Founder's Perspective: What Surprised Me Most After Launching a Pelvic Support Brand

When I first started this brand, I thought I understood pelvic organ prolapse.

I had lived it. I had gone to the appointments, done the Google searches, and worked through the ups and downs. I had support from a pelvic floor physical therapist, tried different tools, and slowly started to feel like myself again.

But what I didn’t fully understand until I started talking about it openly was just how many women were quietly going through the same thing.

And how little we were talking about it.

This is what surprised me most.

1. How Common This Is… But How Quiet It Still Is

Before launching this brand, prolapse felt like something that had happened to me.

After launching, I realized it’s happening to so many women.

What’s been most eye-opening is how quickly conversations open up when I simply share what I do.

I was at a birthday party recently, just making small talk. Someone asked what I do for work, and I told her I run a pelvic support brand for women navigating prolapse and postpartum recovery.

Almost immediately, the conversation shifted.

She started sharing symptoms she had been experiencing but had never really said out loud. You could tell it had been on her mind for a while. She wasn’t even sure what it was or whether it was something she should be concerned about.

We ended up having a completely open, honest conversation about pelvic health right there in the middle of a birthday party.

I encouraged her to see a pelvic floor physical therapist, to get answers, and to feel more in control of what was going on in her body.

And I left thinking:

Why aren’t we having these conversations more often?

Because once you open the door, women are ready to walk through it.

2. The “Taboo” Is Still Very Real

Even though I talk about this every day, I’m constantly reminded that for many women, this still feels like something you’re not supposed to talk about.

Not long ago, I was talking with someone in her early 70s. She had questions, good and important ones, but the way she asked them felt almost like she was sharing a secret.

Like this was something incredibly private or even inappropriate to bring up.

At one point, she hesitated because my husband was in the room.

And that moment really stuck with me.

Because in our house, this isn’t a taboo topic. It’s just part of life. Part of health. Something we talk about openly and without shame.

That contrast was a reminder of how deeply ingrained the stigma still is, especially across generations.

And how much work we still have to do to normalize these conversations.

3. How Often Women Feel Dismissed in Healthcare

This is one that hits close to home and something I hear over and over again from other women.

Early on in my own journey, I brought concerns to a provider and was told everything was fine. That I didn’t have prolapse.

But I knew something didn’t feel right.

Later, when I worked with a pelvic floor physical therapist, I finally got confirmation and, more importantly, support.

Then there was my experience trying to get a pessary.

I went into that appointment hopeful. I saw it as a tool that could help me manage my symptoms. But instead of feeling supported, I felt dismissed. The provider implied that my prolapse wasn’t that bad and that a pessary wasn’t really for someone like me.

I left feeling discouraged, questioning myself, and without a pessary.

And the hardest part is that this isn’t unique.

So many women are told:

• “It’s normal”
• “It’s not that bad”
• “Just wait and see”

Even when their symptoms are affecting their daily lives.

That gap between what women are experiencing and what they’re being told is real. It’s one of the biggest reasons so many of us feel stuck.

4. There’s No Clear Path for Managing Prolapse

One of the biggest surprises for me as a founder was realizing just how fragmented prolapse care really is.

There’s no clear, step-by-step roadmap.

Instead, it often looks like:

• A lot of Googling
• A referral, if you’re lucky
• Trial and error with different tools
• Piecing together advice from different providers

That was definitely my experience.

Pelvic floor physical therapy helped. Support garments helped. Small lifestyle adjustments helped.

But no one handed me a clear plan and said, “Here’s how you navigate this.”

And that’s what so many women are still doing. Trying to connect the dots on their own.

5. The Emotional Side Is Bigger Than I Expected

I expected the physical symptoms.

I didn’t expect the mental load.

The constant awareness of your body.
The questioning.
The fear about what this means long term.

I remember feeling like my body had failed me. Wondering if things would ever feel normal again. Thinking about what future pregnancies might look like and if they were even possible.

Even on the good days, it was still there in the background.

That emotional weight is something we don’t talk about enough, but it’s often the hardest part.

6. Women Don’t Just Want Relief. They Want to Feel Like Themselves Again

If there’s one thing this journey, and this business, has made clear, it’s this:

Women aren’t just looking for symptom relief.

They’re looking for:

• Confidence
• Normalcy
• The ability to move through their day without constantly thinking about their body

They want to pick up their kids, go for a walk, get dressed, show up in their lives, and feel like themselves again.

That’s the real goal.

7. The Conversations Matter More Than I Ever Expected

Yes, this started as a product-based business.

But what has surprised me most is that the impact goes far beyond the product.

It’s in the conversations.

It’s in the moments when someone says,
“I’ve never told anyone this before…”

It’s in helping someone feel seen, validated, and supported.

It’s in normalizing something that has been kept quiet for far too long.

What I’d Tell Myself at 6 Weeks Postpartum

If I could go back and talk to myself in those early weeks, I would say:

You are not alone.
This is more common than you think.
Your body did not fail you.
There is support. You might just have to look for it.

And most importantly:

This is something we can talk about.

Final Thoughts

Launching this brand has opened my eyes in ways I didn’t expect.

Not just to the gaps in care or the need for better products, but to the power of conversation, community, and shared experience.

The more we talk about pelvic health, the less isolating it becomes.

And the more women can move from confusion and silence to clarity and confidence.

About the Hem Support Wear Team

Meet Cristin, Lauren, and Alexa: a small, mission-driven team passionate about helping women feel supported, seen, and strong—especially when it comes to pelvic health. Hem Support Wear was founded by Lauren Fleming, whose personal journey with prolapse sparked a mission to make healing feel less lonely and a whole lot more empowering.

**Medical Disclaimer: This post is intended to provide information and resources only. This post or any of the information contained within should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Always seek the guidance of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your healthcare, conditions, and recommended treatment.