If you’re a first time user of menstrual cups, I know you must be excited but anxious at the same time with two thousand questions running through your mind at the speed of light! I was in your place not many months ago, so here I am trying to make your life a little easier.

Firstly, let me tell you that using a menstrual cup was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I liked it so much that I knew I had to tell more women in Pakistan about them and enable them to have this experience. That is how Recircle Cup was born (in addition to our dream of conserving the environment). However, using any menstrual cup has a learning curve and you must be patient for at least one period to get familiar with a cup.

Let’s now #PutACupInIt

Insertion

• Boil your Recircle Cup for 3-5 minutes in clean water.
• Wash your hands! This should be done every time you insert or remove your Recircle cup.
• Sit down on your toilet seat. (Some women prefer putting one leg on the toilet seat and standing, and some squat and put it in, but I recommend sitting on the toilet seat comfortably).
• Breathe! You need to relax your muscles, and not be anxious. Put on some nice music if it helps you relax.
• If you’re a first time user, you must put a water-based lubricant on the rim of your cup. If you don’t have any, you can apply some water on the rim. Don’t use vaseline or other oil based lubricants as they can be harmful for your vagina.
• Fold the cup. Read about folds.
• Hold it and guide it inside. It’s a good idea to first feel your vagina with a finger, and insert your finger in a little first to know where exactly you have to insert the cup. The vagina curves backwards towards your rectum, and so you have to gently push the cup in that direction rather than trying to thrust it straight up.
• Release the fold, and let the cup open.
• To make sure your cup has opened up, pinch the base and move the cup up and down 1-2 times and see if a suction is created. It will become very difficult to pull the cup down if suction is created.
• (Additional step) Squat a few times so that your cup is adjusted inside.
• You should feel nothing inside now. The cup’s stem shouldn’t be hanging outside your vulva. If it disturbs you (incase you have a low cervix, feel free to cut the stem).

And you’re good to go! Below is a demonstration of the process in 4 simple steps.

Image source

How your vagina looks like from the inside

Removal

• Wash your hands!
• Sit on your toilet seat. (Some women prefer to take it out in the shower, or while squatting on the floor but I recommend this to avoid any mess at all).
• Put your thumb and forefinger in to grab the stem of your Recircle Cup.
• Pull at the stem with a little force, until you can touch the base of the cup.
• Pinch the base, to deactivate suction.
• Grab the base and pull the cup, until the stem is fully out, and the base almost out.
• Push down your cup from the front a little with your thumb, to create a fold again. It’s okay that the blood will leak. This step will avoid causing pain to your urethra as you pull the cup out.
• Pull the cup out, and empty it completely in your toilet.
• Wash the cup to use it again.

See some great tips on removal.

Have a happy, care-free period girls! If you have any questions, you can contact us at wasma.imran@gmail.com.

Additional Reading

Tips to avoid leakage

Common Concerns