Ethical period care challenger Grace & Green has expanded into bladder care with a 15-strong range aimed at new mothers.
The lineup comprises liners, pads and shields made from plant-based materials and free from chlorine bleach, synthetic dyes and fragrances. The also featured “50% less plastic than the majority of comparable products”, said Grace & Green.
The new products are available now via the brand’s webstore – all designed to support new mums experiencing postpartum bladder leaks. They include Bladder Protection Liners in Light, Moderate and Plus (£8-£12/eight-12) and Bladder Protection Shields in in Light, Moderate and Plus (£5-£6.60/12). There is also Leaky Kit (£29.99) made up of bladder protection pads, period pads, nursing pads, biodegradable wipes and natural deodorant.
The launch comes after a survey commissioned by Grace & Green found postpartum bladder leaks affected “far more aspects of new mothers’ lives than is widely acknowledged, leading to withdrawal from daily life during what should be a time of support and recovery”.
The research, conducted by Censuswide among 2,000 people who had given birth in the past 10 years, found bladder leaks shaped “the daily lives of new mothers significantly in the fourth trimester – the first three months after giving birth”, Grace & Green added. A quarter have stopped sex and intimacy, 13% had stopped exercising and a further 13% felt unable to play with their children due to fear of leaking.
“We sweat when we train. We cry when we feel. And, yes, we leak when we’ve grown and delivered a brand-new human,” said Frances Lucraft, CEO of Grace & Green. “Whether it’s milk, blood, urine or tears, the fourth trimester is always leaky – but for something so normal, there is still so much shame. We simply don’t talk about it enough, which is keeping new mums isolated at home and having an impact on maternal mental health.”
The first months after childbirth were “hard enough without feeling embarrassed about something so common”, Lucraft added. “By sharing stories, we can show there is no shame in leaking. This is a time when we should be in awe of what our bodies have done, not questioning them. Leaks aren’t a sign of failure; they’re a sign of what your body has achieved.”
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