Your menstrual cup is leaking?! I know these things are adorable, but they can be frustrating too! Here’s my guide to getting that thing to stop leaking once and for all.
It seems that many of you liked my post about the menstrual cup which is great because menstrual cups are amazing.
They can feel intimidating at first—but they’re totally worth it for three badass reasons:
- You’re using a healthy alternative to tampons.
- You’re not supporting animal testing.
- And, you’re getting more in touch with your body.
Honestly, it took quite a while for me to get the hang of mine (I’m talking years). For a while, I thought I just wasn’t ever going to get it.
During this time I compiled a list that I keep in my bathroom with the cup for when I have trouble with it (which isn’t often at all now).
I’d like to share this list of twelve items with my fellow females in case some of you are having trouble like I was. Here’s what to do if your menstrual cup is leaking!
1. Check the Seal
When your menstrual cup is leaking, that means the seal has not been created properly.
There needs to be a seal created between the lip of the cup and your vaginal wall. When this seal is created, your menstrual cup should not move easily (you can usually test the seal by grabbing the stem and giving it a good tug to see if it readily moves) and it should not leak. No matter what.
The only way the seal can get messed up once created is by pooing (sorry, people who poo with their menstrual cup in) and pinching the base of the cup. The latter is the action you will do when you are ready to remove the menstrual cup/empty it to break the seal.
But how do we create the seal?
2. Find the Right Fold
There are SO many different folds out there! The “C” fold is supposed to be the most popular, but I’ve found that many women don’t like this fold. I myself don’t like it anymore. I use the “7” fold and the “punch-down” fold. I like the 7 fold better. It’s easy to find out how to do these folds; Google them!
Fold preference really just depends on what works for you. Some women prefer different folds based on their size, or comfort, or what creates the seal best. For me, it’s all about creating the seal. What’s the point of using the bleeding thing if your menstrual cup is leaking?!
Other folds include the origami fold, squiggle fold, diamond fold, and the labia fold. Experiment and find which one is for you!
3. WHERE’S MY CERVIX?!
I promise it’s not that hard, but you really do need to find your cervix if your menstrual cup is leaking.
Supposedly it feels firm and squishy, like the tip of your nose (and yeah, it actually does feel like that). Some women have higher cervixes, some have lower. The cervix is the entrance to your womb, so it’s in your vagina. Stick your finger up there and find it.
It took me a little while to realize that my cervix was actually angled a little to the left, and this has made a huge difference in helping my menstrual cup not to leak. Some women need longer stems on their cups and some need shorter, just depending on where your cervix is. Some women cut off the stem of their menstrual cup because they don’t need it. It’s all about your body and what works for you. But you do need to know where it is.
The menstrual cup should sit just below your cervix. If it’s in too high, this messes up the flow and your menstrual cup won’t work like it’s supposed to. If it’s too low, the seal won’t work.
And, here’s the killer—your cervix can actually move during menstruation. So you won’t just have to find it once but several times during your period. Get to know its position during your cycle!
4. Rotate the Cup
After you do your cute little fold and your menstrual cup pops open inside you, some women suggest giving the cup one full rotation to create the seal (and then pull down slightly) if your menstrual cup is leaking.
5. Pull the Cup Down
Some people suggest pulling the cup down (especially after rotating) to allow it to settle into its best position after it pops open inside you. I’ve found this to be very helpful when creating my seal!
Just pull it down maybe an inch or so, don’t pull the thing out. The pull is more like a gentle but firm tug to make sure the cup is in place.
6. Consider the Material of the Cup
Most cups are made out of silicone. Mine is made out of silicone as well.
So the deal with silicone is that it can be rather soft. This is cool because it makes the cup moldable to your unique vaginal wall in order to create the seal. It’s not cool because its softness can prevent your menstrual cup from properly popping open when it’s inside of you due to its softness.
So what to do? If your menstrual cup is leaking, take it out. Then, before insertion, run the menstrual cup under cold water to help firm up the silicone molecules. It’s actually not too bad inserting a cold cup, and you do need to insert it right after you run it under cold water.
This is a good thing to try if you have tight muscles down there and are having problems with getting your cup to open all the way.
How do you know if your menstrual cup is open all the way?
7. Feel That It’s Open
Running your finger along the edge of the menstrual cup can help you know if your cup is properly open. If your menstrual cup is leaking, chances are it didn’t pop open right. If you feel that it’s not properly open, this is a good time to do the rotation. Or…
8. Do Kegels
You smart ladies all know what these are right? If you don’t, I suggest you get your butt over to Google right now and find out. You need to be doing these, especially if you like to run and/or have children so that your vagina doesn’t fall out (this can happen!).
