Insertion fine but starts leaking after a short time
First I got a Moon Cup. (small size) It was uncomfortable, the long rigid stem felt scrape-y, and worst of all it would get lost and I couldn’t remove it without needing to yank the stem. (I couldn’t reach the cup to squeeze the base.)
So I concluded my cervix was very high and that I needed a softer cup. I then got the Lily cup (size small) which seemed like it should be perfect based on my earlier complaints and it does definitely fit better and more comfortably, and is much easier to remove. But after some time of wearing it, it wanders off and stops collecting blood and I’m bleeding as though I weren’t wearing anything. I then give up, wash it off and put on a pad.
So, I don’t know if I need a larger cup or firmer cup, maybe both? The length of the Lily is perfect and the stem is small which is a vast improvement on the Moon.
The Yuuki was recommended in a similar question, but looking at the photos of that, it appears to have a similar long rigid stem like the Moon Cup has and that made me anxious that it was scratching up my vaginal tissue.
I’m looking at the large size standard (soft) MermaidCup but am not sure how trustworthy the company is or if the cup will actually be an improvement. (It looks like the company has cut back many color options…which makes me nervous that they’re kinda fly-by-night and might not have a quality cup, plus I loved the idea of having many color options.)
Help?
Hello!
Before running out to buy a new cup, I’m hoping some tips for the Lily Cup will help save you some trouble. Even if you’re not a new user, some common mistakes can cause leaking.
The Lily Cup has a slanted rim to be ergonomic. Because of this, the end position is supposed to have the notch and longer side of the cup pointing down (closest to the ground when inserting from a squat). If it is positioned with the shorter side down, it could be the cause of early leaking.
Our cervix isn’t typically located straight up. Try squatting on the ground when inserting a cup (any cup). This will automatically bring your cervix closer to the vaginal open. Then aim your cup down and back towards your tailbone. I know it doesn’t seem right, but this will give you a better chance at positioning the cup right below the cervix.
You can also allow the cup to open a little lower in the vaginal canal and then use a finger to push it in, again from a squat and aiming to your tailbone. Sometimes when a cup is inserted completely, the cervix is in the way of letting the rim expand open.
I know you have a high cervix, but try to insert a finger as high as you can to make sure that you didn’t push your cervix to the side.
Another thing that might be an issue is that the rim of the Lily Cup is so narrow. More so because they designed it with the “spill-proof” inner rim. The opening is smaller than most small-size cup rim diameters. It’s easy to miss the cervix with such a small opening, so it’s important to double-check that it is positioned right below or right around your cervix.
How to Insert and Remove a Menstrual Cup + Tips!
A Yuuki colored cup (Rainbow, Ocean, or Bohemian) or the “soft” version still might be a good option. The color versions are the softest cups they have to offer while the “soft” version is actually their medium firmness, but not by a huge difference.
However, I would suggest the large size for the wider diameter (less target practice aiming for your cervix), and for the length even if you don’t need the higher capacity.
The stems on the Yuuki are hollow and softer than the Lily Cup Original stem (except for the stem on the Yuuki Classic). My MoonCup doesn’t have a stem anymore and I’m not sure how firm that one was. I’m sorry that I can’t give you a comparison between the two.
The CottonMermaid owner is pretty good with orders and customer service. My cups seem well made, but I was told that they switched manufacturers since my first few sets. I believe the silicone is a bit different but I didn’t contact them to verify. I was also told that they cut back on the colors that weren’t selling as well. Having dealt with manufacturers before, I know that a minimum order requirement can be a hefty price per color and size.
Anyhow, the large Mermaid Cup (body) is the same length as the MoonCup. Again, my MoonCup doesn’t have a stem, so I’m not sure how the total length of the two would compare. I feel like you might have the same issue of the cup being too high, but that’s up to you.
I hope one of the tips help sort out the Lily Cup and that you won’t have to purchase another cup. But if not, I hope you do find something more comfortable that doesn’t require you to go fishing for your cup!
Good Luck <3
Red Herring
@redherringtv
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