Experience as a first time cup user:

Due to environmental reasons and not wanting to pollute the Earth or myself, I have used reusable cloth pads for over five years. My coworker really talked up the cups which I was on the fence about for ages, so finally bit the bullet. I did quite a bit of research on menstrual cups before choosing the Lena based on several factors like customer service (quite impressive) and the quality and care that went into designing the product. Originally I purchased the small on Amazon and didn't see the option for the two pack until after my order shipped, and contacted the company to see if I could purchase a discounted single large so I had both sizes to experiment with. Their amazing customer service team sent me a complimentary large, was so not expecting that! Just the fact that a real person got back to me in a short amount of time is noteworthy in this day and age.

The experiments:

March, Month 1: I watched videos of several different folds to prepare myself and eagerly awaited for the blood bath to start for the test drive. The first month I was amazed how much more sanitary it was to use a cup. One would think blood nestled in my woman cave would smell putrid after pooling in a petri dish for hours on end, but it actually smelled clean and my innards weren't robbed of all their natural moisture from cotton tampons. It was a strange feeling to run to the bathroom and keep checking for leaks in my pants (you can "feel" the blood collecting) but it worked wonderfully after some playing around with suction/folds and several times I got a good seal without looking like a murder scene, so thrilling! Never had pain with it going in, a slight feeling that something is inside of you, but for the small not even bladder pain. I used to have Interstitial Cystitis so I have no tolerance for a cup that will cause discomfort in that way but this was great.

April, Month 2: Tested out the large Lena cup, ouch! I felt so much pain in my bladder, and had difficulty urinating with it in. Definitely way too big for my innards after all the moving around I did, just could not get it comfortable. Had wanted larger capacity, but just wouldn't work. Went back to small Lena, but somehow it seemed like the magic I had the first month of getting a good seal wasn't there, and I could not for the life of me stop it from mild leaking. It wasn't like pools of blood loss, almost like the natural female juices cleansing my insides and it was a very watery tiny bit of pink/reddish that was coming off when I would wipe after bathroom usage. Try as I might, my fingers do not physically reach in to spelunk inside my body while keeping my cup folded at the same time. The best fit for me is when I put in at night and it naturally is "digested" by my lady bits, then I have no leaks. But I can't reach it, and I too felt the panic for about five minutes of trying to take it out. I bought some THINX pad panties to wear with them while I test out folds to avoid any stains and to compensate for leaks I was still getting. About this time I was thinking I need to find out if my troubles are from internal tilt and discover my cervix height.

May, Month 3: Way too much traveling with questionable access and sketchy bathrooms, so I opted for organic cotton tampons. Didn't like using the tampons after my cup experience, but had to make due. Note to self, REMEMBER TO MEASURE CERVIX.

June, Month 4: Very determined to make it work, I wore it the entire conference (6 days) that I was traveling out of town. Was not too hard to deal with since handicap bathroom at the site had sink in it. However, I did have some very light leaking (that watery pink/reddish) so I had to wash some of my undergarments to avoid stains in my hotel sink. Still have not gotten around to measuring certix height or figure out how to examine myself to find out any pelvic floor tilting going on. That kind of feedback would even be helpful to manufacturers of cups to make some for ladies with different needs, which I could potentially be one of.

All in all, I love this cup, the small feels good when the seal works, and I believe its made by people who genuinely have our health in mind. Going to keep trying the Lena and do more research on my lady privates layout and report back on cervix stats. Might try a different shape cup from another company to rotate with for frame of reference, but this is a solid choice if it works for your body.

Edit: I am very sad to see so many low reviews, I feel like people should be leaving higher than one star based on customer service alone as they give full refunds, caring support to everyone who has posted if they need advice, and make a quality product regardless if it fits everyone's unique body.

Updated 7/13/16
Tip 1- Measure cervix length! There are many how to guides online from cup sites, as well as great Facebook group called Cup Love that is supportive and has a lot of documents for members. In some women like myself who have higher cervix during menstruation, we may need a longer cup to reach properly. (Attempting the Lily Cup in July) Perhaps once there is more data on varying cervix height, that will become the next reiteration in menstrual cups and how companies will market them vs child/no child, and S/L, and it will make it much less of a hit or miss kind of thing.