Kegels are basically just exercises that you do to strengthen your muscles down there. They are very simple. All you do is act like you are holding your pee. So for example, when you pee, just stop peeing. In the middle of it. Do this two times or so and you’re good to go. Eventually, you can learn to do them without peeing.
How can they help you when your menstrual cup is leaking?
They can help you by creating the seal (and, as we’ve discussed, the seal is critical). If you fold your cup and insert it and it doesn’t pop open all the way, or even if it does, you can do kegels to help create the seal. It does feel a little weird doing these exercises while the cup is inside of you (it basically feels like you are trying to push the menstrual cup out of you), but I’ve found that they really help when creating the seal or if you’re having problems with your cup opening all the way.
Kegels also help when you are trying to get the menstrual cup out. If you have it in there good, it might be hard to get out depending on its position. This is where the “pushing it out” feeling comes in handy.
9. Open Your Mouth
This is a weird one, but it works—keeping your mouth open while inserting/getting your cup in properly can help relax your muscles down there, therefore allowing the cup to open naturally and situate itself in the proper position. This one has helped me a lot!
10. Squat
Just as the size and fold of your cup matters as well as the position of your cervix, so does the position YOU are in when inserting your menstrual cup.
I’ve found that different cups come with different instructions for insertion. Some women insert the cup while sitting on the toilet, others while standing, some while squatting.
I’m here to tell you that if your menstrual cup is leaking, you might want to consider changing your position when you insert the cup. In my personal experience, squatting works the best. I never insert my cup any other way.
I started squatting to check my cervix when I started using the fertility awareness method, and I’ve found that this is just a way better position to find my cervix and insert the cup.
Every woman is different so find what works for you, but definitely give squatting a try if your menstrual cup is leaking!
11. Get the Right Size
There are different sizes and shapes of the cups. You need to pick the one that is best for you.
The guidelines that the menstrual cup websites have for sizes seem to be accurate. Mostly I feel that it is personal preference about which cup works best for you, and unfortunately, sometimes this just has to happen with trial and error. Reading reviews is helpful also! If you’re not sure about the size, contact the company and talk to them about it.
12. Contact the Company
If you’ve literally tried everything and your cup is still leaking—don’t give up! Contact the company that made your cup. Tell them what’s going on. They will help you!
I finally had to do this when I was on my fourth menstrual cup, the Lunette, and broke down and contacted the company. I should have done this sooner, because four menstrual cups later… seriously?!
The customer care people at Lunette were incredibly nice, understanding, and kept working with me and asking questions until we had the problem figured out (it was a combination of my cervix being to the left and the cup being too small… those sizes aren’t for everyone! Just because you’re 25 and haven’t given birth vaginally doesn’t mean you need the bigger size and vice versa. These are just guidelines. You’ll only know by trial and error which cup works for you!)
So What Works for Me?
After trying The Keeper and The Lady Cup (both sizes), I use the larger size of the Lunette and have been very successful with this cup.
Here’s my routine for inserting my cup without leaking:
- Wash my hands and my cup with Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, rinsing thoroughly
- Squat
- Check where my cervix is
- Fold the cup (I use the “7” fold)
- Open my mouth
- Insert the cup angled back towards my rectum but also towards my cervix (my cervix is angled to the left)
- Let the cup go (I can usually hear it “pop” open; this sound can help you know if the seal is there)
- Rotate the cup
- Pull the cup down
- Do 2-3 kegels
- Give it another tug to make sure it’s good
All done!
I know it sounds confusing and complicated… trust me, one day, you’ll find what works for you!
Other Resources
Bottom line: if your menstrual cup is leaking, it’s not working. I hope this list helps. If you’re still confused, there’s this great video by this British girl (woman? She looks so young!) that will give you some more visual help. She is really awesome!
Good luck! 🙂
I just read your article on Elephant Journal and popped over here for more info. I’ve been using the DivaCup for years now and I’ve never heard about placing it around the cervix! Mine always leaks and sometimes I forgo it because it presses on my bladder but I want to be in love with it and want to figure it out. All of your info (and again, I had no idea it had to be up around the cervix, wow, big piece of info) is so helpful. Thank you!
You are very welcome, I hope some of it helped! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I love, love, love my Cup. At first I had a problem with leaking, but I turned my cup inside out and for some reason that worked for me. Mine use to leek all the time but after a lot of online searching I found someone with the same issue. Good luck. It’s always most difficult during that learning period.
