Menstrual Cups Need to Be Folded Before Insertion — Here Are 3 Techniques to Know
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Menstrual cups are arguably a little more complicated to insert than, say, a tampon. That's because in order to guide the cup into the correct place to collect blood and prevent leaks, it has to be folded. Once the cup is well inside the vagina it pops out into its unfolded form. The good news is that there are actually many different ways to fold a menstrual cup — and they all seem to be less complicated to fold than a fitted sheet. Ahead are a few videos of the most popular techniques, as recommended by popular menstrual-cup makers.
The "C" Fold
This is one of the most well-known menstrual-cup folding methods. According to Cora, it involves flattening the cup and folding it in half, bringing each end of the rim together so it forms the shape of a "C." From there, you're able to guide the folded cup into the body, letting go once it's in place. Lunette, another menstrual cup brand, offers this helpful YouTube tutorial if you need a visual of how to create the "C" fold.
The Punch-Down Fold
According to Organicup's very thorough YouTube video, this method provides the smallest diameter for insertion. To create this fold, the brand recommends pushing the rim down to the base and then pinching the sides together.
The “7” Fold
Instead of folding your cup seven times, the name of this menstrual cup folding technique actually refers to the shape your cup will recreate. Menstrual cup brand Saalt shows us how to create this fold by first flattening your menstrual cup, then folding the top right corner of the rim to the opposite bottom corner of the cup. You'll notice that, when you look down at the cup, it resembles the shape of the number seven.