Tip 2- There are also buy sell trade cups groups (you boil cup to sanitize) it helps offset costs as some folks have to go through multiple cups from different brands to find what some in the community call their "goldilox cup". Lena is unusual in that they offer money back guarantee, most do not.
Tip 3- I want to note that so many users are getting freaked out that it takes a couple of minutes to coax it out using muscles down there. Yes it takes a little getting used to the method and technique for each person and their needs. (For example, I have bladder sensitivities, so wide bulby cups like the Super Jennie would not be good for me as it would press against bladder wall)

Tip 4- This will not ever pull out like a tampon in three seconds flat for me, and if you want something like that either use organic cotton tampons or go with a reusable sea sponge if the few extra minutes to remove, potentially clean, and reinsert is a constraint.

Tip 5- Cups do take a little more care, and you will get blood on your hands literally, so if you are too sqeamish about such things please don't knock the Lena company and get a product you would never feel comfortable using to begin with. I've heard great things about sea sponges from folks in my circle, so look into that if you want something more tampon-like but still reusable.

A little background: I'm a 26 year old woman who has never given birth. I am an advocate for women's health, and I worked in gynecology for several years. Outside of where I live (rural Texas!), I'm probably the second type of woman that pops into your head when you think of someone who uses a menstrual cup -- the first being the crunchy granola hippie who turns her placenta into pills. (I'm not judging, do you.) (Okay I'm judging a little, but that's mostly because of my own prejudices.)

I have long loved the idea of reducing waste w/r/t menstrual products. For the last 6 years, I've used OB tampons because the idea of throwing applicators in the trash every month is appalling to me. I'm not a hippie or a tree-huger by any means, but I don't want to create more waste than I need. I also liked how little space the OB tampons took in my purse. Because I was already familiar with my lady parts, trying a cup seemed like the natural progression.

Many of my friends use, love, and have recommended menstrual cups. So I said LET'S GET ON BOARD. The first time I tried was in 2013, and it was a disaster. I have a cervix that changes heights throughout my cycle and I have tried the Diva Cup, the Lunette Cup, and the Lily Cup at various points over the last four years with no success. I couldn't get a seal that worked or the cup would not work with my cervix. For one reason or another, I am not even sure what (shape? positioning of holes? my vagina not being a welcoming environment?), they just didn't work for me.

I'm not exactly sure what caused me to bite the bullet this time, but I'm so glad that I did. After doing loads of research on menstrual cups (checking out Bryony (aka Bree aka Precious Stars Pads), the Put A Cup In It ladies, and the livejournal community on menstrual cups), I decided that a cup that was more bell/tulip shaped that was rather firm would be my best bet.

I received my cup on Saturday morning, realized I'd started my period early in the afternoon, and after a few experimental folds, decided the punch-down fold would work best for me. The first day of my period was great! I left it in for about 11 1/2 hours with no leaks, I peed multiple times, had a BM, could not feel the cup at all. Which I thought was a good thing....until it was time for removal. I had some issues getting the seal to break, and my cervix is much higher than it generally is. I couldn't reach the stem of the cup with my fingers at all. I later figured out that most of the problem was the stem getting caught right above my pubic bone.

The following is a (slightly censored) series of text messages I sent to one of my best friends (herself a diva cup user):
"Okay so I just spent the last 45 minutes trying to remove my cup"
"I literally couldn't get it out. I couldn't break the seal at all"
"I ended up pushing like I was pooping but before I got the cup out I got a massive s*** and all of the residual (SUPER POTENT) urine out"
"(It was at the top of my vagina which is VERY LONG rn bc my cervix is VERY HIGH today)"
"at that point it got down to a place where i could tug on the stem"
"and then I couldn't get it at all"
"I got the stem outside of my body, relaxed, AND MY EFFING VAGINA ATE IT AGAIN"
"So then I cried a little, took some giant breaths, and pushed down a gain. Got to where I could pull on the stem and it was so slippery I couldn't get a grip on it"
"I beared (bore?) down while I was pulling on the stem and then the base and it popped out NO effing problem"
"aaaand the single movement poured into the toilet before I could see how much blood was in it."

Her only response?

"Omfg friend, I'm so sorry."

So. I took the overnight off my cup and used a tampon.

