How to Insert a Menstrual Disc for Mess-Free Sex

Alright, gather 'round folks. I have some wisdom to share. This might get a bit TMI, but if you are wanting to get down while you are riding the crimson wave AND keep it somewhat tidy, you need to know how to insert a menstrual disc. I'm here to help.

If you've been menstruating for a while, you may have had the opportunity to try a few different options for so-called "feminine protection." The most common are pads, tampons or a cup. If you are a person who likes having sex, even on the days you are bleeding, you should investigate menstrual discs, like Ziggy by INTIMINA.

Now, I'm not afraid of a little bit of blood. The people I sleep with are grown-ups and they know that having a period is part of life for lots of people who have a uterus, of which I am one. Usually there isn't very much blood anyway.

However, sometimes I am subjected to a heavy flow, and that's when things start to get a little horror-movie-set in the bedroom. Also, I feel self-conscious about receiving oral sex when I am on my period. Like, I still like it, I just can't relax fully into the experience because I'm worried about blood, you know?

Ziggy cups to the rescue!

Menstrual discs keep your period blood from leaking all over the place when you are getting busy. (You can also use them when you aren't getting busy.) Once you get the hang of it, putting one in or removing it is fairly easy, but I did face a bit of a learning curve when I started using it.

My period product of choice for a long time has been a cup. Even though cups are not advertised as compatible with penis-in-vagina sex, I thought it couldn't hurt to try. After a painful penis-scraping incident my partner probably doesn't want me to bring up ever again, I discovered I was wrong. Trying to use that kind of cup DID hurt. Ooops.

So I bought a disc that offered a good option for mess-free period sex. There are some similarities between cups and discs: both are suitable for long wear, both collect blood that necessitate pouring it out periodically and both require similar cleaning regimens. The main difference is in the shape. Whereas a cup is sort of cone-shaped with a stem for the handle, a disc is wide and flat with no handle to help pull it out.

While I am in advice-mode, please remember that a Ziggy cup or any menstrual disc is not birth control or a barrier to any kind of STI. It's purely a period product, not a method of protection. Ok?

I figured putting a disc in would be the same as putting in a cup, but the process is slightly different. I'll give you some tips for inserting the menstrual disc. The sex part is up to you!

illustration courtesy of INTIMINAFind Your Cervix

The Ziggy cup is designed to go over your cervix, so it helps if you know where your cervix is. I don't mean generally. I mean where your cervix is on you, specifically. Try putting your finger up inside your vagina to feel it. It feels kind of like a soft knot at the end of your vaginal canal. It might be towards your spine or closer to your abdomen. It might feel quite high up or off to the side a little. This gives you an idea of where you are aiming when you put in the disc.

Inserting a Menstrual Disc

Ziggy cups are made from soft, durable silicone. Pinch the rim in the middle to make a little infinity symbol. The long narrow shape will slide inside your vagina and then kind of pop back into a circle shape when you let go. If it feels a bit "draggy" going in you can use a spot of water-based lube, or cheap out like me and just use water.

You can sit on the toilet to put it in, but I find I get it into position easier if I am standing with my foot on the side of the bathtub. Aim down towards your cervix (and you know where that is thanks to your earlier reconnaissance) while you slide it in, then let go so it can open back into its original round shape.Check For a Good Fit

Run your finger along the edge of the disc inside you. Make sure it is tucked up behind your pubic bone. I like to do a few hula moves to make sure it is good and sex proof and not going to fall out of place once things get hot and heavy. You don't have to do that. It doesn't say you must perform a little shimmy-shimmy it in the instructions or anything.Removing a Menstrual Disc

So you've done the mattress mambo and are ready to take your Ziggy cup out. To me, the removal is the toughest part. Note that you don't need to take it out immediately if you want to enjoy a post-coital nap first, or stick around in case of round two.

Honesty time: I've never done taken out a disc without getting blood on my hand or drops on the toilet seat. But, that is way easier to clean than sheets, so I'm not complaining. Just know you are probably going to touch blood and if that freaks you out, sex on your period may not be for you.

If you have been having some vigorous or acrobatic sex, that's awesome. However, you may find your disc has slipped a bit or is pressed up quite firmly against your cervix. Try to bear down (if you have delivered a baby vaginally, you know what I'm talking about!) while you pull, or pinch the soft part gently to loosen it enough to get a grip on the edge.

Sit or squat over the toilet and reach in with your forefinger or pointer and middle finger. Hook your finger(s) under the rim of the disc and pull. If you can pull the disc out keeping it level without tilting it you will minimize the spillage. You can do it in the shower for an easy way to rinse away the blood.

Mostly I find there is only a bit of blood. I've never experienced it full or even close to full, even after wearing it for most of the day.

The Bottom Line

Don't be scared of having sex on your period. There are lots of reasons why it's fantastic. If the thought of blood is stopping you from letting go and fully enjoying yourself, it is time to invest in a Ziggy cup. Now you know how to insert it for mess-free sex, there should be nothing holding you back!