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Good news: it’s totally, totally fine to masturbate while you’re on your period. If you’re comfortable with it, it’s not gross and as long as you’re clean about things, it’s not unhealthy.

In fact, masturbating during your period is probably a big benefit to you. When you have your period, all of these crazy hormonal things are happening to your body and these hormones can make you even more in the mood, if you catch my drift. So, you probably feel extra, um, cravings to masturbate during this time anyway. Masturbation can also help relieve painful cramps from your period. And if you have mood swings, pleasuring yourself has been proven to make you feel happy and to help get rid of stress (read more about what masturbation does here). I see nothing but good things here!

I mean, yes, a masturbation session during your period may end up being more messy than masturbating when you’re not on your period. There’s blood down there so that makes sense, right? I would suggest laying down a few old towels before you get busy and, of course, washing your hands when you’re done. If you don’t feel like cleaning anything up, you can also try sitting on the toilet so things are more manageable.

As for how to do it, try stimulating your clitoris rather than doing anything vaginally. If you masturbate by stimulating your clitoris, you can keep a tampon in, which will help with the mess. If you don’t want to stick your fingers in there, you can try using sex toys, but make sure you don’t already have a tampon in your vagina – in fact, if you plan on putting anything inside of your vagina, make sure there is no tampon in there at all.

So, yes, masturbating while on your period is perfectly fine and totally normal. Don’t let anyone make you feel weird about doing it (you don’t even have to tell anyone!). This is your body and there’s nothing wrong with exploring it, even if things get a little messy. After all, this is just your blood we’re talking about here. No big deal!

take care,
Heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com

My 7th grade teacher made me afraid to masturbate

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Masturbation itself can be sort of a taboo word (although it shouldn’t be), so obviously a lot of people come up with their own weird little names for it. Here’s what I learned when finding these nicknames: people enjoy alliteration and they also like including animals into their masturbation phrase. Want to spice up your sexy vocab? Start using these amazing names for masturbation:

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Paddling The Pink Canoe

I get this one. But I'm not going to lie, it freaks me out a little for some reason.

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Wax The Dolphin

Okay, I don't really get this at all. Where did dolphins come from, exactly?

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Teasing The Tuna Taco

Are tuna tacos a REAL thing? Like a real food? Is it wrong that this phrase makes me hungry?

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Polishing The Peal

There are worse things our vaginas could be compared to than pearls, girls. You'll see.

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Answer The Bone-A-Phone

Okay, I know this one is meant for dudes, but... it had to be included. It's hilarious.

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Couch Hockey For One

This makes for a pretty convenient phrase, if you switch it up a little. The next time someone asks you what you're doing, you can be like, "oh just playing hockey for one" and they''ll NEVER KNOW. Unless they read Gurl.com.

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Buck The Slobbering Donkey

I don't know if this refers to female or male masturbation, or maybe both, and I don't know what a slobbering donkey is and now I'm just grossed out.

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Drown The Man In The Boat

A popular way to say "clitoris" is "man in the boat." And I guess you're drowning "him" in... you know what, let's not get into this.

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Double Clicking The Mouse

This one makes me giggle. Double meanings. Hehehehe.

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Fanning The Fur

Fur as in, you know, pubic hair. Ew. I hate this one.

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Squeeze The Peach

Ahhh, yes. Who hasn't seen a peach and immediately thought of a vagina, am I right? This makes sense.

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Go To The Bank

I don't understand this one at all. Nope. Not even going to pretend I get it.

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Parting The Red Sea

You know, like when you have your period? I just... no.

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Tugging At The Vertical Smile

Aww, what an adorable way to describe a vagina!

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Scrounging Through The Wizard's Sleeve

Maybe this one is going over my head? I don't get it, HELP!

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Have you ever used any of these nicknames? Which one is your favorite? What did I miss? What do YOU call masturbation? Tell me in the comments!

