oh, Divacup

[ophelia-cat.livejournal.com]

Hey guys.

I just bought a diva cup and tried it out for the first time. Once "installed" it was very very comfortable. But getting it in and out was nerve-wracking. I had a hard time slipping it in, and an equally hard time getting a grip on the stem to yank it out.

I'm a rather small person.

Do I just need to practice?

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to this?

Thanks very much in advance.

Comments

[pleasepinchme.livejournal.com]

I have a keeper. The first day of my period, I always need to put lube on it or it won't go in. After that, it's just fine.

[delusive.livejournal.com]

It took me a few days to get used to my Divacup the first time I used it. Just keep practicing, you'll figure it out.

[punchfight.livejournal.com]

I assume you fold it the normal way, by squishing it flat and then folding the edges together? There's another way to fold it, which I think is a lot easier:



I drew those pictures for another vaginapagina Divacup user :D If the drawing isn't perfectly clear (heh), take your cup and push on the rim so it's collapsed into itself, then keep pushing the indentation down towards the base of the cup. The rim should kind of be flat against the inside edge of the other side of the cup. With this other fold, it's a more gradual insertion, rather than trying to stuff a flat edge into you.

To get it out, I stick my middle and forefinger into my vagina, pinching the cup with my middle finger against the front wall of my vagina and my ring finger to the back (that's just what seems most effective to me - try different fingers and positioning until you find what's most comfortable). From there, I can pinch the cup to break the seal and pull it down lower until I can reach the base with the thumb and forefinger of my other hand, so I can get a better grip and pull more effectively. I can't get the cup out without collapsing it a little - I just push one edge in so it's kind of folded in on itself.

Good luck with your cup, and do keep practicing - I had a terrible time of it on my first try, but I was completely comfortable by the end of my period. Totally the best purchase I made all last year :D

[ophelia-cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks!
This method was insanely effective!

[punchfight.livejournal.com]

"To get it out, I stick my middle and forefinger into my vagina, pinching the cup with my middle finger against the front wall of my vagina and my ring finger to the back" - whoops, I named a lot of fingers there :P I pinch the cup with with my middle finger in front and forefinger behind.

A couple other things: I found that I couldn't ever get a hold on the stem, either. Eventually I got so tired of it poking me that I cut it all the way off, and now I just do the pinch and pull thing. Also, it helps a lot to bear down hard once you've got ahold of it - I always forget to mention that because it seems so natural for me to do now, but it took me a while to figure it out.

[slytherinblack.livejournal.com]

I had a similar problem - actually, getting it in is not a problem because it's folded. But getting it out it gets caught, and that's just ow.

I've found it helps if you tip it backwards slightly when you get it out - and make sure to pinch the base rather than the stem.

[aechei.livejournal.com]

Practice! and check out menstrual_cups archives, they are big into this stuff.
dont try to get it out by pulling the stem, just use that to pull it down to where you can squeeze the base.

[kaonamai.livejournal.com]

i cut the stem off, and i grab the bottom and try to squeeze it out using the internal muscles. like, bearing down on it.

[glassdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I am a new divacup user too, I had the best results in peeing really really hard when it was time to take it out and it didn't fall out but it was a whole lot closer to the opening so I could grasp it. did that make any sense?

[letitshine.livejournal.com]

what you're doing can be doing w/o having to pee at the same time, its commonly referred to as "bearing down" what is happening is you're using your kegel muscles to push the object outside of your vagina.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

For removal - bear down. I kinda bear down and slip my fingers in beside the cup and grab the base as soon as they're in far enough.

[ivy-brandybuck.livejournal.com]

Yeah, It really helps push it down enough for you to grab it.

I have more trouble trying to rotate it once after I put it in, I can't get enough grip on the base and my leaflet says not to use the stem, although I tried and that didn't work either.

[annis39.livejournal.com]

mine was pretty stiff during my first cycle, which made it harder to deal with. practice will help. also, head over to menstrual_cups and check the tips in the community memories.