find which one works best for you:
Have you tried using a menstrual cup? Let me know your experience in a comment below!
Grab all of my body and mind beautifying tips, tutorials and reviews right here + check out my menstrual cup review here.
Yep, I used one for about 15 years and liked it so much better than conventional products. It helped reduce cramping and saved me money in the long run. At about the same time I also learned how to make cloth pads that had tuckable tabs so you didn’t have to use snaps or buttons. That also helped to save money. I’m now in menopause so don’t have to worry about those things anymore. Wish I would have known about them sooner!
I’m kicking myself that I didn’t try it sooner – it’s awful how we have to convince ourselves to switch to eco-friendly products + easy sustainable lifestyle changes & break the bad habits we grew up with (& continue to be bombarded with every day through the media/ads/internet/etc…)