I am often asked about using menstrual cups with heavy periods. Being able to trust your period protection is so important and I completely get it. So, can you use a menstrual cup with a heavy flow? The short answer is yes, but it may not be quite as simple as grabbing any random cup if you hope to maximize wear time and minimize leaks.
Know Your Flow
Though many who are cup-curious feel they have a heavy period most say they soon learned they don’t bleed as much as their tampons or pads may have implied. Part of this is because of the way that tampons and pads soak up blood (think spilled milk). The average menstrual fluid released each cycle is only around 30-60 ml (or 2-4 tablespoons) — shocking, we know. Keep in mind that this is an average and by no means a rule. There are those who bleed much less and much, much more.
Heavy menstrual bleeding can impact your quality of life in a way that most can never fully understand, myself included. In order to do this justice, we decided to go head-to-head… or vag-to-vag… with our heavy bleeding pal, Jen, and find out how much menstrual blood we really lose.
We each used a menstrual cup to measure our flow for one full cycle. Both I and Kim came in around 18 ml (a bit more than a tablespoon) while Jen poured out 225 ml (or nearly a cup). That’s 4-8x the “average” amount of blood loss!
It’s hard to imagine keeping up with day-to-day activities with such a heavy menstrual flow — and it was. That is until Jen finally found her perfect period care combination to make her periods livable. We’ve also teamed up with the maker of the best menstrual cup for Jen (spoiler: Super Jennie is her favorite) and period underwear brand EvaWear to make this video possible.
Using Menstrual Cups With Heavy Periods
As you may have seen, Jen made the switch from a Diva Cup (30 ml capacity) and cloth pads to the high capacity cup from Super Jennie (41 ml capacity) after taking our menstrual cup quiz. She also uses period underwear for added protection and comfortable, worry-free backup.
If you experience heavy periods I suggest looking at our Menstrual Cup Comparison Chart to find cups with the highest capacity. Even though the Super Jennie is what Jen uses, it may not be the right cup for you. There are cups with higher capacities, different shapes, firmness, size, and other features that may provide you with a better fit and comfort.
We understand it can be extremely difficult to manage periods of this magnitude but if anything is capable of aiding it — it’s a menstrual cup! Most cups hold at least 25 ml (which is still a lot more than a super tampon) but there are many cups on the market now that hold 40+ and even some as high as 50 ml.
Jen has finally reached the cherished status of #periodnirvana That’s when you forget you’re on your period thanks to a cup!
Will A Menstrual Cup Work For Clots?
Clots are essentially bits of the lining of the uterus and blood that come out as a normal part of your period. They may look sort of like a blog of jelly-like material and vary in size. Menstrual cups can catch clots and continue to work as intended. That said, if you notice that you are overflowing a high capacity cup in a short period of time or notice clots that are very large or unusual for you, please check in with your doctor. Menorrhagia (abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding) can have other health impacts, so it’s important to communicate what you’re experiencing with a healthcare provider that you trust to listen to you.
What About Using Menstrual Discs With Heavy Periods?
Reusable menstrual discs weren’t really a thing when this was made (way back in 2017), so the absence of them in the video is an honest byproduct, I swear! But the answer is that, yes, discs are a great option, too! Some people find that they work very well for a low cervix (smaller discs) but also for a high cervix (larger discs — which will also have a higher capacity.) Insertion of a disc is a little bit different than a cup since they sit in the vagina little bit differently, but overall they function similarly.
Two of my favorites are the discs from Cora and Saalt. They are a great size for most people, but you can always take The Disc Quiz to see what works best for your needs, and also compare all of the options on our Menstrual Disc Comparison Chart.
Last But Not Least
I’d like to thank Super Jennie and EvaWear for helping us make this video possible. When we decided to make a video about heavy periods it only made sense to partner with Super Jennie. We even filmed the video before they signed on to sponsor so all brand mentions are 100% organic. We didn’t know they have a sister brand that makes affordable period underwear so check those out of you need something for back up or just want to wear them in anticipation of your period!
62 Responses
Thank you so much for this article and the chart! I honestly thought I was alone with my super heavy flow. I’ve heard so many women say they have heavy periods, but then they are able to use a cup for 8 hours without emptying it. I never understood how that’s possible. I’ve tried two different cups and the biggest cup I have, the Lunette 2, overflows in about 30 minutes to an hour. Also it’s painful to have to change it so often since that cup is pretty firm. So I went back to using super plus tampons with reusable cloth pads. But I will definitely give the cup another try and get one that is slightly less firm and that holds more volume.
The average period is 35ml, but anything between 10 and 80 is considered normal. Most women who say they have heavy periods mean they are at the high end of normal, between 40 and 80ml. Above 80ml you officially have a “heavy” period. Those of us with actual heavy periods have a different situation than the women with normal, above average flow.
I bleed more than 100ml in my first 2 days, but I never realized how abnormal that was until I started using a cup. It definitely helped me to know this because previously I had felt like I was failing at managing menstruation, this super basic thing which all other women had figured out. I’m still not sure if the cup is going to work for me. While I do find it more comfortable than a tampon, if I have to change something so frequently I would rather change a tampon. I might look into medication to reduce my bleeding now that I know this is an option.
Girl amen! I’m out 100ml a day too. Had no idea until I used the cup and actually measured. The largest cup I could find physically hurts to put in but at least I can sleep through the night without jumping awake from leaking through jumbo tampon AND panty liner.
