There are several reasons for this, including the level of intimacy it requires, learning how to properly position it within your anatomy (every body is different) and inserting and removing enough times to establish a routine.
Cycle One—Getting Comfortable with Your Body
Learning how to insert a menstrual cup or disc requires getting intimate with your vagina. The first time you sit down to try inserting your menstrual cup or disc, you will likely attempt insertion several times without success. Try not to get discouraged!Give yourself undisturbed privacy, wash your hands, and get into a comfortable position. In order to insert a period cup or disc, it can help to have a rough idea of where your cervix sits and the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. If it’s a DIVA Disc, it can also be helpful to know how your pubic bone and cervix feel to the touch. Take some time to feel around, try inserting and removing, so that you’re not trying to insert the cup or disc blindly.
Cycle Two—Find a Secure and Comfortable Position
The DIVA Cup folds up two different ways; the U-fold and the push-down fold. Practice inserting your menstrual cup each way to find out which is easier for you.Insert gently so that the stem of the cup is tucked inside the vaginal opening, not protruding beyond the labia. If you experience irritation or notice the stem sticking out further, the menstrual cup either hasn’t been inserted high enough, or your cervix might be low. Relax your body and gently try to shift it further up the vaginal canal. Grip the base of the cup and rotate it so that it pops open inside the vaginal canal. A comfortable and secure placement can take some time.
The DIVA Disc, on the other hand, is folded one way. Pinch the Disc lengthwise, and with your other hand, gently part the labia. Push the disc through the vaginal opening, with the pull-tab being last to enter your vagina. The DIVA Disc is placed in the vaginal fornix, around the cervix, and tucked up against the pubic bone. The pubic bone can feel like a notch or ledge at the front of the vaginal canal. Practice feeling for this before inserting your disc.
Once the DIVA Disc is comfortably in place, you shouldn’t feel it. However, the trickier part with the menstrual disc is securing it up against the pubic bone.
To make things more interesting, the positioning might be slightly different each day of your cycle depending on the volume of flow and the positioning of your cervix. Your cervix moves up and down slowly over the course of the menstrual cycle.
While it might sound complicated, the truth is that practice helps, and the more you do it, the easier it will become to insert and remove. And once you get it—it’s life-changing!
Cycle Three—Practice Makes Perfect
Set up a routine; is it easiest if you sit, stand, or crouch to insert and remove your cup? While at home, can you wear it for several hours without changing? After exploring insertion and positioning, the next part of the process is trusting that you’re protected.Take your time and work your way up to wearing your new cup or disc for up to 12 hours, if your flow allows. Wear it only at home while getting used to it and use back up pads or period underwear. Once you’ve become a bit more confident, can you exercise with it in? Or sleep with it in? You will master it—it just takes some practice and patience.
Don’t Give Up!
We know that learning how to use a menstrual disc or cup is a new and different experience—but we’re here to help. Our Consumer Experience Team is here to help guide you through the process and answer all your questions—nothing is TMI.We want to see you succeed and be able to embrace the comfort, convenience, and cost-savings of reusable period products.
So don’t give up. Give yourself time to explore it over your next 3 menstrual cycles. We promise it will be worth it!
