The first step is to disinfect your cup, following the instructions listed on the package. Menstrual cups (or anything that’s going to be inserted into the vagina, for that matter) should be thoroughly cleaned to avoid disrupting the balance in your vaginal pH. “The vagina is home for a myriad of bacteria and fungi to keep it healthy, but you throw that organism out of balance, and it leads to infections such as UTI,” board-certified OB/GYN Anna Cabeca, D.O., previously told mbg. Once your cup is clean, it’s important to wash your hands for the same reason. 2. Figure out how to fold it. After you’ve cleaned your cup and your hands, there are a few ways you can manipulate the shape to insert it comfortably into your vagina. Menstrual cup brand Saalt recommends the C-fold, the punch-down fold, and the 7-fold (all of which they demonstrate here). 3. Insert it. Once you’ve figured out the right fold for you, it’s time to insert your cup. Unlike using a tampon, you’re going to have to get intimate with your vagina in order to insert your menstrual cup. It may take you a few tries to figure it out—that’s totally normal. You can insert it while standing with one leg raised and resting on the toilet or tub, squatting, or sitting. When you’re ready to insert: “Slide it up and back at an angle (toward your tailbone, not straight upward), until the body of the cup is completely inside,” Saalt instructs on their website. Once it’s inside, make sure the cup has popped open so that it can collect the blood. If the base of the cup is round, then you’re set. If you feel dents or folds, however, try grabbing the base of the cup and rotating it until it fully opens. This “seals” your cup to prevent unwanted leakage. Since they’re reusable, menstrual cups are also more cost-effective than other menstruation products. “In the long run, the cost is minimal compared to tampons and pads if you have to go through a few,” Crouch says. From a comfort standpoint, Cabeca adds that menstrual cups are easy to use, safe, and don’t create irritation in the vaginal tissue. “There’s less risk of toxic absorption, like with tampons and pads, for example.” “You can find your cervix in your vagina with your finger (it feels like the tip of a nose) to determine if you have a low or high cervix, and that can help determine what size cup to use,” Crouch says. If you have a high cervix, you’ll want a longer menstrual cup, and if you have a low cervix, you’ll want one shorter in length. “You can always trim the stem if you find it sticks out too much,” she adds. It’s also worth noting, “the cervix comes lower in the vagina during ovulation, and then after ovulation it moves back higher, so it can be different heights depending on the time of the month,” explains Trubow. If you’re unsure which size is best, either opt for the smaller one to start, or buy a two-pack to try both. “A menstruating person may find that two sizes of cups may be more comfortable depending on where they are in their flow,” Crouch says. Think of it like buying a double pack of regular and super tampons. Regular size menstrual cup, Saalt ($29) Menstrual cup, Organicup ($28) Beginner menstrual cup, FLEX Cup ($35) Light flow menstrual cup, Lunette ($40) Large (A) menstrual cup, Dutchess Cup ($10) Sensitive Cup, Lena ($27) Another reviewer, Grace the Runner, writes, “It is the perfect fix for all of my period needs, very comfortable.” Menstrual cup, The Honey Pot Company ($22) JUNE founder Hedi Rappard found relief from her chronic yeast infections after making the switch to menstrual cups. After realizing how pricey they could be, she decided to make the product more accessible by selling them at cost. Enter: the JUNE menstrual cup, which comes in mini, small, and large. “I’ve been looking into cups for a while now, but they’re pretty expensive, and if it doesn’t work out, I don’t want to waste $40. So when I saw the JUNE cup, I thought let’s test it. Once you get the hang of it, it’s very easy to insert, and you don’t have to think about it all day,” says reviewer Jessica. Mini/Small/Large menstrual cup, JUNE ($6) Menstrual cup and case, LOLA ($34) Low Cervix Cup, Hello Cup ($33) Model 2 menstrual cup, DivaCup ($40) Mini menstrual cup, UltuCup ($40) Lily Cup Compact, Intimina ($30) Editor’s Note (June 24, 2022): This article was originally published on May 28, 20201. A previous version of this article identified sources as Marcy Crouch, P.T., DPT, WCS, and Wendie Trubow, M.D. We have since updated this to reflect their additional titles
