“Why do I queef when I work out?”
“Why do I queef after sex?”
“Why does my vagina feel like it’s farting?”
“My vagina farted during yoga class so now I can never go back.”
What is queefing and why does it happen?
To Queef:: to release air that has been trapped in your vagina
Queefing is pretty common whenever our bottoms are higher up than our backs (aka we are inverted) or our pelvic floors are on stretch. Queefing can happen during a bridge, downward dog, or even during/after sex. It can also be whenever our pelvic floor muscles are stretched such as a sumo squat, happy baby, deep squat or even a hip hinge. The first thing to know is that queefing on its own does not mean something is wrong! It simply means there was a gas trapped in your vagina and it made its way to the outside. Queefing can be more common in people who have a prolapse so if you find yourself queefing all the time, it’s a great idea to get checked out by a pelvic floor provider.
Ok, so let’s talk about the elephant in the room- embarrassment. It may be a little awkward/uncomfortable if you find yourself queefing during yoga class, but that doesn't mean you can never show your face in class again. Queefing is just farts from the front end…it happens. As much as it happens, there's also a few things you can try to help stop the queef.
How can I stop queefing?
So this one is tricky because we are all different. The key is to find what works for YOU! Below are some common things you can look at whether it is during a squat or an inversion. Sometimes we also feel like our vaginas are flapping in the wind and open, if that’s you try these and see what makes you feel most supported. Play around, experiment, see what works for you and remember that queefing and openness does not equal harm.
Find your neutral spine. We each have a position that we feel most stable in and we call this a neutral range. This isn't a set point you have to stay in all day, every day…but it's a position where you feel most supported. Let’s look at the position you find yourself queefing the most..maybe it's a squat or maybe it's a downward dog. Do the movement how you normally would.
Let's try to find your neutral by doing the same movement with a little more anterior pelvic tilt (think J-Lo booty…or pretend you're a puppy dog and your owner just came home and you're excitedly wagging your tail). How do you feel? Do you feel more or less supported?
Next, try the same movement with more posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your butt a little or pretend you're a puppy who just got in trouble for stealing food off the table and your tail is moving down). How do you feel? Does your pelvic floor feel more or less supported?
This time we're going to repeat those exercises but instead of paying attention to your pelvic floor, let's look at your ribs. When you do an anterior pelvic tilt, are your rib cage and pelvic floor relatively stacked or do your ribs flare? What happens when you do a posterior pelvic tilt? Which position do you feel like you are most stable or strong?
Finally, repeat the same exercises and take a deep breath into the pelvic floor. Usually in the neutral range we can take a deeper and more full breath without feeling like we are using a lot of exertion. Which position do you feel like you can take a full breath without working hard to achieve it?
How are you breathing? This time we are looking at how we connect our breath and movement. A lot of people are taught there is one right way to breathe, but we are all unique. Some people need more intra-abdominal support and others need more pelvic floor activation. My goal isn't to tell you the only way to breathe…it's to help you connect with your body so YOU can understand which breathe works best for you with which movement. In all of these we want to focus on what you feel. Do you notice more support, increased pelvic floor activity or less queefing in any of these positions? If so, utilize those breathing strategies during the movements.
First, do your movement of choice. Pay attention to how you naturally breathe. How does your pelvic floor feel? Do you notice any pressure or tension in your diaphragm, abs, or pelvic floor?
Next, try to do a full inhale, GENTLY hold your breath and do your movement of choice. What changes do you notice?
Try again and this time inhale and do a soft and slow exhale as you start the movement. What changes do you notice?
Finally, inhale, say a long “chhhh” like you are going to say “cheese” and then move. What changes do you notice?
Change your hip position/stance. This one is more applicable to the squat and deadlifts/good morning/hip hinge but if you notice queefing you can try to change the position of your stance. Experiment and see what feels right for you—
Sumo stance vs standard stance vs narrow stance all change the pelvic floor. If you notice more support and less queefing in one of these stances, use that for now. Our long-term goal is to be able to do all of the positions without queefing but this may require an assist from a pelvic floor provider.
How your hips rotate also affect the pelvic floor. Standing with your feet and hips pointed slightly outward or towards each other also changes how the pelvic floor works. You can feel this even when you're sitting. You can sit with your knees sitting wide and notice how your pelvic floor feels. Next, you can sit with your knees together and notice how your pelvic floor feels. These same changes of the hip can be used during squats or downward dog to provide more pelvic floor support.
What your feet are doing also changes what happens to your pelvic floor. Dorrsiflexion or your foot moving towards your head frequently activates the pelvic floor more. In a squat, this may be seen as making sure your entire foot is being utilized for support rather than transitioning onto your tippy toes. In downward dog this can be done by pushing into your heel a little more so that your ankle is bending more. Plantar flexion, or your foot moving away from your head can help relax your pelvic floor. In a squat or deadlift, this can be seen as using a small heel lift. In downward dog, this is seen when you push the balls of your feet into the ground to achieve the movement.
If you notice queefing with glute bridges or downward dogs, you can make the same changes or you can add a small exercise ball between your knees OR a band around your knees. All of these movements can change the activation/relaxation of the pelvic floor and can help reduce queefing. But again, there isn't one right way! The best thing you can do is play around with your foot position and see what helps you.
Experiment with both progressions and regressions. I love working on a deadbug or bird dog while rocking back and forth or even happy baby in order to better train a squat. A box squat may also be beneficial while you are training your pelvic floor as it can be slower and more focused. Sometimes we need to regress and build strength, endurance and coordination so we can fully progress without queefing in the future. You can also add a little load to increase the natural tension of the body and help activate the core and pelvic floor. Often times we actually need to challenge the body so we can continue to grow.
Sex and Queef: Let’s be real, “the sex and queef” isn't nearly as much fun as “the bend and snap.” BUT if you notice you’re queefing mostly during or after sex, there are ways to help. Those positions we mentioned in exercise? It applies during sex too. Often times doggy style isn't as forgiving to the queef as missionary. You can also change how your legs are positioned. One option that many find helpful is by placing their knees wide and their feet together (think butterfly stretch). This naturally contacts the pelvic floor and doesn't allow as much air to enter.
Ask for help! There are a lot of reasons someone may queef. When we are resting our vaginal flaps should be gently closed and after childbirth those little flaps may be open a little more. Queefing could be related to pelvic floor strength, ability to relax, or coordination…or it may be related to perineal tearing or an episiotomy. There is no “right way” or “best way” to exercise when you are queefing. There isn’t one solution that be best. We are all unique and the best thing to do is figure out what is right for YOU!