Why does your menstrual cup leak: Part III

There are other parts to explore to help prevent menstrual cup leakage.

While you're down there checking where your cervix is hanging out you'll want to become familiar with other parts in your vaginal region. Here are a list of things that will affect your menstrual cup experience and leaking issues:

1. Cup doesn't open because of vaginal muscles. Does your vagina hurt or do you feel pain with when inserting more than 1 finger? If yes, you might want to continue exploring your anatomy and give yourself time and patience, if you're new to menstruation and just starting to use products that you insert into the vagina. This can be common if you are a virgin. In time it will not hurt or be uncomfortable. Use lubrication when exploring your own anatomy, it may hurt less. (It's also okay to use lubrication when inserting your SckoonCup, such as KY Jelly). If you keep experiencing pain, please seek advice from your physician.
2. The pubic bone can really get in the way sometimes! Do you feel the bone on the outside of your vaginal area? That's your pubic bone. You must get your cup past your pubic bone in order for it to "pop" open and suction around the cervix to collect the blood.
3. The vagina is not straight up and down. Remember that your vagina goes up and towards your rectum/bowel. When inserting your SckoonCup visualize and aim towards your tailbone.

Now that you know your anatomy we will explore other causes for a menstrual cup leaking in Part III of the series. Check back next week as we wrap up the "Why your menstrual cup leaks" blog series!

Size does matter…When talking about menstrual cups!

Most menstrual cup companies have 2 sizes including SckoonCup. If you purchase the wrong size your cup might leak.

If you purchase a size that's too small your cup will more than likely leak. As frustrating as it might be, you might try everything listed yet still your cup leaks! DON'T give up! We understand that the cost of a menstrual cup is more money upfront; but saves you money after a few months! With that said, you might want to purchase a different size if nothing else works. The cup may be too small because your vaginal muscles might be a little too loose; therefore, the blood can sometimes leak.

What if you menstrual cup is too big?

If your menstrual cup is too big the cup probably won't be able to fully open and may feel slightly uncomfortable. When your menstrual cup is too big for your anatomy it might leak because it cannot open fully, therefore the blood flows past your cup and not into the cup.

Some people complain about really soft menstrual cups. If you're using a cup that's not SckoonCup you could have leaking issues because the cup is too soft and won't "pop" open.

A few other reasons your menstrual cup might be leaking.

• Some people who bend over too fast or are doing some extreme yoga/Pilates poses will make the seal/suction around your cervix break, which can cause leaking.
• The cup might be too full and will leak.
• Your cervix might cause your cup to leak if it "droops" into your cup. (For example, when you put ice into a full glass, the water rises). Again, just make sure to empty it a little sooner rather than later.

How to choose the right fold to use when inserting your menstrual cup

Some people will experience leaking with certain folds. The reason you may experience leaking is because certain folds might not allow the menstrual cup to "pop" open and suction around your cervix. Everyone's muscle tone is different, so you're going to want to play around with different folds for insertion.

The most popular folds are the 7 fold, the C fold, and the Punch down fold. The C fold as you can see below in the picture is the easiest to open, but some people don't like the C fold because it's wider when inserting into the vagina.

The punch-down fold is popular because it's very compact for insertion, however the punch-down fold is one that can be harder to "pop" open. If your menstrual cup is not fully open, usually a gentle pull downward will do the trick and your cup will open right up around your cervix.

Make sure to bookmark this blog series!

Well folks, that's all we got for this series about why your menstrual cup or SckoonCup might be leaking. Let us know if you have any questions by joining us on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+. If you have questions don't hesitate to call or email us! We're here to help in any way possible.