
Let’s Get Comfortable Talking About Female Health (and a Giveaway!)
Right, let’s talk about vaginas for a minute shall we? Sorry lads, this one is for the CHICAS!
I recently had a spot of bother ‘down there’, which PRAISE BE is all cleared up now. It was totally out of the blue, nothing I’d caused from being promiscuous (chance’d be a fine thing) and it was nothing serious and super easy to treat. BUT it was also painful, uncomfortable and made me feel SOOOOO EMBARRASSED AND UNCLEAN X 100000. So I decided to write a blog about it. So that’s a treat for you.
Canesten (yes, they of thrush treatment fame) have just launched a campaign called Get Comfortable, with the aim being to encourage women to be more at ease and comfortable discussing their intimate feminine health openly. I mean I am all for this. Because we all know how BAE thrush and cystitis and periods can be. LOVE YOU BOO.
I reckon the lack of info and knowledge which comes from shyness and reluctance to talk about it, makes up a huge part of the reason why we feel so awkward about these things. Is it because we feel so bloody embarrassed? Is it linked with feeling unfeminine and, dare I say it, undesirable? The thing is, when things go slightly awry down there, it often causes such psychological anxiety that it all just gets blown up out of proportion in your head.
SO I SAY DON’T BE SHY! If something is worrying you or isn’t quite right, ask questions, talk to your girlfriends, or your mum and visit your GP. Honestly, they won’t even bat an eyelid even if you do go as red as a tomato. It’s ALWAYS better to to be safe and informed. SHOW YOUR LOVELY VAGINA SOME LOVE MY BABES! Allow crossed legs, niggling worries and ending up in a spiral of googled symptoms. Open up (your legs wheyyyy) and get comfortable talking about your own body.
To help get the ball rolling, Canesten are offering a £50 John Lewis Voucher (cute of them) to one lucky commenter! Just enter through the rafflecopter!
Do you find feminine health a difficult topic to discuss?
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*This post was written in collaboration with Canesten and the #GetComfortable campaign, but all views are my own!
Terms and Conditions for Canesten ‘Get Comfortable’ Prize Draw Competition
1. This Canesten ‘Get Comfortable’ prize draw (“Prize Draw”) opening date is 18/12/15 and the closing date for entries is 24/12/15.
2. To enter the Prize Draw, entrants must post a comment in response to the Canesten ‘Get Comfortable’ social media post, via theRafflecopter Widget.
3. Rafflecopter allows for secure, and fair management of giveaways, as the entries can be entered easily and the winner can be selected randomly within the widget.
4. Only one entry per person will be accepted. Multiple or third party entries are not permitted.
5. The Prize Draw is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Promoter, their families, agents or anyone else connected with the Promoter.
6. One winner will be selected at random from all valid entries received on or before the closing date.
7. The prize is one £50 John Lewis shopping voucher.
8. The winner will be notified by email from the promoter, within 28 days of the closing date.
9. The winner must notify the promoter of their postal address for delivery of the prize within 28 days of being notified that they are the winner. If the winner does not respond within 28 days a new winner will be selected at random from the remaining valid entries.
10. The prize is not transferrable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash.
11. The Promoter will not be liable if the prize cannot be taken by a winner for any reason beyond the control of the Promoter.
12. Owing to exceptional circumstances outside its reasonable control, the Promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the Prize Draw or these terms and conditions at any stage but will always endeavour to minimise the effect to entrants in order to avoid undue disappointment.
13. The decisions of the Promoter are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
14. Each entry may be subject to relevant social media’s terms of use.
15. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for entries that are not received for any reason.
16. Details of the winner’s name and county will be available for one month after the close of the Prize Draw by contacting the Promoter.
17. Other than for death or personal injury arising from the negligence of the Promoter, so far as permitted by the law, the Promoter hereby excludes all liability for any loss, damage, cost and expense, whether direct or indirect, howsoever caused in connection with the Prize Draw or any aspect of the Prize.
18. By entering the Prize Draw, all entrants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by these terms and conditions and consent to
the transfer of their personal data to the Promoter for the purposes of administering the Prize Draw and for any other purposes to which the entrant has consented. All entry instructions form part of these terms and conditions.
19. All personal data relating to participants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not, save as set out in these terms and conditions, be disclosed to a third party without the individuals’ prior consent.
20. These terms and conditions and any issues or disputes which may arise out of or in connection with these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. Entrants hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts to settle any such dispute or issues.
