🩲 Pelvic Floor Awareness

Pelvic Floor Awareness involves understanding and connecting with your body to enhance pleasure and address any issues that affect sexual health. By learning about your pelvic floor, you can recognise potential problems, improve your sexual experiences, and shift your mindset to a more positive and supportive relationship with your body.

When you don’t truly understand your body, it’s harder to connect with it. This can show up in ways you mightn’t even realise: discomfort, disconnection, and even difficulties with intimacy or self-expression.

“Nether regions,” “bits,” “down below”…
We often avoid naming our body parts altogether. 

💡 Did you know?

It’s not just about words; it’s about awareness and respect for our bodies.

Your pelvic floor does so much for you—let’s take a moment to appreciate it!

Your pelvic floor muscles support:

🤗 Task:Building Awareness

Throughout your life, your pelvic floor will likely face challenges. Maintaining a balance of strength and relaxation in these muscles is essential for their function and for your overall sexual wellbeing. 

Some super common pelvic floor conditions that can impact sex include:

If you think you might be experiencing one of these conditions, don't worry! There are ways to relieve your discomfort, treat and manage symptoms, including seeking help from a pelvic health physiotherapist.

To simplify pelvic health, we’ve created a matrix which shows how your pelvic floor muscles can present in one of four ways:

*insert matrix*

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

If you’re having trouble with your pelvic floor, visiting a pelvic health physiotherapist can ensure you're doing the right exercises for your individual needs. 

Many people incorrectly assume that their pelvic floor muscles are not strong enough, and turn to online videos or ‘Kegel’ exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor. However, it's important to keep in mind that there are various types of these exercises!

For example, if someone with vaginismus has weak and tight muscles, Kegel exercises can make already-tight muscles even tighter.

On the other hand, if someone is experiencing bladder issues only focuses on relaxing their pelvic floor, their leaking problem may persist as their pelvic floor is not being fully engaged.

For optimal pelvic health, relaxation and awareness are just as crucial as strength.

Additionally, if emotional or psychological factors are affecting your sexual health, working with a sex therapist alongside a pelvic health physiotherapist can provide a more comprehensive and effective approach.

Our Pal, the Vulva 

The vulva often doesn't receive the attention it deserves - it’s typically only seen in pornography or during childbirth. As a result, many of us are left unsure of what a “normal” vulva looks like. In reality, there’s a vast range of shapes, sizes, and pubic hair types that you won’t typically see in mainstream media.

Tip: If you're curious about the diversity of vulvas, take a look at the Great Wall of Vulvas, an art project by British artist Jamie McCartney. It features over 400 plaster casts of vulvas, celebrating their uniqueness and individuality.

To help you appreciate the important functions of your vulva, here’s an acronym to remember: P.A.L.

What we can see in our genital area is called the vulva, but it’s often mislabelled as the vagina (which is inside you!) The vulva plays a crucial role in protecting our internal reproductive organs from infections and bacteria.

Here’s how it works:

These parts form the first line of defence for your body, working 24/7 to keep you safe.

The vulva is one of our key erogenous zones and sexual organs, and arousal involves a complex interplay of physical and mental factors. Arousal starts with the stimulation of the vulva—specifically, the clitoris, which is the most famous part of the vestibule!

The clitoris has more than 10,000 nerve endings, making it the most sensitive organ in the body. It fills with blood when aroused, becoming larger and more sensitive. Contrary to popular belief, the clitoris is much more than the tiny dot that’s often portrayed—it’s actually shaped like an upside-down wishbone.

Lubrication is essential for comfort and pleasure during sex. The body naturally produces lubrication when aroused, but stress or hormonal changes can affect its production.

The vestibule contains glands that are responsible for producing lubrication to keep everything clean, moisturised, and comfortable.

These glands play an important role in keeping your vulva comfortable and ready for pleasure!

This short meditation is designed to help you explore and observe your vulva in a non-sexual way, building a deeper connection with its anatomy and reflecting on your feelings toward it, guided by a sex therapist.

It’s an opportunity to foster a neutral and curious perspective on your vulva, helping to build a deeper understanding and appreciation of your body.

Your pelvic floor plays a big part in your sexual health, but there’s so much we misunderstand about it. Let’s clear up the myths, get to know the amazing anatomy, and explore how it all works together for your pleasure and wellbeing.

The hymen is a thin tissue that partially covers the vaginal opening, but it’s often misunderstood, especially regarding virginity. Virginity is a cultural concept, not a biological one, and can't be determined by the hymen. It can stretch or wear away over time without cause, and some people are born without one.

Research actually suggests the hymen may be leftover tissue from fetal development, but we don’t know for sure. Virginity has no biological marker, and it definitely doesn't define someone’s worth or sexual identity!

The word that we’ve heard the most but, in reality, seen the least! Your vagina is the internal, muscular structure connecting your vaginal opening to the cervix, and it can be up to 10cm long.

A common misconception is that things we might insert into the vagina, like a medical speculum, a toy or a penis can be “too big” or that the vagina is “too small.” This is false! The vagina is highly flexible, as it can expand and elongate during experiences like arousal or childbirth.

Your vulva and vagina work together to protect, arouse, lubricate, and enhance pleasure. Understanding their roles can deepen your connection with your body and wellbeing.

The so-called "G-spot" doesn’t actually exist as a distinct anatomical structure. 

What’s often referred to as the G-spot is actually the internal part of the clitoral structure being stimulated. The clitoris has parts we can’t see - like the clitoral bulbs and legs - and when the vagina is penetrated, these internal parts are being stimulated, leading to pleasurable sensations.

💡Did You Know?

Only about 1 in 5 women orgasm directly from penetration. The majority of women reach orgasm through clitoral stimulation, either alone or combined with penetration.

‘Squirting’ isn’t a secret - it’s just fluid produced by Skene’s glands during orgasm, similar to male ejaculation. This release is perfectly normal and not something to be embarrassed about.

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, located at the top of the vaginal canal. It acts as a gateway between the uterus and vagina, helping to protect against infections and regulate menstrual blood flow. 

If you're trying to conceive, the cervix allows sperm to enter the uterus. During childbirth, it dilates up to 10 cm (4 inches) to allow the baby to pass through. 

It can be sensitive for some during sex, especially with deep penetration. Everyone’s cervix is different, so it’s important to listen to your body and adjust for comfort. 

Tip: If you’re feeling pain with deep penetration, check out depth-limiting rings. They are intimate wearables and can help to act as a cushion so you can experience comfortable penetrative sex.

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