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Life In Leggings

Staying Healthy & pH Balanced (Down There)

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Today’s post may not be for everyone. I am teaming up with RepHresh to discuss the importance of pH balance and vaginal health, and I chose to participate in this campaign because it has helped me battle infertility. Boys … you might want to skip this one. Just sayin’.
 
Make sure to read through the end for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

 
Those who have been following Life In Leggings for more than a hot minute already know that I cover a variety of personal posts on this blog that touch on subjects others might not cover.
 
Pregnancy envy, bathroom finds, infertility struggles, dealing with miscarriage, you just never know what might pop up here. My husband and I also moved to New York City without full-time jobs. I guess you could say that we live by the “go big or go home” philosophy.
 
I’ve never been a very private person (which, I guess is an advantage considering that I blog for a living), and I voluntarily choose to share the bad with the good because that’s life. Today I am taking a big leap out of my comfort zone to talk about something that has truly impacted my life over the last few years: vaginal health. Yes, you read correctly. We’re going there.

Staying Healthy and pH Balanced Down There - Vaginal Health

Before Scott and I ventured out into the awesome, yet incredibly frustrating world of trying to conceive, I didn’t really put much thought into what was going on down there. If everything seemed to be in the norm, I had no need to visit my gynecologist outside of my regular yearly exams. Of course, I have experienced things every now and then that aren’t normal, as I am human. We all do, and if you say you haven’t, then I would consider you to be pretty darn lucky.

I have always been very aware of my body and what it’s doing. I think that awareness started because I was a dancer. I practically grew up wearing a leotard and tights six days a week as I stared into a mirror while being corrected in ballet classes.
 
I am amazed at what I can train my body to do to reach fitness goals, and I have always been big on showering as soon as I can after sweating or working out. It never occurred to me that I could be experiencing a pH imbalance until the last five years or so.
 
Every now and then, I can tell that something is off, and it usually takes a prescription from my OB/GYN for me to feel back to normal again. Over the last year and a half of trying to conceive, I have been more aware on what is going on down south than I ever have before – I mean, you practically have to. I keep a detailed daily diary of everything in my smartphone apps. (I personally use Glow and Fertility Friend.) It asks you to track your basal body temperature, whether or not you were sexually active that day, how you’re feeling, if you exercised, and finally, your ovulation cycle according to your vagina.
 
It’s just what you do. And no, it’s not fun … it’s annoying and stressful.
 
To make a long story short, we found out that I often have a pH imbalance. If something isn’t quite right and my levels are out of whack, it makes conceiving a child harder than it already is. Knowing this, my OB/GYN recommends that I use RepHresh to stay balanced on a weekly basis. This really freaked me out at first. I mean, really? Having to depend on using something to stay “regular” on a weekly basis just doesn’t seem right. But, I can assure you that it’s really not that big of a deal. And, in the end, if it means that I am more stable, then I’m in.
 
Today I am teaming up with RepHresh to talk about the importance of balancing vaginal health, and I am sharing some of the tips that I picked up from a recent Google Hangout video chat with other bloggers and our moderator, Naama.  

 

Some of the biggest takeaways include:

  • Soap doesn’t always cut it.

Regular bar soap isn’t made to keep you clean everywhere. It’s almost better to just use warm water to clean yourself, unless you have a product specifically made for that purpose. (See the RepHresh intimate wash line.)  

• Take probiotics!

Probiotics are “good” or “friendly” bacteria taken as a dietary supplement. Certain probiotics can even help maintain feminine health by balancing yeast and bacteria*. (There is a great RepHresh probiotic supplement!)  

• Yeast infections typically don’t have a smell associated with them.

So if you smell something weird going on, then it’s probably not a yeast infection. You should try balancing your pH first, and if it persists, call your gynecologist to recommend a proper treatment plan.  

• Blood has a higher pH than your regular vaginal canal.

So your bacteria levels can be easily thrown off after your period. Rephresh gel is great to use after your period to rebalance the pH and help you feel clean.   You can check out more of the chat highlights here!

 

I have to admit that after attending the Google Hangout, I realized that I could be doing much more to support my feminine health.  Since then, I have picked up a probiotic, I use an intimate wash, and I plan on actually using the pH balancing gel on the regular. It is what it is, y’all.  

Thank you for reading and opening your mind to discuss something that is often considered taboo. I’m very happy that I decided to pursue this campaign because I learned a lot and can personally recommend the brand and products to all of you. Here’s hoping we can kick that annoying pH imbalance out of here for good! #byefelicia  

Check out the Google Hangout conversation here: 

 
Connect with RepHresh on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

 
Questions of the Day

• Do you take daily probiotics?

• Do you use any pH balancing products on the regular to help with fertility?  

 

Comment below for your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of RepHresh, the maker of feminine hygiene products. While I was compensated for this review, all thoughts and opinions remain my own. Thank you for your support on this and all sponsors that help support my family!  

RepHresh is the clinically tested, #1 trusted brand that empowers women to take control of their vaginal health. RepHresh Vaginal Gel is clinically shown to maintain healthy vaginal pH, helping eliminate feminine odor and discomfort. A single application can maintain vaginal pH in the normal range for 72 hours or more. RepHresh Pro-B Feminine Probiotic Supplement is clinically shown to balance yeast and bacteria to maintain feminine health.* Just one capsule per day helps maintain vaginal flora in a normal, healthy range.* Click here to learn more. *

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Comments

  1. I do not take probiotics but thank you for this post! I actually had no idea about any of this and am definitely going to look into switching up my routine!! Thank you!

