Baubo: The Podcast

Mathilde O
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Baubo: The Podcast is hosted by Mathilde. The podcast sheds light on vulvodynia and vaginismus, two conditions that affect many women but remain shrouded in taboo, under-researched and under-funded. Mathilde invites top experts across multiple fields to deliver up to date and relevant information to help people experiencing these conditions, whilst sharing her own experience with vulvodynia.

  1. 4D AGO

    Solo: ”Women Are Dying of Embarrassment” How Social Media Censorship Hides Womens Health Information

    Social media platforms are systematically censoring medically accurate women's health content. Words like vulva, vagina, and vulvodynia are being flagged, shadow banned, and suppressed - not because they're explicit, but because the systems designed to moderate content were never built to tell the difference. This is about accurate, life-saving health information being treated as obscene. The problem with this is it is enforcing the deep-rooted societal stigma around topics like menstruation, menopause and sexual wellbeing - the very stigma that advocates, clinicians and educators are working to dismantle. In this episode, I break down what's actually happening: the data behind the censorship, the companies and creators being penalized, the double standards baked into platform advertising policies, and why self-censorship might be the most damaging consequence of all. I also look at the historical context - how shame was literally built into the language of female anatomy centuries ago, and how that legacy is still shaping what we're allowed to say online today. If you've ever wondered why health creators use asterisks in place of vowels or write "s*x" on Instagram, this episode is for you. Referenced in this episode: Dr. Aziza Sessai - UK-based GP and women's health advocate, founder of the "They Are Not Bad Words" campaignDr. Philippa Kaye - GP and women's health advocateJackie Rotman - Founder of the Center for Intimacy Justice, whose investigation was published in the New York Times (2019) and later cited in US Senate hearingsCensHERship - Coalition focused on the censorship of women's health content, authors of the "Censorship Revealed" white paper and the Women's Health Visibility AllianceRachel E. Gross - Author of "Vagina Obscura"Intimate Rose - Pelvic floor dilator company whose products were classified as adult content by MetaDaye - Diagnostic tampon company for HPV screening whose ads were rejected under adult nudity policiesHanx - Women's libido supplement available in Boots, repeatedly penalized by Meta advertising• Hims, Xseed, Mojo - Men's health companies whose equivalent ads were approved without issue

    26 min
  2. The Device Designed to Make Sex Less Painful: Pelva Founder Kelley on Vulvodynia & Vaginismus

    MAR 9

    The Device Designed to Make Sex Less Painful: Pelva Founder Kelley on Vulvodynia & Vaginismus

    What if the answer to painful sex wasn't another dilator - but something genuinely novel? In this episode, Mathilde sits down with Kelley, co-founder of Pelva and a fellow woman with lived-experience  who went from primary vaginismus and provoked vestibulodynia to building one of the most innovative femtech products in the vulvovaginal pain space. Kelley breaks down exactly how Pelva's hydrogel vaginal liner works - and why the science of nociception (how pain receptors respond to pressure, friction, and force) is at the heart of its design. Think of it like an insole for your vagina: a plant-based, water-hydrated cushioning barrier that reduces concentrated pressure on the hypersensitive vestibular tissue that so many of us know too well. In this episode: Kelley's personal journey from vaginismus to provoked vestibulodynia - and how her biomedical engineer husband helped build the solutionThe nociceptor science behind Pelva and why cushioning is the key mechanismWho the product works best for: PVD, vaginismus, GSMHow Pelva bridges the gap between dilator therapy and partnered sexWhat beta testing revealed Securing an NIH grant for a sexual health device (yes, really)The honest reality of fundraising in femtech as a female founder Whether you're in active treatment for vulvodynia, vaginismus, or genitopelvic pain - or you're a pelvic health provider looking for new tools - I think you will love this episode. Purchase liners at www.pelva.com Special discount code: Baubo10 for 10% off  Provider sample signup: here or on the clinician page on our website: https://pelva.com/pages/for-providers Connect on instagram: @pelvahealth @kelleysatoski  Connect with Mathilde on IG: @meet.baubo