10 gross names for your period

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You may think of masturbation as just a way to feel good or waste time when you’re bored, but it’s more than that. Masturbating actually comes with some pretty sweet health benefits, as well as some other awesome benefits. Want to know more about everyone’s favorite pastime? Read on to check out these 10 crazy and interesting facts about masturbation: 

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Masturbating Can Ease Pain

Orgasms are actually a natural pain killer. Bringing yourself to orgasm can help relieve menstrual cramps and backaches from having your period. So the next time you're feeling the effects of PMS, try doing it solo for a little bit.

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Kids Can - And Do - Masturbate

Masturbation isn't just for horny teens and adults - kids can also indulge in a little self-pleasure (which honestly sounds so weird I can't even believe I just wrote it). Apparently, even babies can learn that touching themselves down there can feel good. Although it may be uncomfortable to talk about, it's perfectly normal and healthy for kids of any age to explore.

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Masturbation Can Keep You Healthy

Not only can the orgasms resulting from masturbation help get rid of pain, but masturbation itself can help keep you healthy. It can help build up a resistance to annoying yeast infections. Some research even says that orgasms can help to prevent endometriosis, which is a pretty serious disease of the uterine lining that can lead to infertility.

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Single People Probably Masturbate Less Than People In Relationships

You might think that people who don't have sex on a regular basis masturbate the most - after all, that would make sense, right? But you would be wrong. People who have sex on the regular (generally people in relationships) masturbate more than those who aren't always hooking up (generally single people). This is because masturbation makes you more open to sex, which means you have more sex. Get it?

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Masturbation Can Get Rid Of Insomnia

Having trouble sleeping? Try getting down and dirty with yourself. You'll feel sleepy after you masturbate because it relaxes you. Beat insomnia by masturbating! Doesn't sound too bad, right?

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The Majority Of Masturbation Myths Aren't True...

There are a lot of masturbation myths out there and the majority of them are not true. You may have heard that masturbating can lead to blindness, infertility and a decrease in libido. You also may have heard that masturbating make it more difficult for women to get pregnant and guys to produce sperm. None of this stuff is true. Masturbation is great and it's good for you and it's not going to make you blind. That's just silly.

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Masturbating Might Cause Yeast Infections

Remember how I said masturbation is healthy and can help you build up a resistance to yeast infections? That's all true, but research has also found that in some cases masturbation can actually cause yeast infections. This can happen if you use your saliva down there - like, if you lick your finger and then put it down there to create your own lube. The saliva messes with your bacteria down there and all that. If you need something extra, go buy some lube.

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Women Can Orgasm Without Touching Themselves

Here is a seriously awesome fact about women: we can bring ourselves to orgasm without even touching ourselves! Basically this means that we can use "thought masturbation" (I just made this term up) and orgasm just from thinking about sexy stuff. Crazy, right? I think you would need to be thinking some pretty intense thoughts, but think of this as a huge advantage we have over dudes. Go us!

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Masturbation Can Make Sex Even Better

Remember how I said there are a bunch of myths about masturbating that aren't true? One of those myths is that masturbating too much can ruin your sex life. That's actually completely false - masturbating frequently can help make your sex life better. That's because you learn exactly what you like and how to get yourself off. It also, like I said before, opens you up sexually. So go masturbate! Your partner will thank you.

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Solo Sex Helps With Stress

And remember how I also said that masturbation helps you sleep better? That's because, like I already mentioned, it relaxes you. Therefore, masturbating can help relieve stress. So the next time you're cramming for a final and freaking out over your potential grade, take a break for some very special you time and prepare to relax and feel better.

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Did you know any of these facts already? Why do you love masturbation? What other facts do you want to know? What did I miss? Tell me in the comments!

8 crazy & interesting facts about your vagina

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

While sex scenes in television and film are incredibly common–whether they’re steamy, PG-13, or simply heavily implied–masturbation scenes aren’t. Masturbation is still a pretty taboo subject, especially female masturbation–are you clutching your pearls yet? I suppose that its rarity and illicit reputation explains why there is something fascinating about watching it on screen. Its deviant status and its solitary nature makes us feel as if we’re viewing something private and incredibly intimate in a way that just isn’t as evident when watching a sex scene these days because we’ve become so desensitized to them. It’s like a secret being unveiled before our eyes. There’s no posturing or desperate attempts to impress or please a partner. It’s a raw and honest act complete with unsexy faces.

