I started out with the small OrganiCup and tried for 2 periods with very little success and much frustration (never unfolded, difficult to grasp, turned upside down, etc.), and then bought the small Divacup, which seems to fit me well. I have much more success with the Divacup, both last month and now, but I still have some questions. Please help me beat the learning curve, I am so close! ;-) (please answer the questions you feel like)
1. A few times I have succeded getting the cup inside with no pain and easy pop open and make a vacuum. But for the next hours, there's a little bit pink on the toiletpaper (after peeing) and sometimes a single drop in the pad. I guess it is the remaining blood below the cup, that has to come out, but what do you do? Should I wash myself with water after inserting the cup?
2. Yesterday it was easy to insert the cup (no pain) and it unfolded easily when I pushed the vagina wall with a finger. The cup seemed to be in the right position, but it leaked all day (maybe 10% of the blood). It was very easy to remove (too easy), so I guess the problem was, that it never made a vacuum? What should I do to create a vacuum, if it doesnt come by itself?
3. Sometimes it is very hard for me to insert the cup, because I can't relax the muscles and make the opening bigger. Then it hurts a lot when I try, and it gets even smaller. Sometimes it helps to turn myself a little bit on, and I can easier slide the cup in, without hurting myself. But what about the fluids? I mean, I guess they come from the vagina wall, meaning it will go in the cup too? Is that a problem?
4. I use the C-fold, because I like that I can feel the bottom with a finger around the stem and if the bottom feels round, the cup must have unfolded. With the punchdown fold, I find it difficult to make sure if the cup has opened. Are there any other folds you would recommend, where I can easier get the cup in, but still get it to pop open easily and be able to feel if it has unfolded? When the cup is inserted, I can usually only let 1 finger inside and it is very difficult for me to reach all the way to the rim to make sure it is unfolded (I can't check all the way around the rim).
5. It is afternoon now and I finally got the cup in and I think it is in the perfect position with a nice vacuum. (I didn't have the time and energy to fight with the cup this morning). Now I find it very tempting to let the cup stay inside until tomorrow morning (16 hours), since I am having a very light flow today (almost finished). Yesterday I had a heavier flow, but the cup wasn't even halfway filled after 13 hours. So I know that I won't fill the cup overnight, but are there any other things to consider when leaving the cup in for more than the recommended 12 hours?
Thank you very much for your answers, I look forward to reading them and learning more! (you don't have to answer every question, just write what you feel like). I really hope that I will soon be able to do without the pads :-D