Help! My Menstrual Cup is Leaking!

Hi all,
Today I want to share with you a few top tips for beginners (or otherwise) menstrual cup users if you are having a little trouble.

If your cup is leaking, there are a few possibilities as to why.

First of all, and I know this might sound obvious, but check that your cup is not actually full when you take it out. Sometimes even when it doesn't look quite full enough to leak, it can be, due to the position of your cervix inside the cup.

Possibility number two; your cup has not fully opened after insertion. You should be able to determine if this is the case or not by inserting your finger and gently tracing around the rim of the cup. If it doesn't make a smooth circle shape, chances are it hasn't opened properly. There are a few ways that you can fix this:
1. Try pulling the cup down slightly with the stem. Sometimes if you push it up too far before it has opened, your cervix can get in the way ( I will come back to this in a little bit). Once the cup is fully open, you should be able to gently push it back up the vaginal canal to a spot that feels comfortable, and go on with the rest of your day!
2. Gently push against the wall of your vaginal canal to allow room for the cup to open. (Note this may be an indication that you need a smaller cup size)
3. Remove the cup and try again using a different fold. I recommend the punch-down fold, as it doesn't have to open in different directions, and is still small enough to insert comfortably.

Another reason that your menstrual cup may be leaking is that your cervix is not actually inside the rim of the cup. This makes it kind of impossible to do it's job as the blood comes out of the cervix and then completely misses the cup altogether.

You can fix this by gently pulling it down past the cervix, and then push it gently back up and into place. It should sit inside or directly above your menstrual cup.


The last reason that your menstrual cup may leak is unfortunately not as simple to fix; you may have the wrong size cup for your body.
The only way to know for sure is to try out different sizes, shapes and brands. You may be able to receive free sample cups from companies to test out. You will begin to learn what sizes, shapes, firmness and brands work best for you.

Most importantly; give it a chance! It can often take up to 3 or 4 months to get the hang of using a menstrual cup. Be persistent! Your body, bank account and the environment will thank you for it!

'Til next time,
 Bella
xxx

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about menstrual cups, other re-usable menstrual products, and feminism, please follow my blog with the follow by e-mail box, or the google connect box on the right of this post.