    39 min
  3. Solving the Recovery Puzzle: Vulvodynia, Nocebo, and Overcoming Medical Dismissal

    MAR 2

    Solving the Recovery Puzzle: Vulvodynia, Nocebo, and Overcoming Medical Dismissal

    In this episode, I'm joined by Heather Coppard - nurse, hypnotherapist, and author.  Heather spent years navigating the healthcare system as a patient with persistent vulval pain, experiencing firsthand the dismissal, gaslighting, and harmful messaging that so many of us know all too well. One particularly devastating appointment with a specialist became the turning point that drove her to write her book, set up a vulval pain support group, and dedicate her work to ensuring no other woman walks away from a consultation feeling the way she did that day. In this episode we cover a lot of ground - from the nocebo effect and how the language healthcare providers use can directly worsen pain outcomes, to the biopsychosocial model of persistent pain and why a multidisciplinary approach was the key to Heather's own recovery jigsaw. We also talk openly about hypnotherapy - a modality Heather was initially skeptical of as a clinician - and how it became one of the most powerful tools in her healing process alongside pharmacological intervention, CBT, pelvic floor physiotherapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. This is a hopeful episode. Heather recovered, and she has a lot of wisdom to share about what that journey looked like and what she wishes she had known at the start. Show Notes: 🔗 Find Heather Coppard: Website: www.heathercoppard.com Instagram: @heather_coppard 📖 Heather's Book: Optimising Recovery for Vulval and Vaginal Pain — available globally on Amazon and to order from all major bookstores including Barnes & Noble (US) and Waterstones (UK) 🏥 Organisations & Resources Mentioned: The Vulval Pain Society — www.vulvalpainsociety.org The British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease (BSSVD) — www.bssvd.org NICE guidelines on hypnotherapy for IBS — www.nice.org.uk 📲 Connect with me: on nstagram @meet.baubo or at mathilde@baubo.org

    50 min

  4. FEB 19

    Solo: What the World's Top Sexual Medicine Conference Means for Women w/ Vulvovaginal & Pelvic Pain

    I just got back from the ISSWSH (International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health) annual meeting in Long Beach, California - and I couldn't wait to bring everything I heard straight to you. This solo episode is part conference recap, part deep dive into the research I think matters most for anyone living with vulvovaginal pain, pelvic pain, or sexual pain of any kind. In this episode I cover: What sexual medicine actually is - and why a whole field exists around itVulvodynia subtypes and treatment matching - new data showing that hormonally-driven vulvodynia has a 70% response rate to estrogen/testosterone therapy, and why getting the wrong treatment for the wrong subtype may be why nothing has worked for youEndometriosis and neuroproliferative dyspareunia - a newly validated subtype of deep endo pain that is nerve-driven and needs an entirely different treatment approachPelvic venous disorder (PEVD) - essentially varicose veins inside the pelvis, and why almost no one is being checked for it despite its links to chronic pelvic pain and conditions like POTS, MCAS and hypermobilityThe vaginal estrogen update - why the removal of the black box warning on low-dose vaginal estrogen is such a big deal, and why these symptoms aren't just a menopause issueWhy women's pain is still being dismissed - a powerful presentation on the clinical gaze, pain measurement, gendered bias in medicine, and the feedback loop between underfunding and misdiagnosis. Plus: the dismissal of women's pain is not evenly distributed, and we need to talk about that.Access and equity - new data showing Manhattan has 60x more pelvic floor physios per capita than the Bronx, with only 21% of practices accepting MedicaidI also share something personal about privilege, what it means to be in a room like this, and who I'm really doing this for. Resources & links mentioned: 🔗 ISSWSH — International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health🔗 @painsdownthere / @ThrushSupport - follow her on Instagram for important work on the link between recurrent thrush and vulvar nerve damage📖 When Sex Hurts: Understanding and Healing Pelvic Pain by Goldstein, Pukall, Goldstein & Krapf - the book on vulvodynia subtypes I recommend bringing to your doctor🔗 My Instagram: @meet.baubo If anything in this episode resonated, please reach out - I read every message. And if you're finding this podcast helpful, sharing it with someone who needs it is the biggest thing you can do.

