July 8, 2025 • 30 mins
No one taught you how your pelvic floor works, but you’ve probably peed a little while laughing.
Dr. Sara Reardon (aka The Vagina Whisperer) joins Jennie to blow up the shame, silence and myths around pelvic health for both women and men.
From embarrassing leaks to painful sex, this episode is here to say: you’re not broken, you’ve just been wildly under-informed … and it’s never too late to make this muscle work for you.
Find Dr. Reardon’s book, Floored: A Woman's Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage―A Comprehensive Guide for Women of All Ages HERE
Follow the "I Choose Me" Podcast on Instagram and TikTok
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone,
welcome back to I Choose Me. This podcast is all
about the choices we make, the big ones, the small ones,
the messy ones, the magical ones, and how they lead
us to where we are right now. Today's guest is
(00:24):
someone who helps people, especially women, but also men, make
incredibly powerful choices about their bodies, their health, and ultimately
their lives. Doctor Sarah Reardon, also known as the Vagina Whisper,
is a board certified pelvic floor physical therapist with over
(00:44):
eighteen years of experience. She's the founder of The Behive
and the author of Florida Complete Guide to Women's Pelvic
Floor Health at Every Age and stage. You may have
seen her in Harper's Bazaar in Style Yahoo. Sarah is
here to help us understand what the pelvic floor really is,
(01:04):
why so many people silently suffer with dysfunction, and most importantly,
what choices can we make starting today, to feel strong, empowered,
and pain free in our own bodies. Sarah, Welcome to
the podcast. We are so happy to have you here.
The Vagina Whisper herself thank you for coming on and
(01:25):
sharing all of your knowledge with us.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Hey, Jenny, nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Okay, So, doctor Sarah, we have a problem there. It's
such a lack of awareness around something one in five
of us will have to deal with. And if those
numbers don't bump you out, the shame associated with it
just might. So let's lay the foundation. What the heck
is the pelvic floor and what does it do? And
(01:50):
why is it so often ignored?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits
at the bottom of your pelvis. So we're all used
to kind of putting our hands in our hip bones.
That's our pelvis or seeing that, you know, pelvic model
in a doctor's office, And at the very bottom of
that is a group of muscles, culture pelvic floor. That's
literally the floor of your core. Those muscles support your
(02:14):
pelvic organs like your uterus and ovaries and bladder which
holds urine, and bowels which holds stool, and in female bodies,
that muscle also has three openings, one for theorie throw
opening where you're in exits, one for the anal opening
where poop exits, and then the vaginal opening for vaginal
intercourse and menstruation and vaginal birth. So you know, everything
(02:36):
we do during the day from you know, coughing and
sneezing and exercising and peeing and pooping, and then other
things like being sexually active or being pregnant and postpartum
our pelvic floor is working and changing, and yet we
don't ever talk about this part of our body unless
we start experiencing problems, and then we often are told
it's normal or kind of just deal with it. You
(02:58):
had a baby, or you're in menopause.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Hmmmm, yeah, I read that half of women will end
up battling this.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Okay, so what are you really did?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Just jump right in there to all the pea and
the poop and everything.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
I love you, yor we're game. Okay, let's do this.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
What are some common or not so common signs that
something's wrong for both women and men.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
You know, it's really great that you bring that up, Jenny,
because I think men don't realize they have a pelvic floors,
but all genders have a pelvic floor.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
We do see more.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Pelvic floor problems in women because one, they have a vagina,
so that extra opening at the bottom just makes us
more susceptible to weakness and then also we go through
pregnancy and birth and menopause, which men do not. Oh yes,
and so those are also risk factors for pelvic floor
issues because our body is just transforming during that time,
and often the muscles get weaker or less supportive. Some
(03:58):
of the common things that starting with female bodies, you'll
see that are really common, but again related to the
pelvic floor our urinary leaks, like with coughing and sneezing
those Yeah, so that's your pelvic floor talking. That's your
pelvic floor saying like I can't quite support what you're
asking me to do and then you leak. Other things
(04:19):
are painful sex, it could be due to muscle tension
where your muscles aren't relaxing well, it feels like your
partner's hitting something, or you know you've got deeper pain,
you know, like there's a tenderness or bruisiness with sex
or even afterwards.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
And then other kind of more intimate.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Issues like pelvic organ prolapse where your muscles aren't supporting
your organs as well and they start to push into
your vaginal wall.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I know your eyes just got big.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, that sounds scary.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And it feels scary.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
I know, but you know, so many women experience this
and they don't even realize that it's their pelvic floor,
and they don't realize they can get help for it.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
You know, it's a part of our body. We don't
talk about a lot.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
It's often embarrassing to address, so we kind of secretly
deal with these issues. But yet there's this treatment out
there in pelvic floor therapy and what I discuss in
my book Floor that can really help relieve these issues
and help you have a better quality of life overall.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yes, yes, okay, So does it show up differently in
women than men?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah, so, because we go through things like pregnancy and
birth and menopause, we'll see more weakness issues in females.
In men, you can have weakness after like a prostate
procedure or something like that. But in men we often
see pelvic for tension and that can create things like
pain with erections or difficulty maintaining erections, premature ejaculation, difficulties
(05:43):
starting your urine stream it feels like you have to
push to get it started, or you're not emptying well,
pain with bomb movements or constipation, and hemorrhoids.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So kind of.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
More tension related issues where relaxation and stretching and things
like that need to be addressed versus you know, key
goals and tightening type exercises.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I read a men's health article talking about when men
have floor dysfunction that it can do just that lead
to erect dial dysfunction. Yeah, and sexual dissatisfaction. So what
do you recommend that men specifically can do to increase
the strength of their public floor or maybe there's something
(06:26):
that partners can do together to write.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah, I mean, I think partner support is key. It's
like if I had a broken leg, I would expect
my partner to help me day to day and kind
of encourage me when things get down, to help me
with my exercises. And this is no different. This is
maybe it's a more intimate part of our bodies, but
partners can absolutely be supportive. I think the first thing
is we need to have the conversations. Oftentimes partners are
(06:54):
experiencing pain or discomfort and they don't even talk to
their partners about it, and so they're kind of already
carrying this shame and secrecy.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
The first thing is talk about it.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
We have patients come in all the time, female patients
that will say like, hey, I think my husband might
have a pelvic floor issue, and then they kind of
start nudging their husband to come. The other thing is
that if you start seeing early signs like you are
starting to have like a harder time maintaining erections or
you know, premature ejaculation, I mean those if you're a
(07:27):
young male and you don't have high blood pressure or
a nerve injury, it could be your pelvic floor. I mean,
your muscles need to be strong and active to maintain
erections and have orgasms.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I feel ejaculate.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I mean when I'm thinking of those issues that you mentioned,
I'm not thinking, oh, that's probably his pelvic floor.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm thinking, I know, that's what did I do wrong?
