Diva cup leaking often & not opening: menstrual_cups

Diva cup leaking often & not opening

Hi. I'm new to using a cup and am just now trying on my second cycle. I am continuing to have mediocre success. I am using a Diva size 2 (I am 37 and had a c-section)and have tried several different folds. I am getting it in no problem but it doesn't seem to open all the way. It seems like it suctions before it opens and remains flat. I can turn it but pulling on it feels like the suction is pulling my insides out. I've tried reaching past the edge to break the seal enough to let it open up into an "O" shape but my fingers can't get in that far (Man, have I EVER learned alot about my physiology since trying sponges and the cup : P ) I find that when I fiddle around with it and manage to get it to open up into an "o" instead of being flat, it doesn't leak until it over-flows. If I just can't get it to open into the " o" and I'm feeling too tender and sore to keep fishing around, it's guaranteed to leak a lot.

Also, getting it out seems a bit messy. I grip and squeeze the bottom and pull and it always gets squeezed flat and everything spills out into my vagina making re-insertion messy and almost guaranteeing spotting from the blood that was spilled. Is that normal?

Any tips, suggestions or hints would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

Oh and one other question...after using the cup last time I was so sore and ITCHY for a week after my period had stopped. I figured it was a ph thing and it did sort itself out after a week. Anyone else get "irritated" and do you think it's from the cup or from poking around so much? (I do always wash my hands really well before removal or insertion.)

Diva cup leaking often & not opening

Pain from cup opening?

Low cervix + upside down acrobatics

Trouble finding right cup

Error