Yoni Steams: A Traditional Way of Healing Reproductive Issues and Enhancing Fertility
Its interesting the response I receive when I ask women if they have done a yoni steam before. I either hear that they have heard of them, or receive a look of shear horror at the thought of steaming the most important, and most intimate, part of the female body! It is fascinating that in western culture, we will cleanse the womb by douching with vinegar and water and sometimes even other chemicals, rather than allowing beautiful herbs and flowers to nourish our bodies. Oprah has even talked about them in her magazine before! This blog is for you, the wise women, so you may understand why this ancient herbal form of self care is so beneficial for you and can help benefit your reproductive organs tremendously!
This is such a traditional and beautiful way to honor your womb. It is believed in the mayan culture that women have 2 hearts. The actual beating heart in your chest and your womb. If one is off center, then it is said a woman is not in her power and not connected to her inner wisdom. Nourishing your womb, along with receiving maya abdominal massage, is the traditional way of bringing a woman back to her center and back to her power. Preparing her for conception, the birth of a new idea, a new life, or by bringing her more in touch with her intuition.
So why steam? In the maya tradition, vaginal steam baths are called bajos. Steams consist of herbs specifically used to tone and nourish the womb. We pray when putting together the herbs and ask the plants to help the woman to heal her body and in any other way they may be used during steam time. Plants hold vital energy and are full of volatile oils, so it is important to honor them and thank them for the help they provide for us.
Bajos aid as an internal cleanser for the vaginal tissues, cervix, and uterus. This is very important for chronic fertility issues and incomplete menstrual cycles. Issues that can be a sign of the these conditions are: PCOS, severe cramping, PMS, blood clots during menses, dark brown/purple blood at beginning of period, lingering cycles that are more like spotting for several days after bleeding heavily, endometriosis, shorter cycles than normal (under 4 days), longer cycles than normal (over 4 days), or absence of menstruation. All of these are a sign of old residue buildup in the womb.
Women who have the following conditions could benefit from steaming: fertility issues, uterine fibroids, severe cramping and PMS, uterine weakness, uterine prolapse, irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, PCOS, endometriosis, reproductive adhesion/scar tissue, previous vaginal tear or episiotomy, and dark purple or brown blood at the onset or end of menses, postpartum, & women who have miscarried.
There are traditional herbs and flowers used in bajos that are cleansing, tonifying, and nourishing. In my practice, I put together specific herbs for each woman depending on what her body needs. The blends of herbs and flowers are specific for the type of condition we are working with in the womb. I also have been trained as a peristeam hydrotherapist outside of maya abdominal therapy. As a peristeam hydrotherapist, I am trained to look for contraindications and put women on a steaming schedule that would benefit her most for the goals we are trying to achieve. Some women need cleansing herbs, while others might need disinfecting or gentle herbs. This is the danger in trying to steam one your own. I always have women come in who bought steaming herbs online, steam at the wrong time of their cycle, steam for too long or too short, or burn themselves. This is why having a consult and getting on a schedule is imperative to your health.
It is important for us to do all we can and take preventive measures in regards to our reproductive health. Staying connected to our bodies can be beautifully achieved by using herbal medicine and just taking the time to sit and allow these powerful allies to do their work. This is especially important for women who are trying to conceive. When there is old and stagnant blood in the uterus, a women's cycle can become irregular and the egg cannot fully mature in time for conception. Her ovulation time is off and in order for everything to be in balance, she should be ovulating every 14-15 days. This is one of the main reasons for infertility in women who have irregular cycles. Another reason would be if there is old residue in the uterus. Old reside shows up as brown blood, which is stagnation and means the womb is not fully cleansing, making implantation more difficult due to the walls of the uterus being congested. Steaming helps to cleanse and nourish making the womb ideal for implantation. It can take up to 3 months in order to fully cleanse the womb, making steaming each month an important practice for fertility and overall health of the womb.
Contraindications for yoni steaming:
Pregnancy, recent spontaneous bleeding (more than two periods in a month), menstruation, genital burning or itching, post insemination when trying to conceive, recent post surgical procedures.
Steaming misconceptions:
I tried steaming and it did not work for me:
This is usually due to a misunderstanding of expectations around steaming. Steaming may also not have worked because the proper herbal blend was not used, or a customized steam plan needs to be implemented. Also, not dedicating enough time to steaming could be a cause. Steaming usually takes up to 3-6 months to see any changes. This is why working with a peristeam hydrotherapist is important.
My doctor does not recommend yoni steaming:
Most doctors have no knowledge about steaming. If a doctor is has heard of yoni steaming, they usually have seen articles throughout the media that are false. Some doctors are also cautious because they are legally responsible for recommending something they feel could cause harm to a patient. There are gynecologists who are familiar and actually offer them in their practice. Ask a doctor who is knowledgable with yoni steaming.
Steaming cannot possibly balance hormones!
Hormone receptors line the inner cavity of the vaginal canal, ovaries, and inner lining of the uterus. There are also triggers in these areas of the womb that send messages to the pituitary gland in the brain. Touching any of these areas (as yoni steaming does) likely triggers the hormonal feedback loop. Also, clearing old residue inside the uterine walls would also help hormone receptors in the uterus and improve imbalances in the hormonal cycle.
I have seen media articles that are against yoni steaming and have been fact checked:
Unfortunately, this is not true. The media has released a lot of articles and false information that have been fabricated around steaming. Most articles are based on speculation. For more information and case studies, I would recommend www.steamychick.com (this is whom I did my training thru). They have plenty of case studies and scientific evidence in regards to steaming.
Steaming gave me a yeast infection:
Mucous and yeast may be released after a steam session. This is normal and a part of the cleansing process. Steaming does not introduce mucous into the vagina, but it can loosen it up! You can actually steam to cure yeast infections!
Steaming cause my bacterial vaginosis (BV) to get worse:
Again, steaming does not introduce mucous into the vaginal canal. BV causes a green, malodorous discharge. Steaming encourages this discharge to be released so the womb can heal from the infection.
Steaming caused my cramps to worsen:
Cramping occurs when the uterus is trying to dispel old blood and clots. This is actually why we experience cramps and clots during our cycle. If someone had a substantial amount of old blood in the womb that may have built up over time, the steaming will loosen the residue and cramps can occur. This usually only happens the first couple of steam sessions and is a good sign. Once the womb starts to release all of the residue, cramps and clots usually disappear!
Taking time for yourself, connecting to your womb and to your center should be a priority! It is an honor to work with the female body, to bring women back to where we came from, and to reunite women with our most precious gift…. our inner wisdom.
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In Beauty & Love,
Heather Leah