And look, I have been using tampons for the last 15 years, exclusively for the last 13 or so. I have never felt a tampon the way that I did after I used my cup for just a single day. I could feel it. The same type of tampon I'd been using and inserting since I was in college. The menstrual product I had previously touted as perfect and unobtrusive! I COULD FEEL IT. It was one of the weirdest sensations I've experienced in a long time.

In the morning, I took out the tampon, and it was mostly dry. It HURT to remove. You know the feeling? I don't need to describe it to you.

At that point, I decided that my poor vagina was going to be miserable no matter what I did, so it might as well not be as dry as my West Texas plains. I put some water-based lube on the cup, on account of my vagina being so dry, and inserted it.

...and then it popped open before it was all the way inserted, because it was TOO LUBEY. Think that episode of New Girl when Schmidt uses too much lube and falls off the top bunk of a bunk bed. That is basically what happened, only the cup was schmidt and the bunk bed was the inside of my vagina? This is not a perfect metaphor. Anyway, it didn't hurt but it was uncomfortable as I was removing it. I adjusted the lubrication factor on the cup to a manageable amount, and inserted.

Now, I will say this about my experience that I'm guessing most of you won't have: The one thing that's been tricky for me from transitioning from the digital tampons to the cup is the angle of insertion. With the digital tampons (digital as in "use your fingers" not "data expressed by 0s and 1s and transmitted"), you flare out the base and insert in the general upwards but slightly backwards direction. With the cup, you insert generally backwards and slightly upwards. Any issues I have had with inserting the cup have been with getting that angle right. I've found myself standing with one foot on the tub or the toilet, like Captain Morgan, starting to insert up and thinking, "NOPE THIS IS NOT RIGHT, abort abort BEFORE IT POPS OPEN TOO SOO-crap." If you're not used to inserting things into your vagina at a specific angle, this will not apply to you.

My flow picked up on Sunday to the point where I filled up roughly half of the small cup (so probably between 8-15mL) each time I've emptied it between Sunday and Tuesday. I would say I have a normal - normal-heavy flow, though my periods last around 8-10 days, though they do get considerably lighter after day 5 and sometimes skip a day or two in the middle. (I have talked to my gyne about this, she says my endometrium is just finicky. She also said I have a cute uterus.)

I had an Incident on Tuesday afternoon after work, where, instead of pulling the cup out and slightly up, I got a bit...overzealous in my movement and ended up spilling on myself and the floor. Thankfully, I was about to get into the shower and was not wearing clothes, though I did have to lysol the floor and pray no crime scene investigator comes to the house and luminols the floor any time soon. I chalk this up to my own clumsiness and inexperience, as well as my over-zealousness, rather than a shortfall of the cup.

There was just a bit of clear fluid in the cup when I emptied it on Wednesday morning. Figuring I'd hit one of my mid-period lulls, I put the cup in its adorable bag and took it with me to work. I figured that if I needed it, I could insert it at work. Well, after my morning meeting, I Felt It Coming Back. So I went to one of the bathroom stalls, took a few deep breaths, squatted a smidge, and put the cup in. First try: no popping it open and hitting me at the entrance of my vagina, no lube, in a public place! I would generally have to change a super tampon at least once over my workday or a regular tampon 2-3 times. NOTHING. It was just SET IT AND FORGET IT, like those Ron-co cookers that used to have infomercials running constantly in the early 2000s.

I have been able to remove and insert it on the first or second try after the first day or so. I will say that there is a steep learning curve to using a cup, but I would say that's not different than switching from pads to tampons for the first time -- an experience I haven't had since middle school. There is a possibility that I could have made another cup work if I tried harder, but I had leaks galore with those cups. This one? NADA. Even on the first day.

The customer service at Lena is FANTASTIC. After my Saturday Night Vagina Fight, I used the contact form on the Lena website to ask if maybe I needed the larger size because of my migration issue and inability to remove the cup. I sent it around 10:30p my time and received an in-depth reply from Amanda at 2:04a. ON A SATURDAY GOING INTO SUNDAY. That's literally unheard of. Like, I worked at a bar and stopped giving a care about our drunk patrons after about 1:30a. She was kind, very reassuring, and gave me a lot of suggestions. I took them into account and haven't had an issue with removal since.