Or what's wrong with our marriage?
Speaker 4 (07:55):
No? And that's what's interesting is that, I mean these
are women often feel the same way too. It's like
if you can't if you have vaginal dryness or you
have pained with sex, we start to feel like what's
wrong with me? I feel like I'm not good enough
or I'm not aroused enough, where it really could just
be a blood.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Flow issue or a muscle type, you know, tension.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
So it's always important to check in with your medical
providers or urologists or a gynecologist to make sure there's
nothing major going on, but then also getting a pelvic
floor assessment to see is there muscle tension here and
we need to work on relaxation and different things like
that and then start strengthening the muscle. A lot of
men have tension that needs to be released before you
(08:36):
start strengthening.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Okay, this is getting weird, but how do you get
a pelvic floor assessment?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Like what's involved with that?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I love this so much, so we're just going right there.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
The way that we examine the pelvic floor is through
the vaginal opening or the anal opening, because these muscles
are deep in the pelvis. So when you come in
to see me, I see all genders. We do kind
of an external assessment looking at your hips and your
belly and your thighs and all those things, and then
to do the internal assessment. And females, we have them
(09:08):
undressed from the waist down like you're at a gynecologist,
but it's much more comfortable.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You're covered with a sheet.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
There's no like peate crinkly paper and like yucky gowns
and scooting to the edge of the table so you're
undressed from the waist down. And then we kind of
look externally at the volva and females and say, okay,
I want you to do a kegel contraction and see
how you contract and relax, and then I want you
to push your bear down like you're pooping or having
a bomb movement. And then I insert my gloved lubricated
(09:35):
finger in the vagina and say, okay.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do the same thing.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Squeeze, relax, push, and then I press on the muscles
to see if there's tenderness or tightness, and that lets
me know is their weakness, is their tension? Is there
incordination in male bodies. We do this through the anal opening,
so we go have them in sideline and do it
through the anal opening. And it's honestly, it's like it's
(09:58):
so quick, it's no. It's actually more comfortable than going
to see a doctor. And I think if people know
what to expect, they're like, Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I kind of know what to expect, because you know.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
When they go to get a prostate a check up
or whatever check their prostate, they know they're going to
get the finger up the right and so that is
it's hard enough to get a guide to go to
that appointment. Now I'm going to add on, oh wait,
we need to do that again for a different assessment, right.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
And the good news is is that by the time
men come to see us, they're like, I'll do anything,
you know, Like they're often maybe experiencing urinary issues or
ball issues, but it often takes a man experiencing sexual
dysfunction for them to be like, now I need to
get help. And then it's actually quite relieving to them
because they think like they have cancer or like a disease,
(10:49):
or that you know, their penis is never going to
work again. And when we say like, oh, this is
just muscles, we can work on this, it's almost relieving
for them to be like, this is addressable.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I think what stands out to me is just how
many of us, myself included.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Just assume that these.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Certain things are inevitable, like like you said, well, I've
had kids, or I'm over forty, or I had surgery,
and we don't realize that we still have agency over
these things. And that's where this really gets exciting, because
you help people reclaim that agency.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Yeah, and I think It's one of the biggest reasons
I started my Vagina Whisper Instagram account. I had been
a pelvic floor therapist for ten years. I've been practicing
for eighteen now. And I started my Instagram account when
I was pregnant and I had a lot of friends
asking me questions about like pregnancy and perineal massage and
postpartum recovery. And I was like, why am I the
(11:46):
only one that has this info? Or you know, why
did I just happen to pick this field where I
knew how to care for my vagina and pelvic floor.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Every woman needs this info, and so.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I just started putting it on social media, and you know,
the growth of my account and you know, just pelvic
for therapy in general, I think is a real testament
that women want this information and we're not getting it
from elsewhere, and we're like why not, you know, And
so it really can give you agency over your body
and often help you live the life you want to
(12:17):
live with exercise and travel and sex and comfort versus pain,
and you know, leaking.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
That's yeah, we don't want that.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Okay, So say I'm listening and I'm like, wait, this
is what I'm experiencing what do?
Speaker 3 (12:35):
What do I do? What do you say to them?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So there's a couple of options.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
And this is the great thing about medicine now is
that we have so many different ways for people to
access care. You can always go to an in person
therapy appointment. So I would, you know, look at Google
pelvic fo therapy near me as your gynecologists, ask your girlfriends.
They're going to kind of be your best resources to
how do I find a pelvic fo therapist? You can
(13:00):
do telehealth sessions, you can do online programs like I
have an entire online workout program with pelvic floor exercises
from everything from painful sex to menopause to pregnancy. Because
we should be proactively caring for our bodies in this area,
but we're just not told how.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Wait wait, wait, where do we go for that exercise routine?
Speaker 4 (13:23):
So it's it's the vagina Whisper dot com, which is
my Instagram handle. And then I have my new book
coming out, Floored, which is really I think giving people
just a comfortable way to start learning about their bodies.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
It doesn't have to be with someone else.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
It can really just have them, you know, give them
an opportunity to start investigating, like, hmm, what is normal
for bladder health or sex or menopause, and what can
I do proactively to you know, prevent issues or if
I'm experiencing them, what can I start doing right now
to help?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Right right? Okay, So I've had both of my hips replaced.
It did a cool episode on that, So if you
didn't listen to that episode, go back. But I talked
all about it, and I change it and it really
changed how I.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Move and feel in my body. Do you think that.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Joint issues or surgeries or even even as simple as
our posture, those kind of things impact the pelvic health.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
One hundred percent? And I talk about this in almost
every chapter of the book of When You're pregnant, when
you are going through menopause, if you have bladder problems,
like how are we sitting and standing and moving? That
affects our pelvic floor. You have thirty six muscles that
attach to the pelvis, and so these pelvic floor muscles
aren't working in isolation. Many of them are actually hip muscles.
