Help, My Menstrual Cup is Stuck!

by Anna Sise, COO @ Viv

Before I used my Viv cup for the first time, I remember the biggest questions I had were all about getting the cup out. Getting it in seemed easy enough (especially after practicing a few of the folds), but once it was in there and did its job, how the heck was I supposed to take it out? And could it get stuck up there? And then what?

It’s happened to even the most veteran menstrual cup users - you feel like you can’t find your cup and have a moment of panic. Here are three things to remember that were so helpful for me when getting the hang of removing my cup!

The most important thing to remember - always always always break the seal!

The way your menstrual cup works is by forming a seal in your vagina and collecting the menstrual blood in the cup. That seal ensures that your cup won’t leak or budge! The Viv cup has a handy ring on the bottom which makes removing the cup so much easier - but it's important to remember not to just yank on the ring. Grab the ring with one finger, and use another finger or your knuckle to break the seal of the cup by pressing down on the body of the cup until you feel the top rim bend. This way, it’ll be easy to slide the cup right out!

Try removing your cup in the shower!

The shower is the best place to remove your cup for a few reasons. One, the warm water helps your body and your pelvic muscles relax, which makes removing the cup all the easier. Two, not having to worry about any spillage or splashes makes things easier too - everything gets washed right away! And three, in the shower you have some flexibility to try some different positions for removal (read on!)

Switch up your position!

Different positions work better for different people! I’ve found sitting on the toilet or propping one leg up in the shower makes for easiest access, but feel free to try a few different positions to be sure you can comfortably reach right up where you need to. If you’re having trouble in one position, just moving around a bit could help a ton.

And last but not least, remember to relax!

The Viv Cup is made from 100% medical grade silicone, so if you need a breather, or need to go somewhere more comfortable before you can remove your cup, no worries - you’ve got time. Each time you take it out, it gets easier. Pretty soon it's second nature - and a zero waste period option to keep you covered for up to 12 hours!