It’s for these same reasons that masturbation scenes range from touching (no pun intended) and thought provoking to hilarious and cringe worthy. Here’s a roundup of a few of our favorite masturbation scenes in television and film:

Not Another Teen Movie

Female masturbation complete with a hand painted vibrator. What can get better than that? I mean, aside from the whole damn block deciding to walk in on you.

Skins (UK)

This show was formative for me when it first aired. It was British and raunchy and I was 16 and liked raunchy British stuff so it was a match made in debauchery heaven. All I’m going to say about this scene is this: Masturbating to a photo of your best friend’s girlfriend is totally normal.

 Fast Times At Ridgemont High

This scene is pretty iconic in the coming of age film genre. That said, this particular video clip is super censored. It’s funny that I have to suffer through seeing a guy slappin the salami but I can’t see a pair of boobs. Okay.

Black Swan

Seeing this scene in theaters made wasting $12 on that movie ticket worth it. Nothing like masturbating in front of your surprise sleeping mom!

American Pie

I’m actually cracking up as I’m writing this, honestly. At least now we have the internet instead of bootleg cable channels.

Pleasantville

Pleasantville teaches us two important lessons. One, never depend solely on your partner (especially your sexually repressed 50s era husband) for pleasure; two, masturbation is so amazingly liberating that you’ll start seeing in technicolor.

The Inbetweeners

Another favorite show of mine features an awkward masturbation scene set in an elderly living center. Yep, there are old people involved.

Slackers

Laura Prepon is always going to be Donna from That 70s Show in my eyes. And honestly, she just comes across as an even feistier, modern day version of that character when she doesn’t let some dude (who I only identify as The Older Brother From The Adventures Of Pete And Pete) interrupt her one on one time.

Mad Men

Life as an unhappy 1960s housewife with an adulterous husband doesn’t have many perks…until you discover a very temperamental washing machine.

My Mad Fat Diary

This scene from my favorite new show isn’t exactly laugh out loud funny, but it is definitely empowering. It shows that masturbation for teen girls is totally healthy, normal, and can be a bit silly too.

There’s Something About Mary

Classic. That’s all I can say about this scene. Classic. Be mindful of where you acquire your hair gel, ladies.

Honorable Mention: Girls

This is one of my ultimate hatewatch shows, but I give Marnie some props for straight up mbating in a public bathroom.

Which scene is your favorite? What great masturbation scenes have we missed? Any general thoughts on masturbation or its portrayal in the media? Tell us in the comments!

GIF My Life: Talking About Masturbation

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Now we have another thing to celebrate: International Clitoris Awareness Week!

Say what? First of all, yay for someone finally not being afraid to say clitoris. And second, yay for a whole week dedicated to a great part of the body!

This is the first ever Clitoris Awareness Week, and it’s about time. The people behind this brilliant idea are Clitoraid, an organization that celebrates sexual freedom and helps victims of female genital mutilation.

Clitoraid spokeswoman, Nadine Gary, stated “Clitoraid is proud to announce its first annual International Clitoris Awareness Week, May 6 to May 12.” Gary and the rest of the Clitoraid group have worked for years repairing clitorises and helping victims. In her statement, she revealed that they are opening “the world’s first Clitoral Restoration Hospital” on October 8th.

She told the Huffington Post, “We’ve noticed that the clitoris has not gotten its spot in the limelight. It makes people feel uncomfortable. For this week, we don’t want to focus on genital mutilation.”

International Clitoris Awareness Week will be held during the first full week of May, which is National Masturbation Month. Gary says that masturbation is something that will be addressed during ICAW, “We want to point it out and talk about it. Maybe some women will go to masturbation seminars.” Obviously, we’re all for masturbation here at Gurl! Self love is very important.

So how can you celebrate? Gary says “Whether through educational lectures, art exhibits, songs and dance, or a ‘girl’s night’ of sharing, each woman can celebrate sexual beauty the way she chooses.” Clitoraid is will be hosting events in the Las Vegas area where they’re based, but you can celebrate any way you want! Gather your friends for a girls’ night and talk openly about sex and masturbation. Or spend some time to explore your sexuality on your own!