(14:43):
So when you have hip pain or get a hip replacement,
or have impingement syndrome, I mean a lot of these
other muscles around the pelvic floor will start making the
pelvic floor get tight or tense or weak. So some
I always think of therapy like peeling layers of an onion,
Like I want to look at your hips and your
back and your posture and your breathing and then kind
(15:04):
of work on are those influencing the pelvic floor? So absolutely,
and I think that a lot of us, if we
have pain or dysfunction, we're not moving, or if you
have pain, you're tight and tense and uncomfortable, and that
causes your pelvic floor to get tense or tight and uncomfortable,
and that can lead to other issues like painful sex.
There are a hard time emptying your bladder.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You talk a lot about listening to your body, but
for people who kind of feel disconnected or like their
body has let them down, Yeah, how do they even
begin to listen to their bodies?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
You know, this is a great question, and I think
that it's really hard to listen to your body when
it's speaking a different language. When you're experiencing a pelvic
floor issue, you don't know what's going on, and so
how can you tune in and listen when it's like
I don't even know what my body's saying, because we've
never been taught this information.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Like when we're.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Young women, we don't get pelvic floor education. We maybe
get a little bit of period education. We barely get
sex at and that all depends on where you live,
but we're not taught about our pelvic floor, which is
again how we pee, how we poop, how we have sex,
how we birth, how we exercise. So it's not that
there's anything wrong with you or that you're failing, it's
(16:27):
that really the system is failing us. You know, I
think that a lot of my goal in educating women
is because we're not getting that education, and we do
need to advocate for ourselves. You know, we do need
to get the referrals or seek out therapy or read
the book and just start owning this part of our
body because it does transform over life. And you know,
(16:49):
I think that it's not on you, and I think
the place to start is just getting education and then
kind of implementing really small, accessible tips in your day.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
You have a background in helping people prevent and overcome
painful sex. Explain that to our audience. Are women having
painful sex from menopause and vaginal dryness? Or can dysfunction
in your pelvic floor muscle lead to all the other
kinds of sex discomforts.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Yeah, A and B all of the above now unfortunately, So,
you know, the opening to the vagina, which is where
if we're talking about vaginal intercourse, is muscles. And so
if those muscles are tight and tense, if you have
had a vaginal birth and head tearing at the opening,
those muscles may be restricted. They may be kind of
in spasm. That tissue may be tight and it won't
(17:44):
allow something to enter. It can literally feel like your
partner's hitting a wall. This can also happen with tampon
insertion or pelvic exams and so. And the other thing
is there is kind of a cultural aspect to this.
Like if we've been told like something's bad, don't touch it,
don't do and then all of a sudden we say
get married and we're like, okay, sex is fine now,
and you're like, wait, hold on, I was told that,
(18:05):
like never talk about this or touch it. It's not
so easy to kind of flip that switch. So the
outside muscles can be tighter tents the inside, deeper canal
muscles of the vagina, which are also part of the
pelvic floor can be tight in tents, which can give
that sensation of like bruising or tenderness or like your
partner's hitting something. And then also when our hormonal change,
(18:29):
when we have hormonal changes like low estrogen, we have
vaginal dryness and that can happen definitely during perimenopause one
hundred percent after menopause, but it can also happen if
you're breastfeeding relactating after giving birth when you have low
estrogen levels. And again we're just like left in the
dark about this part of our body and thinking, Okay,
I'm either going to have to like stop having sex
(18:51):
or just endure the pain if I want to have sex.
And that's just going to be my next forty years.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Oh that doesn't sound enjoyable.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
No, but so many women go through it, and you know,
I just I had just had a conversation with doctor
Mary Claire Havern. She said one of the most common
questions she gets is like people telling that telling her
about like painful sex and dryness and discomfort, and you know,
I think the older generation just thought that this was
their destiny, like there's nothing you can do, You're own menopause.
(19:20):
But in fact, there is so much you can.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Do right, yes, because during menopause, that's what happens. We
are estrogen drops yep, and that lack of estrogen then
weakens the pelvic floor muscle, and then, you know, then
all the other issues come into play, right.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Pelvic floor weakness, pelvic for dryness, vaginal dryness. There was
a real that went viral recently about your labia disappearing
during menopause, and people were like, wait.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What you know? But it's all estrogen changes.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
And you know, even in the book, I tell people like,
take a mirror and look at your parts, like you
have likely never seen this part of your body. More
doctors and partners have seen this part of your body.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Than you have.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
And if we don't start connecting and identifying it and
knowing what our normal is, then we can't know when
something is abnormal or changing. And so it feels like
a big ask, but it's actually quite simple and not
that scary once you do it, and then you can
kind of monitor like how is my body feeling, what's changing,
and then you can proactively get help if something does change.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Right. Okay, So for someone who has gone through menopause
or you know, is it right there? Can you reverse
this in your body after menopause once you see the signs,
or are we just doomed to have p giggles for
the rest of our lives.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
No, it's totally treatable and you can absolutely get help
no matter what age you are. I mean, I've worked
with women in their seventies and eighties with prolapse and
leakage and bladder problems, and they've gotten so much better.
Like the time to start is now. It's never too late.
And you know, we see women now, like in their
seventies starting to strength train and they are bulky and
(21:06):
have muscles and are so strong with just a year
or two of weightlifting. And it's the same thing for
your public floor, Like you can rebuild these muscles like
any other muscles in your body. You do have to
be consistent, though. I think one of the hard parts
with kind of healthcare now is we just want to
quick fix, like put me on the kegel chair, insert
the device, or rejuvenate my vagina. But you know, these things,
(21:28):
we have to be consistent with them. They're muscles and
if we don't use them, we will lose them. So
you do have to be proactive.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I don't want to lose my wootle. Okay, So.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Okay, what do you think about those tactics like vagina rejuvenation.
You go to the thing and they do the thing.
I had somebody send to my house a at home
vagina rejuvenator. I didn't ask for this. I think a
brand just thought, you know, because I speak a lot
about women's health and I've spoken a lot about my
(22:06):
menopause journey, that I needed it.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
But I got it, and I was like, what the
hell do I do with this thing?