I have never heard of this–I imagine it would be difficult to turn inside out with the stem?
I can’t seem to reach the tip when the cup is inside me. What should I do? It leaks during heavy days but it works well on other days.
Hi Brenda! If you can’t reach the tip, do kegels to push down and the cup should slowly move toward the entrance of your vagina where you can grab it. You might need a cup with a longer stem or a bigger cup (I noticed my LadyCup had a shorter, fatter stem while my Lunette–the one I’ve had the most success with–has a longer, thinner stem). Mine used to leak during heavy days too. It’s possible that your cervix is higher/lower on heavy days and then changing position on the lighter days. It’s imperative that the cup is positioned just under the cervix, so locating your cervix during your heavy days should help you place the cup properly. Hope this helps!
This was unbelievably helpful. I was ready to throw in the towel on this whole cup thing. But I will try your tips next month and see how it goes. Thank you for sharing!
Hey,
I’m looking for some advice, I have only just tried my cup yesterday for the first time and it seems to just be causing me stress haha. It doesn’t hurt putting it up or when it’s in or anything like that, it’s just getting it up far enough or moving it around because I am leaking. I’ve been researching lots but I just don’t know why it isn’t working for me.
Your first day? Girl, you have a long journey ahead of you! It’s going to take lots of practice to find out the proper position. Everyone’s anatomy is unique, so you’ll just need to experiment to find out what works for you. You may not need to put it up that far; the first step is locating your cervix. Your cervix may be high or low, and it does move during your cycle! Positioning the cup correctly under the cervix is what’s going to stop your leaking. Once the cup is inside, you shouldn’t have to move it much to get it into the right position. If you do, it’s likely you’re breaking the seal that you need for the cup to work properly. Just let it pop open inside you then give it a tug down (or rotate it once) to make sure the seal is made. Don’t keep moving it after that. Like I said, finding your cervix is the first step, then push the cup in towards your cervix (remembering to angle it towards the back, like towards your rectum, not “up”). Hope this helps, and don’t give up!
Angle it towards your rectum or your cervix? Yikes, I’ve been using a cup for almost 2 years and they ALWAYS leak. I have two different sizes that I’ve tried and I’ve located my cervix, however, if I’m leaking have I really found it? I still use the cups but would love to be able to use them without any leaks.
I know it’s confusing! You want to angle it towards your cervix but also remember to not push the cup “up”, it should be pushed “back” towards the rectum. I find the best position for this is squatting, not sitting on the toilet or standing. It sounds like you might not have the seal correct. You might also consider trying a different brand of cup; they are all shaped a little differently. I tried the Lady Cup and the Keeper before finally having success with Lunette. I hope this helps!
So I just got the Lunnette and I’ve tried squatting and it’s still leaking. I know I can do it because the very first time I used a cup it never leaked, now I can’t seem to repeat what I did the first time over 2 years ago. If you have any other suggestions I would appreciate it but I’m so frustrated that I think I might actually call the manufacture on the Lunnette and perhaps they can help. I am at a loss
I would definitely contact the company! They will walk you through the problem. I emailed them and we went back and forth about ten times before we discovered the problem. Very helpful. I know it’s frustrating but don’t give up just yet! It took me a while to get the hang of it too. Keep me posted!
Hi! your post was awesome and really informative. I’m sooooo in love with my cup, I’ve been using it for almost a year now, but I have a question and maybe you can help me, don’t know what I might be doing wrong. Every single second and third day on my period, my cup leaks while asleep. I mean, it doesn’t leaks on my sleep but when a stand up after my sleep (I’m not sure how to says that haha since english it’s my second language, hope I said it right)but when I tell you every single day, it’s for real, EVERY SINGLE BLEEDING DAY! I tried buying another cup, a larger size with more capacity, WRONG! it’s to large for me so I kinda bend it and half my period leaks (on normal days). The thing is, I don’t know what to do anymore, just those days my cup keeps leaking and it’s embarrasing (husband) and awful… please HELP!
Hi Erika! I would suggest contacting the company that made your cup. They should be able to help you figure out the issue. Guessing what cup or cup size is right for you won’t be helpful; if the company that made your cup has customer support, contact them and tell them the issue. They can help you figure out what is going on!
I have had problems with leaking as well. I think I might be angling it wrong. I actually used my cup for the first time yesterday. I am a teen and a virgin I’m not sure if it plays into this but getting the cup in hurt. Not too much but it did hurt and I think it took me about an hour of trying to get it in. I don’t think it sealed since I’ve noticed leaking. When I’m done I’m exhausted and too tired to go back and try again. Thankfully inserting the cup thr second time was pretty painless. Thanks for the helpful tips.
