Is your menstrual cup leaking and you just can’t figure out why? No need to worry, we’ve got your back! If you’ve just started using a menstrual cup, then there’s a chance that you’ll be very familiar with nasty leakages. And you’re not alone! As with everything, getting used to your OVIO Cup can take a few cycles so don’t fret if you’re not immediately a pro. However, even if you’ve been living the cup life for quite a while, your cup might still be leaking every now and again. And no matter whether you’re a newbie or an old hat when it comes to menstrual cups, it’s most commonly easy-to-solve reasons that are causing your leaks. But let’s take a look!
1. You’re not using the right size for you.
Once you’ve inserted your OVIO Cup, you shouldn’t feel it at all. So, when you’re going about your business, but you can still feel it sitting in your vagina, something isn’t quite right. If in addition to that it’s also leaking left, right, and centre and you feel like you have to almost dig your way to the other side of the world to find it, chances are that you’re not using the right size for you. If it’s only the stem that’s prodding and poking you, you can easily solve that by trimming it. How do you know which size is right for you? The image below will give you a bit of an idea, but make sure to also check our size guide for more information.
Do you think you have a wrongly sized OVIO Cup? Don’t sweat it! We have an awesome size replacement guarantee that gives you the option to swap your menstrual cup for a different size within 90 days of your purchase; completely free of charge, of course. Just fill out the short form on the website and we’ll get it sorted for you. If you have any questions or are unsure about what to do, drop us an email on hello@ovio-collection.com.
2. Your menstrual cup hasn’t actually opened fully
Have you felt that menstrual cup pop before? It happens when you let go of the fold when you’re inserting your OVIO Cup and is needed to create a watertight seal. Letting go, cup popping open, all nice and sealed. Sounds super easy, doesn’t it? Well, unfortunately this much needed pop doesn’t always happen which means your menstrual cup hasn’t created a seal and, you guessed it, it’s leaking. But what can you do to make it pop open? Run your finger along the base of your OVIO Cup to see if you can make it pop open. Sometimes, gently pushing your vaginal walls away from the cup can help it to open fully and create a watertight seal. Grabbing the base and gently rotating it can also be a helpful trick.
And if you’re struggling to get it to open, take a deep breath, remove your cup, and try again. It might take you a few attempts to get it right so take your time and don’t give up too quickly. Try not to get stressed and try a few different techniques; there will be one that works for you. You might find that the punch down fold works better for you than the C-fold or the 7-fold. Whatever you end up using, you’ll get the hang of it eventually, promise!
How can I check if my menstrual cup is open?
To check whether you OVIO Cup has formed a seal or not, give the stem a VERY gentle tug. If you feel resistance, your cup has opened and formed a seal and you won’t be able to remove it by gently pulling on the stem. Important side note here: NEVER just pull on the stem to take your menstrual cup out, always break the seal! If you run your finger along the side of your cup and you can’t feel any obvious creases, that’s usually also a good sign that it has opened fully and has formed a seal.
3. Your menstrual cup is overflowing
If your periods are on the heavy side, there’s a good chance that your OVIO Cup is filling up quicker than you might think, and it is actually overflowing. Even though it can hold a lot more blood than your average tampon, there’s a good chance that you lose a lot of blood over the course of a few short hours which means that your cup will fill up quickly and this, in turn, will cause it to overflow.
So, on your heaviest days, you might want to consider checking your menstrual cup a bit more frequently. Aim for every 4 to 6 hours to make sure you catch it before it becomes too full. If you’re currently using a small cup, it might be worth considering switching to the regular size OVIO Cup for your heavy days.
4. Your menstrual cup isn’t placed correctly
Your OVIO Cup not sitting in your vagina properly is one of the most common culprits when it comes to unwanted leaks. And even if you’re 100% sure that you’ve positioned it correctly when you inserted it that morning, that unfortunately doesn’t mean that that’s still the same. Wait, what?! Yes, when your oestrogen level decreases during your period your cervix actually changes position. Oh, and your vagina may actually tilt a little bit to one side or the other or it might move downwards. Because who doesn’t like a bit of an extra challenge when they’re on their period, right?
As fascinating as all of this is, it can also be the reason for the leaks you’re experiencing. How? Well, if your cervix moves or shifts, your menstrual cup might be sitting to one side of it all of a sudden; even if it’s been sitting perfectly underneath it before. You can try to reduce the risk of this happening over and over again, make sure you’re inserting your OVIO Cup below your cervix, not next to it where a tampon would sit. You can double check if you’ve positioned it low enough by running your finger around your cup. If you can feel your cervix on the outside of it, you’ve inserted it too high up. If that’s the case, remove it and try again! However, even though we’re talking about the cup having to sit lower than your tampon, it is possible to insert it too low. If this happens, your menstrual cup will struggle to suction to your vaginal walls properly which will cause leaks. As you can see, it’s all a bit trial and error to get right so try to be patient and don’t give up on it right away!
5. Going for a #2 can cause little leaks
Did you know that your bowel movements can actually change the position of your OVIO Cup? Yes, and you might also experience little leaks when going for a #2. Why? Because the muscle contractions that happen when you go for a poo are putting pressure on your cup. Remember the times when your tampon would just pop out when you were sat on the toilet? Same difference! Except that your OVIO Cup can’t pop out because it’s suctioned to your vaginal walls. However, it can still overflow, especially when it’s already quite full. These leaks are usually not a huge problem as they don’t cause you to bleed through your underwear and you’ll only notice them as a little bit of blood on your toilet paper when you wipe.
6. Your pelvic floor muscles are like Hulk
Do you have super strong pelvic floor muscles? Good on you! They come with a great deal of benefits to your overall health. However, they might also lead to leakages. How? They squeeze your menstrual cup pretty much like you’d pinch it when removing it, causing your period blood to flow past the cup. If you think this might be your issue, you could benefit from trying a firm menstrual cup.
7. The little holes on your rim are blocked
Have you ever noticed the tiny holes just below the rim of your OVIO Cup? They’re there to release the air pressure that builds in your menstrual cup as it fills. If they’re blocked, the air pressure doesn’t have anywhere to go, and your period blood will likely flow around your cup. To avoid this from happening, make sure you double-check every time that the holes are clear. If you find that they’re not, you can use a sterilised pin or a toothpick to clean them. Or you could try a more entertaining cleaning method! Fill your cup with water all the way, place your hand firmly over the rim and squeeze the cup. This will squeeze the water out via the holes, and, voila, they’re clean.
8. It’s not actually a leak!
These fake leaks or wiping leaks can happen right after you’ve emptied and reinserted your OVIO Cup. They’re most common during the heaviest days of your period and can happen because there might be some leftover water droplets on the outside of your cup that can mix with your menstrual blood. You’ll likely notice these leaks as smudges in your underwear next time you head to the loo. These leaks generally don’t get any worse and will just stay a (slightly annoying) smudge in your pants.
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