The best pelvic floor trainers for new mums, to ease pain, stop leaking and improve sex
You know that squats will tone your behind and that planks work your core. But when it comes to strengthening down there? It can all be a bit of an unknown. That’s where pelvic floor health – and, more specifically, the best pelvic floor trainers – come in. Not quite yet on intimate terms with your pelvic floor yet? Still in the sleep-deprived haze of new motherhood? Fear not. You’ve got to grips with the minefield that is maternity style - not to mention, birthed an actual little human being - and so we’re here to reassure you that you’ll totally be able to master this little part of your post-natal exercise routine, too.
It’s important you do, as you'll find out – because a weakened pelvic floor has been linked to everything from urinary incontinence to pelvic pain and sexual difficulties. If that’s you, you’re certainly not alone, with nearly a quarter of women suffering from a pelvic floor disorder, and the risk increasing with childbirth. The good news is that giving the key muscles a workout, whether with a pelvic floor trainer or without, can help get things running smoothly again. Need proof? Research has shown that doing pelvic floor exercises has been linked to reduced prolapse symptoms after pregnancy. More good news: they’re far easier to master than the moves that still haunt you from that fancy HIIT class.
Here’s the down low on the wellbeing of your nether regions, and the best pelvic floor devices to get tight with…
What is the pelvic floor and how does it impact health?
This might blow your mind. “Think of your pelvis as a bowl - the pelvic floor is the bottom portion of this bowl, and it is made of muscles, connective tissue and bone at the base of your torso and part of the core,” says Dr Suman Tewari, a gynaecologist who is part of the clinical advisory board at fitness platform P.volve. “It supports all pelvic organs including your uterus, bladder, rectum and bowel, along with the hips.”
As such, you want it strong. “If you have a poor or weak pelvic floor - otherwise known as pelvic floor dysfunction - this can lead to urinary incontinence, pelvic pressure, pelvic pain, sexual difficulty and fecal incontinence,” explains Dr Tewari. “This can also lead to a significant impact on quality of life.” Including by limiting movement and decreasing self-confidence, as well as causing sexual difficulties and triggering relationship issues.
Do I need a pelvic floor trainer?
The first step is to find what you actually need - because while some pelvic floor trainers comprise an assortment of pretty pastel-hued ‘weights’, others could give your Apple Watch and Dyson Airwrap a run for their money in the tech stakes. “Anyone experiencing urinary incontinence, pelvic pain or pressure, hip pain, sexual difficulty and fecal incontinence will benefit from an evaluation of their pelvic floor by a professional,” notes Dr Tewari. “Women who are postpartum commonly experience these things after childbirth.”
It’s important to note that there are pelvic floor exercises you can do at any time without any equipment. For example, the NHS suggests finding your pelvic floor - the muscles you use if you try to stop the flow of urine when you go to the toilet - and squeezing 10 to 15 times once a week, adding in more on each occasion. However, a little help doesn’t hurt, right? “There are now many devices, or pelvic trainers, that can help women strengthen their pelvic floor more easily at home,” explains Dr Tewari.
Do pelvic floor trainers really work, and how should you use one?
“They are very effective for stress incontinence, early pelvic prolapse, and improved sexual experience,” says Dr Tewari. “They also can be helpful in improving other symptoms due to pelvic floor relaxation - pelvic pressure or pain, fecal incontinence and hip pain.” She notes that to get the best results - within a few weeks to months - it’s wise to do exercises with a pelvic floor trainer for around five to ten minutes daily. “If you are using a device without seeing a specialist, it’s incredibly important to take the time to read the instructions and contact their support with any questions you may have,” she adds.
However, Dr Tewari stresses that it is best to first be evaluated by a pelvic floor specialist, like an obsteritican-gynaecologist, urogynecologist, urologist or pelvic floor physiotherapist, to determine if you have pelvic floor relaxation and the degree of relaxation if present. “As well as then helping you be guided by what exercises to do, and whether you actually need a device, this is crucial to check that don’t have the opposite situation - pelvic floor hypertonicity, or very active pelvic floor muscles that are contracted or tight,” she warns. “This is when you are unable to relax the pelvic floor muscles, leading to pelvic pain and pressure, as well as urinary retention.” If you’re unsure, ask your doctor.
What are the best pelvic floor trainers at a glance?
- Best pelvic floor trainer overall = Elvie Pelvic Floor Trainer
- Best budget pelvic floor trainer = My Viv 3 Piece Pelvic Floor Training Set
- Best luxury pelvic floor trainer = vSculpt
- Best pelvic floor trainer with app = Perifit Pelvic Floor Exerciser
- Best automatic pelvic floor trainer = Intimina KegelSmart
- Best interactive pelvic floor trainer = kGoal Smart Pelvic Floor Exerciser
- Best manual pelvic floor trainer = Kegel8 Kegel Weights
- Best beginner pelvic floor trainer - Bodyotics Deluxe Kegel Weighted Exercise Balls
- Best vibrating pelvic floor trainer - Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand
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Tone up with our full edit of the best pelvic floor trainers down below.
