The 'Shaking Method' After Peeing At A Festival Puts You At Risk Of This Infection

A group of festival goers at a festival in Lindisfarne, North East England, standing in a field with the campsite in the background. They are all queuing for the toilets and smiling as one woman is entering a cubicle.

Festival season is here! Festival season means hoping for sunshine, planning for rain, dancing to some of your favourite artists with your favourite people and, for 1 in 3 of us, a good festival shag!

Listen, if you like to get down and dirty when you haven't showered for days, who are we to judge? But while all inhibitions are out the window, according to sex and relationships expert Pippa Murphy from condoms.uk, there are some essential rules to follow to reduce your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

So, it turns out the "shaking" method – where you shake your body when there's no loo roll left to try and get as clean as possible — actually puts women at risk of UTIs and with symptoms like painful pees, stomach pain, and feeling unwell, these are super unpleasant and doubly so when you’re sleeping in a tent miles away from home. Instead, Murphy recommends using vagina-safe wet wipes and toilet paper as they both provide "a more thorough cleaning, reducing the risk of infections and maintaining overall genital hygiene".

As impossible as it may seem on a campsite, hygienic sex is essential to prevent infections, especially if you’re camping and haven't had a shower in a while. Take antibacterial hand wipes and hand sanitiser to keep your hands and fingernails clean for foreplay and fragrance-free wet wipes are a great way to keep yourself clean before and after sex without the risk of irritation from fragrances.

Another condition that you’re at risk of when having sex at a festival is thrush. When you’ve not been washing thoroughly for a while, you increase your risk of developing this infection which can cause itching around the genitals, thick vaginal discharge and painful urination. As well as keeping as clean as possible, reduce your risk of developing thrush by drinking plenty of water which will help to flush out the bacterias that contribute to it.

So you’re clean enough to get down and dirty but how do you keep it as safe as possible while still having fun?

Great news for keen beans, Murphy recommends having sex as early as possible during the festival because in the days following, your tent will only get dirtier and as you dance the days away, you’ll have less energy as time goes on. Plus, having sex early really gets your festival off to a bang. Sorry.

If you or your partner has a penis, it's recommended that you bring condoms even if you are on contraception or don't regularly use them. The reason is simple – sex can get messy and that's not ideal in a cramped space like a tent! Remember if you or your partner has a latex allergy to bring your own condoms. Additionally, remember lube! According to Murphy, substitutes for lubrication like lotions can cause condom breakages, bacterial vaginosis, and reduce the effectiveness of the condoms. Not to mention, using lotions and oils that aren't specifically made for genitals on vaginas can upset the PH balance of your vagina, increasing the risks of infections like bacterial vaginosis or thrush.

Having sex in such a tight, cramped space can be a challenge but thankfully, Murphy told us her top four recommended positions for tent sex:

Spooning: In this position, both partners lie on their sides, with one partner behind the other. This position is comfortable, requires minimal space, and allows for intimacy and closeness.

Cowboy or cowgirl: One partner sits or lies down while the other partner straddles them, facing towards or away from them. This position allows the partner on top to control the pace and depth, and it doesn't require much headroom.

Seated: Both partners sit facing each other with their legs intertwined, allowing for close contact and eye contact. This position can be comfortable in a tent, as it doesn't require much space or headroom.

Doggy style: One partner kneels on all fours while the other partner kneels behind them. This position can work well in a tent if there's enough room for both partners to comfortably kneel.

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