Lunette Menstrual Cup FAQ Q. What are the holes in menstrual cups for? A. Those holes at the top of the cup are not there for decoration! They play an ​ important role in making sure that the cup is easy to remove. These holes can get blood caught in them over time, so make sure to clean your cup thoroughly after every cycle. Q. I've never used a cup before. Is it hard? A. Some say it is super easy and they got it right right away. Some said it took five ​ periods before they got it right! When you try the cup for the first time read the instructions well and try to be as relaxed as possible. Try different kinds of foldings and positions and get to know your body. Wash your hands and use your fingers and a little mirror to learn what's your body like. If it doesn't go well for the first time do not panic. It can take some time but i'm sure you'll learn it. Q. How much blood can a menstrual cup hold? A. Lunette menstrual cups come in 2 sizes. Model 1 can hold about .85 fluid ounces of ​ blood and Model 2 can hold up to 1 ounce. This might not seem like much but the average person only releases about 2-3 tablespoons (or 1.5 ounces) of blood during each period. Menstrual Cups vs. Tampons Q. How does the menstrual cup differ from the tampon? A. Both are internal menstrual protection. A menstrual cup collects the blood and the ​ tampon absorbs it. A tampon can be used only once whereas a menstrual cup can be used for many years. The absorbing capacity of a tampon is given in grammes and the capacity of the menstrual cup in millilitres. One ml of menstrual blood is comparable with a gramme, so the capacity of tampons and menstrual cups are comparable. The capacity of the Lunette menstrual cup is 25 ml (model 1) and 30 ml (model 2). The absorbing capacity of a tampon is 6-18 g. Q. How are menstrual cups different than tampons? A. The Lunette menstrual cup is made of medical grade silicone not cotton or rayon- ​ … which can dry you out. Plus, the Lunette cup capacity is much greater than tampons. The Lunette model 2 can hold (30ml) 1 fl oz of liquid compared to a super absorbency tampon which can hold only 12-15 grams. Q. Can you wear a menstrual cup longer than you can wear a tampon? A. Yes you can! Tampons shouldn’t be left in for more than 4 to 8 hours, depending on ​ your flow because they absorb (and dry!) and can cause micro wounds. Menstrual cups are good to go for up to 12 hours. That’s right - you can stop worrying about whether you have enough tampons to last through the day. But, if you have a heavy period, you might want to empty it more often to prevent leakage. Q. You aren’t supposed to use a tampon on light flow days but can you use a menstrual cup? A. The reason you shouldn’t use a tampon on light flow days or spotting days is because ​ your vagina is much drier during this time. Since tampons are absorbent, this could dry you out even more and increase your risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Menstrual cups are non-absorbent (they collect the blood, instead of soaking it up) so you can use it whenever you’d like. Q. How do I know if my flow is heavy or light? ​ A. The dividing line between normal and heavy flow is 80 ml during your periods ​ Lunette model 1 Spotting: A drop or two of blood, not even requiring a sanitary pad though you may prefer to use one. Very light bleeding: Needing to change a low-absorbency tampon or pad one or two times per day, though you may prefer to change them more frequently. Light bleeding: Needing to change a low or regular absorbency tampon or pad two or three times per day, though you may prefer to change more frequently. Lunette model 2 Moderate bleeding: Changing normal absorbency pad or tampon every three to four hours. Heavy bleeding: Needing to change a high-absorbency tampon or pad every three to four hours, though you may prefer to change more frequently. Very heavy bleeding or Gushing: Protection hardly works at all. You would need to change the highest absorbency tampon or pad every hour or two. Using a Menstrual Cup Q. Can I sleep or swim with the cup? ​ A. Of course you can! The cup is really easy to use when swimming since there are no ​ strings attached. Q. Do I have to remove the menstrual cup when I go to the toilet? ​ A. No. You can go to the toilet as you normally would when you’re wearing your ​ Lunette. After a bowel movement, you might want to check that the menstrual cup is still sitting properly. Please do not forget your hand hygiene here! Q. So does my blood just sit in there? ​ A. Technically yes, but you don’t have to worry about leakage, unless you absolutely ​ forgot you had the cup inside you because it’s just that comfortable! Your blood might overflow and only then would leakage be a problem. Q. How do I clean my menstrual cup? ​ A. The Lunette cup should be cleaned before and after your cycle and after emptying. ​ We suggest boiling your menstrual cup for 5 minutes. If this is not a good option for you (say, while you’re out shopping or camping) wipe your cup out with toilet paper or use a Lunette disinfecting wipe. Q. Is it actually necessary to sanitize your cup with sanitizing tablets, boiling water, or ​ disinfecting wipes, or is it okay to just wash it with unscented soap? A. We highly recommend to use only our cleaning products because they are the only ​ ones that have been made exclusively for Lunette cups. We have tested them and we can guarantee they don't harm you or your cup. It is good to disinfect the cup before and after your period to make sure there isn't any stains left in cup so nothing ugly will start to grow in them. Boiling for 10 minutes (for the very first time 20 minutes) and our cup wipes are the best and easiest way to do that. Normal soap is not good for many reasons: their pH is normally not optimal, they can contain oils which is super bad for the cup and they can leave some remains to the cup. Your body or the cup cannot handle it. All in all if you wanna make sure you don't do any harm to you or your cup use our products. The cup cleanser is super sufficient and one bottle lasts easily a year. Special Conditions Q. Can I use the Lunette menstrual cup with an IUD? ​ A. Of course. If you do use an IUD, consult with your doctor about cutting the strings as ​ short as possible and monitor their length regularly during periods. If the strings seem longer than normal, it might be a sign that your IUD has moved. Q. Can I use Lunette with a Contraceptive Ring? ​ A. Yes! We’re not trying to prevent you from using your preferred form of birth control. ​ If you are using Lunette together with a contraceptive ring, insert the contraceptive ring before you insert your Lunette Cup. If you’re struggling to take the cup out because the ring is slipping out, don’t panic – it’s a-okay to pop it back in right away. Q. Can I use my menstrual cup in an airplane? Will the changes in air pressure affect ​ the seal? A. Your menstrual cup is safe inside your body and air pressure won’t affect it. ​ Q. Can I do inverted yoga poses with a menstrual cup in? ​ A. There has been a lot of debate over whether you can do yoga while on your period ​ and even more questions about whether doing upside down poses will cause your blood to leak all over you. Thanks to the suction of the menstrual cup, this isn’t something you should worry about. Staying upside down for a long time might weaken the seal but if you’re just going through asanas in a class, rest easy. Q. Is it dangerous that the cup reaches to my cervix? ​ A. It is not dangerous, only slightly uncomfortable. ​ Problems While Using a Cup Q. Sometimes I have leakage when I use the menstrual cup. Can it be related to ​ cervix? A. The cervix is the entrance of the uterus through which menstrual blood flows through ​ a pin-sized hole into the vaginal canal. The cervix is cylindrical or cone-shaped and located in the upper part of the vagina. When touched, it feels like the tip of a nose. For some women, it moves significantly lower during menstruation. Since the cervix is usually high in the vagina and the menstrual cup is placed low, the cervix remains above the cup. But if the cervix is significantly low, it may enter the interior of the cup. Tampons in contrast, are placed further up inside the vagina, where the cervix is located. In Lunette diagrams, the cervix is intentionally placed very high to emphasize that the correct position of the cup is low in the vagina. Leaks are more frequent for women whose cervix moves lower during menstruation or if the cup has been inserted too high in the vagina, next to the cervix, or above it.