Courtesy of brandBest pelvic floor trainer UK overall
Elvie Pelvic Floor Trainer, £169, cultbeauty.co.uk
Why we love it: This trainer from Elvie is recommended by Dr Tewari. “It has been referred to as the ‘FitBit for your vagina’,” she explains. “The device is very easy to use, and it helps to guide and motivate you to do the exercises properly.” You place the ‘bulb’ inside your vagina and force and motion sensors measure the movement of your muscles as they contract and release during five-minute workouts, with data sent via Bluetooth to an app on your phone for immediate feedback so you know how you’re doing.
Save when you shop for the best pelvic floor trainers with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
Courtesy of brandMyViv pelvic floor trainers review
My Viv 3 Piece Pelvic Floor Training Set, £25, boots.com
Why we love it: Just like with most aspects of health, you don’t need to spend a lot to reap the wellness benefits - and this set from My Viv is a great affordable option, particularly if you already have a good idea of the exercises you need to do. It includes three different weighted balls - 40g, 60g, 80g - which are intended to be used progressively. When inserted, they work the muscles surrounding the vagina, and can be easily removed using the ‘tail’.
Save when you shop for the best pelvic floor trainers with these Boots discount codes.
Courtesy of brandBest pelvic floor trainer with app
Perifit Pelvic Floor Exerciser, £119, Amazon
Why we love it: This Perifit device is connected via Bluetooth to an app that aims to bring some fun to your pelvic floor exercises. You insert the battery-powered exerciser into your vagina, and then your strength, endurance, contraction quality, relaxation and agility will be analysed. After this, you’ll be provided with a tailored training programe - including the option to play video games with your pelvic floor. Why not?
Courtesy of brandBest interactive pelvic floor trainer
kGoal Smart Pelvic Floor Exerciser, £317.36, Amazon
Why we love it: As befits its upper-end price tag, this kGoal device is bringing a lot of tech-savvy to the pelvic floor, including algorithms to suggest tailored exercise plans. Once inserted, you can then track your muscle strength, endurance and progress over time via a connected app - and, in the moment, receive immediate visual and tactile feedback. This means that, if you’ve been doing pelvic floor exercises but not knowing if you’ve been executing them correctly, then you’ll be in the dark no longer.
Courtesy of brandBest automatic pelvic floor trainer
Intimina KegelSmart, £69.99, Holland & Barrett
Why we love it: Intimina’s trainer aims to take the thinking out of doing your exercises. The battery-powered device, after being inserted into the vagina, niftily evaluates your current pelvic strength. Based on the information it receives, it then automatically sets the exercise level - so that it’s personalised to your needs. They claim that all you need to do is five minutes a day for results in around 12 weeks.
Courtesy of brandBest vibrating pelvic floor trainer
Intimate Rose Pelvic Wand, £101.35, Amazon
Why we love it: This ‘wand’ device, made from silky smooth silicone, has been created so that it can be angled to reach deeper pelvic muscles than some other options on the market. Additionally, what sets it apart further is that it vibrates - its ten levels of intensity are designed to improve pelvic floor blood flow in order to sooth pain at the same time. Now that’s clever.
Courtesy of brandBest manual pelvic floor trainer
Kegel8 Kegel Weights, £29.99, kegel8.co.uk
Why we love it: If tech can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed, then a manual trainer - like these weights from Kegel8 - could be a safer bet. The vaginal exercise balls have been shown to have 70% success rate after 12 weeks when used for stress incontinence in a clinical trial. There are three sizes and weight increments so you can build your way up. A ‘tail’ will wave downwards to indicate that you’re performing the exercises correctly.
Courtesy of brandBest pelvic floor trainer for beginners
Bodyotics Deluxe Kegel Weighted Exercise Balls, £31.99, Amazon
Why we love it: Now, in case you’ve been wondering what ‘kegel’ actually means, it’s simply another term for the pelvic floor, with ‘kegel exercises’ often used to describe pelvic floor exercises. This option from Bodyotics features six weights that take you through from beginner to more advanced levels. It comes with an e-book guide if you need a bit more support with how to get started.
Courtesy of brandBest luxury pelvic floor trainer
Why we love it: However, if you’re able to splurge bit more, then vSculpt’s rechargeable device could enhance your experience somewhat. It claims to use therapeutic light, gentle heat, and sonic vibration to restore vaginal tissue and stimulate collagen production, as well as tone your pelvic floor area, in less than ten minutes a day. A study showed that it was able to significantly improve pelvic floor muscle strength and quality of life related to incontinence symptoms. Smooth.