I would recommend this product to anyone across the board, with the following exceptions:
-people who do not have vaginas
-people who no longer menstruate due to hormonal birth control, menopause, hysterectomy, or endometrial ablation
-people who are not comfortable getting up close and personal with their genitals, including measuring their cervix
-people who are not comfortable with the viscous and weirdly textured menstrual blood
-people who embarrass easily

Menstrual cups in general and the Lena Cup specifically are good for:
-individuals who care about their carbon footprint and creating less waste
-people who travel a lot and don't want to worry about carrying around menstrual products
-people who are forgetful and have to buy a new box of tampons every month because they forget theirs at work
-individuals who work long shifts with not a lot of time for restroom breaks (nurses, servers, teachers, etc.) I can't count the number of times I left a tampon in for what I know is too long because I didn't want to lose a table during a shift at the bar.
-people who want to be cool-- menstrual cup sales have gone up almost 200% since 2015!

If you've read this far into the review, you're clearly interested in this product, and I cannot recommend it enough. I hope you enjoyed it, learned from my mistakes, and laughed with me at myself.

I first learned about menstrual cups when I saw that the period subscription box I was using offered Softcups. I was intrigued by the concept, so I gave them a try...and I loved them! This led me to look into reusable cups. Softcups are shaped and function very differently than reusable cups, so I did quite a bit of research before settling on this Lena cup. The main cup that comes to mind when people mention menstrual cups is the Diva cup; however, I learned that Diva cups are some of the largest menstrual cups available, and that they're not a great fit for everyone. The cup has to be small enough to properly expand and lightly suction to the walls of your vagina. If it's too large, it won't seal and can collapse, which causes leaks and is also uncomfortable. Since I wasn't really sure how to measure myself, I didn't want to risk wasting a good bit of money on a cup that might be too big. So, I spent hours researching for some of the smallest cups I could find. I compared the width of the rim and the length of the body (not including the stem) of so many brands. It was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be since many brands don't list the measurements. It's great that most brands have a large and a small option, but one brand's small can be larger than another brand's large, which is maddening! For example, the small Diva is 43mm wide and 53mm long, while the large Lena cup is smaller at 45mm wide and 50.7mm long. This small Lena is 41mm wide and 46mm long, so it is significantly smaller than the small Diva. I believe the small Lena is a much better size for first-time users, unless you are absolutely certain that your cervix sits high during menstruation and can use a longer cup. Other things to consider when choosing a cup are what it's made of, where it was made, and what safety standards it meets. Lena cups are made of medical grade silicone, are made in the USA, and are FDA-registered, so I was confident that it was safe to use.

Now, for what I love about my Lena cup:

"¢ No more leaks!!! I've never had a leak during the day or even overnight, and I can actually wear nice underwear with confidence knowing that they won't be ruined. It holds so much more than the tampons I was using. When I first starting using this cup, I emptied it every few hours (like I did with tampons), and it was nowhere close to being full. I can safely go all day without having to empty the cup.

"¢ No more dealing with my period in a public restroom! I only have to empty it when I wake up and right before bed, which is the best thing ever! I can't even express how much I love not having to deal with it during the day. Public bathrooms are already not ideal, so not having to worry about changing a tampon is a huge plus! On heavy days (which are rare), I might have to empty it once during the day, but I literally have never needed to empty it in a public restroom in the 15 months that I've been using this cup...compared to changing tampons every few hours. If I do need to empty it in a public restroom, it's nice that I don't need to carry anything with me, and it's no messier than changing a tampon.

"¢ Better for my vagina! Tampons don't discriminate when they're absorbing, so they can really dry you out (and anyone who has ever pulled out a dry tampon knows how freaking painful that it is!). That messes with pretty much everything up there, especially the good bacteria and your pH level. They also increase your risk of developing toxic shock syndrome (TSS) because they absorb and trap any bad bacteria. Cups don't mess with any of that. Since they don't absorb anything, your vagina remains unchanged, so there's no bounce-back time after your period where it needs to rebuild the supply of good bacteria and get back to a healthy pH level. Your risk of developing TSS is also much, much lower, so menstrual cups are safer to use over longer periods of time.