    Reply

  2. I definitely need to go grab some probiotics today. I keep telling me that I need to do it, I just never remember once I get to the store.

    I’m not trying to get pregnant right now, but as for staying balanced in general, I really LOVE RepHresh. I keep a box around the house at all times.

    Reply

  3. I’ve been TTC for a year and a half now, but I’ve never put much thought into this. Nor do I know if I have a problem or not. I’ve thought about taking probiotics, but never have. I enjoyed this post as it has brought awareness to this subject. Thanks girl!

    Reply

  4. I do take a daily probiotic, Florajen 3 I believe is the name. I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my overall health since regularly taking them!

    Reply

  5. I used to take probiotics but found that as long as I get a daily dose of greek yogurt I am good! Thank you for this post!

    Reply

  6. I used to take probiotics when I felt ‘off’, but never considered taking them daily. Thanks for the post!

    Reply

  9. I don’t take prebiotics or use any special products bit I think I’ll have to look into it now! Always appreciate the personal posts!!

    Reply

  10. Thank you for sharing! My husband and I just started TTC, so I’m all for anything that will make my body healthier and make this journey a little less stressful.

    Reply

  11. I’ve never used probiotics or any kind of special vaginal wash, and I honestly am in exactly the same place as you described in your intro (never really worried or thought to much about my pH)! This was such an interesting and helpful blog post, so thank you for putting the topic out there! It’s sensitive, but super awesome that you bring it up!

    Reply

  12. This was really interesting. I don’t do either and have honestly never given it a lot of thought, but I probably should! Thanks for this post and not shying away from this subject.

    Reply

  13. I do take probiotics. Thanks for the info, I’ve never thought about probiotics helping with feminine health.

    Reply

  15. Thank you for sharing this–I love real posts like this. I am not in the stage of my life where I am considering conceiving, but I do appreciate well-rounded health. I do take a daily probiotic, but just to keep me regular! I didn’t consider any vaginal benefits, but it is great to hear!

    Reply

  16. I definitely take a probiotic daily! I hadn’t heard of this brand before your post, but I’m going to check it out because I’m interested in all the products you mentioned! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  19. I’ve thought about adding probiotics to my daily routine lately, but haven’t actually done it yet. Guess I need to get on that! I’ve been TTC for nearly a year, so I really appreciate your openness with your TTC journey and the things that have helped you along the way. Definitely looking into probiotics and ph balancing products now.

    Reply

  22. I first got the idea to take a probiotic after reading about it on another blog, but never did pick up a bottle. Thanks for the informative blog post and reminder!

    Reply

  23. I used to take daily probiotics, but I didn’t see much of a difference, and they were expensive so I stopped. However, I should definitely look into another brand and give them a go.

    Reply

  24. I do not take daily probiotics, but I have been hearing about them so much lately that I am thinking I should look into them and maybe give them a try! I also don’t take anything for fertility, but I’m not quite ready for a baby yet. This is great to know for the future though!

    Reply

  26. Super informative post! I don’t take any probiotic supplements, I just try to get them from food. I’m far away from thinking about getting pregnant, but I still find fertility and women’s health in general fascinating, I guess I’m on the right track with becoming a nurse!

    Reply

  29. This is great information and a topic most people don’t cover so thanks! I have not been using a probiotic, but recently have been looking into different brands. This is just another reason to finally make a purchace : )

    Reply

  41. I have been wanting to start taking probiotics but I have been just eating yogurt up until now. I have heard of the many benefits of taking probiotics! I do not take products to help with pH balance.

    Reply

  45. I do not but I second the Greek yogurt comment earlier. I feel fortunate! I also am certain to shower or at least change immediately after any workout.

    Reply

  46. Great post! I do not use probiotics or ph-balancing products. However, your post was very informative and made me want to check them out. Thank you for tackling challenging topics on your blog.

    Reply

  47. I do not take probiotics but thank you for this post! I think that this product can really help me and I am going to look into taking probiotics!

    Reply

  51. I take probiotics almost daily (unless I forget lol!). I’ll definitely try to be more mindful of it, your post was super informative!

    Reply

  63. I do take probiotics daily; I do not use any pH balancing products on the regular to help with fertility.
    jslbrown2009 at aol dot com

    Reply

  82. I don’t take probiotics but I keep hearing so many good things about them, I think it’s time I start! ALso, I’m not trying to get pregnant.

    Reply

  88. I had no idea probiotics are so important for our bodies! I think it’s time I go out and invest in some probiotics as I don’t regularly take them. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  97. I don’t actually do either of those things!! But these are great tips and I have been thinking about taking a probiotic 🙂

    Reply

  119. I think that there would definitely be some great benefits from taking probiotics. I have not experienced the least of an imbalance, so I would be prime to take them.

    Reply

  121. I wasn’t aware that using regular soap isn’t advised to clean our intimate area until you mentioned it. I don’t pay attention to vaginal hygiene until recently and have used anything I found in the bathroom for my showers. Maybe it’s time for me to take it more seriously and see if getting vaginal steaming treatment could help.

    Reply

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