Remember being younger and convinced only promiscuous girls used jumbo tampons? Ah the taboos of womanhood haha
I’m puzzled… since the cup sits at an angle, it also comes out at an angle. So, when I attempt to change mine, I can’t tell if it was full or not, since it was either leaking (which is why I was changing) or spilling as I remove. Seems it’s in correctly. It’s comfortable. I’m aware it’s there maybe more out of fear of leakage than because I feel it… I don’t think I feel it… How do I know?
This is a great post. My heavy cycle I empty every 2 hours and I have the super jennie. Wished there was one that was firmer.
luv your body is firmer and bigger 🙂 but not a lot firmer- probs just a 2 on the PACii scale
Thank you for this post! I’ve been using the larger Diva cup for years and switched to a similar capacity Sinaya cup when I misplaced my diva. I could never understand how some women could say they wear them for 8-12 hours with no leakage. On my 2nd and 3rd days of bleeding I have to change every 1-2 hours max or else the blood with go through even my cotton pads which i wear with the cup.
Its the main reason why i switched to cups — i was spending a firtune every month on tampons and pads. So at least with cups and cotton pads i still have to change often but the impact is less on the environment and my wallet. 😉
Will definitely look into the bigger sized cups mentioned here if they help me manage my freakishly heavy flows better. 💖
This article was very helpful after trying a standard size cup with my first postpartum cycle. I was honestly leaking and having to empty every 30 minutes and was so confused (and pretty sore from all that emptying). I have since ordered the Yuuki. Even so I am still emptying it fairly frequently. I think I have the helpful combo of an extremely high, tilted cervix, with a flow that would shame the Jen in your article – – and birthing 3 giant babies did me no favors. I just stick close to home (which is an option for me) the two heaviest days and always wear a pad as well.
I too have aheavy cycle. I usually discharge around a cup worth. I have to empty my diva cup 5-6 times a day for 4 days. Then i can go 3-4 times.i think im going to look into the super jennie
I am so happy I came across this! I have massively heavy periods since having my second baby last year. I have a large Lena now and empty it every hour on days 2-3, sometimes day 4 too. I will be for sure purchasing a Super Jennie to try out! Another 11mLs of capacity sounds awesome!
I’m in the same boat as you. Have to change my Lena every hour. Did you try the Jennie?
First off, I am so thankful for you ladies and all the hard work and amazing content you are putting out! Thank you! I have a heavy period like Jen (in between 1 cup and 1 1/2 cups) I have been using the Lunette 2 and love it, but need to empty it at least every 2 hours on my heavy days. I am looking for a higher capacity cup but have an important question I don’t feel I have seen any info on: to hold more it’s not just about the size, it should also be about the firmness, right? I know no cup will actually hold it’s full capacity bc the vaginal muscles are squeezing it and not allowing it to be fully expanded within the body, so should I go for a firmer cup like the Yuuki Classic that will hopefully not be as smushed when inside my body? Does that make sense? I sure hope so, thank you again for all you are doing!
Hello, have you now tried d Luv ur body cup? It hold to d fullest and it’s really firm. I use the large size for my heavy days.
So I have a verrrrry high cervix and outrageous jenlike periods. I use diva cup 2 and like the firmness but was looking for something like that but holds more?
Look into the Luv Ur Body larger model, it also has a higher capacity. We haven’t personally tried it but I believe it’s firmer than the Super Jennie. We reached out to the company but they haven’t replied yet so they aren’t on our chart. The Yuuki is also firmer but has 37 ml capacity so more than Diva but not as much as the SJ.
have you heard back from Luv your body? i notice they are on the charts, but only partially ( i assume you have the measurements but haven’t tried), they do do “give aways” for reviewers with over a certain amount of followers ( which u guys meet) .. pls fill in their form and get a give away and try Luv your body!?? (all sizes pls)
I am a heavy bleeder, too. Most of my bleeding happens during the second and third day. But problem is, large cups are too large for me (I tried two different ones). So I have to deal with small ones. It is not the same every time – sometimes, I have to be in the bathroom every half hour. On average, on heavy days, 2 hours are the most until the cup is full. But I will definitely consider the panties. Before cups, I used a tampon and a pad at the same time at heavy days and still had accidents. So, yes, I would recommend cups for heavy bleeders even if they use small ones.
You can try medium size cups. some brands have medium size cups. or you can measure your bleeding on heavy days, then looking at the Menstrual Cup Comparison Chart to find the correct cups.
What do you do at night if you have a heavy flow? Just let it leak until you wake up in the morning?
Personally, I normally use the large LUB cup, and reusable Hesta pads with menstrual underwear on my very heaviest nights. I also take ibuprofen. It’s rare that I even leak at night with the cup. If I begin to, it usually wakes me up in time to avoid disaster. Before a cup, I had regular disasters even with ultra tampons and night time pads. My flow seems to slow down at night, though. I sleep so much better now. I get five-six hours straight before I have to deal with it. In the day time, I sometimes still have to dump it every hour or two. Especially if I forgot the ibuprofen.
Thank you so much for sharing what works for you! The ibuprofen is so interesting. I was talking with my obgyn about cups and mentioned this video/topic and she sent me a really fascinating report about using it for heavy periods. I had no idea!
I get up every 3 hours and empty the cup, I bleed heavy on days 2 and 3 and part of 4😔😒
I am also facing the same problem. My cup gets filled and leaks every 3 hours in heavy days. I am 17 and I use small cup. I feel helpless 😫.