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Right?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
I know, it's a little intimidating. It's like a lightsaber.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
So they're massive.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
There's some new therapies that are coming out and some
of them are totally bogus, and some of them can
actually be helpful. So some of the kind of internal
products that are available are like internal Keegel trainers. They're
like little devices you can insert in the vagina that
look like tampons and you can squeeze around them.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So that can be helpful for.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Someone who needs strengthening and they can see kind of
their performance on their phone screen.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Eventually, you want to.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Do exercises on your own, but it's a great place
to start. Another device that's come out as an infrared wand,
and this is like a wand that you insert into
the vagina and it rejuvenates the tissue internally kind.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Of thing, that's what it is because it lights up.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Yeah, it's like those red lights mass we do for
rejuvenating our face. You can do the same thing for
your pelvic floor. So it's actually really it can be
totally beneficial. But the challenge is you have to keep
using it, Like if their studies have only been done
to three or six months, and then there's no long
term effectiveness to show, Like, Okay, if you stop after
(23:18):
three months, will this continue working?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
We don't know, and the case is likely know.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
So these are kind of adjunctive to exercise, not in
place of I do think it can help kind of
turn over more tissue and help, you know, plump up
the vagina and give you more attention down there, But
you still have to do exercises and all your other
kind of pelvic floor care.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
This is all so fascinating. You're really making me think
about all the times, not just in this area, but
all the times when I choose to just suck it
up and deal with it instead of choosing to find
a better way.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Yeah, well, you don't always know there's a better way
until you do, right, And so I think a lot
of women don't know that there's a better way until
we start having these conversations, which is why this is
so amazing that we can talk openly about it and
that you're sharing this with your community because you are
not alone.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Nope.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
And I think that we have as women as a gender,
kind of been like, Okay, we'll just we'll either deal
with it later or we're super strong and we'll suck
it up. But if we continue to do that, once
we get to perimenopause and menopause, like we don't have
our hormonal systems to prop us up anymore, and then
you're swimming upstream. So you almost have to like fill
(24:32):
your cop and get strong and healthy in your pelvic
floor and have the right habits or at any point
start doing this because as you age, you're kind of
you're fighting gravity, you're fighting hormones, so you've got to
kind of really be proactive about this. It's never too late,
but I encourage you to like start now because you
I'm like I don't want diapers to be my destiny.
(24:54):
You know, I want to work out for all of
my days. I want to have great sex for all
of my days. So I deserve that right, and so
this is what I have to do to kind of
ensure that.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Yes, definitely, I think this is this is so good
that we're hearing all this, even if it makes some
people uncomfy, it's really important. Like me, it's really important
to talk. It makes me uncomfy, and it's my podcast,
so I'm really conquering things within and also trying to
share this info.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
You know, and you're I think it makes a lot
of people uncomfortable. I mean, I do this all day
and I've done it for eighteen years, so I can
talk about this part of the body like it's you know,
like it's a TV show or like what did I
have for lunch? You know, so it's it's not a
big deal to me. And this is a part of
our body that I think we've been told is icky
(25:44):
or embarrassing or yucky or we should hide it. And
I think that that's part of what prevents us from
getting help, is that we we don't talk about it.
And so when I think about the next generation of
women behind us or kids even like my kids. I
have two boys, and they probably know more about like
the pelvic floor and vagina than like most adult women
(26:07):
because they hear me talk about it and it's so normal.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Right, That's so good though, that they know well.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
And then I think my hope is like, okay, if
they are ever you know, with women, whatever happens, that
they will hopefully help them feel comfortable with their bodies
and know like what changes are and what a tampon is,
and you know what a period is and all these things.
So I just think that, you know, even just having
this conversation, even if it makes us uncomfortable, that's okay
(26:36):
because these symptoms also make us uncomfortable. So we kind
of have a choice like which discomfort do we want
to deal with? And we all get there in our
own time. And when people come in, I'm like, there's
no such thing as TMI, Like everything we talk about
I've probably heard before, or if they don't, like this
is totally confidential and I'll help you navigate it. And
but if we don't talk about these things, and how
(26:57):
do we get solutions? And it's it's just so rewarding
to be able to help women better understand their bodies
and feel good about them.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Right, No more it's yucky or icky talk like no,
as a parent, just erase that from your vocabulary, because yeah,
that's going to send some really long lasting incorrect messages.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I mean, I think it's also like, this is just
a body part, like an ankle or a knee.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I'm never like, oh that knee is so gross. You know,
it's like it's just a body part.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
And so but you know, we're walking through cultural layers
and societal norms, and you know that takes time and work,
and so you know.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
We're getting there. We are, we are.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
I hope people will get there quicker because we're just
doing everything we can to destigmatize all the parts of
women's health.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
No, and you're doing a great job.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
And you know, I get kind of I think a
lot of people get like, oh my gosh, you know,
kind of get embarrassed.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
You just came out with your first book, Floored. Tell
me about it.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Yeah, so juicy grapefruit on the front. So it's embolic Lord,
A Woman's.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Guide to Pelvic Floor Health.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
At every agent stage, you can see the little hammock here.
That's kind of like the pelvic floor muscles and you know,
the juicy grapefruit. So it's really a guide for women
at every stage of life because our pelvic floor requires
something different, whether it's menstruation, becoming sexually active, going through
birth and postpartum obviously, but then also into perimenopause. And
(28:30):
I think it's a myth that we think only pregnant
people are menopausal people have pelvic floor issues.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
It's really at every stage of.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Life and there's something different that's required for our pelvic floor,
a different type of care at all of those stages.
So I just really hope it helps women, you know,
again better understand their bodies, but kind of start taking
proactive steps to address these issues, to prevent them and
then also overcome them if they're already experiencing them.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
That's what it's about. Knowledge is power. Yeah, I'm absolutely
going to have my daughters listen to this episode. They
probably will be squarey, but I'm going to make them
do it. And I'm definitely going to pick up a
copy of your book.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
And then I also hope that medical providers can you know,
read it and learn something because I think that that's
those are our first points of contact, you know, and healthcare,
and so I think the more we're able to screen
for issues and ask the questions, we're going to be
better able to refer patients and give them a sense
of what to expect from therapy as well.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yes, yes, Before I let you go, doctor Sarah, I'd
love to ask you the question that we always close
the show with.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
What was your most.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Recent I choose me moment? It can be big or small,
something where you made a clear choice to put yourself first.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
You know, I would honestly say this past year of
writing the book and launching the book, it's I had
to take a big step away from time with my family,
from socializing and traveling. I mean, I really had to
carve out a lot of time to write this and
it's something that I'm really passionate about, and so I
(30:03):
think that it kind of felt selfish sometimes, like oh,
I'm not there for my partner, or I'm missing my
kid's stuff, or I didn't get to go on this
girl's trip. But it was so important to me, and
I was like if I don't, if not now, then when,
Like when is there ever a good time to take
on something that you're really passionate about. It takes time,
so I would say like the daily choices of doing
(30:24):
that and you know, really kind of starting from scratch
and coming up with this kind of whole now book is.
