You just made a switch that’s going to change your period for good. This is your full guide, kept somewhere you’ll actually find it again: right here, always up to date, always on theivycup.com/welcome.
Download this guide (PDF)What you unbox looks a little different depending on how you ordered. Find your order type below, everything else in this guide applies no matter which one you got.
Arrives in a box.
Arrives in a box.
Arrives in an eco mailer bag.
The Ivy Cup is a menstrual cup designed to give you real comfort through your whole period. You fold it, insert it, and it sits in your vagina catching your flow instead of absorbing it. No strings, no chemicals, no changing every few hours.
Folding and inserting might feel like a lot the first time. That’s normal. Give yourself a cycle or two to get the hang of it. Once it clicks, it clicks for good.
A quick video walkthrough of folding, inserting, and removing your cup, side by side with the steps below.
The first thing to do when you take your Ivy Cup out of the box is sterilize it. Pick whichever of these three ways works for you:
Use a clean pot, put some water in it, and drop your cup in. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
Our collapsible sterilizing pot. Add hot water, cover, and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Or pour in some normal temperature water and microwave it for 3 to 5 minutes.
Put your cup in a clean bowl, pour hot water over it, and let it sit.
Wash your hands first. Then pick a fold. We recommend starting with these four:
Push the rim down toward the base with your index finger to make an inverted triangle. The smallest insertion point, great if you’re new to this.
Flatten the cup front to back, then fold the right corner down toward the base. Also a narrow insertion point.
Flatten the cup, then fold the right corner down toward the stem to make a 7 shape.
Flatten the cup, then fold it in half lengthways to make a C or U shape.
Try a few. Whichever feels easiest to insert without pain is the right one for you.
Standing, one leg propped up, seated, or squatting low, whatever gets you comfortable.
Once your cup is fully inserted, grip the base and rotate it a full 360 degrees in either direction. Or rotate it halfway through inserting, whichever feels more natural.
Grip the stem and give it a gentle tug to confirm the seal is holding. For your first few cycles, wear backup just in case your technique is still new. You won’t need it for long.
Bodies come in different shapes and sizes, and so do vaginas. If your stem feels too long, especially common if you have a lower cervix, use a clean pair of scissors to trim it to a length that feels comfortable. If it already feels fine, skip this step entirely.
Depending on your flow, you’ll get a solid 8 to 12 hours before you need to empty it. Try not to leave it in longer than 12 hours before cleaning and reinserting.
Once it’s out, keep it upright, empty the contents, and wash it thoroughly with water and mild soap before reinserting.
Stay calm, it happens to plenty of us. Your vagina is a muscular tube about 7 to 9 cm long, with your cervix sitting at the top. Your cup cannot get lost or travel anywhere else in your body.
Relax your muscles. Tension is usually what causes you to lock up. Bear down with your abdominal muscles and let gravity help. Still stuck? Reach out to our care team below, we’ve got you.
Your Ivy Cup deserves some TLC too. Wash it thoroughly with water and a mild soap between uses during your period. Sterilize it before and after each cycle, or at least once a month using any of the methods above.
Let it air dry for a few minutes, then store it in your Ivy Pouch. Never store it wet or in an airtight container.
Your cup is just the start. Here’s everything else we make:
