Back to Basics: Take a Look
Getting to know your body starts with knowledge of what you’ve got. While high school biology covers the basics it typically misses some pretty important parts. I can’t tell you how many people in the clinic tell me I am the first person to show them a picture of their pelvic anatomy—or show them their own with a hand mirror. While I hate that it’s the truth, I do LOVE being that person. It gives a person back a piece of their own power.
If you’re so inclined, grab a mirror, get comfy on your bed with good lighting, and follow along this little map to see these yourself. I truly believe the more we know about our bodies, the more ownership we are able to take. I know it weirds some people out, and that’s fine. But I truly believe there is nothing shameful about the human body, and these are important basics to know and experience.
Here’s where we start:
Women have 3 openings in their pelvic anatomy. From front to back, there is a urethra, vagina, and anus. This may be old news to you, but I can tell you—there are adults who don’t know this.
More on these openings:
Urethra:
This is where urine (pee) exits. You may or may not be able to see this on yourself, because our anatomy varies. Sometimes it’s easily seen just right there beneath the clitoris (that part deserves its own post!), but sometimes it’s tucked up more inside the vaginal opening. Separate the labia minora (literally “little lips”) and see if you can find yours.
Vagina:
This is where menstrual blood and discharge exit, where your tampon or menstrual cup goes, and where sex often “happens.” I once had a young new mom look at my pelvic model and ask “Where does the penis go?” THIS is where it goes (usually). And with a vaginal birth, it’s where the baby comes out. (It’s so good to know what it looks like before you have a baby, so you know what your baseline is! It will always look different after birth though)
Anus:
This is where bowel movements (poop) exit. While your mouth is the start of the digestive system, this is the end. Hemorrhoids can show up here too.
That’s about as basic as it gets. Start here to orient yourself. While you’ve got the mirror out, do a pelvic floor squeeze, and see what changes (you should see everything pull inward). Release then try pushing out a little (you should see everything push out a little). You might not see anything change at all, or you might see a LOT of movement.
Want a more thorough tour? Click here to get access to my free video Tour of the Pelvic Floor.
If you really want a more thorough assessment, get yourself to a Physical Therapist who specializes in pelvic health. If things don’t seem right down there, or if you just want to know more about what you’ve got, they can be a tremendous help. It’s YOUR body, after all. You deserve to know everything you can.
Image: @priii_barbosa