It's just been amazing and kind of pushed myself in
a way I didn't even know I could be pushed,
and it's just been it's gonna it's really exciting to
kind of have this out in the world.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
That's so great. You did the thing.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
I did the thing.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
You did it. That's such a.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Great message to anybody out there who's listening.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Do the thing. Don't wait
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone,
welcome back to I Choose Me. This podcast is all
about the choices we make, the big ones, the small ones,
the messy ones, the magical ones, and how they lead
us to where we are right now. Today's guest is
(00:24):
someone who helps people, especially women, but also men, make
incredibly powerful choices about their bodies, their health, and ultimately
their lives. Doctor Sarah Reardon, also known as the Vagina Whisper,
is a board certified pelvic floor physical therapist with over
(00:44):
eighteen years of experience. She's the founder of The Behive
and the author of Florida Complete Guide to Women's Pelvic
Floor Health at Every Age and stage. You may have
seen her in Harper's Bazaar in Style Yahoo. Sarah is
here to help us understand what the pelvic floor really is,
(01:04):
why so many people silently suffer with dysfunction, and most importantly,
what choices can we make starting today, to feel strong, empowered,
and pain free in our own bodies. Sarah, Welcome to
the podcast. We are so happy to have you here.
The Vagina Whisper herself thank you for coming on and
(01:25):
sharing all of your knowledge with us.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Hey, Jenny, nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Okay, So, doctor Sarah, we have a problem there. It's
such a lack of awareness around something one in five
of us will have to deal with. And if those
numbers don't bump you out, the shame associated with it
just might. So let's lay the foundation. What the heck
is the pelvic floor and what does it do? And
(01:50):
why is it so often ignored?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits
at the bottom of your pelvis. So we're all used
to kind of putting our hands in our hip bones.
That's our pelvis or seeing that, you know, pelvic model
in a doctor's office, And at the very bottom of
that is a group of muscles, culture pelvic floor. That's
literally the floor of your core. Those muscles support your
(02:14):
pelvic organs like your uterus and ovaries and bladder which
holds urine, and bowels which holds stool, and in female bodies,
that muscle also has three openings, one for theorie throw
opening where you're in exits, one for the anal opening
where poop exits, and then the vaginal opening for vaginal
intercourse and menstruation and vaginal birth. So you know, everything
(02:36):
we do during the day from you know, coughing and
sneezing and exercising and peeing and pooping, and then other
things like being sexually active or being pregnant and postpartum
our pelvic floor is working and changing, and yet we
don't ever talk about this part of our body unless
we start experiencing problems, and then we often are told
it's normal or kind of just deal with it. You
(02:58):
had a baby, or you're in menopause.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Hmmmm, yeah, I read that half of women will end
up battling this.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Okay, so what are you really did?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Just jump right in there to all the pea and
the poop and everything.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
I love you, yor we're game. Okay, let's do this.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
What are some common or not so common signs that
something's wrong for both women and men.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
You know, it's really great that you bring that up, Jenny,
because I think men don't realize they have a pelvic floors,
but all genders have a pelvic floor.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
We do see more.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Pelvic floor problems in women because one, they have a vagina,
so that extra opening at the bottom just makes us
more susceptible to weakness and then also we go through
pregnancy and birth and menopause, which men do not. Oh yes,
and so those are also risk factors for pelvic floor
issues because our body is just transforming during that time,
and often the muscles get weaker or less supportive. Some
(03:58):
of the common things that starting with female bodies, you'll
see that are really common, but again related to the
pelvic floor our urinary leaks, like with coughing and sneezing
those Yeah, so that's your pelvic floor talking. That's your
pelvic floor saying like I can't quite support what you're
asking me to do and then you leak. Other things
(04:19):
are painful sex, it could be due to muscle tension
where your muscles aren't relaxing well, it feels like your
partner's hitting something, or you know you've got deeper pain,
you know, like there's a tenderness or bruisiness with sex
or even afterwards.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
And then other kind of more intimate.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Issues like pelvic organ prolapse where your muscles aren't supporting
your organs as well and they start to push into
your vaginal wall.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I know your eyes just got big.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, that sounds scary.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And it feels scary.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
I know, but you know, so many women experience this
and they don't even realize that it's their pelvic floor,
and they don't realize they can get help for it.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
You know, it's a part of our body. We don't
talk about a lot.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
It's often embarrassing to address, so we kind of secretly
deal with these issues. But yet there's this treatment out
there in pelvic floor therapy and what I discuss in
my book Floor that can really help relieve these issues
and help you have a better quality of life overall.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yes, yes, okay, So does it show up differently in
women than men?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah, so, because we go through things like pregnancy and
birth and menopause, we'll see more weakness issues in females.
In men, you can have weakness after like a prostate
procedure or something like that. But in men we often
see pelvic for tension and that can create things like
pain with erections or difficulty maintaining erections, premature ejaculation, difficulties
(05:43):
starting your urine stream it feels like you have to
push to get it started, or you're not emptying well,
pain with bomb movements or constipation, and hemorrhoids.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So kind of.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
More tension related issues where relaxation and stretching and things
like that need to be addressed versus you know, key
goals and tightening type exercises.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I read a men's health article talking about when men
have floor dysfunction that it can do just that lead
to erect dial dysfunction. Yeah, and sexual dissatisfaction. So what
do you recommend that men specifically can do to increase
the strength of their public floor or maybe there's something
(06:26):
that partners can do together to write.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah, I mean, I think partner support is key. It's
like if I had a broken leg, I would expect
my partner to help me day to day and kind
of encourage me when things get down, to help me
with my exercises. And this is no different. This is
maybe it's a more intimate part of our bodies, but
partners can absolutely be supportive. I think the first thing
is we need to have the conversations. Oftentimes partners are
(06:54):
experiencing pain or discomfort and they don't even talk to
their partners about it, and so they're kind of already
carrying this shame and secrecy.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
The first thing is talk about it.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
We have patients come in all the time, female patients
that will say like, hey, I think my husband might
have a pelvic floor issue, and then they kind of
start nudging their husband to come. The other thing is
that if you start seeing early signs like you are
starting to have like a harder time maintaining erections or
you know, premature ejaculation, I mean those if you're a
(07:27):
young male and you don't have high blood pressure or
a nerve injury, it could be your pelvic floor. I mean,
your muscles need to be strong and active to maintain
erections and have orgasms.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I feel ejaculate.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I mean when I'm thinking of those issues that you mentioned,
I'm not thinking, oh, that's probably his pelvic floor.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm thinking, I know, that's what did I do wrong?
