* NOTE: We use the term "Kegel Balls“. But the terms "Ben Wa balls, Geisha balls, Vaginal balls" etc. all describe the same thing: A solid ball rotating in a hollow sphere creating stimulation when you move.
In this guide, as a midwife and certified pelvic floor therapist, I will give you tips on how you can use Kegel Balls* during postnatal recovery to prevent pelvic floor weakness or to train your pelvic floor. And above all: Which of the unbelievable number of Kegel Balls* are actually suitable for this. The few balls that are really suitable are not only available as a set, but also individually. Certified medical Kegel Balls* with proven effectiveness come at a price, but they are worth it.
Table of Contents:
Take some time to understand the connections:
Pregnancy and the birth of a baby are natural events for the female body, which is what nature has designed it for. Nevertheless, the stresses and strains of pregnancy and childbirth are ideal conditions for damage to the pelvic floor. I would therefore like to give all pregnant women the urgent tip to undertake targeted training following the birth of the baby in order to counteract pelvic floor weakness as early as possible after pregnancy. However, I do not recommend using Kegel Balls* during pregnancy.
Manufacturers of sex toys have also discovered the topic of the pelvic floor as an additional market. New products are constantly being offered in great designs and attractive colors that promise to be effective against pelvic floor weakness (after pregnancy) as well as providing incredible erotic sensations.
However, the differences in the quality of Kegel Balls* are enormous, both in terms of the materials and the intensity of the vibration that is generated inside (unfortunately not visible). In order to be effective against pelvic floor weakness after pregnancy, you should know which properties are important for optimal pelvic floor training:
A woman's pelvic floor has done a great job after pregnancy and the birth of a baby: For a long time, it has carried an enormous amount of extra weight, in addition to its other tasks such as supporting and holding the organs in the pelvis, maintaining an upright posture to protect the spine and the closing functions of the urethra and bowel. This additional total weight consists not only of the baby's weight, but also of amniotic fluid, the growing uterus and the placenta.
And this is achieved under difficult circumstances because body structures such as tendons and ligaments etc. as well as the entire pelvic floor become softer and more flexible due to the pregnancy hormones. In order to be able to open up for the birth of the baby, the pelvic floor not only needs strength and a holding function, but also elasticity and flexibility like any other musculature. On a spiritual and psychological level, a healthy pelvic floor gives you a feeling of inner stability.
Healthy pelvic floor muscles are also enormously important for a woman and her partner when it comes to sexuality: with good function, she can open her vagina, e.g. to accommodate the penis, to hold and massage it, so to speak. A caesarean section has a negative effect on your pelvic floor, as it is connected to the straight abdominal muscles that were severed by the incision. This makes training impossible at first, and even after healing, the important connection remains weakened for a long time.
* NOTE: We use the term "Kegel Balls“. But the terms "Ben Wa balls, Geisha balls, Vaginal balls" etc. all describe the same thing: A solid ball rotating in a hollow sphere creating stimulation when you move.
Weakened pelvic floor muscles can have a wide range of consequences: One common consequence is incontinence, especially urinary incontinence in various forms. It is understandable that women with such complaints feel extremely uncomfortable and insecure. Fecal incontinence, which is fortunately much rarer, naturally has an even greater impact on everyday life and quality of life. Hi-impact sports, where both feet come off the ground and the body bounces back on impact, such as fast running, ball sports and especially trampolining, should be avoided because they cause additional damage to the weakened pelvic floor. (Note: Nordic walking with a Viball is a real miracle cure, however! see below for more information).
Pelvic floor problems often go hand in hand with poor posture. It is not only women who are affected, but people of all genders and especially those with a high body weight often have too little strength and stability to hold themselves upright and straight. This often leads to chronic back problems or pain in the lumbar spine. It can also lead to organ prolapse in various degrees of severity, such as in the vagina, uterus, bladder or bowel. This can lead to inflammation and other subsequent problems and, last but not least, these problems make sex with a partner more difficult (vagina too "wide").
As mentioned above, you should do targeted training after the birth to build up and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and for postnatal recovery. The best way to do this is in a postnatal class with other women in a midwife's practice. If you also train on your own at home, this will help you enormously. I have designed special pelvic floor exercises with Viball(see below) that will help you to train your pelvic floor muscles as well as your entire musculature. You should also check your movements and your behavior in everyday life and at home to see whether they are pelvic floor-friendly or harmful, make yourself aware of this again and again and correct it if necessary. I will give you tips on this below.
In addition, aids that are inserted vaginally can effectively support involution. Vaginal cones or Kegels (cone-shaped weights) are probably the best known and oldest. However, because cones or Kegel usually lead to (unconscious) cramping when used for long periods, you should only use them for active training or Kegel exercises and not for longer periods. However, in my experience from postnatal courses, vaginal cones are only suitable for this purpose to a limited extent because they are too small for many women and generally slip out easily.
