Good! You have decided to banish tampons and pads from your life and jump into the wonderful world of the menstrual cup. A good choice for all the advantages that this entails! You’ve bought the glass that best suits you and your circumstances, but… what now? Now comes the moment that we all fear when taking this step: learning to put it on! Don’t worry in this article we have spoken with Pilar Ruiz, head of communication at INTIMINA, who has given us some advice and tips so that putting on the menstrual cup the first time is a piece of cake for you. Watch out, watch out!
6 VERY simple tips to put on your menstrual cup
These are some of the tips that Pilar Ruiz gives us so that putting on the menstrual cup properly does not become a real ordeal:
- Wash your hands very well
It sounds obvious, but not all girls notice it when they start to put on a menstrual cup for the first time. To avoid possible infections, it is essential to maintain good hygiene both before and after inserting the cup. To do this, you have to wash your hands correctly before handling it and, of course, sterilize it before using it. How is it sterilized? Very easy! Put water to boil in a saucepan and when it comes to a boil, put the menstrual cup inside for 5 minutes. Ready! You will have to follow this step both at the beginning of your period and at the end of it, that is, you must keep the sterilized cup until the following month that you are going to use it.
- Find a comfortable position
It is important to leave your nerves behind and find the position in which you feel most relaxed and comfortable when putting on your cup. Pilar recommends four positions (the most used and effective): sitting, standing, squatting or raising one leg over the toilet.
- Choose a fold type
To be successful inserting the menstrual cup, you must check which fold or insertion technique best suits you and your body. As a general rule, menstrual cups can be folded in two ways: C-shaped or V-shaped. There are other cups that also allow you to roll them up like a tampon.
- It’s time to insert the menstrual cup
To do this, use your fingers and push the cup as high as possible into the vaginal canal in line with your cervix or cervix (which you may have had to locate earlier). If the cervix is outside the cup, there will be leaks, so it is very important that you learn to identify it before putting it on.
The stem of the menstrual cup should be accessible enough so that you can pull it when removing it.
- Squeeze the body of the cup to make it open
It is very likely that, especially the first few times that the menstrual cup is inserted, it will be bent and not open completely inside the vaginal canal. To solve this small inconvenience, you will have to squeeze the body of the cup so that it opens and the corresponding vacuum is created that will prevent leaks.
- Check that it is inserted correctly
“You can check that the menstrual cup has been inserted correctly by moving it gently, pulling on the stem or edging the cup to see that there is no bulge. If the cup does not move, it is because it is correctly inserted,” explains Pilar.
If you have followed all these steps and when you reach the end, you notice that the menstrual cup has not been placed correctly, do not worry. You will have to remove it carefully (so as not to hurt yourself) and try again. Don’t despair, like everything in this life… It’s a matter of a lot of practice! With the passing of the months and the thousand attempts, you will be an expert of the menstrual cup (we tell you from experience): P
