The Period Cup You Can Wear While Getting Intimate

I have been a big fan of period cups for a few years now. Partly for environmental reasons (think of all the pads and tampons and plastic wrapping every time you have your period) and partly for cost. One $40 cup vs $12 every month is some pretty simple math! 

So when I heard about Intimina's Ziggy Cup, I was intrigued to say the least.

Period sex can be a lot of things; messy, taboo, inconvenient. But on the flip-side, a female orgasm releases hormones that combat period cramps and lower back pain. 

When approaching the Ziggy Cup, I would say to think of the first time you ever used a tampon. It was terrifying right?! That goes where? And I have to put it there with my hands!? But now it’s second nature. It’s much the same with the Ziggy - or any period cup for that matter - the first go is a bit weird, but you get used to it in no time.  

Because the Ziggy is a different shape to a regular period cup, and is designed to be comfortably used during sex, I'm here to give you some pointers on both insertion and removal to make the process a little more seamless.

How To Insert:

It’s much easier to get the alignment correct if you are sitting down.  There are a few different ways you can hold yourself to insert a standard period cup, but with the Ziggy Cup, you need to be sitting to get the angle correct, so inserting while you are sitting on the toilet is the best option.  

• Don’t freak out and tense up. Your pelvic floor has some strong muscles and if you get stressed and tense then, it will make putting the cup in harder. Take a deep breath and try to relax before your begin.

• Don't be afraid of lube.  Like with other period cups, if you are getting some resistance and it won’t side in, feel fee to pop some lube on there, and hey, if you are using Ziggy because you are about to have sex, a bit of extra lubrication never goes astray…

• This is intimate. They don't call it Intimina for nothing! To get this cup in you need to squeeze the sides of the rim together to form a figure 8 and then insert the cup using your index finger to angle the cup back and slightly down so the rim moves behind your cervix. 

• Once in place, tuck the front rim up behind your pelvic bone. That sounds crazy, but trust me, when you are doing it , it makes much more sense. By the end of this, you will be way more familiar with your anatomy than you were before!

How To Remove:

I know a lot of people are worried about removing the cup, but it’s very easy, and it's a lot less stressful than inserting it. 

• Simply insert your finger and hook it behind the front rim of the cup. Then gently pull it out.  Again, try to relax those pelvic floor muscles to make this step easier.

• Removing over the toilet, or even in the shower, is probably the best place in case you get some spillage.  

Some Other Things To Consider:

• Make sure you sterilise the cup after each period, giving it a good wash and letting it sit in boiling water is a good idea.

• This cup may look like a diaphragm, but it is not a contraceptive device. If you don’t want to get pregnant, make sure you are using an appropriate form of contraception.

• Depending on how heavy your period is, you can leave this in for 12 hours, so there is no need to rush to remove it after sex.

• It’s not just for sex!  If you like the shape of this design, you can wear it whenever you have your period.