Questions You Are Too Embarrassed To Ask When it Comes to "Down There"

We asked the BuzzFeed Community if they ever had a question about ~down there~ that they might be too embarrassed or intimidated to ask, and they came through with lots of insightful questions! So, we reached out to Dr. Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, a licensed pelvic floor physical therapist and owner of Femina Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, to answer your pelvic health inquiries.

Here is a sampling of the questions you are too embarrassed to ask:

1. "Why do I have to pee so often? I barely drink any liquids throughout the day, because otherwise I’d be peeing even more than I already am."

Positioning for the Pre-Birth Stage of Labor

What to Expect and What to Focus On:

If you have been pregnant for many months now, it is time to get ready for your upcoming birth! Similar to a marathon, we need to train for childbirth to prepare the muscles and body for the big event. For this reason, it is a good idea to start practicing being in different positions either with movement or holding a position for a long time. The pre-birth stage of labor involves contractions to dilate and open the cervix. Once the cervix is fully dilated, the second stage includes the passive and active phases of the baby crowning and coming out of the vaginal canal. The third stage involves the delivery of the placenta. We will go over how to best support our bodies throughout your childbirth journey.

Positioning for the Stages of Labor

Practicing and knowing different positions during this first stage can be helpful when pain may escalate. Upright positioning such as: walking, standing, rocking back and forth, kneeling over birthing ball, leaning against wall, holding onto partner are just some of the many, many positions that can be helpful.

My last appointment with Heather was over 6 years ago but I still think of her every day. I don’t take for granted that I can easily get out of bed, care for my two active and busy young boys, run, play tennis, clean my house, or sit at a desk for several hours at a time. None of these tasks were easy for me before meeting Heather. Eight years ago my car was struck from behind by a tractor trailer that was estimated to have been speeding. I spent 3 years working with different PTs and Drs trying to heal and move on with my life. When I became pregnant and the hormone relaxin that “relaxes” all the joints of the body and the additional weight gain erased all my progress and I was suddenly in a lot of pain again. My OB sent me to Heather for one last try.