let’s learn about cup sizing!

Naturally as we age our hips widen and our pelvic floor muscles lose some of the tone they had when we were younger. A cup that fit snugly and stayed in place as a teen or in your twenties often won't be such a great fit in your 30s (and beyond!) or after you've given birth. We’ll talk about other factors as well, but if you had to choose a size based on age alone, our rule of thumb is: For most menstruators over 30, the large is the best fit. For most menstruators under 18, the teen is the best fit, and for everyone in between, the small tends to be the best fit.   There's no age requirement for using a cup, but being comfortable with your body and having a basic understanding of your anatomy and how your period works is very helpful! 

Aw, the cervix. If you aren’t already familiar, or need a refresher, your cervix is in between your vagina and your uterus. If you’ve been worried that your menstrual cup could get lost, your cervix won’t let that happen! Poppins Period cups are meant to be completely internal, just below the cervix, so where your cervix is located will make a difference in where your cup sits. If you don’t already know, finding out exactly where the cervix is can be very helpful when using a menstrual cup. How do you find out where or how high or low your cervix is? Begin by inserting a clean finger into your vagina during your period and feeling for your cervix. It's the smooth, raised spot at the end of your vagina that will feel like the tip of your nose when pressed.  If you inserted your entire finger before you were able to feel your cervix, we’d consider that a higher cervix. If you were only able to insert half of your finger before you felt your cervix, you have a mid height cervix. If you were only able to insert to the first knuckle before feeling your cervix, you have a low cervix. If you have a very low cervix, a disc or period underwear might be a better option for you, as our menstrual cups are on the longer side. If you have a high cervix (you had to insert your entire finger before feeling it or you weren't able to reach it at all), you won't need to trim the stem of your Poppins Period Cup. If you have a mid height cervix, you might find trimming the stem makes your cup more comfortable.

Each pregnancy and delivery is its own sacred story. Our rule of thumb is that if you’d carried a pregnancy to term, we’d suggest the large cup size. Other factors to consider here are age, and athletic/active lifestyle. For example, if you are 27, and had a c-section, the pregnancy itself could have relaxed your pelvic floor enough that a large will now be the best fit. On the other hand, if you are 27, and birthed vaginally, but you are very athletic, you might be able to continue using a small.

If you are very active and athletic, you might find sizing down to be more comfortable.  For example, you might be 35 and have given birth vaginally, in which case most would go for a large, but your pelvic floor might be as toned as someone in their early 20’s, and therefore, you might find a small to be more comfortable.

In the end, we're all unique and will have different factors to consider! Don't get too stressed about sizing. If you are on the fence, it’s better to size up than down. If you're worried at all about ending up with the wrong cup size, we've got you covered with our mixed size packs. Go with the two sizes you're trying to decide between and you'll be set!