Kegel Balls* are more suitable: Hollow balls in which a solid ball swings during movement and triggers vibrations that stimulate the pelvic floor. These balls are more perceptible and therefore easier to hold, especially when worn in everyday life. And they combine the effects of weight and vibration. However, not every erotic toy has the quality and effect to help as a pelvic floor therapy ball.
Kegel Balls* suitable for pelvic floor therapy must fulfill the following conditions:
Ideally, Kegel Balls* should be approved as a medical device: This provides proof of effectiveness and guarantees safety of use.
The erotic "side effects" of a product with an efficient effect are naturally also correspondingly intense. Wonderful!
But there has never been a genuine "medical Kegel Ball*" with all these properties.
That's why I developed my own series of Ben Wa balls called "Viball" based on my experience and with the help of experts.
Viball® is a certified medical product with proven effectiveness. Don't settle for cheap solutions and compromises when it comes to the most wonderful part of your body.
... for optimal adaptation to your body or the right size or weight for the respective application - for young women or during the menopause and/or after many births.
The optimum ratio between the size of the outer and the size of the inner ball is extremely important: inner balls that are too large have too little space to vibrate, and inner balls that are too small have too little weight to generate an intense vibration. With most erotic products, the size ratio is not right and the vibration is correspondingly weak.
With Viball, the optimum proportions of the inner and outer balls are precisely calculated: In each of the six sizes, this produces the maximum vibration intensity, which is further increased by the special material. It is therefore not possible to generate more vibration in a ball of the same size than with a Viball.
With your purchase you will also receive extensive tips on training with Viball.
Implant steel is extremely body-friendly and clinically hygienic, the smooth polished surface is very supple and easy to insert. Silicone is used in almost all erotic products. However, silicone is not inert (constantly stable), but reacts in the body: it becomes discolored by body fluids, releases substances (!) and takes on an odor. In addition, the surface becomes rougher and rougher after frequent cleaning. This is why silicone is hygienically questionable. And above all: it does not vibrate, but dampens vibrations. Implant steel, on the other hand, is very vibration-intensive - another reason why vibration is unsurpassable.
We offer application sleeves for these special cases.
Conventional Kegel Balls* usually consist of a set of two pieces with a segment in the middle in the shape of a figure of eight, so they are fixed in one position in the body by the muscles. Sheaths and loops or straps, which are supposed to be necessary for retrieval, also hinder mobility. They protrude from the body and, especially in the months following the birth of the baby, represent bacterial bridges into the vagina, which can lead to vaginal fungus or infections. However, they are only really necessary in very few cases. Because Viball has no retraction straps or elements that protrude outwards, your vagina can fully accommodate it and close completely around it. And because the ball is absolutely round and smooth, Viball even moves slowly up and down in the vagina due to the muscle tone. This additional stimulation is very helpful in healing vaginal tears, perineal tears or other injuries.
Please note: Viball can be applied quite simply if there are no health problems. Application sleeves are available for this rare case. Details on application can be found in the instructions for use and in our "FAQ".
You can wear a Viball anytime and anywhere, in the sauna or during sports, because it is always completely inside your body and remains invisible to others.
Approval as a medical device means that the effectiveness of a product must be proven, especially the physical compatibility of the material and the safety of use - even without a return strap. Viball therefore fulfills the highest demands as a therapy ball for your health as well as your very personal Kegel Balls* de luxe.
It doesn't matter whether you want to use Kegel Balls* to treat pelvic floor weakness after pregnancy or for erotic stimulation - because eroticism also ensures a healthy pelvic floor. You insert them with a little lubricant (Vemal anti-allergenic lubricant is ideal for the body) and wear them in everyday life, preferably during exercise or sport, as this is when they have their greatest effect. Sports with flowing movements such as gymnastics, yoga, dancing, walking etc. are ideal. High impact sports (bouncing, jumping, trampolining, etc.) should be avoided at all costs during the postnatal period.
Kegel Balls* that are (too) small often cause unconscious cramping so that they don't slip out, and their effect is weaker anyway. In order for Kegel Balls* to work optimally and remain securely in the vagina, i.e. without permanent tension, you need the right size. Because every woman and every vagina is different, due to age, childbirth, sexual habits, etc. One size fits all is therefore a no-go! Find out how to determine your ideal size here.
As medical products, Viball Kegel Balls* fulfill the proof of efficacy. They also meet the highest quality and application safety requirements:
* NOTE: We use the term "Kegel Balls“. But the terms "Ben Wa balls, Geisha balls, Vaginal balls" etc. all describe the same thing: A solid ball rotating in a hollow sphere creating stimulation when you move.
by Hera Schulte Westenberg September 18, 2023 8 min read