Brand new cup user

Hi everyone,

I found this place after reading pretty much everything on Melissa's WordPress Blog. It's amazing and has TONS of information! Thanks Melissa!

In any case, for my first cup I got a small Lunette Diana. I am 28 years old, not a virgin, and have no kids. I started off using pads (YUCK - seriously - YUCK). My mom and sister thought I should just use tampons, but when I tried, they hurt terribly bad, and I just could not get them in far enough. Once I was no longer a virgin, I did find that I could use tampons just fine, and did that for years. Then after trying different birth control methods I found the shot - and loved that (after the first couple of months anyway) and didn't have a period at all for over a year. But I recently found out that I have a condition that is made worse by the hormones in birth control (any type of hormonal birth control) and sadly could no longer use the shot. So back to tampons I went. I have never really liked tampons, but they were the better of the two options. My periods are fairly light. The first day is what I think is probably normal for most people, but then the second and third days are very very light. My period usually only lasts 3 days. On the lighter days, even "light" tampons sometimes would not get saturated enough to slide out easily, and would stick to the inside of my vagina, leaving little chunks of material behind that I'd have to go back in and fish out. Yuck. Also, my cervix sits pretty low during my period, and sometimes I would have to insert the tampon kind of to the side or underneath the cervix, because my cervix was less then the length of the tampon away from my vaginal opening. That meant that I would leak sometimes. About a year or so ago I discovered Insteads, and tried them. However, it seems like my vagina is just a little too small for the rim of the softcup. I couldn't get the rim to stay tucked behind my pelvic bone, it kept popping back down, and then it would slowly push out. I wasn't a fan.

One day in the not too distant past I was browsing around on Amazon, and somehow the DivaCup came up in the search. I read the description, and was intrigued, so started doing some searches for menstrual cups. That's when I came across Melissa's Wordpress Blog. After reading about all the different kinds of cups, and reading the charts on measurements and sizes, and knowing that my cervix sits low, and that I have a fairly light period, I decided to go with a small Lunette.

I got it in a week or so ago, and started practicing. It was surprisingly easy to insert, and popped open easily. After just a few tries, I thought I was ready to go. I knew I was due to start my period today, so I put in the Lunette yesterday, and it was fine. Last night I pulled it out before bed, noticed that I'd been spotting (just a few drops of fluid in the cup) washed it, and tried to reinsert it. I had a hard time getting the cup in far enough, as my cervix lowered. I couldn't believe how much it had moved. I could just barely get the cup in. It opened up fine, but the tip of the cup was right under my pelvic bone, and the whole stem was sticking out. I couldn't sleep like that - the stem kept poking my lips, and I started wondering if I was going to have to cut the stem off. So I pulled it out, and told myself I'd try again this morning.

Well, I have tried again a couple of times again, but not with much more success. After a couple of tries I was able to get it in just the tiniest bit further inside, so that just the tip of the stem is poking out, but the tip of the cup is still sitting just under my pelvic bone. It doesn't seem as uncomfortable today, but I still would prefer if the cup was shorter, and the stem was shorter, so that the stem could sit under or behind my pelvic bone.

So I'm trying to decide if I should try another, perhaps shorter cup that might sit a little further inside. I know there aren't a lot of cups that are much shorter than the small Lunette. The ones I am considering are: Small Fleurcup, Small Ladycup, Small and Medium Melunas.

I feel like the flared rim on the Fleurcup might help hold it in higher, and it appears to be a tiny bit shorter. I would probably still have to trim the stem pretty far down though. I think the Fleurcup is the prettiest - the bell shape with the flared rim, and the soft foggy color are very nice.

The small Ladycup appears to be a little shorter, and also smoother and perhaps squishier, so perhaps with a trimmed stem I would feel it as much and that would would be comfortable enough. I am not thrilled about the hollow stem of the LadyCup, I feel like it could be kind of a pain to get clean. Also, it looks awful slippery, and like I might have trouble turning it (or telling if I'm actually turning it).

The small Meluna is obviously the shortest cup, and combined with a ball or ring stem (I need some sort of stem, but something short and rounded should be fine) and with the narrower cone shaped tip, might be the most comfortable for me. But I am a little worried about the capacity, for the first day of my cycle. Even the medium Meluna looks a little shorter than the Lunette, and again, with a ball or ring stem, and the narrow cone shaped tip, might be good too. But then again maybe the more rounded tip of the Lunette is helping it to stay inside, and a narrower cone shaped tip might enable it to be pushed out more? I like the alternative stem styles of the Melunas, but hope that they aren't too firm, and am afraid that the soft versions may be too soft.

So I'm not really sure which to go with. I kind of feel like I just have to try them out until I find one that I like. Maybe I'll have to use a certain type for my first day, and can use something tiny like the small Meluna for the other light days. Whatever I decide to try, won't be here for this period, so I'll keep working with the Lunette. Even if I have to trim the stem down to a tiny little nub, and the tip has to stay right next to my pelvic bone, it's still better than a tampon. If my cervix had stayed where it was before my period, it would fit just perfectly, but it moved - a lot! Maybe in the next two days it'll raise up and make room for the cup, and I can continue to use the Lunette without this problem on those days.

I am leaning toward trying a ring stem Meluna - maybe a small. I feel like I will be able to turn the ring stem (or at least, tell if I am actually turning) the cup better with something more flat than the ball. And I will be able to see what days the capacity will work for me. If nothing else, I think it'll work great for my light days. Also, the cup is on the less expensive end of the spectrum, so if it doesn't work out at all, I won't be out $50.

Any suggestions?