Let’s get comfortable talking about our vaginas, breaking through taboos and redefining how we think about women’s health
Vagina. Kegels. Vulva. Clitoris. Labia. Female genitalia.
How do you feel when you hear these words? Skirmish? Icky? Giggly?
Growing up as an Asian Canadian
Growing up as an Asian Canadian, talking about vaginas wasn’t exactly a dinner table topic. It was a word used in textbooks, by the school nurse, the family doctor and maybe it was heard in that episode of Sex and The City if your parents somehow had HBO and let you watch TV past 8 pm.
I still remember the first time I got my period. My mom opened up a pad, quickly demonstrated how to put it on, then closed the pad up, just like the conversation.
No talk about hormones, what menstruation was, and obviously, nothing about the emotional cycles associated with a monthly period.
My mission for this blog and as a mother is to empower others to embrace their culture, talking about things that never got talked about as a way to improve the next generation.
Partnering with Kim Vopni
So I partnered up with Kim Vopni (The Vagina Coach and mom of 2 boys) to help promote the message that every woman should get to know their vaginas.
Kim has been on a mission to educate and empower women about the importance of pelvic health for over 10 years now. She is a personal trainer who became a pelvic health evangelist after the birth of her first child.
She talks about the taboo in a fun and informative way and wants every woman to know that ‘Light Bladder Leakage’ is NOT ‘just part of being a woman (or whatever the media has us believing)
She helps women through all life stages, from pregnancy, motherhood to menopause. Even if you have never been pregnant, she can help! She firmly believes that every woman should have a vagina coach and learning about Kegels is a great way to start.
So what are Kegels?
Kegels were designed by a German doctor who wanted to help his postpartum patients improve their pelvic floor function. Kegels are a pelvic floor muscle exercise and involve a voluntary contraction and lifting of the muscles followed by a letting go of the contraction.
Who should do Kegels?
Everyone (yes, MEN and women) should do Kegels but not everyone needs to practice them the same way – some need more attention on the contract and lift while others need more work on the letting go – the down training as she calls it.
Kegels work but they need to be done correctly, consistently and coordinated with movement.
How can someone remember to do Kegels consistently?
This is why I love living in this generation because technology and The Vagina Coach have come together to create an app to help you remember.
Kim’s designed a 28 day Kegel Challenge that teaches you how to do Kegels, ensures you do them consistently (with daily reminders through the app). The exercises are Kegels brought in to movements like lunges and squats along with many other creative moves you may not have thought of as a way to improve your pelvic health.
The app-based challenge typically has over 100 women all going through it together. It has a great community aspect with a chat area where you can ask questions and Kim personally coaches everyone. There are points collected, bonus content when you reach certain point levels and some fantastic giveaways too!
Let’s change the social landscape for the next generation of women
As someone with a daughter, I want to make sure the next generation of women experiences no shame and stigma when talking about their bodies, especially when it comes to their genitals.
I believe every woman should get more in tune with their vaginas, not just understanding the anatomy but all the wonderful functions it provides us. From its role in menstruation to conception to childbirth to sexual pleasure, it’s an incredible part of our bodies.
Personally, even though I did my undergraduate degree in biomedical physiology and Kinesiology and my graduate studies in health sciences, I’ll admit I don’t know my vagina very well.
Also, when I get old, I don’t want to spend a fortune on incontinence pads. I’d rather spend that money on spoiling my future grandkids.
So to change that, I’ve signed up for Kim’s Kegel Mojo 28-Day Challenge.
***Be sure to use the code ‘sumonsleeve’ to receive 10 dollars off the challenge!***
So Readers, how much do you know about vaginas? Have you ever done Kegels?
This post is sponsored by Pelvienne Wellness©, Canada