Or what's wrong with our marriage?
Speaker 4 (07:55):
No? And that's what's interesting is that, I mean these
are women often feel the same way too. It's like
if you can't if you have vaginal dryness or you
have pained with sex, we start to feel like what's
wrong with me? I feel like I'm not good enough
or I'm not aroused enough, where it really could just
be a blood.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Flow issue or a muscle type, you know, tension.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
So it's always important to check in with your medical
providers or urologists or a gynecologist to make sure there's
nothing major going on, but then also getting a pelvic
floor assessment to see is there muscle tension here and
we need to work on relaxation and different things like
that and then start strengthening the muscle. A lot of
men have tension that needs to be released before you
(08:36):
start strengthening.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Okay, this is getting weird, but how do you get
a pelvic floor assessment?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Like what's involved with that?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I love this so much, so we're just going right there.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
The way that we examine the pelvic floor is through
the vaginal opening or the anal opening, because these muscles
are deep in the pelvis. So when you come in
to see me, I see all genders. We do kind
of an external assessment looking at your hips and your
belly and your thighs and all those things, and then
to do the internal assessment. And females, we have them
(09:08):
undressed from the waist down like you're at a gynecologist,
but it's much more comfortable.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You're covered with a sheet.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
There's no like peate crinkly paper and like yucky gowns
and scooting to the edge of the table so you're
undressed from the waist down. And then we kind of
look externally at the volva and females and say, okay,
I want you to do a kegel contraction and see
how you contract and relax, and then I want you
to push your bear down like you're pooping or having
a bomb movement. And then I insert my gloved lubricated
(09:35):
finger in the vagina and say, okay.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Do the same thing.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Squeeze, relax, push, and then I press on the muscles
to see if there's tenderness or tightness, and that lets
me know is their weakness, is their tension? Is there
incordination in male bodies. We do this through the anal opening,
so we go have them in sideline and do it
through the anal opening. And it's honestly, it's like it's
(09:58):
so quick, it's no. It's actually more comfortable than going
to see a doctor. And I think if people know
what to expect, they're like, Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I kind of know what to expect, because you know.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
When they go to get a prostate a check up
or whatever check their prostate, they know they're going to
get the finger up the right and so that is
it's hard enough to get a guide to go to
that appointment. Now I'm going to add on, oh wait,
we need to do that again for a different assessment, right.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
And the good news is is that by the time
men come to see us, they're like, I'll do anything,
you know, Like they're often maybe experiencing urinary issues or
ball issues, but it often takes a man experiencing sexual
dysfunction for them to be like, now I need to
get help. And then it's actually quite relieving to them
because they think like they have cancer or like a disease,
(10:49):
or that you know, their penis is never going to
work again. And when we say like, oh, this is
just muscles, we can work on this, it's almost relieving
for them to be like, this is addressable.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I think what stands out to me is just how
many of us, myself included.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Just assume that these.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Certain things are inevitable, like like you said, well, I've
had kids, or I'm over forty, or I had surgery,
and we don't realize that we still have agency over
these things. And that's where this really gets exciting, because
you help people reclaim that agency.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Yeah, and I think It's one of the biggest reasons
I started my Vagina Whisper Instagram account. I had been
a pelvic floor therapist for ten years. I've been practicing
for eighteen now. And I started my Instagram account when
I was pregnant and I had a lot of friends
asking me questions about like pregnancy and perineal massage and
postpartum recovery. And I was like, why am I the
(11:46):
only one that has this info? Or you know, why
did I just happen to pick this field where I
knew how to care for my vagina and pelvic floor.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Every woman needs this info, and so.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I just started putting it on social media, and you know,
the growth of my account and you know, just pelvic
for therapy in general, I think is a real testament
that women want this information and we're not getting it
from elsewhere, and we're like why not, you know, And
so it really can give you agency over your body
and often help you live the life you want to
(12:17):
live with exercise and travel and sex and comfort versus pain,
and you know, leaking.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
That's yeah, we don't want that.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Okay, So say I'm listening and I'm like, wait, this
is what I'm experiencing what do?
Speaker 3 (12:35):
What do I do? What do you say to them?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So there's a couple of options.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
And this is the great thing about medicine now is
that we have so many different ways for people to
access care. You can always go to an in person
therapy appointment. So I would, you know, look at Google
pelvic fo therapy near me as your gynecologists, ask your girlfriends.
They're going to kind of be your best resources to
how do I find a pelvic fo therapist? You can
(13:00):
do telehealth sessions, you can do online programs like I
have an entire online workout program with pelvic floor exercises
from everything from painful sex to menopause to pregnancy. Because
we should be proactively caring for our bodies in this area,
but we're just not told how.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Wait wait, wait, where do we go for that exercise routine?
Speaker 4 (13:23):
So it's it's the vagina Whisper dot com, which is
my Instagram handle. And then I have my new book
coming out, Floored, which is really I think giving people
just a comfortable way to start learning about their bodies.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
It doesn't have to be with someone else.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
It can really just have them, you know, give them
an opportunity to start investigating, like, hmm, what is normal
for bladder health or sex or menopause, and what can
I do proactively to you know, prevent issues or if
I'm experiencing them, what can I start doing right now
to help?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Right right? Okay, So I've had both of my hips replaced.
It did a cool episode on that, So if you
didn't listen to that episode, go back. But I talked
all about it, and I change it and it really
changed how I.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Move and feel in my body. Do you think that.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Joint issues or surgeries or even even as simple as
our posture, those kind of things impact the pelvic health.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
One hundred percent? And I talk about this in almost
every chapter of the book of When You're pregnant, when
you are going through menopause, if you have bladder problems,
like how are we sitting and standing and moving? That
affects our pelvic floor. You have thirty six muscles that
attach to the pelvis, and so these pelvic floor muscles
aren't working in isolation. Many of them are actually hip muscles.
(14:43):
So when you have hip pain or get a hip replacement,
or have impingement syndrome, I mean a lot of these
other muscles around the pelvic floor will start making the
pelvic floor get tight or tense or weak. So some
I always think of therapy like peeling layers of an onion,
Like I want to look at your hips and your
back and your posture and your breathing and then kind
(15:04):
of work on are those influencing the pelvic floor? So absolutely,
and I think that a lot of us, if we
have pain or dysfunction, we're not moving, or if you
have pain, you're tight and tense and uncomfortable, and that
causes your pelvic floor to get tense or tight and uncomfortable,
and that can lead to other issues like painful sex.
