How Midwife Mel Found Support With Physio and TheRY’s Uplift Pelvic Support Brief
5 min read.
Meet Midwife Mel: Real Story, Real Pelvic Floor Recovery
Melissa Stedman (“Midwife Mel”), a women's health professional and mum, shares her personal experience with prolapse and the role TheRY’s new Uplift Pelvic Support Brief has played in her recovery.
After an “amazing birth” with her first child Mel was feeling “really good” and expected to be back running by about 6 weeks postpartum. But a heavy sensation on a walk not long after giving birth revealed otherwise. Being a midwife, she knew that the healing process takes time and she thought “maybe this is as far as I can walk for the next few weeks.”
Mel understood the importance of pelvic health. She did her pelvic floor exercises and went to visit a pelvic physiotherapist at the six-week mark. “It wasn’t until I had an internal examination that I realised I wasn’t doing my pelvic floor exercises correctly,” says Mel. “I wish I’d seen a pelvic physio earlier" she reflects. Going forward, I would say to someone, if there’s any “bulging or you’re unsure go and see someone”.
“You Probably Won’t Run Again.” to a Turning Point
Initially told she "probably wouldn’t be able to run again," Mel found herself in tears. Determined not to accept that outcome, she sought a second opinion. "The second physiotherapist said, 'We’ll get you going again,’ and that’s exactly what is happening," Mel recalls. With expert guidance, a focus on doing pelvic floor exercises correctly and the Uplift Pelvic Support Brief, Mel has seen significant improvements. “…two months later I was back up and…interval running”, as well as weight training.
Wearing the Uplift Pelvic Support Brief has really helped relieve her symptoms. “It felt so nice and comfortable,” wearing them Mel says. “…that lift and support it gives me when I’m running has been amazing…I’m loving them”.
Pelvic Health Challenges Are Common. You’re Not Alone
Pelvic health challenges are common: one in two mothers experience pelvic organ prolapse, one in three women are affected by urinary incontinence, and one in five women endure pelvic pain. Yet until now, there’s been no design-forward solution. Options have been limited to pessaries, shapewear (if sized incorrectly can do more harm than good) or very mild pelvic support in a legging/short.
The First-of-its-Kind Pelvic Support Brief
TheRY’s Uplift Pelvic Support Brief has been developed over two years (and many design iterations) with leading pelvic health physiotherapists. It looks like a minimal, modern pair of underwear, but built within is the Uplift Pelvic Sling™: a uniquely engineered design that gently lifts and supports the perineal and pelvic floor.
It helps provide relief from prolapse symptoms (especially that heavy, dragging sensation many women silently endure), as well as stress incontinence, pelvic pain, and vulvar varicosities. Because there is no abdominal compression, it can be worn during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause and menopause (as prolapse and stress incontinence is not just a post-baby issue, many can also commonly occur during these hormonal changes). The brief is TGA-listed, medical-grade compression and is eligible for private health rebates.
Every detail of TheRY’s Uplift Pelvic Support Brief has been thoughtfully engineered: not just for comfort, but to restore confidence, ease symptoms, and allow women to feel quite literally held. While it is not a cure, it provides real symptom relief, especially when combined by pelvic floor rehabilitation.
A Message to Women Experience Prolapse or Pelvic Dysfunction
Mel’s message is simple: “Know there is hope – you’ve got this,” Mel shares. “Be kind to yourself. I hope that by sharing my story, this helps someone who was super active and is now wondering what to do.”
At the launch event, pelvic health physiotherapist Rosie Purdue, who collaborated on the creation of the Uplift Pelvic Support Brief said: “for someone who does have heaviness and dragging absolutely it will help... and it’s safe and relatively inexpensive… and absolutely it will help the symptoms… and if you’re feeling less heavy and you are already doing the work to get better/stronger, then going for a run can just make your day better”.