The ultimate guide to your ? vagina (Part II)

[karizmua]

Sex ed didn?t cover the half of it. From little-known anatomy to tips on safe handling, here?s what you need to know about the sweet spot between your legs.

By Nicole Beland

Submitted by Karizmua

X-Mark the Spot

While the vagina is nowhere near as responsive to touch as the vulva, it does contain hundreds of nerve endings. If a woman were lying on her back with a clock placed upright inside the lower part of the vagina (don?t ask how it got there), the most sensitive area would be at 12 o?clock, right behind the urethra. In 1982 study of more than 400 women, Rutgers University sex researchers Beverly Whipple, Ph.D., and two colleagues found that when this area was stimulated after a woman was already sexually aroused, a dime size bump of tissue appeared and could sometimes trigger an orgasm. She named the area the G-spot after Ernst Grafenberg, the German doctor who first documented it in 1950. Further examination of this spongy tissue found it identical to that of the make prostate gland, a well-established pleasure zone. Some doctors believe the G-spot should be renamed the female prostate. Supporting that belief is a study showing the similarity between the fluid expelled by a very small percentage of women through their urethra during a G-spot, much less ejaculated? Whipple says don?t sweat it: ?There are many sensitive areas inside the vagina that, when stimulated by a finger, vibrator, or penis, can contribute to sexual pleasure.?

Honorable Discharge

That strip of cotton in the crotch of every panty is there for a reason ? even if you?re not on your period or the tiniest bit sweaty, it will collect moisture. The vulva and vagina produce an average of 1 to 2 grams of vaginal discharge (or about ¼ to ½ teaspoon) every 8 hours. But even normal discharge doesn?t make pretty picture. ?It may be clear, white, or yellow, and fluid, waxy, stringy, or clumpy,? Dr. Stewart says. Some of it is a buildup of the oil that the glands in your vulva produce. Some is cervical mucus. Still more comes from normal vaginal secretions. Throw a sample under a microscope and you?ll also find bacteria, skin cells, and yeast spores. Quantity and consistency change over the menstrual cycle. ?During ovulation, secretions are thinner and more plentiful,? Dr. Stewart says. ?After ovulation, discharge becomes thicker. As you near menstruation, there?s less.? How do you keep this fluid factory fresh? Don?t mess with it. ?The vagina cleans itself. Over-the-counter products can make matters worse, since the protective bacterial balance will be further disrupted,? Berman says. ?If discharge smells bad or is accompanied by discomfort, see your doctor.? Wash with water and a perfume-free, pH-balanced soap like Dove, Berman says. Always wear cotton undies and go commando at night or whenever possible. That right: Unless you?re wearing something that could chafe or otherwise irritate you down under, docs are big fans of a panty-free lifestyle.

Tilt-a-Whirl

As seem on the diagram in every Tampax box, the vagina tilts back 30 degrees from the opening, which is why you?re supposed to aim toward you lower back when pushing the plunger. A side effect of this 30-degree angle is that in missionary position, the penis has little to no contact with super sensitive front wall of the vagina. As far as orgasm goes, this is not good. Placing a pillow under your hips, wrapping your legs around your partner?s lower back, and rocking back and forth to create clitoral friction can help you get maximum bliss out of missionary, but other positions typically yield better results. ?The best positions of G-spot stimulation include woman-on-top and rear entry,? Berman says. Woman-on-top lets you experiment with different angles to find the most feel-good sensations. ?Leaning back targets the anterior wall,? Berman says. Zero in on your G-spot in rear lying flat on your stomach and tucking a pillow under your hips. Or try reverse cowgirl, where you face his feet ? and with that view, he?ll be one very happy cowboy.

The Big Squeeze

You?ve heard of sex-enhancing Kegel exercise: Squeeze the muscle you?d use to stop urine midflow (except don?t actually do it while you?re peeing, since that can cause bladder infection), hold it for as long as you can, release, and repeat. But perhaps you haven?t seen Berman?s vaginal barbells. Neither had we. For beginners, there?s the Isis , which looks like a slim, clear plastic bow tie with smooth, rounded edges. And for woman with power vaginas (Asia Argento? Shakira? Condi Rice?), there?s the Juno, a plastic rod containing four spherical , 0.3- to 1.5-ounce weights in a row from smallest to largest (you?ll find both for sale at mypleasure.com). Start by inserting the bigger end in your vagina, tightening your pelvic floor muscles around it, and holding it in place with your hand. You?ll know your muscles are getting stronger when you can hold the smaller end in your vagina with no hand support. ?Just like other muscles, strengthening pelvic flood muscles is more effective when add resistance,? Berman says. Over time, using the Isis or Juno leads to improved vaginal tone and enhanced arousal and orgasm ability?. But even without resistance, Kegels make a real difference; according to Dr. Stewart, if you squeeze out 10 to 20 daily, you;ll sense stronger orgasms in about 3 months.

Friendly Invaders

Inside your vagina reside trillions of bacteria, some friendly, some not so friendly. ?Lactobacillus is a beneficial bacteria that keeps nastier bacteria in check,? says Christopher A. Czaja, M.D., and infectious disease fellow at the University of Washington at Seattle . ?Classic urinary tract infections often occurs when the number of Lactobacillus drops and E. Coli bacteria [often present in the vagina] start to flourish and ascend the urethra.? Yech. To prevent E. coli from migrating into the vagina from the other side of the ?hood, always wipe from front to back after going to the bathroom. Besides bullying bacterial bad boys like E. coli, Lactobacillus also crowds out yeast spores, another normal inhabitant of the vagina, which can otherwise grow to the level of an itchy infection. Keep your Lactobacillus count up by eating a daily cup of yogurt that contains the bacteria and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, which kill off the good guys along with the bad.