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I never thought I'd be interested in using menstrual cups, but I recently read some reviews on menstrual cups in general that made me reconsider. These are my first menstrual cups, and I basically just chose the ones that seemed like the best value. I ordered the small size, which initially still seem pretty big. If you haven't tried menstrual cups before, I know they are extremely intimidating, but you really need to try and stay calm when first using these. The first time I tried these, I inserted it while in the shower. This is probably the easiest way to do it for someone new to these. I had seen from other reviews and tutorials online to fold the cup for insertion. I used a C fold, and while there was a slight second of pain when I first started inserting it, it was nothing overwhelming, and it was gone as soon as the lip of the cup made it past the opening. Once you get that first part of the cup in there, the cup basically just slides the rest of the way in, at least for me, so insertion is really not that bad. After you insert the cup, you are supposed to twist and tug it slightly to ensure that it unfolds all the way. If done correctly, you should experience some resistance as you pull on it because of the suction after it unfolds. Twisting it is really hard to do, at least for me. Maybe I'm not doing it right, but I can never seem to grip it hard enough to actually twist it. However, I still always try, and I will sometimes do some lunge/squatting moves just to get it to move around so I know it unfolded. I always make sure I get resistance from the suction before I'm satisfied that it's inserted properly. So, the first time I inserted it, I did all of this, and was extremely satisfied with how easy the insertion was. However, I then started to panic about whether I'd be able to get it out, so I attempted to get it out right after inserting it. I kind of pushed it up really far when I inserted it, so I could barely reach the stem. When you insert it, you definitely don't need to push it up far. It actually just moves into place if you have most of it inserted, so don't do what I did. Anyway, I was barely able to get a hold of the stem, and I started worrying about pulling it because it was really difficult to just grab the stem, and I kept pinching skin. If you have a small or tight vagina, it is going to be difficult to grab the stem and get a good grip on it like it was for me. After I was finally able to get a grip on the stem, I started pulling, but the suction made it really hard to pull it out. I was worried about pulling too hard and ripping the stem off. I was getting tired of fiddling around down there, and my vagina was growing irritated, so I finally just pulled the stem really hard, and the cup finally came out. The whole process of removing it the first time took around 10 minutes, and my vagina was pretty irritated afterward. The second time I tried removing it, later that night, I experienced the same problems, but slightly worse because my vagina was still irritated and swollen from earlier, so it was even more difficult to find and grip the stem. It did get easier to remove with every attempt after that. Now that I've become more used to the process of pulling it out, here are my tips: 1. STAY CALM! Stressing out will only tighten your vagina and make it harder to remove the cup. 2. Push/bear down to move the cup towards the opening of your vagina to make it easier to reach and grab. 3. Don't be afraid to pull hard on the stem. It is necessary until you can break the suction. 4. Try to break the suction by pushing or pinching the base of the cup when you can reach it. This will make it much easier to remove. 5. Do not spend a lot of time trying to get it out. This will irritate your vagina, which will make things worse. If you are having trouble, take a break and do something else to relax before making another attempt to get it out. As everyone else has said, there is a learning curve to using these! It took me a couple days before I could insert/remove them outside of the shower, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Once these are inserted, you really can't feel them. I always have this awareness of something being in there, but I feel the same with tampons. I think they do put a little pressure on my bladder causing me to need to use the bathroom more, but that's the only side effect. If inserted properly, you will not leak. The only times I've had problems with leaking is if I wear it too long. My periods are really heavy the first couple of days, so the cups fill quickly. One night of wearing one of these, I did not leak at all for the first 5ish hours but began to leak later, and it was evident after I removed the cup that I should've emptied it earlier. So, if you're having problems with leakage, try using a different fold when inserting, make sure there is resistance when tugging the stem after inserting, and try emptying the cup earlier. Removing the cup is also not very messy unless you've leaked like I did. Otherwise, everything just stays in the cup. If you use a menstrual cup, make sure to WASH YOUR HANDS before inserting AND removing, make sure the cups are clean before inserting, and boil them between periods. I use vagisil to wash my hands and cups for insertion/removal during my period. They also sell menstrual cup wash, and some people just use water to avoid reactions with soap. No matter what method you use, just make sure you're being really sanitary. Overall, I do really like menstrual cups. They are cheaper in the long run than tampons and pads, and they are more environmentally friendly. I also don't have to worry about changing them as often as tampons or pads, and I don't leak like I do with tampons. While they might seem gross to some people, especially during removal, I actually feel like they are more sanitary. Insertion is actually really easy, and removal becomes easier with a few uses. The cups seem big and awkward, but you really can't feel them when they're inside. I was still able to feel the blood move around, like you can using a pad, which can make it feel like you're leaking when you're not, so I wouldn't say I completely forgot about my period when using these. However, that feeling lessens when the flow is not as heavy. I would definitely recommend these to any woman, and I think every woman should at least give these a try!