"¢ Better for the environment and my wallet! I love that there's no trash (wrapper, applicator, the tampon itself) each time I use my cup. When you think about the thousands of tampons you'd use throughout your life, that's a lot of waste that won't end up in a landfill. And for the price of a few boxes of tampons, you'll get years of use out of a cup (as long as you take care of it). I'm saving a ton of money by not buying tampons every month, and I'm reducing the amount of waste I produce, so that's a win-win.

I really don't have any negatives for this cup. It has some minor staining after 15 months of use, which is completely normal and will happen with any cup you buy. I'm sure a dilute hydrogen peroxide soak will make it look brand new again. I recently bought some backup Lena cups, so I've included pictures of the new ones (a small pink compared to a large clear). I was curious to try the large, since the small works so well. It did fully open, but it was harder to remove because there was more suction and it was just a bigger cup to remove. I will continue to use my smalls, and I will keep the large for after I have children. I also showed what the rim of the small looks like for two different folds (the C/U fold and the origami fold). There are many different ways to fold a cup, and it's completely up to personal preference.

If you've read through this mini-essay of a review, I hope it helped! The condensed version is that I cannot recommend this cup enough! It has truly changed everything about my period experience, and I no longer dread when it arrives. Do your research, look up tips, watch YouTube videos, and give it a try!!

Ok so I purchased this cup set earlier this month, but decided to wait till my next period to do a review on it. First off, I ordered the set with both sizes, just because the price was great and I wanted to see which size would be best for me. After watching a few videos on Youtube and doing extensive research, I can tell you that whether or not you've had a child doesn't really determine what size you should wear. It all depends on how your cervix sits, how your vaginal canal is shaped, how tight or loose the muscles are, etc etc.

It is best NOT to do a "dry run" with menstrual cups, because how it sits when you're not on your period, may not be how it sits when you're actually on your period. Some women have higher cervices, but when they're menstruating, it may drop a little, or significantly, so it's best to only use it once that time comes.

I found that my cup sits rather low, so I ended up completely cutting the stem off. Luckily it has excellent grips on the bottom of the cup, so removing it still shouldn't be an issue. If your cup sits higher in your canal (you will determine this by seeing how high or low it's sitting once the seal is created. Mine happens to seal rather low, but high enough that it's not sticking out or feeling uncomfortable), you may want to keep some or all of the stem. If it sits lower to where the stem protrudes a bit, then you will need to cut and adjust to your needs. I ended up needing to remove mine but first I waited until I was more comfortable with removing and inserting it. For me, the punchdown fold worked best. I attempted the "U" or "C" fold and that one just wasn't happening. There are many other kinds of folds you can try as well, look them up on Youtube. Anyway, so far my experience with the cup has been a great one. There is generally a learning curve, but I seem to have caught on after the second try. In fact, the very first time I inserted it, it sealed perfectly, but I removed it to adjust the stem. The second time I put it back, at first it was sitting strangely because I hadn't put it in far enough. But as I pushed it back just a centimeter further, I could feel the suction it created, and that I had a solid insertion. When it's inserted correctly, you shouldn't be able to feel it at all, it's as if nothing is there. The cool thing is all the natural moisture you have down there is retained, and not drying you out like tampons do. I also loved that once it was time for me to remove, wash and reinsert, there was NO odor from the blood at all! Tampons and pads usually have an odor of some sort; it's actually the pads and tampons that cause the odor, not the blood itself, as it turns out. These cups easily can hold twice or even thrice the amount of liquid than a single super size tampon can absorb (I filled the cup with liquid and then poured it over one of my tampons. It was soaked before I'd even poured half the cup). It's incredible. So far, I've been able to wear it for the full 12 hours, but that's only because this is only the second day of my "out week" with my Nuvaring, so the bleeding is starting out light. As it gets heavier, we will see what happens.

Just for reference, I am also a mother of an 11 and a half year old. The small fit me perfectly. I don't really believe that the larger one would fit, but then again, the vagina is capable of fitting all kinds of things in it (and among other things a whole baby human can come out of it if you decide to have a child or children). Since it's been nearly 12 years since I've had a child, that could also have something to do with why the large one can't fit so far. It's had plenty of time to tighten up down there. Other than a couple penises here and there, nothing else has really been in there since lol. I'm still glad I bought both, because it would have been disappointing to only buy the large one and find out it wouldn't fit; and due to the nature of this item, it's not returnable. You save more money by just getting the double pack anyway. Some women are able to use both and utilize the larger one on heavier days, and the smaller one on lighter days so it really varies person to person.

