9 Reasons Why Your Menstrual Cup Might Be Leaking & How You Can Fix It
Having a menstrual cup is a gift sent from the menstrual gods, but it can be really frustrating having to deal with leaking problems! No one wants to deal with menstrual cup leak, bloody underwear and an emergency bathroom call. Should you lose hope in all menstrual cups? Absolutely not! There are a few reasons we think your cup might be leaking, and we’ll tell you how to fix it!
Do you have the right size cup?
Lunette offers two sizes; Model 1 and Model 2. Model 1 is designed for those with a light to moderate flow, and is a little smaller in size than Model 2, which is for those who have a moderate to heavy flow. It doesn’t matter if you’ve just started your first period ever, or if you’ve had sex, if you have a light flow, Model 1 should feel right for you. Now, if you have a pretty heavy flow and you’re using the Model 1, the reason why you’re leaking might be because you need a bigger cup! Try using the Model 2 and see how that feels. It’s a little firmer, but it will hold more menstrual blood.
You might need to empty your cup more frequently
Although we say you can empty your cup every 12 hours, some people might need to empty it earlier than others. If you have a heavier flow and you’re already using the Model 2, try emptying your cup every 4 or 6 hours to see if that does the trick and stops the menstrual leak!
Locate your cervix
This might sound a little invasive (let’s be real, nothing is invasive for us), but knowing how low or high your cervix is might help you insert your menstrual cup correctly! During menstruation, the cervix may move from its normal position. If you have a low cervix, chances are you might have to cut the stem of your cup in order for it to fit comfortably in your vagina, and if you have a tilted cervix, you might have to tilt your pelvis up and sit back a little more so that you’re not directly inserting your cup straight up. One thing to keep in mind is that your cup might be placed too high and not directly below your cervix, which could result in leakage because blood isn’t able to flow properly into the cup.
If you’re feeling a little curious, locate your cervix when you’re on your period and when you aren’t so you can see if it’s moved around! It should feel like the tip of your nose, in other words…soft and squishy!
After inserting, rotate the cup and pinch the sides to make sure it fully opens
Rotating your cup should become second nature to you soon after inserting your cup! It will prevent those unwanted air pockets and will suction onto the walls of your vagina, preventing menstrual blood from leaking around the cup.
Try a different fold method
The all time favorite C-fold might not be the one for you! It could be causing some air between the cup and the vaginal canal. Try our other folding methods like the punch-down method or triangle fold! We have a handy-dandy how-to video that shows you all the folding methods!
Squat to make insertion easier
Sometimes standing up can be uncomfortable and awkward – try squatting over your toilet or in the shower! As mentioned earlier, it will cause your pelvis to tilt a little, which can make the cup hug the vaginal canal easier.
Every time you poop, you might be pushing it down
This might not be a problem for you, but when you use the bathroom to poop, you’re pushing your menstrual cup down too (especially if you have strong pelvic floor muscles). However, because your cup has a strong suction inside the vaginal canal, it won’t fully come out and fall into the toilet. All you need to do is push it back up a little so it can go back to its normal place. Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands every time you adjust your cup!
The air holes on your cup aren’t getting cleaned properly
You know those tiny little holes at the top of your cup? Those allow for proper suction inside your vagina. If they are blocked by blood or other bodily fluids, the cup won’t form a proper seal inside, so make sure all four air holes are open and clean every time you rinse your cup!
Try pelvic muscle exercises
If your cup leaks after you have tried all of these tips, the culprit may be your pelvic muscles. If your pelvic muscles are weak, they cannot hold the cup tight against the vaginal wall. The cup usually leaks when you get up from a seated position. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic muscles and prevent future problems like urinary leakage.
No one wants a leaky cup, so if these tips helped you in any way, let us know, and if we didn’t mention a solution that’s helped you, also let us know! We want you to feel supported every step of the way on your menstrual cup journey
34 comments
Hi Zainab Ali!
When the cup is leaking, but it is only half way full when you remove it, typically the culprit is the cervix sitting in the cup. When this happens the cervix takes up valuable space and causes the cup to overflow. It’s normal for the cervix to move during your cycle, and it’s often lowest on your heavy cycle days.
To fix this try wearing your cup as low as possible. If you have the larger Model 2 cup, the Model 1 cup may be a better fit – we recommend the smaller Model 1 for users with a lower cervix to avoid the leaking. :) If you feel the cup rising up on its own, try this trick to avoid it: when you insert the cup let it open before it is completely inside your vagina, and push it in when it has opened. This way the seal won’t become so strong :)
To remove the cup always use your muscles to push the cup down (like you’d be pooping) and then pinch the base to release suction. Never try to remove the cup by pulling from the stem alone.-Team Lunette
Hi Zainab Ali! Yes, very important that the air holes are not blocked :)
I would also like to mention that the four holes in the cup is always clean and not blocked
Hello..
