Posted by Brittany Thomas | Jan 29, 2015
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I’ve talked about using menstrual cups as a reusable alternative to tampons in the past. Menstrual cups are a great way of making that time of the month a more natural experience.
You’ll save money, you won’t produce waste, and no more toxic products enter your body month after month. Plenty of good reasons to make the switch to a reusable menstrual cup!
There are a dozen more reasons why menstrual cups are so great though… one of my favorite reasons why I love my SckoonCup (just one of many popular menstrual cup brands) being that you can wear it for up to 12 hours and keep it in even while you sleep!
However, there is a learning curve. Every body is a bit different and everyone has to make their own adjustments and figure out their own method. One of the things that every woman has to figure out is which folding method works for her body.
There Are Many Ways To FoldMenstrualCups
Despite the fact that pretty much all the menstrual cup brands recommend one type of fold (the U Fold), there are actually quite a number of folding methods.
Some methods work better for some bodies and others work better for others.
Each fold has it’s own pros and cons but it basically comes down to how small the fold makes the cup and how easily it will pop open once inserted.
Therefore, in order to help you on your way to loving your menstrual cup, I’m sharing 6folding methods for menstrual cups with pictures! Learn how to fold a menstrual cup with these 6 menstrual cup folds!
6 Folding Methods for Menstrual Cups
The U Fold / C Fold / Heart Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Pinch the cup closed
3) Fold in half (making a U/C/Heart shape)
The Punch-Down Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Push the rim down to the base
3) Pinch together so it doesn’t spring open
The 7 Fold / Triangle Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Pinch the cup closed
3) Bring one top corner down diagonally to the opposite bottom corner
The Double 7 Fold / Tulip Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Pinch the cup closed
3) Bring one top corner down to the stem of the cup
4) Flip the cup around
5) Bring the remaining top corner down to the stem of the cup (making a tulip like shape)
The S Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Pinch the cup closed
3) Turn the cup so you are looking at the top
4) Take the two edges and bend them so that they form an S shape (sorry it’s not obvious in the pictures.)
The Origami Fold
1) Start with an open cup
2) Push the rim down halfway into the cup
3) Bring one top corner diagonally down to the opposite bottom corner
Note: I know pictures are not nearly as helpful as a video but I just couldn’t do that at this time. Plus I know that some of you are like me and don’t want to sit through a whole video; pictures are faster. However for those of you who need a bit more instruction, I can point you to this video. She includes a few more folds but quite honestly some of them you’d never really want to try inserting.
Looking for more ways to green your period?
A Natural Way to Have Your Period
Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Period
All About Mama Cloth
Menstrual Cramp Relief Tea
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About The Author
Brittany Thomas
A mother to five kids, Brittany began her journey of living naturally because she wanted the best for her kids. She blogs at The Pistachio Project in order to share what she learns with others. When she is not blogging, you can find Brittany making elderberry syrup, whipping up yet another batch of sunbutter, or drinking her fourth cup of tea.
18 Comments
Brittney Minor on January 29, 2015 at 4:43 pm
I had no clue you could fold the cup so many ways! I only knew about the C-Fold and Punch Down Fold! Thanks for all the info.
Reply
K Snelgrove on February 23, 2016 at 7:02 pm
I’m on my third cycle worth a cup and while I love it, the c folds just doesn’t work for me. Thank you so much for giving a good visual of other options!
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Heidi E. on April 4, 2016 at 7:13 am
I much prefer photos over a video actually. Thank you for posting!
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Hil on May 9, 2016 at 5:41 pm
I just got my first cup and have not had a chance to wear it yet. I’m a little scared and excited to try.
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Bonnie V on June 9, 2016 at 6:08 am
Thank you, I needed this. I started using my cup a few months ago, and it’s been a little frustrating. It either doesn’t stay in place, or stays and leaks. I only knew of two folding methods before, I’ll have to try these others.
Thank you for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop.
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Nancy on July 6, 2016 at 4:49 am
Thank you for this information. I just purchased my first cup and am really loving it, although still nervous about the whole process, I am impressed.
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Deborah Davis on August 2, 2016 at 10:38 am
This tutorial is so useful! Thank you for sharing these 6 Folding Methods for Menstrual Cupsat the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I’m Pinning and sharing!
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Joanna on January 29, 2017 at 1:06 am
Hi! What is the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop? Sounds like fun!
Reply
Brittany Thomas on January 29, 2017 at 3:14 pm
Joanna, The Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop is a link up that Deborah’s blog hosts. You can find her blog by clicking on her linked profile name. 🙂
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Dianne on November 10, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Thank you for this post. I’m in the process of transitioning into using menstural cup and I finally found a fold that works for me. I would love it if you could expand mote on what the pros and cons of each fold are. Thank’s again for sharing!
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Brittany Thomas on November 10, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Hello Diane,
So glad this post helped you find a fold that works. I’m not really sure I could expand on the pros/cons of each fold. I’m sure there’s a science as to the pros/cons but I’d have a hard time figuring it out. It all comes down to the size of the insert and then the easy of it “opening” but the ease would vary on body shape (inverted uterus for example). I wish I could give all the pros/cons!Reply
katrina Phelan on February 11, 2017 at 11:18 am
This is great! I’m relatively new to the use of a menstrual cup and have been having some problems using the c-fold. I hadn’t even thought that maybe there were other options. Thank you!
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Tina on April 27, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Do you have any tips for getting it out? It hurts when I do it.
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Brittany Thomas on April 28, 2017 at 12:52 pm
I recommend pinching the bottom of the cup, that helps break the seal and makes it easier to remove.
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Nina on May 21, 2017 at 7:14 am
Thanks for another great post. I have a cup but haven’t been able to use it because of, well, the obvious as noted above. I’ll give 1 of these a try.
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Etta on August 23, 2018 at 6:43 pm
Just wanted to say thank you! I’m a newer cup user (DaisyCup) and I really needed this post.. lol. For me the 7 fold and triangle fold worked the best. Not sure why but it was easier to insert a point vs trying to roll it up and insert it. Thanks again for sharing this info and helping us girls in need!
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Brittany Thomas on August 28, 2018 at 10:59 am
I’m so happy to hear that this helped so much! Yes, it’s interesting how some folds just work better even if it doesn’t make sense to us… it’s even more interesting when sometimes we grow out of one fold and switch to another.
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Anonymous on January 18, 2024 at 10:46 am
thank you!
Reply
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