Yoni Steaming: Answering your most common questions

Every time we share about yoni steaming (also called vaginal steaming, or v steaming) our inbox is flooded with all kinds of questions about this amazing self-care ritual.

“What are the benefits of yoni steaming?”
“Can I steam while pregnant?”
“How often should I practice?”

I know what it feels like to spend hours on the internet researching and synthesizing information until a few more gray hairs start to grow in. You don’t have to do that anymore. This blog is here to save you time. 

We’ve rounded up the most asked questions from our community about yoni steaming and answered them below. Grab a cup of your favorite tea (ours is rose tea), make yourself comfortable, and let’s dive right into it.

What is yoni steaming?

If you’ve never heard about yoni steaming before, you’re not the only one. Although it seems this is a new-age wellness trend, it’s not. Yoni steaming is part of various traditional healing lineages from around the world and was not created by the elite.

One of my favorite parts of this ritual is that it’s accessible for so many people; it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars or require an invite from someone “in the know”. It’s just you, your yoni, and a few items you might already have around your house.

There are many names for it, yoni steaming, vaginal steaming, v steaming, peristeaming, womb steaming… but in this blog we’ll refer to it as yoni steaming.

I want to honor where the word yoni comes from (and also tell you how incredibly sacred it is).

Yoni is a word of Sanskrit origin (a vibrational language from India that is one of the oldest recorded languages – if not the most), translated as ‘source’, ‘sacred passageway’ or quite literally ‘origin of life’.

Whereas the etymology of the word vagina means a sheath for someone’s sword… uhhh how deeply enmeshed is patriarchy and heteronormativity? Just consider that most of our reproductive parts are named after or in reference to men!…

I’ll step down from my soapbox now and get on with it.

Yoni steaming, as I’ve experienced it, is a self-care ritual that can bring us in closer connection with the power, vitality, and spiritual energy of our wombs… with a whole added range of physical benefits that are also a huge plus.

It’s an amazing tool to add to your toolbox in case you ever need it…

And in our 14-Page Yoni Steaming Guide 101 (which is 100% FREE), I break down why this time tested ritual is just so fantastic for many…

Before I get into the plethora of potential benefits, let me make something crystal clear: Yoni steaming is NOT for everyone. In fact there is a long list of womben who yoni steaming might not be right for:

• Currently menstruating
• Currently bleeding after birth
• Those who experience spotting or abnormal bleeding in-between periods
• Active herpes infection
• Active yeast infection or UTI
• Under 38 weeks pregnant
• Trying to conceive (if trying to conceive, do not steam after you ovulate)
• Having an IUD

If you don’t see yourself included in the list above, then yoni steaming might be an amazing self-care ritual for you.

It might support with…

• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Scar tissue healing
• Painful periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Hemorrhoids
• Endometriosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine fibroids
• Cervical polyps
• Unintegrated womb trauma

In our Free 14-Page Yoni Steam Guide, I walk you through the step-by-step instructions to set up your own steam, my favorite positions for steaming (no fancy steam stool needed), plus the benefits of a few of the herbs I used to yoni steam.

None of this info is included in the questions below, so if you want the in-depth guide, click below to get it for $0.

TAKE ME TO THE 14-PAGE GUIDE

Yoni Steaming FAQ

Now that you know the basics of yoni steaming, let’s take it one step further and break down your most common questions.

And always remember: I’m not a Doctor (thank goddess). The information on this blog is meant for educational purposes only, and is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice or diagnosis in any way. If you’re in need of medical attention please seek out a health care provider who can support you personally.

Now, disclaimers out of the way, let’s get into it.

1. How often should I practice yoni steaming?

Steaming duration (aka do you steam for 10 minutes or 30?) and consecutive use all depends on the reason you’re steaming. For example, if you’re steaming to reconnect with your womb and cleanse your energy field after being in a relationship, one or two times might feel like enough. When I steamed after the birth of my daughter, I steamed every night for a month straight to work through my slight pelvic organ prolapse. There is no one size fits all steam plan and giving you a blind recommendation would be irresponsible, as this practice is POWERFUL.

A good rule of thumb with any new ritual, start small! And if you’re a newbie, keep a lookout for question #6 as it pertains specifically to you.

2. When in the cycle do you recommend yoni steaming? Is there a time of the cycle when it’s contraindicated?

The only way to give you the perfect answer to your question is to know the reason why you’re steaming. And as this is a blog (rather than a personal consult), it’s hard for me to do that as the reason you’re looking into yoni steaming might vary greatly from someone else’s eyes who are reading these words at the exact same time (hello, womben!). So I’ll give you some important guidelines to consider…

• If trying to get pregnant, steaming should not be done after ovulation.
• Steaming should never be done during menstruation as it opposes the natural downward detoxifying energy of your period and can actually increase bleeding.
• Steaming should not be practiced if you experience spotting or bleeding in between periods either.

(For a more lengthy list of contraindications that you possibly skimmed over, scroll up).

3. Can I do a yoni steam when pregnant?

Steaming should never be done during a pregnancy you’re trying to keep until the 38th week, and even then, only with the support of an experienced herbalist or steam practitioner.

4. What do you recommend to steam if we don’t have a steaming stool?

There are SO many different ways to get creative with your steam set up. A few of my favorite positions include steaming while sitting on the edge of my bed, steaming while in a supported child’s pose, and steaming while undulating my hips in circles while in a figure four position. Confused as to WTF I mean? I outline all the different positions I like to use and how to do them in our FREE 14-page yoni steam guide right here.

