Everything you need to choose, fold, insert, remove and clean your Ivy menstrual cup, from a Nigerian period care brand based in Lagos. It might feel like a lot the first time, and that's normal. Give yourself a cycle or two. Once it clicks, it clicks for good.
Updated October 2026
The Ivy Cup is made from 100% medical-grade silicone, with no latex, rubber, plastic or BPA. There are no strings, no chemicals, and no changing every few hours. With the right care, it lasts up to 5 years.
Unlike a menstrual disc, which tucks up high behind the pubic bone, a cup sits lower in the vaginal canal and stays in place with a gentle seal.
The Ivy Cup comes in two sizes. Your best fit depends on your body and your flow, so take the quick quiz if you're not sure.
Not sure which to pick? Take the Ivy Cup size quiz.
Sterilise your cup as soon as you take it out of the box. Choose whichever method suits you:
Drop your cup into a clean pot of boiling water and boil for 5 to 10 minutes, fully covered.
Add freshly boiled water, cover and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Or add room temperature water, rest the lid loosely on top, and microwave.
Add water, place your cup inside, and set the timer. It switches itself off when it's done.
Boiling in a pot and the Sterilizer's hot water method both work with water boiled on a gas or kerosene stove.
Full steps for each method are in our Menstrual Cup and Disc Care Guide.
Watch: how to fold, insert and remove your cup
Wash your hands first, then pick a fold. Start with one of these four. Whichever feels easiest to insert without pain is the right one for you.
Push the rim down towards the base with your index finger to make an inverted triangle. It has the smallest insertion point, so it's great if you're new.
Flatten the cup front to back, then fold the right corner down towards the base. Another narrow insertion point.
Flatten the cup, then fold the right corner down towards the stem to make a 7 shape.
Flatten the cup, then fold it in half lengthways to make a C or U shape.
Sit on the toilet, stand with one leg propped up on the edge of the bathtub, or squat low, whichever feels most stable. Breathe and relax.
Hold the folded cup in your dominant hand and gently part your labia with the other.
Push the folded end into your vagina, aiming towards your tailbone rather than straight up.
Push it in until the stem sits level with your vaginal opening. It's normal for the cup to pop open before it's all the way in.
Don't push it too high. A cup that sits too far up can leak and is harder to remove. Level with the opening is exactly where you want it.
The seal is what stops leaks. Here's how to make sure you have one.
Once it's fully in, grip the base and rotate it a full 360 degrees in either direction. You can also rotate it halfway through inserting, whichever feels more natural.
If you feel resistance, the seal is holding.
It should feel round and smooth. If you feel a fold or a flat side, it hasn't fully opened, so rotate it again.
For your first few cycles, wear a panty liner or Ivy Period Panties as backup while you learn. You won't need it for long.
Depending on your flow, you'll get 8 to 12 hours before you need to empty it. Never leave it in for more than 12 hours.
Work, school, sleep, exercise and travel as usual. Your cup goes where you go.
You can pee and poo with your cup in. If it shifts, wash your hands and push it back into place.
Empty it more often. Model B holds about 3 pads' worth, and Model A about 2.5.
Sit on the toilet or prop one leg up, the same way you did to insert it.
Take a breath. Then push down with your stomach muscles, as if you're having a bowel movement. This brings the cup lower.
Gently part your labia and slide your fingers up the stem until you reach the base of the cup.
Squeeze the base to release the seal. You may feel a little release of pressure.
Pull it out slowly with a gentle side to side wiggle, keeping it upright so it doesn't spill.
Pour the contents into the toilet, wash the cup with water and a mild soap, and put it back in.
Take it slow. Pulling on the stem alone won't bring the cup out faster. It just adds discomfort. If it feels difficult, stop, breathe, bear down again and try once more. Never use tweezers or any other tool.
Rinse with cool water first, since hot water can set stains. Then wash with warm water and a mild, unscented soap or Ivy Intimate Wash. In a public toilet, wipe it with clean tissue or rinse it with bottled water, and wash it properly when you get home.
Sterilise it by boiling, in the Ivy Sterilizer, or in the Ivy Electric Steamer. Let it air-dry completely, then store it in its cotton pouch.
Never use bleach, vinegar, alcohol, antiseptics like Dettol or Savlon, scented soaps or oils. Never store your cup wet or in an airtight container.
For step-by-step sterilising instructions, see our Menstrual Cup and Disc Care Guide.
Most period guides are written for places with steady light and running water. Here's how to make a cup work for everyday life in Nigeria.
