My cup is uncomfortable, help!
I got my first cup this past winter. I’m 32, my cervix is average (about second knuckle deep), have had vaginal births and I’m pretty active- usually workout everyday. I got the fluercup s/l set. They both are uncomfortable and difficult to open. I’ve tried different folds and letting it open and pushing it up, which works. But that kind of hurts at the opening of my vagina (maybe because of birth scar tissue?) and takes a long time. And the cups are uncomfortable while wearing it, it feels pinchy (best way I can think to describe it) on the bottom of my vagina, I guess under where my cervix is. I just keep feeling that both cups are too big around, even though I’ve had vaginal births. It’s also causing a slow urine stream.
My other isssue is that I have about 24 hours where my flow is heavy. I’m having to change the large cup (28 ml) every 2-3 hours. I’m afraid to even leave the house on this day unless I wear 2 super tampons. But the other days my flow is realatively light, after 12 hours I have just a little in my small cup. I would like to get another cup, but should I get a cup that has a high capacity for one day of heavy flow and just not worry if it’s a bit uncomfortable because of size. Or, just get a smaller cup and suck it up and change my cup more often? I feel like there is no cup out there that has everything I want and I cannot afford to try different cups. Help me find a cup that can work for me! ??
Hi Julia!
Being that you have a cervix at about medium height, you could probably use several cups that are “average” length (large size). I would probably suggest something bell-shaped for your heavy flow but with a regular style rim instead of a flared rim like the Fleur Cup.
A bell-shaped cup normally rides up and sits higher, especially if it has a flared rim. This can compromise the capacity as it allows your cervix to sit deeper into the cup, causing the need to empty it more frequently.
Some bell-shaped cups will give you back the capacity you lose with the length of “V”-shaped cups, but if the bell-shaped cup has a regular style rim, it may not ride up and sit as high.
The flared rim may be the reason for the cup being uncomfortable as it flares out into the vaginal fornix. A slow urine stream normally means that the person has some sensitivities. If that is so, a regular rim may be more comfortable.
The Fleur Cup has some pretty pronounced grip rings. I have heard others that experience chaffing due to it. So something with less “speed bumps” would be ideal.
I have two cups that I think might interest you. The LaliCup and the MyCup. Both are bell-shaped cups with a regular rim. Both are also considered higher capacity cups, and neither of the brands has stiff/rough grip rings.
Fleur Cup:
Total Length – 70mm
w/o Stem – 52mm
Diameter – 45m
Capacity to the Rim – 35ml
LaliCup Medium:
Total Length – 73mm
w/o Stem – 53mm
Diameter – 43m
Capacity to the Rim – 36ml
LaliCup Large:
Total Length – 73mm
w/o Stem – 55mm
Diameter – 46m
Capacity to the Rim – 40ml
MyCup Large:
Total Length – 67mm
w/o Stem – 51mm
Diameter – 46m
Capacity to the Rim – 40ml
Rims, softest to firmest: MyCup large, LaliCup medium, Fleur, LaliCup large
Check out these cups and let me know if you have any concerns about them, or if you’d like to hear more details 🙂
Remember, unlike tampons we don’t have to match the absorbency size of a cup to period flow, so wearing a high capacity cup for a light flow (or even no bleeding) is still safe 😀