Rebecca Anderson
December 19, 2015 at 8:20 amDefinitely all good advice – and as the wife of a urology doctor, I can assure you that she sees worse things than a spot of thrush every day!
bloodyhellbrennan
December 19, 2015 at 10:50 amI bet! Xx
Abbie Riley
December 19, 2015 at 10:47 amSo true – why is it men love to talk about their bits but we get embarrassed at the slightest mention of ours?!
bloodyhellbrennan
December 19, 2015 at 10:50 amNicky Cross
December 19, 2015 at 10:49 amBrennan! Yes babe! Totally agree! Let’s all open up (our legs) and let our juices flow. Hooray for Va-j-j, plunge with the clunge, don’t be a diva, celebrate the beaver xxx
bloodyhellbrennan
December 19, 2015 at 10:50 amThese are all immediately making their way into my vocabulary
frankie meredith
December 19, 2015 at 11:11 amUsed to be shy as hell. Now women’s health is probs my favourite convo topic (along with Kylie Ks lip job and the current series of first dates).
Frankie The Mayfairy
December 19, 2015 at 11:24 amVaginas happen. We can’t pretend they don’t. Let’s face it, some of our best stories are always gonna be vagina based. YEEEEEYAAAAH!
purvy
December 19, 2015 at 11:33 amSo true! And why do they have the thrush creams and cystitis stuff next to the condoms and lube? Like a bad advert telling you if you do one you will get the other?! Or suggesting that’s why you’re there in the first place?! I get cystitis so often those sachets are as commonplace as paracetamol, but apparently boots don’t love your vagina woes next to their Beechams.
Being Erica
December 19, 2015 at 11:58 amI too had a spot of bother earlier in the year, and besides the shame, embarrassment, anxiety and sleepless nights it’s caused me, it was the necessary kick in the fanny I needed to finally open up (whey!) And let someone assess the mighty boosh for the first time in a long time. The results ended up fine and now all I need to do is pop back for a looksy every 6 months or so. Have I yet? No I haven’t. Have you reminded me to book? Yes you have. This is why we need to talk about our fannies more, because they tend to get forgotten otherwise (mine for a whole host of reasons WAH). Thanks John Lewis, I’ll take my gifty now!
kim plant
December 19, 2015 at 12:16 pmgreat blog xx
Louise Olley
December 19, 2015 at 1:48 pmI love my vagina. Even when it’s poorly.
-x-
Hayley F
December 19, 2015 at 4:10 pmI think we should talk more about it. Doctors have seen it all before but we get so embarrassed. I can’t even say vagina when i’m at the docs. I just say i yhink i may have a problem with my bits and peices hehe x
laura banks
December 19, 2015 at 6:49 pmbrilliant blog post
frances hopkins
December 19, 2015 at 8:44 pmWhat a fantastic prize, would be lovely to treat myself, Have a wonderful Christmas x
Jasmin Charlotte
December 20, 2015 at 9:57 amDefinitely just a case of getting the topic out there more!! It happens to us all, and it always makes me feel so much better when I know it’s not just me thats having the problems! x
Kim Styles
December 20, 2015 at 12:29 pmI have no problems talking about my bits -being a mum with a teenage girl I have to be able to talk to her about anything to ensure she is able to look after her own personal hygiene
emily omara
December 20, 2015 at 8:31 pmI can talk openly with my partner no probs but appreciate not everyone feels they can
Lizzy Baldwin
December 21, 2015 at 11:09 amLoveeee this post!
A little while back I had a bit of a problem down there and decided to get myself all checked out just in case.
It was one of the most stressful experiences I’ve had, in the taxi on the way there the driver asked if I worked there or if I needed to get something sorted out. I felt so embarrassed and it turned out to be absolutely fineee. The ladies who looked after me were so wonderful and it wasn’t terrible at all – it would have been 57674858393 times worse if I had caught something and I didn’t get it sorted out.
Great post hopefully will get more speaking up and make us less embarrassed about talking about our bits!
Natalie Crossan
December 23, 2015 at 6:30 amLike they say on Embarrassing Bodies, there’s no shame – we’re all the same!!
Imogen
December 23, 2015 at 9:21 pmIn my head I’m all for speaking up about women’s health as it’s so bloody important, but then I can’t bring myself to even say the word out loud. I never got any advice or information growing up and there isn’t anyone I’d feel comfortable asking even now – bearing in mind a lot of us have got one, vaginas are something that should be talked about a lot more! Love this post and your attitude to ‘personal’ health in general, makes me realise that we should never be ashamed of what we’ve got!