How to Insert a Menstrual Disc without Pain

by Jill Brueckner June 6, 2024

Edited: February 16, 2026

If you have used menstrual cups and are trying out a menstrual disc for the first time, keep in mind that the two are very different, and it may take a couple of cycles to get it right with no leaks, as it did for me. However, I didn’t have these tips I’m about to share with you!

If you are wondering how to insert a menstrual disc without pain, these tips will help make insertion smoother, more comfortable, and more leak-resistant.

A menstrual disc sits in the vaginal fornix, just below the cervix, rather than in the vaginal canal like a cup. The vaginal fornix is the space around the cervix at the top of the vaginal canal. Understanding this placement makes insertion much easier.

How to Insert Your Menstrual Disc in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: How to Fold the Disc

You will want to pinch your disc in the middle so that it creates a figure eight. This will make the disc smaller and closer in size to a tampon. During this step, I add a little bit of water-based lube to the top of the disc for painless insertion. If the disc has a stem like the Pixie Disc, then you will want to insert the stemless side into your vaginal canal. With a stemless menstrual disc, it doesn’t matter which side you insert first.

If you prefer video from, what our video on how to use a menstrual disc HERE.

Step 2: Get into Position

There are three common positions for inserting a menstrual disc:

Squatting in the shower
Sitting on the toilet
Standing with one leg up on the counter

Any of these positions can work. Squatting in the shower is often easiest for beginners because it relaxes the pelvic muscles and makes cleanup easier.

You can also remove your disc in the shower to reduce mess. Squatting may make removal easier as it naturally lowers the disc slightly.

Step 3: Inserting the Menstrual Disc

Place the stemless end of the menstrual disc into your vaginal canal. Instead of moving the disc straight back, push the disc towards your tailbone as far as it will go.

if you are hitting something and it causes discomfort or pain, that could be your cervix; try tilting the disc at a steeper angle downwards to position it under your cervix. Pixie Lube can help for easy insertion.

Once the disc is behind your cervix, push the front (the end with the stem) up and behind your pubic bone. Don’t be afraid to push it as far up as it will go since the stem will make for an easy removal.

Why Your Menstrual Disc Might Leak

If you experience leaks, it is most likely because the menstrual disc is not positioned correctly. Common reasons include:

The disc is not fully behind the cervix
The front rim is not tucked behind the pubic bone
The disc is angled incorrectly>

It can take some practice to know when you have inserted your disc correctly, but over time, you will get it right consistently!

How to Remove

Watch our YouTube Video on how to remove a menstrual disc!

For most people, this part will be quite messy (messier than menstrual cups), so be prepared, but the more you practice, the less mess you create. If the disc has a stem, hold onto it and gently pull until you can slide your finger under the base of the disc. Then, pinch the middle of the menstrual product into a figure-eight shape, similar to when you inserted the disc, and remove it.

If the disc does not have a stem, try to hook your finger under the base of the disc and pull it out. Once removed, you can dump the contents into the toilet or the shower. Rinse with some natural soap, like Pixie Foam Wash, and reinsert or store for the next use.

Why Switch to a Menstrual Disc?

Women often switch to menstrual discs, especially after giving birth. This is because of the placement of a menstrual cup compared to a menstrual disc.

Menstrual cups sit in the vaginal canal and rely on suction and pelvic muscle strength to stay in place. If pelvic floor muscles are weakened due to childbirth or prolapse, a cup may shift or feel unstable. Some people refer to this as “birthing a cup.”

A menstrual disc sits differently. It rests in the vaginal fornix, behind the cervix, and tucks behind the pubic bone. Because of this placement, it requires less vaginal muscle strength to stay in place.