Lena Sensitive Menstrual Cup - Reusable, Soft Silicone, Light & Heavy Flow, Beginner Use - Ideal Alternative to Tampons, Pads, Period Underwear - Period Solution - Small - Coral

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.

I’ll try to not be too TMI about this, but it’s a menstrual cup so I’m not sure that’s even possible.I’ve been using cups for years; my first was a Diva Cup (size 2) about 8 or 9 years ago, after having my first baby. It wasn’t the best fit for me, always felt a bit too wide and too long (even with the stem cut off), and the material was more stiff than I preferred which made insertion and removal a challenge and made it just not that comfortable overall. Although the learning curve was steep I eventually got used to it and preferred it over pads/tampons, and I was hesitant to try anything else so I stuck with it for several years.After my second baby, I decided it was time to replace the Diva Cup, so instead of ordering another one I decided to go with something new. I ordered the Lily Cup Compact, because it was smaller, softer, and I loved the idea of being able to fold it up for storage in that cute little case. The ability to fold ended up being its downfall for me though, because every time I would try to remove it, it would start to collapse and make a huge mess. Size-wise it was good though, so I decided to look for something else that was closer to the size and softness of that cup.After a good amount of research, I came upon the Lena Sensitive. I was hesitant, because it says it’s a beginner cup, and many cups have larger sizes for women who have had babies (I’ve had 3 vaginal births). But, it sounded similar in size to the Lily Compact (except more bulb shaped so it holds more- bonus!), and I knew I wanted something smaller, softer and more flexible than the Diva Cup, so I decided to go for it anyway.Let me tell you, I think I’ve found my perfect cup! It’s flexible, making it much more comfortable for me than the Diva Cup was, but it has enough bounce-back to pop open just fine when inserting. My cervix sits very low during my period, so I did trim most of the stem off, but the smaller size of the cup is perfect in that regard. The stem is extremely soft and flexible, so the little bit that I left does not irritate me. With my Diva Cup, which is wider, I always felt a pressure on my bladder/bowels (it was like a constant low-key feeling that I needed to use the bathroom). I don’t have that issue at all with the Lena Sensitive. The fact that I’ve had 3 babies does not seem to cause any issue with the cup staying in place. The smaller size does mean that it holds a bit less, so on my heaviest day I’ll need to empty it every 5-6 hours. The first day that I used it (heaviest flow), we went to a baseball game and I needed to empty it while we were there. The reviewer who said to use baby wipes if you need to empty your cup in a public restroom was spot-on! Remove cup, dump in toilet, wipe cup with a baby wipe, reinsert, put baby wipe in the little tampon garbage, wipe hands with another baby wipe. It took about 30 seconds so very comparable to changing a tampon.Overall, the Lena Sensitive has addressed all of the issues I had with previous cups, and I really think it’s the perfect cup for my needs.