There are a hard time emptying your bladder.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You talk a lot about listening to your body, but
for people who kind of feel disconnected or like their
body has let them down, Yeah, how do they even
begin to listen to their bodies?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
You know, this is a great question, and I think
that it's really hard to listen to your body when
it's speaking a different language. When you're experiencing a pelvic
floor issue, you don't know what's going on, and so
how can you tune in and listen when it's like
I don't even know what my body's saying, because we've
never been taught this information.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Like when we're.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Young women, we don't get pelvic floor education. We maybe
get a little bit of period education. We barely get
sex at and that all depends on where you live,
but we're not taught about our pelvic floor, which is
again how we pee, how we poop, how we have sex,
how we birth, how we exercise. So it's not that
there's anything wrong with you or that you're failing, it's
(16:27):
that really the system is failing us. You know, I
think that a lot of my goal in educating women
is because we're not getting that education, and we do
need to advocate for ourselves. You know, we do need
to get the referrals or seek out therapy or read
the book and just start owning this part of our
body because it does transform over life. And you know,
(16:49):
I think that it's not on you, and I think
the place to start is just getting education and then
kind of implementing really small, accessible tips in your day.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
You have a background in helping people prevent and overcome
painful sex. Explain that to our audience. Are women having
painful sex from menopause and vaginal dryness? Or can dysfunction
in your pelvic floor muscle lead to all the other
kinds of sex discomforts.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Yeah, A and B all of the above now unfortunately, So,
you know, the opening to the vagina, which is where
if we're talking about vaginal intercourse, is muscles. And so
if those muscles are tight and tense, if you have
had a vaginal birth and head tearing at the opening,
those muscles may be restricted. They may be kind of
in spasm. That tissue may be tight and it won't
(17:44):
allow something to enter. It can literally feel like your
partner's hitting a wall. This can also happen with tampon
insertion or pelvic exams and so. And the other thing
is there is kind of a cultural aspect to this.
Like if we've been told like something's bad, don't touch it,
don't do and then all of a sudden we say
get married and we're like, okay, sex is fine now,
and you're like, wait, hold on, I was told that,
(18:05):
like never talk about this or touch it. It's not
so easy to kind of flip that switch. So the
outside muscles can be tighter tents the inside, deeper canal
muscles of the vagina, which are also part of the
pelvic floor can be tight in tents, which can give
that sensation of like bruising or tenderness or like your
partner's hitting something. And then also when our hormonal change,
(18:29):
when we have hormonal changes like low estrogen, we have
vaginal dryness and that can happen definitely during perimenopause one
hundred percent after menopause, but it can also happen if
you're breastfeeding relactating after giving birth when you have low
estrogen levels. And again we're just like left in the
dark about this part of our body and thinking, Okay,
I'm either going to have to like stop having sex
(18:51):
or just endure the pain if I want to have sex.
And that's just going to be my next forty years.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Oh that doesn't sound enjoyable.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
No, but so many women go through it, and you know,
I just I had just had a conversation with doctor
Mary Claire Havern. She said one of the most common
questions she gets is like people telling that telling her
about like painful sex and dryness and discomfort, and you know,
I think the older generation just thought that this was
their destiny, like there's nothing you can do, You're own menopause.
(19:20):
But in fact, there is so much you can.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Do right, yes, because during menopause, that's what happens. We
are estrogen drops yep, and that lack of estrogen then
weakens the pelvic floor muscle, and then, you know, then
all the other issues come into play, right.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Pelvic floor weakness, pelvic for dryness, vaginal dryness. There was
a real that went viral recently about your labia disappearing
during menopause, and people were like, wait.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What you know? But it's all estrogen changes.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
And you know, even in the book, I tell people like,
take a mirror and look at your parts, like you
have likely never seen this part of your body. More
doctors and partners have seen this part of your body.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Than you have.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
And if we don't start connecting and identifying it and
knowing what our normal is, then we can't know when
something is abnormal or changing. And so it feels like
a big ask, but it's actually quite simple and not
that scary once you do it, and then you can
kind of monitor like how is my body feeling, what's changing,
and then you can proactively get help if something does change.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Right. Okay, So for someone who has gone through menopause
or you know, is it right there? Can you reverse
this in your body after menopause once you see the signs,
or are we just doomed to have p giggles for
the rest of our lives.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
No, it's totally treatable and you can absolutely get help
no matter what age you are. I mean, I've worked
with women in their seventies and eighties with prolapse and
leakage and bladder problems, and they've gotten so much better.
Like the time to start is now. It's never too late.
And you know, we see women now, like in their
seventies starting to strength train and they are bulky and
(21:06):
have muscles and are so strong with just a year
or two of weightlifting. And it's the same thing for
your public floor, Like you can rebuild these muscles like
any other muscles in your body. You do have to
be consistent, though. I think one of the hard parts
with kind of healthcare now is we just want to
quick fix, like put me on the kegel chair, insert
the device, or rejuvenate my vagina. But you know, these things,
(21:28):
we have to be consistent with them. They're muscles and
if we don't use them, we will lose them. So
you do have to be proactive.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I don't want to lose my wootle. Okay, So.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Okay, what do you think about those tactics like vagina rejuvenation.
You go to the thing and they do the thing.
I had somebody send to my house a at home
vagina rejuvenator. I didn't ask for this. I think a
brand just thought, you know, because I speak a lot
about women's health and I've spoken a lot about my
(22:06):
menopause journey, that I needed it.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
But I got it, and I was like, what the
hell do I do with this thing?