5. Wait, what’s a steaming stool? Why might I want one?

A steaming stool is an incredible invention that allows you to sit down comfortably while steaming. The best ones will be made of naturally antibacterial wood like cedar and/or birch and finished with an all-natural oil (like Tung). Please, please never steam using anything plastic (i.e. a plastic pot, bowl, or steam stool!) as hot water causes plastic to leach chemicals… and I’m pretty sure you’re not here to give your yoni a shower of toxins!

Wooden steam stools can run anywhere from $200- $300 USD, so they’re definitely an investment. Most of us don’t need them (unless you’re luxury like that), with one exception; postpartum womben.

If you’re having a baby or currently in postpartum and have the funds to do so, I highly recommend purchasing a steam stool.

Here’s why: depending on what kind of birth you have/had (vaginal or cesarean), you may not be able to get into various positions to steam comfortably. It’s also likely that you’re exhausted and need the extra support. Generally, postpartum steam durations are longer (for example, I steamed for 30 minutes a day) so it’s worth it to get yourself a steam set up that you can actually use, because if you don’t steam, you don’t get the benefits (duh!).

My favorite steam stool is handmade by women in Maine.

Kitara Love sent me their steam set up before I had my daughter, and I used it throughout postpartum. They’re one of the only companies that I’ve agreed to partner with as I believe so wholeheartedly in their products.

If you click the link below, you can get a discount on their yoni steam stools and we will receive a small commission for the connection.

CHECK OUT THE YONI STEAM STOOLS

6. Which herbs would you recommend to a newbie just starting and wanting to try today?

I cannot stress the importance of knowing the properties of the herbs that you’re using before you just go ahead and try it out. Depending on the reason you’re steaming, a certain herb might make your condition better, or a certain herb might make your condition worse.

Many people live by the notion that herbs are natural, and therefore more gentle than pharmaceuticals. And while it is true that herbal medicine rarely comes with the 10-page side effects that many pharmaceuticals boast, it doesn’t mean that they don’t carry the potential for harm.

For this reason, I urge you to not just grab a handful of herbs from your pantry and throw them into your first steam.

If you’re curious to feel the benefits that yoni steaming may bring, do your first ritual without any herbs. Yeah, you read that sentence right. Just get some filtered water and a pot and try it out (I give you all the instructions to make your first steam right here).

You’ll still get to experience the nourishment of more blood flow to your pelvis, a warming of the uterus, and a lifting of the pelvic organs. Contraindications still apply, so make sure to re-read those here before you try it out.

7. Can I use essential oils for yoni steaming?

Please dear goddess, NO!
Any one who tells you to put essential oils on or near your body without heavily diluting them in a carrier oil is likely one of two things:

1. Making money off the sale of essential oil products.
2. Someone who has never tried drinking water mixed with peppermint essential oil and feeling the eternal burning of their stomach lining. (My attitude aside, you can tell I have strong feelings about this.)

As I mentioned in a question above, just because herbs are natural doesn’t mean they can’t have harmful effects.

Essential oils are one of the strongest forms of plant matter in the world, I consider them to be pharmaceutical-like strength.

Imagine this… you’re giddily screwing off the top of your clary sage essential oil and dropping a few drops into your steam…

But to the surprise of the sensitive tissues of your yoni, oil does not dilute in water…

PLUS you’re using one of the strongest forms of this plant matter that there is, so it feels WAY different than your last steam you did with fresh herbs from your garden.

The point of this ritual is to support the tissues of your yoni, not put them in harm’s way.

Obviously I need to write another blog on the topic of ingesting essential oils… But in summary, let me say this:

1. I love essential oils. I do not buy MLM essential oils because I don’t agree with their farming practices and I think they’re kind of shady with how they insist ingesting essential oils is chill. The company I buy from is called Floricopeia (not an affiliate link).
2. Please, please, puhleeeesseee do not steam with essential oils. Dried or fresh herbs are so much better.
3. Choosing to steam with fresh or dried herbs will not only save the tissues of your yoni, but it will also save the Earth. Consider one 5mL jar of rose essential oil amounts to 252,000 distilled rose petals (thanks, Google).

8. What can I do with the herbs after I’ve done my yoni steam?

One of the most beautiful ways to end your steam practice is to close the cycle with reciprocity. The herbs have just given you their life force and offered you their spirits for healing. How can you honor them in return?

After steaming, I always walk outside and offer the water and herbs from my steam to the Earth. I have one tree on the land where I live that was a huge energetic support for me during my home birth with my daughter, so I usually offer it at the tree’s base where the thick exposed roots meet the clay earth.

But what if you live in a city? Well sneak a jar of your yoni steam out on a walk with you and pour it onto a random tree, duh! Just kidding (unless you’ve got some brass ovaries). You can give it to the compost if you have one and know that it eventually is going to make its way to the earth. You can also pour a few ounces into your house plants.

Don’t overthink it. The most important part of closing your yoni steam ritual is intention. Part of womb healing is learning how to move away from extracting what we desire and just taking, taking, taking and learning how to open up our wombs to allow the gifts we’ve received to flow from us and nourish everything around us.

Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Reach out to us in our private Facebook Group Womben Wellness Collective! There are thousands of womben in this group who can’t wait to support you on your womb healing path.

Can’t wait to learn more and get steamy with me? I GOTCHU! In my Free 14-Page Yoni Steaming Guide, I break it all down for you. In this guide you’ll learn…

• Benefits of yoni steaming
• Contraindications of yoni steaming
• Step-by-step instructions for setting up a yoni steam
• Positions for yoni steaming
• 3 herbs we use to yoni steam

I WANT THAT FREE YONI STEAM GUIDE