If you spend ₦2,000 a month on sanitary pads, that's ₦24,000 a year and ₦120,000 over five years. One Ivy Cup costs ₦6,000 and lasts up to 5 years.
You don't need electricity to sterilise your cup. Boil it in a pot on a gas or kerosene stove, or pour boiled water into the Ivy Sterilizer.
Carry a small bottle of clean water to rinse your cup, or wipe it with clean tissue and wash it properly later. Use treated, filtered, bottled or boiled water. If you use borehole or well water, boil it first.
No more buying pads every month or looking for somewhere to throw them away. A foldable sterilizer means you don't have to share pots in a shared kitchen.
Store your cup in its cotton pouch somewhere cool and dry. Don't leave it in direct sun or a hot car.
Used pads end up in bins, gutters and drains. One reusable cup replaces hundreds of them.
The ₦2,000 a month figure is an example. Use what you actually spend on pads to see your own savings.
₦6,000. Choose Model A or Model B. Comes with a cotton storage pouch.
₦11,500. Cup, storage pouch, Ivy Sterilizer and scrunchie. Everything you need to start, in one box.
₦16,500. Everything in the Starter Kit, plus Ivy Intimate Wash.
We ship from Lagos to every state in Nigeria, whether you're in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu or Kano. For delivery times to your area, send us a DM on WhatsApp or Instagram (@theivycup).
Most leaks happen when the cup hasn't fully opened or sealed. Remove it, reinsert it, and rotate it a full 360 degrees. Check that it isn't sitting too high, since the stem should be level with your vaginal opening.
If it's full, empty it more often. If it keeps leaking after a few cycles, you may need the other size. Take the size quiz.
No. Your vagina is a muscular tube about 7 to 9cm long, with your cervix at the top. Your cup can't get lost or travel anywhere else in your body. If you can't reach it, relax your muscles, bear down, and let gravity help. Still stuck? DM our care team on WhatsApp or Instagram.
Yes. If the stem feels too long, which is common with a lower cervix, trim it with clean scissors to a length that feels comfortable. Smooth the cut edge with a nail file so it doesn't feel sharp. If it already feels fine, leave it as it is.
A cup in the right spot shouldn't be felt. If you can feel it, it may be sitting too low, the stem may need trimming, or it may not have opened fully. Remove it, reinsert it, and rotate it until it's sealed.
Yes. You can wear your cup overnight for up to 12 hours. Put in a freshly emptied cup before bed and empty it when you wake up.
Yes. Once it's sealed, your cup stays in place while you work out, dance or swim.
Yes. People who have never had sex can use a menstrual cup. Being a virgin is about sexual experience, not about whether you use a period product. Start with the punch down fold, go slowly, and relax your muscles.
No. Antiseptics like Dettol and Savlon, bleach, vinegar and salt can irritate your vagina and damage the silicone. Water, a mild unscented soap and Ivy Intimate Wash are all your cup needs.
With proper cleaning and storage, an Ivy Cup lasts up to 5 years. Replace it sooner if you notice tears, holes, a sticky feel, or a smell that won't wash out.
The Ivy menstrual cup costs ₦6,000. The Starter Kit, which adds a sterilizer, costs ₦11,500, and the Super Kit, which also adds Ivy Intimate Wash, costs ₦16,500.
You can order the Ivy Cup online at theivycup.com. You can also order or ask questions by sending a DM on WhatsApp (+234 812 730 0348) or Instagram (@theivycup). We're based in Lagos and deliver nationwide, including Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Enugu.
Yes. Carry a small bottle of clean water to rinse your cup, or wipe it with clean tissue and wash it properly later. Use treated, filtered, bottled or boiled water, and boil borehole or well water before using it.
Yes. Many students find a cup easier than pads, because there's nothing to buy every month and nothing to dispose of. Empty and rinse it in the toilet, and sterilise it in a foldable Ivy Sterilizer so you don't need a shared pot.
Yes, over time. One Ivy Cup costs ₦6,000 and lasts up to 5 years. If you spend ₦2,000 a month on pads, you'd spend about ₦120,000 in the same five years.
Neither is better for everyone. A cup sits lower and holds with a seal, while a disc sits higher, tucks behind the pubic bone and uses no suction. Some people find discs more comfortable, especially with a sensitive pelvic floor. Read our disc user guide to compare.
Menstrual cups are personal hygiene products, so they can't be shared, returned or exchanged once opened. But if anything about your cup or your order isn't right, talk to us and we'll sort it out. We're based in Lagos and deliver nationwide across Nigeria.
DM us on WhatsApp or Instagram (@theivycup), call +234 812 730 0348, or email support@theivycup.com.