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Right?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
I know, it's a little intimidating. It's like a lightsaber.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
So they're massive.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
There's some new therapies that are coming out and some
of them are totally bogus, and some of them can
actually be helpful. So some of the kind of internal
products that are available are like internal Keegel trainers. They're
like little devices you can insert in the vagina that
look like tampons and you can squeeze around them.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So that can be helpful for.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Someone who needs strengthening and they can see kind of
their performance on their phone screen.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Eventually, you want to.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Do exercises on your own, but it's a great place
to start. Another device that's come out as an infrared wand,
and this is like a wand that you insert into
the vagina and it rejuvenates the tissue internally kind.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Of thing, that's what it is because it lights up.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Yeah, it's like those red lights mass we do for
rejuvenating our face. You can do the same thing for
your pelvic floor. So it's actually really it can be
totally beneficial. But the challenge is you have to keep
using it, Like if their studies have only been done
to three or six months, and then there's no long
term effectiveness to show, Like, Okay, if you stop after
(23:18):
three months, will this continue working?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
We don't know, and the case is likely know.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
So these are kind of adjunctive to exercise, not in
place of I do think it can help kind of
turn over more tissue and help, you know, plump up
the vagina and give you more attention down there, But
you still have to do exercises and all your other
kind of pelvic floor care.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
This is all so fascinating. You're really making me think
about all the times, not just in this area, but
all the times when I choose to just suck it
up and deal with it instead of choosing to find
a better way.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Yeah, well, you don't always know there's a better way
until you do, right, And so I think a lot
of women don't know that there's a better way until
we start having these conversations, which is why this is
so amazing that we can talk openly about it and
that you're sharing this with your community because you are
not alone.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Nope.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
And I think that we have as women as a gender,
kind of been like, Okay, we'll just we'll either deal
with it later or we're super strong and we'll suck
it up. But if we continue to do that, once
we get to perimenopause and menopause, like we don't have
our hormonal systems to prop us up anymore, and then
you're swimming upstream. So you almost have to like fill
(24:32):
your cop and get strong and healthy in your pelvic
floor and have the right habits or at any point
start doing this because as you age, you're kind of
you're fighting gravity, you're fighting hormones, so you've got to
kind of really be proactive about this. It's never too late,
but I encourage you to like start now because you
I'm like I don't want diapers to be my destiny.
(24:54):
You know, I want to work out for all of
my days. I want to have great sex for all
of my days. So I deserve that right, and so
this is what I have to do to kind of
ensure that.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Yes, definitely, I think this is this is so good
that we're hearing all this, even if it makes some
people uncomfy, it's really important. Like me, it's really important
to talk. It makes me uncomfy, and it's my podcast,
so I'm really conquering things within and also trying to
share this info.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
You know, and you're I think it makes a lot
of people uncomfortable. I mean, I do this all day
and I've done it for eighteen years, so I can
talk about this part of the body like it's you know,
like it's a TV show or like what did I
have for lunch? You know, so it's it's not a
big deal to me. And this is a part of
our body that I think we've been told is icky
(25:44):
or embarrassing or yucky or we should hide it. And
I think that that's part of what prevents us from
getting help, is that we we don't talk about it.
And so when I think about the next generation of
women behind us or kids even like my kids. I
have two boys, and they probably know more about like
the pelvic floor and vagina than like most adult women
(26:07):
because they hear me talk about it and it's so normal.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Right, That's so good though, that they know well.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
And then I think my hope is like, okay, if
they are ever you know, with women, whatever happens, that
they will hopefully help them feel comfortable with their bodies
and know like what changes are and what a tampon is,
and you know what a period is and all these things.
So I just think that, you know, even just having
this conversation, even if it makes us uncomfortable, that's okay
(26:36):
because these symptoms also make us uncomfortable. So we kind
of have a choice like which discomfort do we want
to deal with? And we all get there in our
own time. And when people come in, I'm like, there's
no such thing as TMI, Like everything we talk about
I've probably heard before, or if they don't, like this
is totally confidential and I'll help you navigate it. And
but if we don't talk about these things, and how
(26:57):
do we get solutions? And it's it's just so rewarding
to be able to help women better understand their bodies
and feel good about them.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Right, No more it's yucky or icky talk like no,
as a parent, just erase that from your vocabulary, because yeah,
that's going to send some really long lasting incorrect messages.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I mean, I think it's also like, this is just
a body part, like an ankle or a knee.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I'm never like, oh that knee is so gross. You know,
it's like it's just a body part.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
And so but you know, we're walking through cultural layers
and societal norms, and you know that takes time and work,
and so you know.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
We're getting there. We are, we are.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
I hope people will get there quicker because we're just
doing everything we can to destigmatize all the parts of
women's health.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
No, and you're doing a great job.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
And you know, I get kind of I think a
lot of people get like, oh my gosh, you know,
kind of get embarrassed.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
You just came out with your first book, Floored. Tell
me about it.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Yeah, so juicy grapefruit on the front. So it's embolic Lord,
A Woman's.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Guide to Pelvic Floor Health.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
At every agent stage, you can see the little hammock here.
That's kind of like the pelvic floor muscles and you know,
the juicy grapefruit. So it's really a guide for women
at every stage of life because our pelvic floor requires
something different, whether it's menstruation, becoming sexually active, going through
birth and postpartum obviously, but then also into perimenopause. And
(28:30):
I think it's a myth that we think only pregnant
people are menopausal people have pelvic floor issues.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
It's really at every stage of.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Life and there's something different that's required for our pelvic floor,
a different type of care at all of those stages.
So I just really hope it helps women, you know,
again better understand their bodies, but kind of start taking
proactive steps to address these issues, to prevent them and
then also overcome them if they're already experiencing them.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
That's what it's about. Knowledge is power. Yeah, I'm absolutely
going to have my daughters listen to this episode. They
probably will be squarey, but I'm going to make them
do it. And I'm definitely going to pick up a
copy of your book.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
And then I also hope that medical providers can you know,
read it and learn something because I think that that's
those are our first points of contact, you know, and healthcare,
and so I think the more we're able to screen
for issues and ask the questions, we're going to be
better able to refer patients and give them a sense
of what to expect from therapy as well.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yes, yes, Before I let you go, doctor Sarah, I'd
love to ask you the question that we always close
the show with.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
What was your most.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Recent I choose me moment? It can be big or small,
something where you made a clear choice to put yourself first.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
You know, I would honestly say this past year of
writing the book and launching the book, it's I had
to take a big step away from time with my family,
from socializing and traveling. I mean, I really had to
carve out a lot of time to write this and
it's something that I'm really passionate about, and so I
(30:03):
think that it kind of felt selfish sometimes, like oh,
I'm not there for my partner, or I'm missing my
kid's stuff, or I didn't get to go on this
girl's trip. But it was so important to me, and
I was like if I don't, if not now, then when,
Like when is there ever a good time to take
on something that you're really passionate about. It takes time,
so I would say like the daily choices of doing
(30:24):
that and you know, really kind of starting from scratch
and coming up with this kind of whole now book is.
It's just been amazing and kind of pushed myself in
a way I didn't even know I could be pushed,
and it's just been it's gonna it's really exciting to
kind of have this out in the world.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
That's so great. You did the thing.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
I did the thing.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
You did it. That's such a.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Great message to anybody out there who's listening.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Do the thing. Don't wait
Host
Jennie Garth
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