I was gifted the Perifit for this review but all opinions are my own.
Pelvic floor, pelvic floor, pelvic floor. These are some of the words that you’ll hear the most just after you’ve had a baby and with good reason. To take it back to basics though, what is your pelvic floor? Your pelvic floor muscles act like a hammock to support the pelvic organs, including the bladder, uterus and rectum. FYI men also have pelvic floor muscles but for the sake of this post I’m talking about the female pelvic floor muscles.
Whether you’ve delivered your baby vaginally or via c-section, your pelvic floor undergoes a huge amount of stress during pregnancy, it’s not just the mode of delivery that can affect it. Towards the end of pregnancy you’ll have a fully-grown baby pressing down on your pelvic floor muscles with very little relief which can fatigue the muscles and overstretch them.
The result is that at the end of pregnancy and after birth these muscles can be weak and even non-functional directly after birth. One of the best pieces of advice that I was given when we were sat in hospital for four days after the birth of my son was to do my pelvic floor exercises every time he was feeding, which in those early days was an awful lot. Even still, there were a few mad dashes to the toilet before my pelvic floor muscles woke up and decided to work again a few days later.
However, it’s not just in the early days that it’s important to do your pelvic floor exercises because it’s an ongoing recovery and strengthening journey. Enter Perifit, the Kegel exerciser. While it looks like a sex toy it’s actually a sophisticated bit of kit that can help you to exercise your pelvic floor muscles.
How does it work?
You download the Perifit app and connect the device to it. Then you insert the Perifit with the antennae pointing out (this is how it connects to your phone via Bluetooth) and get ready to workout. There are a number of games you can play where you control the flying character by performing short squeezes and long, sustained squeezes with your pelvic floor.
How big is it?
The part of the device that is meant to be inserted is 3.1 inches / 8.3 cm long, and the diameter is up to 0.8 inches / 2.8 cm
Is it comfortable?
Once it’s inserted it’s fine, they do suggest that you use a lubricant to insert it if needed
When can you use it?
There’s no instructions as to when you can use it but I would recommend waiting until your post-partum bleeding has stopped because you don’t want to introduce anything that could cause an infection. If you gave birth a while ago or have never given birth you can still use it because pelvic floor strength is something that needs to be worked at on an ongoing basis.
Does it work?
It really helped me to zero in on my pelvic floor muscles and activate them properly because if you don’t use them correctly then the device can slide out and you don’t hit any of the targets in the games because the device isn’t picking up the correct muscle movements internally. My pelvic floor muscles have definitely got stronger but I’ve been using the Perifit in conjunction with pelvic floor exercises multiple times a day whenever I remember and working on my core and deep abdominals in the gym
What are the cons?
I found it difficult to find time to use it because I found it easiest to concentrate when there wasn’t anyone around and as a new mum that’s tricky enough. You have to actively set aside time to go upstairs and use it which I was able to do probably once or twice every two weeks
How much does it cost and where can I get one?
It is currently on sale for £106 and you can buy one here
Any final thoughts?
I would recommend the Perifit if you’re struggling to connect with your pelvic floor and I would see it being used as one tool in the toolbox to improve your pelvic floor health alongside regular pelvic floor exercises and core activation. Remember, doing a wee when jumping after having a baby is not just something you have to put up with! If you have any concerns then the best thing to do is to visit a Women’s Health Physio who can do a full assessment.