Information for midwives
Urinary leakage / bladder weakness affects 600,000 New Zealand women and is a common complaint from women who have recently (and not so recently) given birth.
Bladder weakness can negatively affect a woman’s enjoyment of life and restrict her physical participation in many activities, especially when required to be active with her child/ren, and wanting to get out and about and enjoy life.
80% of women do not talk to their regular health professional about this issue and two-thirds of women think ‘bladder weakness’ is a normal state, or that it will 'come right' over time by itself, or with unaided Kegel exercises. You will know that this is not always (if ever) the case.
By introducing your clients to SmartBalls at the routine 6 week check—you will be giving them access to a product that can help regain pelvic floor strength and banish bladder weakness. We know that for a lot of women, Kegel exercises don't work because it is hard to isolate the correct muscles to improve pelvic floor strength - ergo, women give up doing them in despair that they're not working, and then come to accept that a bladder weakness is their 'lot'.
By strengthening and toning the pelvic floor muscles using SmartBalls, a very high percentage of women can increase their pelvic floor support and overcome bladder weakness. If the pelvic floor muscles are not strengthened and they undergo further stress (or subsequent pregnancies and deliveries), the issue may compound, resulting in conditions such as prolapse of the uterus and serious incontinence.
SmartBalls and Midwives
SmartBalls are of interest to midwives who either advise or treat women affected by issues associated with weak pelvic floor muscles.
Developed by a midwife in Germany, whose area of expertise is pelvic floor resolution education, SmartBalls are recommended world-wide by midwives, ante-natal educators, obstetricians, physiotherapists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, sex therapists and gynaecologists.
SmartBalls are unique as they do not require conscious input to be effective after they are inserted into the vagina. All a woman has to do is to wear them regularly and with increasing duration to benefit the toning effects that are caused from the weighted ball that is free to move inside the medical grade silicone outer, which activates the pelvic floor muscles to contract, and 'hold' the ball within the vagina.
SmartBalls are a simple option that can effectively work in tandem with treatment from health practitioners to rectify pelvic floor issues (such as Kegels or related pelvic floor exercises). They are safe to use at 6 weeks postpartum providing the client is sufficiently happy and confident with the state of healing, or a medical practitioner, such as a midwife, gives the 'all clear' for SmartBall activity. They are hygienic and easy to clean in soap and hot water. We recommend using a hypoallergenic lubricant such as Probe for easy insertion and comfort.
Pelvic Floor Health produces an informative flyer, with information about how to use SmartBalls, supplied free of charge with each SmartBall unit sold and display material is also available if you require it. Pelvic Floor Health also provides hygienic storage bags for SmartBalls when they're not in use. Pelvic Floor Health is happy to send you a set of demo SmartBalls so you may get to know the product better yourself and feel comfortable recommending it to your clients, and be knowledgeable about how they work. Please email us to receive your demonstration pack here.
Pelvic Floor Health is also pleased to be able to offer wholesale rates to midwives if you wish to sell SmartBalls directly to your clients, please contact us for more information on the purchasing options available to you. We will do our utmost to answer any questions specific to midwifery and the experience of SmartBalls with new mothers.
If you would like more information, or to retail SmartBalls please contact us at info@pelvicfloor.co.nz