I’m so thrilled that this week is happening, even if it’s starting on a small scale. Why shouldn’t we talk about clitorises? Why shouldn’t we talk about vaginas? Why shouldn’t we talk about masturbation and sex?

The more we talk about these things, the less power the stigmas have. Every woman should feel comfortable expressing (or not expressing) her sexuality ,and talking about your clitoris is just one of the ways you can do that. It’s an amazing part of your body, and you should celebrate it!

This week, show your clitoris some love!

What do you think about International Clitoris Awareness Week? Are you afraid to talk about your clitoris? Tell us in the comments!
 

And let’s stop being embarrassed about our periods too

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She’s totally cool with self-exploration, but doesn’t really talk about her experiences as much as some of her peers. Well, she wanted a chance to defend her side of the story and show that thought she may not be someone who talks a lot about it, that definitely doesn’t mean she thinks there’s anything wrong with it. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! Take a look:

My friends are all super open when it comes to talking about their bodies, including masturbation.

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I am a little bit more on the quieter side.

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I guess I’m just not as forward when it comes to talking about… you know, private stuff you do.

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But even still, I know that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it!

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It’s nothing to be ashamed of and there are a whole bunch of reasons to masturbate!

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Okay if I’m being totally honest, at first, maybe thinking about doing it made me a little nervous.

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If you’re taking care of business all by yourself, that means you don’t have to worry about some stressful things

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And there’s not really a wrong way to do it, so nothing really to worry about there!

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It’s okay to do if you’re single or in a relationship. Everyone deserves to focus on themselves sometimes!

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Oh, but one thing: you probably want to make sure you have privacy when you do it.

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I mean, it’s never happened to me, but I feel like getting caught would be mortifying.

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So to sum it all up, while at first I felt like I was weird for not being as open as my friends about masturbation…

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…I realized it’s my body, my business.

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As long as I know it’s okay and what works for me, that’s really all that matters!

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Do you talk about masturbation with your friends? Tell us in the comments.

Can Masturbating Too Much Ruin Your Relationship?

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We’re always talking about the benefits of masturbation on Gurl, because… hey, masturbation is awesome! I don’t think it’s too hard to agree with that. But is there such a thing as overdoing it when it comes to masturbation? In fact – can masturbating too much actually ruin your relationship? A new study says, yeah, it’s possible.

Relax, relax. I’m not taking this study seriously and you probably shouldn’t either. Well actually, if you’re legitimately addicted to masturbation, you should take it seriously because then, yeah, your addiction is probably ruining your relationship. But if you’re just a girl who enjoys having a little fun on her own every once in a while (or everyday, whatever), you probably don’t have anything to worry about.

Why? Well, this study that says too much masturbating can possibly ruin your relationship is a study that was done on people who are legit addicted to masturbation. You can see how that may cause a problem.

Apparently, the survey was done to increase tolerance of excessive masturbation, because although it’s a serious issue, I guess not many people take it very seriously. I can see how it may come off as just plain creepy or as a lame excuse to some people, but guys, this is a real thing and really can cause some big problems in a relationship.

Do you have to worry about it? Probably not. If you’re masturbating multiple times a day every day, if you’d constantly rather play with yourself than hook up with someone else, if you feel like you can’t go a few hours without pleasuring yourself… then yeah, maybe you have an issue.

But if you’re just taking some time to masturbate every day? No worries! As we’ve said before, masturbating is fun and harmless. It’s a great way to get in touch with your sexuality, to figure out what you really like, to get in a better mood or to feel relaxed after a stressful day. Did I mention that it’s fun?

In conclusion, masturbating is not going to ruin your relationship. Like all great things, too much of it will cause problems (life is unfair). But as long as you’re not obsessed with masturbation, you should be fine. In fact, I’m encouraging you to masturbate, whether you’re in a relationship or not. I’m not trying to be creepy – it’s good for you!

Has masturbation ever ruined any of your relationships? Do you know anyone who is addicted to masturbation? Do you think you do it too much? Tell me in the comments!

