**What is Pelvic Steaming?**

Steaming is a healing modality that can be utilized by anyone with a pelvis. I will mostly be speaking about female anatomy and menstruation but note that this therapy can be used for folks with male anatomy and people who do not menstruate, in the case of post menopausal women and hysterectomy.
I will be using the term “vaginal steaming” and “pelvic steaming” as meaning the practice of sitting over warm, herbal infused steam for an allotted amount of time, allowing the warmth of the steam and herbs to permeate the pelvic region. Pelvic steaming is commonly known as "yoni steaming" or "sacral steaming".

Where does vaginal steaming come from?

Pelvic Steaming is deeply rooted in indigenous technology and medicine. Sitting over herbal infused steam or smoke is found all over the globe, particularly as a postpartum healing modality. You can find records of vaginal steaming being practiced in Africa, South America, North America, all across Asia from the Middle East to India to the Pacific Islands. My personal ancestral practice of vaginal steaming comes from the Philippines. Vaginal steaming is found in one of the oldest medical texts of Italy. Currently pelvic steaming is practiced all over the globe as a traditional postpartum practice and for menstrual health as well as utilized in hospitals in China and Korea for integrative cancer care (colon, prostate, ovary, cervix cancers).

Vaginal steaming is practiced in the diaspora communities here in the US as well as at certain health and beauty spas. In the Czech Republic, it is becoming an option to use steaming in the labor and delivery rooms.

Pelvic steaming is a healing modality in Ayurvedic as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The suppression of vaginal steaming stems from colonization, imperialism, the patriarchal overtaking of women’s reproductive health, the establishment of the medical industrial complex, and the demonization of midwifery. We have Granny Midwives and other folk practitioners to thank for holding this knowledge for us.

Acknowledging the Roots of Vaginal Steaming

All over the globe, there are cultural practices to heal after birth by using steam and plants.

We acknowledge that this amazing, beautiful, precious practice is rooted in indigenous technology. The wisdom of women and keepers of birth connecting countless numbers of cultures across the world is so powerful.

Despite the Western messaging that steaming is “dangerous”

and “anti-feminist”, which you will come upon from Googling…this time-honored practice is backed by the experiences of generations of women and child-bearing people, plus the current testimony of steam users today. I believe in the anecdotal stories of women and am excited for when the scientific research community catches up to learn what it’s all about. Currently there are a handful of studies that focus on vaginal steaming

Watch the mini class "Steam My What?!”

Who should vaginal steam?

First let’s talk about who should not steam.

If you are menstruating or fresh spotting-do not steam.

If you are pregnant-do not steam.

if you are Trying to Conceive and you are past ovulation-do not steam.

If you have a hot burning sensation-do not steam.

If you have 2 periods per month or heavy breakthrough bleeding, do not steam. Please seek out help from an acupuncturist. They will support you in stopping the unnecessary bleeding.

When we bleed in between our periods, that is squandering our life force energy. Our Qi. Our vitality. The blood that we make, we make with what we consume, the water we drink and the food that we eat. I have worked with women who bleed for weeks on end with no options but to be put on birth control. While hormonal birth control is important, it has turned into a catch-all for women’s reproductive issues. Menstruating people deserve better! We deserve periods that don’t drain our vital life force. We deserve not to bleed for weeks on end. Using acupuncture and hemostatic herbs and steam protocol from a trained practitioner is a way to support those who want to get help stopping their bleeding.

Who should steam continued.

There are so many reasons to steam. If you are stressed. If you are disconnected and need a grounding practice. If you have digestive issues like constipation or nausea. If you have cramps, clots, PMS, chronic infections, if you are wanting to heal postpartum, if you want to support your body in perimenopause, if you are healing from trauma, if you have gynecological issues like cysts, blocked glands, endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, HPV…If you are healing from miscarriage or abortion, if you are in your last couple weeks of pregnancy and want to labor prep with steaming. If you are about to get your first period or in your menarche years, steaming is a great practice to learn right off the bat as a newly bleeding person.

If you are facing fertility challenges, if you are experiencing long and missing cycles, or cycles that are too short, steaming can be supportive.

Personally, the biggest benefit I have experienced that I did not expect, was the nervous system support. After steaming I feel so relaxed, peaceful, and clear. I get great sleep and my poops are the best. As a mother of two I have a lot of time practicing my patience, under slept and overstimulated. Integrating steaming into my life is an opportunity to fill my own cup. To have time wholly to myself and that is important for me. One thing I have been reading more about is the vagus nerve, which is part of the cervix. This is a key potential for women and cervix-holders to support their nervous system on a physical/tissue level.

Why vaginal steam? Why not just take a bath?

Herbal baths are great, they are warming and circulating and you can receive many benefits from a bath. Steam is a different modality. Steam itself is incredibly medicinal. It has its own properties and ways of interfacing with our physical body. Our body is porous and permeable, our body loves water. Steam is water! It is not air, and in this context of pelvic steaming, it is not aggressively contained and released (like steam engines or cleaners) Steam has a rising action. It is able to pass through our tissues. This is why pelvic steaming is known to be supportive in cases of organ prolapses.

Steam is also a great vehicle for herbal medicine. Plant chemical constituents are lifted and brought to the surface of our skin and beyond. The blood stream is very accessible, particularly through the membranes of our pelvic region. This allows medicine a direct route to our bodies.

Steam can deep clean, so this is helpful for keeping stitches clean and removing damaged cells. Steam draws out irregular discharge (where the infection thrives), steam softens which is helpful in cases of lumps, bumps, and masses, particularly fibroids + scar tissue.

The movement that steam creates is circulating, warming, and clears stagnation. We want healthy and free movement of blood and fluids for healthy organ functioning.

This is an excerpt from my zine entitled "Steam my what?!"

Did you learn something new? What questions do you have about steaming? Connect with me and let me know!

Watch the mini class “Steam My What?!”