Also, this device really requires that you are willing to get very up close and personal with your lady parts. If the sound of that makes you uncomfortable or "squeamish", this might not be for you. You'll also have to see your blood in a cup every time you remove it to empty it. Again, not for the faint of heart. To me, it's not a problem; it's MY vagina and MY blood, so it doesn't bother me, but that isn't the case for all women, so really put some thought into that before deciding to get one and use it. On the flip side, if you DO decide to embark on this life-changing journey, you are going to save SO much money on tampons, pads, pantie liners, and any other disposable sanitary items once you really get it down. It came very natural to me mainly because I did so much research beforehand just to get an idea on what to expect. I also recommend using just a LITTLE bit of water-based lubricant when inserting these cups. A mistake some people make is inserting it as is, which makes it uncomfortable, and then they give up. Definitely fold it into the position of your choice, and then lube it up a little; it makes it so much easier. It will not make the cup slide around or make it too slippery to insert as long as you don't put too much. ( I know the saying is "you can never have too much lube, but in this context, a little goes a longer way; this isn't anal sex we're talking about here).

As for pads and tampons, forget it. You couldn't PAY me to use another one. One box would last you several years since again, it's not a tampon or pad that you need to change every couple hours.

And just a word to the wise: Even if you find that the LENA specifically isn't for you, shop around and try different cups! This one not working for you doesn't mean a different one with a different shape won't work. Some cups are too soft if your walls are very tight, so it may mean you need a harder cup so that it doesn't collapse while in your vagina, since that will lead to leaks, which would defeat the whole purpose of no longer needing pads. If your muscles are average to higher strength, this cup will probably work for you. If you have much weaker vaginal walls, this cup may not work for you, but again, a different one might.

Removal of the cup was very easy. You just push down much in the same way you would if you were having a baby, OR much in the same way that you might if you were pooping (since the urge to "push" during child birth is basically the feeling of needing to take a REALLY massive poo; you are pretty much using the same muscles indirectly), and as you feel it coming down, just use your thumb and index finger to grip the cup, slightly press as you grab in order to break the suction, you'll hear a slight sucky "pop" sound which lets you know the suction released. Be sure to keep the cup upright as you remove it, otherwise you'll have a spill, which you definitely don't want, especially not on your clothes if you are in a public place and won't be home for while.

Also, if you have a heavy flow but find that you can only use the smaller one, do not panic; it only means that you will need to empty it a little more often. It can be worn "UP TO" 12 hours, which means if you can only wear it 8 hours, then empty it after 8 hours. 10 hours, same. 6 hours, same. You will need to experiment and see how long you can wear it before needing to empty it, the first few times you use it. You'll also start to learn how much you tend to bleed since the cup is catching the blood rather than absorbing it. The other cool thing about the cup is if you have a blood clot that comes out, the cup will also catch that too. With tampons and pads, it just sits on top, so then it leaks down the side, which is why you sometimes have leaks with tampons shortly after inserting them. With cups, this problem is eliminated since the suction prevents anything leaking from the side, unless you are leaving it in way too long for your particular flow.

A channel that I HIGHLY recommend is Precious Stars Pads. She is fantastic and VERY knowledgeable about the many different menstrual cups out there. I don't think she's ever reviewed the LENA specifically, but I saw one that looks VERY similar (pink, bell-shaped) in her collection. But she's VERY knowledgeable about the female anatomy and is so straight-forward and says it like it is. Excellent. I can't recommend her enough. She's also very knowledgeable about the feel and material of different cups, which cups may be a bit brutal for a first time cup user, and which ones are "first timer"-friendly, etc etc. You'll be hooked on her channel. She also reviews reusable pads and pantie liners as well (those can also be an option for you if you find that the cup is not for you, but you still want to take the environmentally friendly route, OR if you want to go back and forth between the cup and the pads).

Anyway, I hope the LENA is as good to you as it's been to me. I absolutely love the cup and can't wait to try other cups just to have choices!

