Using a menstrual cup is meant to be an easy way to make life more convenient when you’re on your period. But when your cup leaks, it can be incredibly frustrating.

For many women who are new to using the cup, leaking is a common problem. Switching to a menstrual cup takes some time to adjust to—finding the right size, the correct way to insert your cup, and the cup’s best position for you takes time and practice.

Don’t give up! You can successfully use your menstrual cup and get it to stop leaking for worry-free periods with the following tips.

Check Your Cervix… Again

We talked about checking the position of your cervix before inserting your menstrual cup. Remember that your cervix moves, so checking its position each time you re-insert the cup can help prevent leaks.

Check your cervix again (remember, with a clean finger!). For some women, their cervix may be tilted to the left or right. When inserting your cup, you want to angle it back towards your rectum instead of pushing it “up”.

However, the most important thing is that the cup is positioned underneath your cervix. Properly positioning the cup can take some time to learn and will be different for everyone, so be patient while learning its best position for you.

Change Insertion Position

Sitting on the toilet or standing while inserting your menstrual cup may not be the best position for your cup to properly open.

For many women, squatting is an ideal position to ensure the cup is in the right place and is able to open completely once inside the vagina.

While squatting may not be the right position for everyone, trying different positions for inserting your menstrual cup is going to help you find the best choice for you.

Be Sure the Cup Is Open

Depending on the fold you use as well as the position you’re in in when you insert the cup, it’s possible that the cup didn’t open up properly inside you. When this happens, instead of catching the blood, it just flows right past the cup. So annoying!

To prevent this problem, you need to be sure that the cup is actually open after you release the fold. You can do this by re-inserting a finger and feeling alongside the cup to see if it’s open all the way.

Move the Cup

Once your menstrual cup is open inside you, moving the cup can help secure it in the correct location under your cervix and prevent it from leaking or sliding out of position as you go about your day. Once your cup is in the right place, it shouldn’t move or leak.

After you insert your menstrual cup and it pops open and you ensure its open, rotate the cup fully. Then, grab the stem and pull down a bit. These two movements can help position the cup in the right position beneath your cervix.

Remember, the cup should be fully inside your vagina—yes, including the stem. No part of the cup should be outside of your body.

Flex Your Muscles

In addition to moving the cup, you can also contract your pelvic floor muscles once the cup is inside you to stop your menstrual cup from leaking.

Once you insert the cup, rotate, and pull down, try doing Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises include contracting your pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds and then relaxing. You can locate the muscles used in Kegel exercises by stopping and starting the flow of urine. Once you’ve identified these muscles, you can do them without urination.

These muscles don’t just help secure your cup in the right position; Kegel exercises have also been shown to help with urinary incontinence and sexual function.

Reconsider the Size

While elacup sizing guidelines are designed to provide the right size cup for every woman, we understand and honor the differences in every woman’s body. While the sizes will be accurate for many, they won’t be accurate for all.

You may have gotten the smaller cup thinking that’s the best size for you when really you need the larger size. It all will depend on your unique body. If you’ve tried all the above tips and are still having issues with your cup leaking, it might be time to reconsider the size of your cup.

elacup is here to support you with any questions you may have and we’re dedicated to helping you find the right size for you, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with your sizing questions.

Don’t Give Up!

Getting used to the menstrual cup and getting it to work properly can take some time, so don’t give up just yet. You can successfully use your elacup to better manage your periods and enjoy up to 12 hours of leak-free protection during your cycle. Try the above tips to get your cup to stop leaking once and for all!