Do you experience pain when inserting a menstrual cup? How to reduce pain and discomfort
We often receive questions from people who have never used a menstrual cup about whether it hurts when inserting and removing it. It's true that you may experience some pain until you learn the correct way to insert and remove it. However, if you insert the menstrual cup using the correct method, you can minimize pain and discomfort. In this blog, we'll introduce some tips for inserting a menstrual cup to help first-time users avoid any trouble when inserting and removing it.
place
Until you get used to it, we recommend doing it in the bathroom at home. You can also use the toilet, but it's best to do it in the bathroom where it's easier to rinse, especially when removing the cup, as there's a chance that the menstrual blood that has accumulated in the cup will spill out if you push it out too hard. Don't worry, once you get used to it, you'll be able to change it even in the bathroom when you're out and about.
Tips for insertion
1. Relax
When inserting a menstrual cup, it is important to stay relaxed. If you are tense, your muscles will tense up, making insertion difficult. It is very important to take slow, deep breaths and insert the cup in a relaxed state so as not to put unnecessary strain on the vaginal area.
2. Take a position that makes it easy to insert
It is also important to insert in a position that makes it easy to insert. There are several positions that make it easy to insert, so try them out and find the one that suits you best. Here we will introduce three common ways to insert.
① Standing on one leg
If you are in the bathroom, place one foot on the edge of the bathtub, and if you are using your toilet at home, place one foot on the toilet seat with your legs spread apart.
② Sit with a slight forward lean
In the bathroom, sit shallowly on the edge of the bathtub, and in the toilet, sit shallowly as well, in both cases leaning forward slightly.
③Bending posture for squats
In a bathroom or a spacious toilet, it's easy to do a squat with your legs apart. In a bathroom, it's also recommended to stand outside the bathtub, spread your legs apart, and squat deeply, placing both knees against the outer wall of the bathtub.
3. Fold your menstrual cup smaller
Menstrual cups need to be folded before insertion, and there are several ways to fold them. If you experience pain or discomfort at the entrance even with the C-fold recommended by murmo, you may want to fold it a little smaller using the labia fold.
Please watch the video below to see how to fold each one.
How to fold a C-fold [ Video ]
How to fold a labia fold [ video ]
4. Insert at the correct angle
The angle at which you insert the menstrual cup is also important. You may be tempted to insert it straight up, but the correct image is to imagine it as being inserted towards the anus. If you insert the menstrual cup at the same angle, it will be easier to insert. If it doesn't go all the way in, it's likely that you're inserting it in the wrong direction, so try inserting it slowly, feeling for the right direction, in the direction it should go in, and it will be easier to insert smoothly. Once you get the hang of it, you'll get used to it, so there's no need to worry.
5. Use lubricants
When your period has just started or is nearing the end, it may feel difficult to insert and slippery. In that case, using a lubricant will reduce friction and make it easier to insert. The medical-grade silicone that murmo is made of does not mix well with oil, so using a water-soluble lubricant that is safe to use in the vagina will make the insertion part of the menstrual cup more slippery, making it easier to insert.
summary
It takes a lot of courage to insert and remove a cup from your vagina by yourself. However, once you get the hang of it and get used to it, it's a sanitary product that's easy to put on and take off. It's said that you can get used to it in as little as one cycle, or at most three cycles, but we encourage you to give it a try using the tips written here.