I have been using the menstrual cup for one and a half year..Iwas very comfortable in the initial months but from last few months I am noticing that my cup is half filled or lesser than that but sometimes it leaks and keeps on leaking..on the other hand sometimes it’s absolutely fine.. It’s so frustrating..please tell me the reason
Hi Bulu Devi,
sorry to hear that there is some issue with your cup. Are you using a Lunette Cup? If so our menstrual cups should have four air holes. In this case please contact us directly via email or contact form.
Should you have a cup from another brand we would kindly ask you to contact them as we can only speak for Lunette Cups.
Best regards, Team Lunette
My questionsis that My meastrual cup has two holes instead of four holes it may leak or not or I can use it .
Hi Keira! Sorry to hear about the leaking! Yes, changing position can change your cervix height/position enough to impact menstrual cup use. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@lunette.fi and we’re more than happy to keep troubleshooting. :) -Team Lunette
Hi Bea! Email us at info@lunette.fi and we’ll help troubleshoot the leaking! :)
-Team Lunette
I find that my cup doesn’t leak at all when I wear it at night, but leaks quite a bit when I’m at work and sitting/standing up frequently. Could this be a sign that my pelvic floor muscles are weak? I’m 17 and don’t have any bladder problems. My other theory is that my cervix sits in the cup when I’m standing but not when I’m lying down. Would that change in position realistically cause the cervix to move in that way?
I’ve been using my cup for only a day and a half and have already had to empty it 4 times. I can’t tell if I just have a weirdly heavy flow or if I need size two. But my parents probably won’t give me money to buy one seeing as I JUST purchased a cup. Should I keep at it for a couple cycles or petition them for size two?
Hi Senni! If this post wasn’t helpful in fixing the leaking we’re more than happy to troubleshoot via email! Just send us an email at info@lunette.com and we’ll sort out the leaking. :)
-Team Lunette
Hi! I just started to use my cup yesterday and the fisrt time I put it in I had no problems. But after that everytime it keeps leaking.
Hi Shelly! We’re so sorry to hear your Cup keeps leaking! Please don’t hesitate to email us at info@lunette.fi and our Menstrual Mentors are happy to troubleshoot this for you. :)
-Team Lunette
I’ve been using my cup for 7 months and it’s always leaks. No matter how high or low I place it. Sometimes it moves higher up in my vagina and tilts to the right.And I know it’s opened properly. It’s so frustrating I’m thinking of just sticking to pads and tampons because I end up having to use pads to catch leaks anyways.
Hi Laura! Thanks for your question! The Cup should be placed directly underneath the cervix so that it can catch the flow. If your cervix is sitting in the Cup it can take up valuable space and cause the Cup to overflow. If the cervix is sitting next to the Cup, the Cup won’t be able to collect any flow and it will all flow past the Cup. If you require further troubleshooting please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@lunette.com!
-Team Lunette
Hi there !
I have been using a period cup, but I’ve struggled with positioning it as I’m always always getting leaks. I’ve recently been able to identify my cervix, and I’ve been putting the period cup onto the cervix so that my cervix is essentially in the period cup. Could this be why it is leaking?
Thank you!
Hi Marie!
Sorry to hear your Lunette Cup has been leaking! The likely culprit is indeed the cervix sitting in the cup, taking up space and causing it to overflow. To fix this try wearing your cup as low as possible on your heavy flow days, as the cervix often moves even lower for the heaviest days. And please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@lunette.com and our Menstrual Mentors are more than happy to assist with further troubleshooting! <3
-Team Lunette
So its my first time to use your cup the small size one, and the first night/day was okay no leaks (maybe because it was lighter) but the 2nd day when i was laying down I experienced leaking, and rushed to the bathroom right away only to find out the cup is just half full. The 3rd day I woke up with leaks too (I emptied it 12midnight) I woke up 7am because I felt the blood.
I have low cervix, is this has to do with the fullness of the cup that’s why it leaks? Or is it my cervix.
Thank you!
Hey Mehra! Please contact us at info@lunette.com so our Menstrual Mentors can better help troubleshoot the issues you’re experiencing! :)
-Team Lunette
I am experiencing that my cup doesn’t open frequently. And even when it’s open then also in the morning it doesn’t only leak my all blood comes out. Can it be because I have had sex? It was my first time. And I’m having these problems now (after it) before sex I didn’t have these problems. Should I use other cup size?
Hi Vartika! That’s a great tip! Thank you for sharing :)
-Team Lunette
Hey, there was one more reason the cup leaked for me. I used to put the lube ON the cup,then i noticed the lube covered the holes and I used to get leaks. So once instead of using lube on my cup, i used it on the vulva amd inserted the cup wetted with water only , the cup went smoothly in. Hope this could work for you.
Hi Jaimee!
Thanks for getting in touch! Go ahead and email us at info@lunette.com so that one of our amazing Menstrual Mentors can help troubleshoot what’s causing the leaking. :)
Best,
Team Lunette
Hello,
I tried your model 1 for 2 days now, is it normal that the blood leaks when I uses the bathroom? Thank you
Hi Danielle!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out at info@lunette.com so one of our amazing Menstrual Mentors can help troubleshoot the issue for you! :)
Best,
Team Lunette
