THOUGH it couldn’t be more natural to talk about our bodies, many might feel too shy to discuss their vaginas or ask how to care for them.
A gynaecologist has taken to TikTok to break taboos around vaginal health.
She shared the best way to strengthen your vagina – with a simple yoga workout routine.
Dr Teresa Irwin, who has over 91,000 followers (@dr .teresa.irwin) is a self-proclaimed “vaginacologist” specialising in female pelvic dysfunctions and is also a surgeon.
Over the years, she has noticed that patients’ health issues are often linked to a lack of education on how to treat their bodies.
Previously, she hit the headlines after revealing her advice on keeping your vagina in tip-top shape and now, she’s shared how to keep up vaginal strength.
In the clip, posted on TikTok, which has racked up 835,000 views and over 104,000 likes, the doctor shows off her favourite muscle building yoga positions.
In the first one, Teresa can be seen laying on her back with her legs in the air and holding onto her feet – which is known as the “Happy Baby.”
In the second, she is shown doing a position similar to the crab, while pushing her pubic bone up, in the same motion as an upward plank.
The third position is a “bridge” which mimics a thrust.
Finally, she ends with showing “The Goddess” – an easy position, but great for strengthening the vagina – and the one-leg pigeon pose – a comfortable, yet strong one to end on.
As well as the yoga positions, Dr Irwin also advises keeping up with regular Kegel exercises.
“I know that you have probably all heard the advice to ‘do your kegels’, but why?” Teresa said.
“Your pelvic floor muscles line the interior of your pelvic bone; they act as a net to keep your reproductive and elimination organs in place.
“When the pelvic floor becomes weak, it can no longer hold those organs in place and it can lead to prolapse and other dysfunctions.”
To do Kegels, Harvard Health advises you pretend to tighten your vagina around a tampon.
Once you’ve located those muscles – your pelvic floor muscles – try contracting them for three to five seconds and then relaxing them for an equal amount of time.
Repeat this 10 times, but make sure you’re not tensing any other muscles, such as your abdominal or thigh ones.
You can gradually increase the length of contractions and relaxations, working your way up to 10-seconds. The best thing about Kegels is that you can do them at any time and no one will know.
Dr Irwin added: “Hypopressives will also help, this is an uncommon, but highly effective technique to strengthen the pelvic floor.
“It is a breathing exercise that helps strengthen your core to relieve pressure on your pelvic floor by learning to lift and support the weight of the organs through the supporting muscles.”
Previously, Dr Irwin shared how to pee the right away, stating that it takes over a minute to do so sitting in the right position – you should be sitting like a ‘cowboy’ rather than ‘prim and proper’.
She also advised on why you should always wipe from front to back.
She added: “This is to prevent the tracking of bacteria from your anus, your butt hole, to your pee hole, therefore, preventing infection.”
