In this episode Claire talks about one of the most whispered questions in pelvic health: queefing. Also known as vaginal wind or vaginal flatulence, it is something many women experience and almost nobody discusses openly.
Claire shares her own experience on the Pilates reformer between her second and third children, and uses it as a starting point to explain what is actually happening in the body. The vaginal canal is lined with folds of tissue called rugae, which create small pockets that draw in air during movement or penetration. When pressure or angle changes, that air is expelled. It is a mechanical event involving normal anatomy. Nothing more.
Claire explains why it tends to become more noticeable postnatally (when the geometry of the vaginal canal has changed after birth) and in perimenopause and beyond (when reduced oestrogen affects tissue quality and elasticity). She is clear that for many women it has nothing to do with pelvic floor dysfunction, and that Kegels are not the solution. Looking at the whole picture of how you breathe, move and manage pressure across your body is a far more useful approach.
The episode closes with a question worth sitting with: are you limiting what you do, whether in a Pilates class or in your sex life, because of something that is entirely normal and that nobody ever explained to you?
Topics covered:
What queefing is and the different names for it
The anatomy of the vaginal canal and the role of rugae
Why air enters and leaves the vaginal canal
Why it is more common postnatal and in perimenopause
Why it is not automatically a pelvic floor problem
Why Kegels alone are not the answer
The cost of the silence women keep around this topic
The Whole Body Pelvic Health method
Resources mentioned:
Pelvic Health Cafe (free monthly): https://go.clairesparrowpilates.co.uk/pelvic-health-cafe-register
Website: https://wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk
Instagram: @hopeforyourpelvicfloor
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hopeforyourpelvicfloor
LISTENER TAKEAWAYS
Queefing is air entering and leaving the vaginal canal. It is a mechanical event involving normal anatomy, not a sign that something is wrong with your pelvic floor.
The vaginal canal is lined with folds called rugae that create small pockets. Air gets drawn in during movement or penetration and expelled when pressure or angle changes.
It is more common postnatal because birth changes the geometry of the vaginal canal, and in perimenopause because reduced oestrogen affects tissue quality and elasticity.
Many women who experience queefing regularly have a perfectly well-functioning pelvic floor. It is not an automatic sign of dysfunction.
Kegels will not fix this. The answer is to look at the whole picture: how you breathe, how you manage pressure and load, how your pelvic floor coordinates with the rest of your body.
The silence around this topic has a cost. If you are avoiding Pilates, exercise or your sex life because of it, that is worth paying attention to.
The embarrassment was never yours to carry. This is normal, common and entirely explainable.
Claire shares her own experience on the Pilates reformer between her second and third children, and uses it as a starting point to explain what is actually happening in the body. The vaginal canal is lined with folds of tissue called rugae, which create small pockets that draw in air during movement or penetration. When pressure or angle changes, that air is expelled. It is a mechanical event involving normal anatomy. Nothing more.
Claire explains why it tends to become more noticeable postnatally (when the geometry of the vaginal canal has changed after birth) and in perimenopause and beyond (when reduced oestrogen affects tissue quality and elasticity). She is clear that for many women it has nothing to do with pelvic floor dysfunction, and that Kegels are not the solution. Looking at the whole picture of how you breathe, move and manage pressure across your body is a far more useful approach.
The episode closes with a question worth sitting with: are you limiting what you do, whether in a Pilates class or in your sex life, because of something that is entirely normal and that nobody ever explained to you?
Topics covered:
What queefing is and the different names for it
The anatomy of the vaginal canal and the role of rugae
Why air enters and leaves the vaginal canal
Why it is more common postnatal and in perimenopause
Why it is not automatically a pelvic floor problem
Why Kegels alone are not the answer
The cost of the silence women keep around this topic
The Whole Body Pelvic Health method
Resources mentioned:
Pelvic Health Cafe (free monthly): https://go.clairesparrowpilates.co.uk/pelvic-health-cafe-register
Website: https://wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk
Instagram: @hopeforyourpelvicfloor
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hopeforyourpelvicfloor
LISTENER TAKEAWAYS
Queefing is air entering and leaving the vaginal canal. It is a mechanical event involving normal anatomy, not a sign that something is wrong with your pelvic floor.
The vaginal canal is lined with folds called rugae that create small pockets. Air gets drawn in during movement or penetration and expelled when pressure or angle changes.
It is more common postnatal because birth changes the geometry of the vaginal canal, and in perimenopause because reduced oestrogen affects tissue quality and elasticity.
Many women who experience queefing regularly have a perfectly well-functioning pelvic floor. It is not an automatic sign of dysfunction.
Kegels will not fix this. The answer is to look at the whole picture: how you breathe, how you manage pressure and load, how your pelvic floor coordinates with the rest of your body.
The silence around this topic has a cost. If you are avoiding Pilates, exercise or your sex life because of it, that is worth paying attention to.
The embarrassment was never yours to carry. This is normal, common and entirely explainable.