For the large portion of the population who menstruate, I have one word for you: cramps. Does the mere mention of the C-word cause your uterus to twitch? I know it does mine. Whether they manifest as a slight nibble of pain or (as I like to describe them) the sensation of being repeatedly stabbed by fiery butter knives, cramps are a reality for many a female-bodied person. In the never-ending quest for relief, we turn to pain medication, or yoga, or heating pads, or applying pressure to the small of our backs; many of us will abstain from caffeine and/or alcohol; and more than a few of us will happily traipse down the pathway we’ve come to know and love: masturbation. No mere panacea, masturbation really will aid in subsiding the discomfort of cramps. To quote the wonderful “Sex Ed for the Real World” website, Scarleteen:

Have an orgasm…heck, have three. A whole lot of women find that getting off helps with cramps. So, either through masturbation or partnered sex, having orgasms not only is awesome when it comes to keeping the stresses manageable, it relaxes the muscles of your back and pelvis, and that nice dose of endorphins afterward is great natural pain relief. And if you have a super-fantastic sex partner who is willing to give you a massage to boot (you can always give them a raincheck for same the next time their back hurts), all the better!

And, lo, you draw a steamy bath and grab your favorite waterproof vibe; or you lay down a towel and grab your lube and your hand or your partner… but what of those of us who are suffering from cramps so painful (see above: butter knives, stabbing, fire) that being touched between the legs is the last thing on our mind? Fear not, my friends, for I am one of you.

In the midst of the night, I am oft awoken by surprise cramps that send me limping to the medicine cabinet for a double dose of naproxen. One night, as I whimpered away, an epiphany hit: vibration! Back during my artist model days, I regularly applied the Hitachi Magic Wand to aching muscles; why couldn’t it do double duty for cramps? In my throes of agony, I reached beside the bed for my trusty friend. Pressing the soft vinyl head over my uterus, it still did the trick beautifully: the strong vibration took the edge off the pain as I waited for the pain reliever to take effect. Even more recently, I have reached for my Delight. I’ve waxed poetic about its orgasmic capabilities many, many times; but the Delight is also the perfect size for slipping underneath pajama bottoms, the perfect intensity for soothing pain, and quiet enough that it will not wake one’s slumbering bedmate.

Masturbation, partner sex, and good old vibration: the great multi-task activities of our time!

Our Lower East Side store did it again! It won both the audience and the editorial votes on Citysearch. In fact, our SoHo store came in 4th so if you want to visit the five top rated sex toy stores in the city, you’re going to go to two Babelands!

This is great, not just because everyone likes to win awards, but because it means that we’re doing what we set out to do - which is provide amazing customer service. For us that means not only being polite and attentive but also creating a space that is open and inviting. And, of course, knowing what we’re talking about.

I recently trained some new Sex Educators on anal play. As we discussed anatomy, rimming, penetration with fingers, butt plugs, anal beads, and dildos, vibration, strapping it on and more, I could see that they were feeling a little overwhelmed. I’ve been at Babeland for so long that I forgot just how much there is for us to learn when we first start working here. It can feel like a mountain of information but, over time, it all comes together and each Sex Educator finds their own way of explaining pieces of that information to others. What it all comes back to is giving Sex Educators as much information as they can so that customers can get the best experience possible. I guess that’s why Citysearch loves us!