Photo Credit: Roberto Condado via Compfight cc
Comfort is something I am really big on. I very rarely stray from my favourite jeans, I always have a pair of fluffy slippers on my feet and if I can be wearing pyjamas, I will be. The postman is used to seeing me in pyjamas now, it’s fine.
If you talk about being comfortable most people will mention things such as soft pyjamas, fluffy new socks, a duvet day on the sofa or a pair of shoes that cushion your feet even after hours spent Christmas shopping. But comfort goes deeper than that – comfort starts with the bodies underneath the clothes.
Now I have never been one to feel totally comfortable in my own skin. As a teenager, I had the usual discussions with my friends – how to get rid of spots, the best hairstyle for my face shape, how to get away with wearing that short skirt to school. But would I have talked to them about my private parts? Would I heck! There may have been giggling references to period pains, but never anything more than that. I guess that’s considered ‘normal’ at that age – but really, should it be? Or should we actually be encouraging our teens to discuss their vaginas as they would any other part of their body? Is it really any different to our arms, legs or boobs?
Things changed a bit when I had children. Growing and birthing 4 children has meant I have had to be a lot more open about my feminine areas. I have had people stick their hands and surgical instruments up there – and in all honestly why should that be an issue? It’s a part of my body that is designed to birth a baby. That’s the primary function. That’s what it was made for. I am a big advocate of breastfeeding, and allowing women to feed uncovered and un self-consciously whenever and wherever they choose. So why should talking about a vagina be any different? 50% of the human race have one. Most of those have, or will have, a child. As nature intended.
Post birth, it’s also something we don’t talk about – but this maybe the time when we really should. Supporting other women who need advice about stitches, episiotomy scars, bleeding, thrush, post birth sex, and all the other things that go hand in hand with childbirth and the recovery. If we all just admitted that we were struggling, that childbirth is a major trauma, that we all need some advice about remedies and cures that could help us, maybe we would all feel a lot more comfortable.
It’s a part of our body. It’s a part of our body that has a very important function, and yet we still forget that, and shy away from talking about it to anyone – parents, siblings, friends, even healthcare professionals. I am as guilty as anyone else of not being open enough, but I want that to change. It’s important. A smear test could save your life. A chat about symptoms could save someone elses.
On that note, remember how important it is to keep your vagina clean and healthy – why that is such a taboo topic I don’t know. We clean the rest of our bodies without a second thought, we recommend shower gels and moisturisers, but we don’t recommend vaginal care products do we? Well now I am. Wear cotton underwear, don’t use perfumed products down there, and keep a stock of the new Canesten products – they have a great range of feminine care products to help you take care of an important part of your body at all times. #GetComfortable
Do you think you have enough knowledge about how to take care of your intimate health on a daily basis? Do you, as a woman, feel awkward about discussing feminine intimate health?
What are your best tips for not feeling embarrassed about discussing your intimate health? If you feel able to leave me a comment below, you could be in with a chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher – good luck!
This post has been supported by Canesten, but all thoughts are my own.
Terms and conditions. Giveaway runs from 17/12/2015 to 7/1/2015. To enter the Prize Draw, entrants must post a comment in response to this Canesten ‘Get Comfortable’ post, via the
Rafflecopter Widget. Only one entry per person will be accepted. Multiple or third party entries are not permitted. The Prize Draw is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Promoter, their families, agents or anyone else connected with the Promoter. One winner will be selected at random from all valid entries received on or before the closing date.The winner will be notified by email from the promoter, within 28 days of the closing date. The winner must notify the promoter of their postal address for delivery of the prize within 28 days of being notified that they are the
winner. If the winner does not respond within 28 days a new winner will be selected at random from the remaining valid entries. The prize is not transferrable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. Competitions at ThePrizeFinder
To remember there’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s only natural
Be open and talk to someone who won’t judge you
talk to someone you trust and remember its a natural thing
Remember the person you are speaking to has probably been there themselves or heard it thousands of times before
Speak to someone you can trust
I prefer talking to other females (eg GP, family members, friends) at the end of the day remember we all have the same ‘bits’ so nothing really to be embarrassed about 😉
As a midwife I’m used to dealing with women in intimate situations, and most people have the same worries when it comes to talking about intimate health – we are frightened that we might have to expose private details (or our privates!) or we will be judged for our behaviour, or that our worries won’t be seen as important! Just remember that we are basically all the same “down below” and that professionals are just that – professional – and are trained to maintain confidentiality and to maintain dignity as far as humanly possible, and to treat all questions as relevant.
choose the right person to discuss it with
Talk to professionals, not well meaning amateurs and be willing to take responsibility for your own health.
Try chatting about stuff with your close girlfriends then you will see the problems you experience are not so rare
would be nice
Don’t take yourself too seriously, make light of it have open discussions as the more you talk about it the more you learn off others and easier it is
Life is too short, tell people you truely trust
Talk to a friend first so they can reassure you and then just think to yourself its nothing thats not been heard before
I think the battle to stop intimate areas being an embarrassment is to rid the idea that they are embarrassing. I taught my daughter to speak to me freely about such things, if we did this more then people will eventually become more open, its just another part of the body but yet we still have a long way to go to rid this stupid idea that we should be ashamed of parts of our body.
Love to win
Talk with your family and friends about it x
Speak with confidence with the people who know you best
remember we are all the same and it’s just another part of your body and most of all health professionals have heard it all before.
xx
Just say it and stop being a wus