Hi Jackeline! Thanks for your comment. It sounds like you’re really new to the cup so it will take some time to determine what position will work the best for your unique anatomy. Yes, the cup does hurt when you are first figuring out how to get it in! My first time putting it in felt super strange and was painful. Don’t give up, it just takes time to find out what cup, insertion fold, and position will work for you. Best of luck!
Hello.
I got the cup and I’ve tried it
Just seems like alot of work
And what do you do if your out camping and need to change it? Or at work and it starts leaking?
It definitely feels like a lot of work at first! I don’t camp so haven’t had this situation, but if I did, I imagine some clean water and soap would do the trick (making sure hands are clean before any handling of the cup). I’ve been out in public when it starts leaking and similarly to a tampon, just find a restroom and take care of it there. I usually carry one of those miniature bottles of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap in my bag so if I need to wash it out in a public place I can do this. For your first few times using the cup though, I would recommend trying it out at home so you can discover its best position for you if you can! If you can’t, it might be a good idea to wear a pad when first using the cup so if a leak happens, you’re covered.
It looks like it’s been almost a year since this thread has been commented on but if someone happens to stumble upon this comment, understand that this article is the MOST IMPORTANT and useful advice you will find anywhere regarding menstrual cups! I was so close to giving up and then I found this and it was like a literal “Ah” moment! I mean the doors opened, the light shined and I could hear angels! I mean I could hear my children trying to get into the bathroom as I was attempting what I would soon realize was a life changing technique in the world of period cups! But angels still. Anyway, thank you for this! I’ve made my way through a lot of cups and have had companies tell me their product wasn’t for me because I’ve had 2 c sections and a tubal ligation so my uterus is a mess. You gave me hope and I have successfully been leak free for 2 days which more than I could have said before! Again, thank you!!
Thank you so much Christina! I’m so happy to hear the article was helpful! I had so much trouble when starting what would become a years-long journey to get my menstrual cup to work. I’m so glad all the research I did and the experiences I had–as difficult and frustrating as they were at times–are helping others like you!
Thanks for the tips!
I am so frustrated this week. I have had the cup for three months now, and the first two months I never had any issues! This week I just can’t seem to get it right. 🙁
I’m sorry! Don’t give up! It literally took me years and several cups to get the hang of it… of course, it shouldn’t take that long, but something might just be different for you this cycle. It’ll just take time to establish what works!
I’ve been struggling with a leaking cup (rather cups) for years and it is literally the first time I have found this post?!
When I started using the cup years ago I had no problems whatsoever, but after a few years of no periods (because of the depo injection) and then getting copper-T my cup just didn’t want to work at all. This was really disheartening as a lot of the possible reasons made me feel incredibly self aware – is the cup too small? (has my vagina suddenly gotten bigger!?) (I’m 25 and have never had kids), are my pelvic floor muscles too weak? (I take pride in thinking they aren’t and if they are what does that mean for my sex life!?), has my vagina suddenly just warped out of shape? Even just the thought of buying a new cup that was labeled as one for “women over 30 and who have had kids” was enough to make me shrivel up because of the implications that that label would have on my state of mind.
Thank you so much for this post! And than you for making me feel normal
I also have quite a skew cervix and have tried your pointers so hopefully this time things will work.
You’re welcome, Maria! You sound like me, struggling with the leaking cups for years 🙂 Please don’t let the cup sizes mess with you too much… I have model 2 (the larger size) of the Lunette cup even though I’m pretty sure my pelvic floor muscles are fine and my vagina hasn’t warped out of shape. It’s just what works for me! Keep me posted and feel free to reach out to me directly if you need any help, my email is jenn@thegreenwritingdesk.com. And remember you can always reach out to the cup manufacturer. I have been so impressed with Lunette’s customer care and would highly recommend them!
I’ve had a completely leak free period!!! 😀 “Squat and insert in direction of cervix and rectum/backside” should be part o the directions for all menstrual cups. The only times I had leaks were when I needed to empty the cup during the day (copper-T = super heavy period) so I’m actually happy that I had the bigger cup.
Thank you so much for your blog post and for the kindness and willingness to help! It feels like you saved my life xx
That’s awesome Maria! So glad to hear :D! You’re very welcome, and I wish you many leak-free periods to come with your cup!
Thank you for taking the time to share this information. SO HELPFUL. My cup keeps sliding down, and I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. Feeling much more confident I can figure this out now. These instructions should be in the box with every cup!