PS. Sleeping in this cup was also amazing. No leaking, no waking up in the middle of the night to change anything. It was great to sleep all the way through for the first time.

This is my first time trying out a menstrual cup and I really love it. (I've included a couple things that I have found work for me at the end of the review.)

I wasn't sure which one to buy, so I took an online quiz and read hundreds of reviews and advice before settling on the Lena Sensitive Small. While I realize not every cup work for every person, I got really lucky and this one works really well for me.

From the very start, I liked it. The packaging was cute and, even though it has no bearing on functionality, it was a nice first impression. The cup is a soft silicone but it's sturdy at the same time; it's a good balance.

Since I'd never used a cup before, I was a little nervous about putting it in and having it leak. Like practically everyone else, it took some trial and error, but by the middle of my second cycle, I was able to get it inserted correctly every time. After figuring out what works for me, I can insert it quickly and correctly in about ten seconds or less.

As much as I'd like to not have to cut the stem, I think I'm going to have to since the stem can be pretty uncomfortable for me sometimes. The stem is quite long and my cervix is about midway up, so sometimes it sticks out a little and can be irritating. The stem isn't absolutely necessary since you're not supposed to pull it for removal, but it's not a bad thing to have for grabbing the cup. I might try trimming it a little at a time until it's comfortable before just cutting off the whole thing.

I love that you can wear this for up to twelve hours, which I've been able to do, especially being able to wear it through the night. It's so wonderful not having to worry about leaks or changing it after only a few hours, though on my heavier days, I've had to change it around the six-hour mark. It's still better than tampons.

When inserted properly, I don't feel it (aside from the stem) and I often forget it's there. That's a big bonus. Like some reviews I've read on various sites, you can sometimes tell when it's "full" because you can sort of feel the weight of it, if that makes sense? That can be helpful so it doesn't get too full before you empty it.

It can be messy, yes, but that's just the nature of the product. I have not had a problem with it spilling or anything upon removal, even when the cup gets pretty full. I always carry a travel-size pack of baby wipes with me, which has come in handy when I need to empty and re-insert it when I'm not at home. I strongly recommend that little tip as it helps make it less messy.

Now that I have found the insertion method that works for me, I no longer worry about leaks, which makes this one of the best purchases I've ever made.

While every woman's body is different, I definitely recommend this particular cup as a really great option to try. I'm in my late 30s, never had kids, am barely moderately active, I have a pretty heavy flow, and this works for me, if that helps anyone for reference. I am really happy I tried this and I wish I had tried this years and years ago.

Here are some things that work for me:

I use the punch down fold, which has been so much better than the C-fold. I insert it most of the way, leaving just the bottom outside before I let it go so it opens. Sometimes it doesn't open immediately, but I just push it up from the bottom, while it's open, into place and it's fine. If it doesn't immediately open, I squeeze the bottom third of the cup and rotate it a little and that will always open it for me. To check to ensure it's open, gently run your finger around the entire cup - you will be able to tell if it isn't open because you it won't be smooth and you will feel where it's folded of pinched together. It needs to be completely open for it to work.

As gross as this is, once I get it inserted and it's open, I run my finger around the top to make sure the cup is around my cervix. This part is essential. If it isn't around your cervix to catch everything, you are going to leak. Once I make sure it's around my cervix, I grab the bottom and gently pinch it and give it a light tug to make sure it's secure. Don't pinch too hard or you risk breaking the suction. I've not had the fortune of being able to really feel the suction like some people claim, so as long as it doesn't move when I lightly tug on it, it's fine.

Make sure the holes just under the top lip of the cup are clear before inserting to make sure a proper seal can be achieved.

When removing it for the first time, don't panic. It's awkward and it can be pretty difficult the first time, but tensing your muscles will make removal that much harder. I have found that what works for me, with practically no mess, is to pinch the bottom of the cup and shimmy it down a little bit to break the seal, then keep slightly wiggling it back and forth until it's mostly outside, then grab the middle of the cup, without squeezing it, and gently and slowly pull it out and a little forward so that you bring it out almost upright. It's prevented any spills or splatter using that method, rather than pulling it downward. Then, dump it, rinse it (if you can) and reinsert it and you're good to go.

Also, emptying and reinserting it in the shower is always a good option.