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
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I try to not be embarressed anymore especially as recently after having miscarriages and thankfully now pregnant with my first baby I have had all sorts of people looking around down there. I think all my shyness went away after having a male sonographer do an internal scan on me looking for my babies heartbeat. He was only doing his job and doing it for my babies and my benefit.
So my tips are just be yourself and feel free to discuss your intimate area as we ll have one. xx
Rachel Bustin recently posted…New Year New Ideas
rememeber that we are all human!! x
not discussing things like this makes the problem worse than what it would have been, so be proactive
YOU KNOW YOUR BODY IF U SEE OR FEEL SOMETHING WRONG GO CHECK IT OUT
My mum was in hospital for quite a lot of last year and in there not much is private – I think mum starting the conversations helped as I wanted to listen to her issues and what was happening to her and like she said when you have to use a bed pan and a male nurse comes to empty it nothing seems too personal anymore !
My best tip is to understand that GPs and Drs have seen these problems all before and it’s perfectly natural to feel embarrassed but we should try and get over it as it’s so important to our health to get it checked.
Just remember that the DR whether male or female, may have had the problem before and has seen hundreds of people before with far worse issues
I have never felt embarrassed
Talk to your female friends generally they are going through the same experiences as yourself.
Remember everyone is in the same situation at some point in their life
Remember everyone else has problems aswell and what’s scary and embrassing to us is normal to a doctor and sometimes we should be able to put it all to one side and get advise in case it turns out to be something bad.
Remember that we ALL have privates!
Write it down and hand the note to your doctor or friend
I’m lucky to have really understanding boyfriend and I can tell him anything and everything. We can be very honest and trustworthy and it’s means a lot. Just to be yourself.
talk to close friends about it
I know everyone has secret worries and if one person reveals a problem then others feel able to open up. It has to be done gradually so as not to scare others off.
Eileen Tingle recently posted…Tried & Tested Tuesday #1
Just realise you’re not the only one that has the problem!
I always think there is no need to be embarrassed we all have intimate areas and wouldn’t be here if those intimate areas didn’t exist!! It’s always best to talk about anything, don’t be shy!
remember talking honestly and openly could save your life !
Think that whatever it is you are discussing has probably been experienced by many others many times over. Highly unlikely it is only you!