    36 min

  5. FEB 9

    From Black Box to Breakthrough: Dr. A. Goldstein on the Golden Era of Vulvodynia Research

    For decades, vulvodynia was considered a mystery condition with few answers and limited treatment options. That's no longer the case. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Goldstein - Clinical Professor at George Washington University and one of the world's leading experts on vulvar and pelvic pain - explains how 25 years of dedicated research has transformed our understanding of vulvodynia from a "black box" into a condition with identifiable causes and effective treatments. In this episode, you'll learn: Why vulvodynia wasn't part of standard medical training (and what's changing)The real causes behind vulvar pain - from mast cell inflammation to hormonal triggersHow birth control pills can cause vulvodynia in some women (and the genetic reasons why)Why the majority of pelvic pain patients have been gaslit - and the JAMA study that proves itThe truth about vestibulectomy surgery: who needs it (only 7% of patients) and the 97% success rateExciting new treatments on the horizon, including ketotifen for mast cell stabilization Dr. Goldstein, past president of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, has published over 170 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored 8 books on female sexual pain. He shares the revolutionary research from the 2023 Vulvodynia Therapeutics Summit and explains why vulvodynia is no longer a mystery condition - it's a solvable problem with tailored treatments. Whether you're living with vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, vaginismus, or other forms of pelvic pain, this episode offers validation, answers, and hope for your healing journey. 🎧 Topics covered: vulvodynia causes, hormonally mediated vulvodynia, provoked vestibulodynia, vestibulectomy surgery, pelvic floor dysfunction, mast cell activation, birth control and vulvar pain, gaslighting in healthcare, new vulvodynia treatments 🔬 WANT TO HELP ADVANCE VULVODYNIA RESEARCH? Dr. Goldstein emphasizes that clinical trials are crucial for developing new treatments. If you're interested in participating in vulvodynia research studies, including trials for ketotifen (mast cell stabilizer), resiniferatoxin (nerve desensitization),and Xeomin (for vulvodynia due to secondary hypertonic pelvic floor muscle dysfunction), reach out to research.cvvd@gmail.com.  Your participation could help create the breakthrough treatments of tomorrow. RESOURCES & LINKS: Dr. Andrew Goldstein: Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders: www.vulvodynia.com Organizations mentioned: International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH): www.isswsh.orgNational Vulvodynia Association: www.nva.orgTight Lipped (Patient Advocacy): https://www.tightlipped.org/  Dr. Goldstein's Books: When Sex Hurts (2nd edition, 2022)Female Sexual Pain Disorders: Evaluation & Management (2nd edition, 2020)• Reclaiming Desire (2nd edition, 2009) Connect with the podcast: @meet.baubo or mathilde@baubo.org

    52 min

  6. FEB 2

    Can Light Therapy Help Pelvic Pain? Science, Benefits & Expert Insights | Liz Frey

    If you're dealing with vaginismus or vulvodynia, you know how limited treatment options can feel - and how rarely we see real innovation in this space. That's why I was so intrigued when I discovered light therapy as a potential tool for pelvic pain relief. In this episode, I sit down with Liz Frey, a pelvic health physiotherapist and Women's Health Medical Director at Fringe, to explore how light therapy is being used to treat vaginismus, vulvodynia, and pelvic floor hypertonicity. Liz breaks down the science of photobiomodulation and explains how different wavelengths of light - red, near-infrared, and blue - work at the cellular level to promote tissue healing, reduce inflammation, and support pelvic floor recovery. In this episode, we discuss: What light therapy actually is and how it differs from sunlight exposureThe science behind red light and near-infrared therapy for tissue healingHow light therapy can help with vaginismus, vulvodynia, and pelvic floor hypertonicityBlue light therapy for vaginal microbiome health and bacterial vaginosisThe Fringe Pelvic Wand: combining light therapy with gentle vibrationUse cases for postpartum recovery, menopause, and pelvic atrophyContraindications and safety considerationsHow to integrate light therapy into your pelvic pain treatment plan Resources mentioned: Fringe website: FringeHeals.comInstagram: @FringeHealsUse discount code BAUBO10 for exclusive savings Connect with the podcast: @Meet.Baubo or mathilde@baubo.org

