Top 6 Things to Look for in a Pelvic Floor Support Garment

When it comes to pelvic floor support, you shouldn’t have to compromise between function and style, and you don’t have to settle! We know that pelvic organ prolapse affects your entire wellbeing, and a well-designed garment goes beyond helping relieve your physical symptoms–it can help improve your mental and emotional health, too. The right garment isn’t just a garment; it can be life-changing.

And while each person’s individual needs and preferences may vary, there are some things that can be helpful for everyone. Here are the 6 key things you should look for in a pelvic floor support garment: 

1. It’s designed specifically for pelvic floor support.

Some women will turn to shapewear or other compression garments to try and relieve their symptoms, but these are unlikely to help because they’re not designed to gently push your pelvic organs back into place. Instead, you’ll want to look for something intended specifically to help with prolapse symptoms, which means it will contain additional supportive elements for your pelvic floor. Our patent-pending hammock and built-in support panels provide targeted gentle compression in all the right places to support your pelvic floor while wearing the garment and provide our signature uplifting feeling. 

2. It relieves heaviness and discomfort.

For many women, a feeling of heaviness or pressure is one of the first and most prevalent symptoms they experience with pelvic organ prolapse. (In fact, 82% of our garment testers experience heaviness or bulging in their pelvic area at least once a week.) Some people describe the feeling as “sitting on a ball all the time,” and it can cause a lot of discomfort. A good pelvic floor support garment should help mitigate these symptoms and relieve the heaviness or "bulge" you’re feeling.  

3. It’s comfortable and easy to wear.

You’ll be spending many hours in your garment, so it should be something you actually want to wear, not something you dread putting on. Your comfort is important, and the garment you choose should be modern, stylish, and fit seamlessly into your wardrobe. Whether you’re jogging in the neighborhood or dressed up for date night, you’ll feel better knowing that your garment fits discreetly under your favorite clothes. It should also be easy to take on and off, have elastic that doesn’t dig into your waist or thighs, and be made of a high-performance and breathable material that doesn’t irritate your skin.

In addition, you’ll likely be wearing your garment during a range of activities. Maybe you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, or maybe you lead a very active lifestyle and are always on the go. No matter what your day entails, your garment should be flexible and not restrict your movement.

4. It helps you feel confident.

You’re strong and beautiful, and your pelvic floor support garment should help you feel that way, too. A garment that’s designed as underwear, rather than a bulky, unsightly brace, will help you feel like yourself.

Your body is unique, and we know that a one-size-fits-all pelvic floor support solution simply won’t work. Instead, you’ll want to look for a garment designed with your body in mind. Everyone deserves to feel supported and beautiful when they wear their garment, which is why ours are designed in multiple styles to flatter your body shape and 9 sizes, ranging from XS-4X.

5. It’s durable and easy to care for.

You live a busy and important life, and the last thing you need is another item to maintain. A garment that you can easily toss in the washing machine means you don’t have to worry about meticulous hand washing, which will help save you time and energy. You’ll also want your garment to last, which is why we recommend opting for garments made with high-quality materials and construction. Our support panel is made with 100% polyester, an OEKO-TEX STD 100 certified textile.

In addition, we recommend using a washing bag that you can feel good about. The GUPPYFRIEND washing bag helps collect microplastics that break down during the washing process and would otherwise end up polluting our oceans. It also helps you remember to hang dry your garment and help it not accidentally get tossed into the dryer. 

6. It’s designed by someone with real-life POP experience.

When the garment is designed by someone who has personal experience with POP, you can trust that you’re getting something that is truly meant to make a difference in your life. Our founder, Lauren, started Hem Support Wear when she was diagnosed with POP and unable to find a garment that was supportive and beautiful.

How Hem Support Wear’s garments compare to others

Curious about how Hem Support Wear’s garments stack up to others on the market? Our quick checklist below shows how our pelvic floor support underwear compares to other garments on key features.