Cup or Disc? Why There's No Wrong Answer

At a playdate the other day, a girlfriend confided in me that she'd been eyeing a disc. She'd used a cup for years without a single issue, but she wondered if a disc might actually be better for her.

If that sounds familiar, you're in good company. This is one of the questions I get asked the most, and the honest answer is: it depends on you. Not on which product is "better," but on your body, your cycle, and what you're doing that day. Here's everything that goes into the decision.

1. It's all about the cervix

Your cervix moves throughout your cycle, and it moves throughout your period, too. It typically sits higher when you start bleeding and descends as your period goes on. That's why a cup that feels perfect on day one can feel lower and less comfortable by day four. If that happens to you, switching to a disc for the last stretch of your period might feel like a relief.

2. Low cervix, high capacity

Maybe your cervix just naturally sits lower, but you still want the higher capacity of a Large cup. A disc holds a little more than a Large cup, without the added length. The flexible bowl paired with a stay-in-place rim gives you that higher capacity without the fit issues a longer cup can bring.

3. How's your pelvic floor?

Cups rely on suction to stay in place, and that suction depends on tone in your pelvic floor. Those muscles can weaken or stretch after pregnancy, injury, or just time. Discs skip the suction entirely — they sit in the vaginal fornix, resting on the pubic bone. So no matter where your pelvic floor is at right now, a disc can meet your body there.

4. What's your day look like?

Running, lifting, dancing, chasing a toddler around the yard? A cup's suction seal makes it excellent at staying put through high-intensity movement. A disc, sitting lower and relying on placement rather than suction, tends to shine more on lower-key days.

5. Intimacy

Because of where a disc sits, it can be worn during penetrative sex — something a cup isn't designed for. If that's on your radar, it's worth factoring in.

6. Getting it out

A cup needs two hands and a seal break. A disc has a defined removal loop, which some people find quicker and more intuitive, especially at first.

So, which one is right for you?

Honestly? Maybe both. A lot of our customers keep a cup for most of their cycle and a disc for the last few low-flow, low-cervix days. Others find a disc feels better every single day. There's no prize for picking the "correct" one — just the one that feels good in your body.

And if you try something and it's not the right fit, that's what the Poppins Promise is for: if it doesn't work for you, send it back for a refund. No hard feelings.

Want to go deeper on any of these? We've broken each one down further:

• How your cervix moves through your cycle — and what to do about it
• The low cervix, high capacity sweet spot
• Pelvic floor tone and what it actually means for your fit
• Choosing your product for active days
• Cup and disc for intimacy

Let's make the last period of summer count.

— Cami