Women's Wellness at Wellface: An Honest Morning About Intimate and Pelvic Health

There are conversations that get put off for years. The little changes after childbirth. The dryness or discomfort that creeps in around menopause. The urinary urgency that has you scoping out the nearest loo before a long car journey. So many women assume these things are simply part of getting older, or part of being a mother, and quietly carry on. The truth is that a lot of it is common, some of it is very treatable, and almost none of it should be suffered in silence.

That is exactly why we ran a women's wellness evening back in September, and why we are bringing it back. On Thursday the 30th of January we are hosting a Women's Wellness coffee morning at our Cobham clinic, from 9:30am to 11:00am, with Dr Amina Albeyatti. It is a relaxed, honest session over coffee where you can ask the questions you have been meaning to ask for years and hear straight answers from a doctor.

This article sets the scene for that morning. We will talk through what tends to change after childbirth and around menopause, what counts as normal and what is worth investigating, and the sorts of things that can genuinely help. Think of it as a gentle introduction, so that when you join us in Cobham you already have the lie of the land.

What "normal" actually means, and what isn't

One of the most useful things Dr Amina does in these sessions is draw a clear line between the changes that are a normal part of a woman's life and the symptoms that deserve a proper look. It sounds simple, but most of us have never been told where that line sits.

Some things are expected. A degree of change to the tissues after a vaginal birth is normal. A gradual shift in lubrication and sensation as oestrogen falls in the years around menopause is normal. Occasional dryness during breastfeeding is normal, because hormone levels dip while you are feeding.

Other things are common but not something you have to live with. Persistent dryness or burning. Discomfort or pain during intimacy. Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh or run. A feeling of heaviness or something dropping down. Recurrent urinary tract infections that keep coming back. Itching, soreness or a sense that things simply do not feel as they used to. These are the symptoms worth talking about, because there is usually a reason behind them and there is often something that can be done.

And then there are the red flags that always need medical review rather than reassurance. Any bleeding after the menopause, bleeding between periods or after intimacy, a new lump, or a sore that does not heal should be checked promptly. Part of the value of a doctor-led talk is that you can raise any of these safely, and be pointed in the right direction if a symptom needs proper investigation.

How childbirth changes intimate and pelvic health

Pregnancy and birth ask an enormous amount of the body, and the pelvic floor takes much of the load. This is the hammock of muscle and connective tissue that supports the bladder, bowel and uterus. During pregnancy it carries growing weight for months, and during a vaginal delivery it stretches considerably. It is little wonder that many women notice changes afterwards.

The most talked-about is stress urinary incontinence, that small leak when you laugh, jump on a trampoline with the children or lift something heavy. It happens when the pelvic floor and the structures supporting the bladder are not quite holding as they should. Some women notice a feeling of laxity or reduced sensation, which can affect confidence and intimacy. Others feel a sense of pressure or heaviness low down, which can point towards prolapse, where one of the pelvic organs shifts from its usual position.

Dryness is common in the early months too, particularly while breastfeeding, because oestrogen is naturally lower during that time. That can make intimacy uncomfortable and sometimes puts couples off entirely, which then becomes its own source of worry.

The encouraging part is that the pelvic floor is a muscle group, and muscles respond to training. Well-taught pelvic floor exercises, ideally guided by a women's health physiotherapist, are the foundation and make a real difference for many women. Where symptoms are more stubborn, there are further options to discuss, and the first step is always a proper assessment so that treatment matches the actual problem rather than a guess.

Menopause, hormones and the tissues nobody talks about

Menopause tends to be discussed in terms of hot flushes, poor sleep and mood, and those matter enormously. What gets far less airtime is the effect of falling oestrogen on the intimate and urinary tissues. Doctors now group these changes under the term genitourinary syndrome of menopause, which is a mouthful, but the symptoms it describes are very familiar to a great many women.

Oestrogen keeps the tissues of the vulva, vagina and lower urinary tract plump, elastic and well lubricated. As levels decline in perimenopause and beyond, those tissues become thinner, drier and less supple. The result can be dryness, itching, burning, discomfort during intimacy, and a change in the natural balance that makes irritation and infection more likely. The bladder and urethra are affected too, which is why urinary urgency and recurrent urinary tract infections often appear around the same time.