Why one girl used to be terrified of masturbation

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We write about a whole lot of stuff here, but one topic that never fails to get a conversation going is masturbation. So naturally, when we went mining through the things you have said in the past, we found some wise and honest words from you on that very topic that we wanted to share. These are some of the best things that you have said about masturbation. Take a look!

From “Why Masturbate? Five Reasons To Use Your Five Fingers!”

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From “The Complete Guide To Masturbation”

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From “Why Masturbate? Five Reasons To Use Your Five Fingers!”

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From “The Complete Guide To Masturbation”

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From “Survey Says: Are You Down With Self-Exploration?”

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From “Survey: All About Masturbation”

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From “50 Cent Teachers Us About Masturbation”

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From “Top Ten Reasons To Masturbate”

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From “Survey Says: Are You Down With Self-Exploration?”

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Do you have your own thoughts on masturbation to share? Tell us in the comments. 

10 Songs About Vaginas You Should Listen To Right Now

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If you’ve ever wondered how to orgasm, don’t worry: you’re totally not alone. It’s really easy for guys to get off, but unfortunately, it’s not so simple for us girls. Things down there are a little bit more complicated. So, how do you have an orgasm? We might not be able to tell you exactly what to do, but we can give you some tips that will definitely help you out. Ready to orgasm? Check out our tips:

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Relax!

The number one secret to having an orgasm? Five little letters: R-E-L-A-X. If you're stressed about having one or not having one, um, you're probably not going to have one. Thinking about it or worrying about it isn't going to help. So just take a deep breath, calm down and enjoy whatever is happening - if you orgasm, awesome! If you don't, there's always next time.

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Set The Mood

In order to relax or get in the mood, you might need to change up some of your surroundings. If nice lingerie gets you in the mood, put some on. If you want a more romantic atmosphere, light some candles and put on some soft music. Want some serious alone time? Go in the bath. Until you can learn to tune out the distractions around you, make your environment super relaxing.

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Explore Down There

And I don't mean masturbate (yet). There's a lot going on down there, and you should get to know your body. Sit in front of a mirror and check out what's happening. The fastest way to masturbate is by stimulating your clitoris, so try to figure out where that is. But I wouldn't bother looking for the elusive G-spot. Just focus on figuring out what's what and where everything is.

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Be Willing To Experiment

Sometimes the first thing we try when attempting to masturbate won't work. If you haven't been able to masturbate through fingering or intercourse, don't feel like you're weird. Just be open to trying new things - look into sex toys, maybe watch porn or think about different techniques. The same things don't always work for everyone, so be open to the possibility that you might need to experiment a little.

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Masturbate

Okay, now you can masturbate. Exploring your own sexuality is one of the best ways to figure out how to orgasm. Masturbating is great for so many reasons - it's healthy, it will make you feel good and it will teach you more about yourself, just to name a few. Don't forget to relax and enjoy yourself - it may take a while before you get into the right groove.

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Do Kegels

Yes, you can do exercises for your vagina. Kegels will strengthen your vaginal muscles and can make it easier for you to orgasm. Do them by tightening and then relaxing your vaginal muscles (think about what you do when you really have to pee). You can do these anywhere at any time without anyone noticing.

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Don't Fake It!

When you're with a partner and you feel like the big O just isn't going to happen, don't resort to faking it. First of all, if he finds out, he'll be really hurt. Second of all, that's not going to help you in the future - if a guy thinks he's doing the right thing (but he's actually not), he's just going to do it again. Instead, instruct him on what to do. Believe it or not, guys love the advice.

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Just Be Confident

This pretty much goes hand-in-hand with relaxing. Maybe you're not orgasming because you're worried about what you'll look like, what you'll say or basically just what will happen. But don't worry about that. Who cares what your O face looks like? Who cares what kind of noises you make? If you're with a dude, he'll be so thrilled you're into it, he won't care. And if you're by yourself, whatever! The orgasm is worth it.

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Do you ever have trouble having an orgasm? Do you think these tips are helpful? What would you like to add? Do you have any other sex questions? Tell me in the comments.

How do I get my guy to last longer in bed?

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