    41 min

  7. JAN 19

    Lauren's 15-Year Vaginismus Journey: The Arousal-First Routine & Mindset Shifts That Worked

    After experiencing vaginismus for over 15 years, Lauren found a treatment approach that finally worked - and it looked very different from the clinical, physical therapy-style dilation she'd tried before. In this conversation, Lauren opens up about her journey from her first painful gynecologist visit at age 12 through years of inadequate medical advice ("just relax" and "have a glass of wine"), to discovering what actually helped: an arousal-first approach to dilating that prioritized pleasure over protocol. Lauren shares the practical details of her routine - how she started so slowly she didn't even use dilators at first, why she incorporated audio porn and a magic wand into every session, and how she worked with her husband to build arousal skills before ever attempting penetrative sex together. She also discusses the role that going off birth control played in reconnecting with her libido and menstrual cycle, and how understanding her body's natural rhythms helped her succeed. This episode offers concrete, actionable insights for anyone struggling with vaginismus, while also exploring the emotional and relational impact of living with pain. Lauren's story is a reminder that healing doesn't have to follow a rigid formula - and that sometimes the key is making the process feel less like physical therapy and more like something you actually want to do. Connect with Lauren on instagram @tcsbooks Connect with Mathilde on instagram @meet.baubo or mathilde@baubo.org

    37 min

  8. JAN 12

    The Only Pep Talk You Need: Self-Worth, Dating & Vaginismus | Dr. Janelle Howell

    This episode isn't just about dating and relationships - though we definitely talk about that. It's about how vaginismus can impact every corner of your life: your confidence at work, whether you feel like an imposter in your career, how you express yourself creatively through movement or dance, your ability to assert yourself in everyday situations, and the mental space it occupies in your mind. Are you postponing not just dating, but living fully until your vaginismus is "fixed"? Do you feel broken, unworthy, or like you're somehow less than because of sexual pain? This episode is your permission slip to stop waiting and start reclaiming your worth NOW. I'm joined by Dr. Janelle Frederick (@vaginarehabdoctor), pelvic floor physical therapist and vaginismus specialist, for what might be the most important conversation you hear this year about self-worth, living fully with vaginismus, and why the narrative of being "broken" needs to end. This isn't just another clinical discussion about pelvic floor dysfunction - this is a raw, honest pep talk about why you're worthy of love RIGHT NOW, how to show up confidently in all areas of your life despite vaginismus, and how healing goes far beyond just being able to have pain-free sex. Dr. Janelle brings her signature bold, refreshing approach - she's unfiltered, empowering, and refuses to let you stay stuck in shame. She shares powerful client transformations, including a dancer who couldn't access her sensual expression because of vaginismus, and medical professionals who felt like imposters despite their expertise. About Dr. Janelle Howell: Dr. Janelle Howell is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in helping women overcome vaginismus, vulvodynia, and chronic sexual pain through her virtual practice. She combines physical therapy expertise with mindset work, addressing both the body and beliefs that keep women stuck. Resources mentioned: Vaginismus to Vagilicious Challenge (yearly January challenge)Dr. Janelle's Podcast: “The Vagina Rehab Doctor Podcast”Follow Dr. Janelle on IG: @vaginarehabdoctor• MELT Challenge for softening your pelvic floor Connect with us on IG: @meet.baubo

    39 min
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About

Baubo: The Podcast is hosted by Mathilde. The podcast sheds light on vulvodynia and vaginismus, two conditions that affect many women but remain shrouded in taboo, under-researched and under-funded. Mathilde invites top experts across multiple fields to deliver up to date and relevant information to help people experiencing these conditions, whilst sharing her own experience with vulvodynia.

Information

  • Creator
    Mathilde O
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Mathilde O
  • Show Website
    Baubo: The Podcast

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