Unlike hot flushes, which usually settle over time, these tissue changes tend to persist and can slowly worsen if nothing is done, simply because the underlying cause, low oestrogen, remains. That is worth knowing, because it means there is no prize for waiting it out. The same drop in oestrogen also shows up in the skin of the face, with more dryness, less bounce and a faster loss of collagen, which is why menopausal skin and intimate health so often come up in the same conversation.

The good news is that this is one of the most treatable aspects of menopause. Many women get significant relief from straightforward measures, and there is a clear ladder of options to work through with a doctor.

What can genuinely help

There is rarely a single answer, and the right approach depends on your symptoms, your medical history and what you are comfortable with. That said, it helps to know the landscape before you walk into a consultation.

For dryness and everyday comfort, good non-hormonal moisturisers and lubricants are a sensible starting point and can be used long term. For the tissue changes of menopause, local vaginal oestrogen is one of the most effective treatments available, delivered directly to the tissues in a very low dose, and it can transform dryness, discomfort and recurrent urinary symptoms for many women. Systemic hormone replacement therapy is a broader conversation that covers flushes, sleep, mood and bone health as well, and whether it is right for you is something to talk through with a doctor who knows your history.

For pelvic floor weakness and leaking, guided pelvic floor rehabilitation is the cornerstone, and it works better than most people expect when it is taught properly and done consistently. Beyond that, the field of intimate rejuvenation has grown, and includes non-surgical, doctor-led approaches that aim to improve the quality of the tissues, comfort and confidence. These are exactly the sorts of options Dr Amina will explain at the coffee morning, along with an honest account of what each one can and cannot do, so you can decide what is worth pursuing.

The point of laying all this out is not to push any single treatment. It is to show that "just live with it" is almost never the only answer, and that a considered plan usually combines a few simple things rather than one dramatic fix.

Why a doctor-led conversation makes the difference

Intimate and pelvic symptoms sit in an awkward place. They feel too private to raise casually, yet they are too important to ignore. A lot of women end up scrolling for answers late at night or asking friends, and come away more confused than when they started.

A relaxed talk with a doctor changes that. Dr Amina Albeyatti brings a medical understanding of what is actually happening in the tissues, so the advice is grounded rather than generic. Just as importantly, the tone is warm and unhurried, which makes it far easier to ask the things you would never bring up in a rushed appointment. At Wellface every treatment sits within a doctor-led setting, so any recommendation that follows is based on a proper assessment of you, not a one-size-fits-all script.

The coffee morning format is deliberate. There is no examination, no pressure and no expectation to book anything. It is a chance to learn, to hear that you are far from alone in what you are experiencing, and to leave with a clearer sense of what, if anything, you might want to look into next.

Common questions about the Women's Wellness morning

When and where is it?

The Women's Wellness coffee morning is on Thursday the 30th of January, from 9:30am to 11:00am, at our Cobham clinic in Surrey. It follows on from the women's wellness evening we held in September, which was a genuinely lovely, open session, and we had so much interest that we wanted to run it again.

Who is it for?

Any woman who wants to understand her body better is welcome. It is likely to be especially useful if you are noticing changes after having children, if you are moving through perimenopause or menopause, or if you have symptoms you have been quietly wondering about for a while. You do not need to have a specific problem to attend. Curiosity is reason enough.

What will be covered?

Dr Amina will talk through intimate and pelvic health, the changes that can follow childbirth, and what happens to the tissues around menopause. She will spend time on what is normal, what is worth investigating, and the range of things that can help, from simple everyday measures through to medical and rejuvenation options. Then the floor is open for your questions.

Do I have to talk about anything personal in front of the group?

Not at all. You are welcome to simply listen and take it all in. Many women find that hearing a question they were too shy to ask being answered for someone else is exactly what they needed. If you would rather raise something privately, there is always the option of a one-to-one consultation afterwards.

Will I be expected to book a treatment?

No. The morning is about education and connection, not sales. If you decide you would like to explore something further, we can arrange a proper consultation, but there is no obligation whatsoever. Come for the coffee, the company and the clear information.

Come and join us in Cobham

Starting the year by understanding your own body a little better is a quietly powerful thing to do. If any of this has struck a chord, we would love to see you at the Women's Wellness coffee morning with Dr Amina Albeyatti at our Cobham clinic on the 30th of January.

If that date does not suit, or you would prefer to talk things through privately, our doctors see patients across our Cobham, Esher and Wimbledon clinics and are always happy to have an open, judgement-free conversation about intimate health, menopause and skin. Get in touch to enquire about the morning or to arrange a consultation, and let this be the year you stop putting the question off.