Finding the Best Perineal Irrigation Bottle for Washing

Childbirth brings both joy and challenges to mothers, whether it is your first time or third. But I found that some of these challenges are hardly talked about and as a new mother, you can find it quite difficult trying to figure out what to do.

One of those challenges is needing a perineal irrigation bottle and knowing what to do

Why are Perineal Irrigation Bottles Needed?

During virginal childbirth, a woman stretches greatly and at times it may lead to tearing. At other times, an episiotomy is performed. This is a cut or an incision between the virginal area and the anus, the perineum, during delivery to avoid tearing.

The incision is then sewn back after delivery and it should be carefully taken care of in order to heal faster, and prevent infections.

This is where having a perineal irrigation bottle is helpful to keep things clean and most importantly, reduce the pain from the burning sensation that can sometimes occur.

What is a Perineal Bottle and Why do you Use One?

A perineal bottle is a small plastic bottle that new mothers use to clean their perineum after using the toilet and before changing the peri-pad.  

It is used to lessen the pain as you urinate and to keep the perineum clean. 

The perineal bottle can also be used to bring relief and comfort if you have haemorrhoids, itching or tenderness on your perineum.

How do you use a Perineal Bottle?

During the first weeks after childbirth, there can be lots of discharge and the peri-bottle will help you in cleaning yourself as well.

Generally the steps to use a perineal bottle are as follows:

1. Before carrying out the perineal cleaning, you need to ensure that your hands are clean, so wash them with clean water.
2. Remove the soiled maternity pad by pealing it off from the front, that is, the virginal area, to the back, that is, the anal area.
3. While sitting on the toilet, spray the water from the bottle. Aim the bottle at your perineum and ensure that you spray towards the back to avoid getting contamination.
4. Dry the area gently with a towel or a toilet paper, while ensuring that you move from front to back.
5. Put on a fresh maternity pad gently, then wash your hands.

If the above steps don't make sense or you're more a visual person, we found the video below a great visual guide to using a peri bottle. 

How Long You Need to Use a Peri Bottle For

The hospital or your doctor should give you instructions on how to use the perineal bottle and the duration.

However if in the event that they don't, it is recommended that you use it anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks.

Things that can impact how long you should use a peri bottle for depends on how fast you are healing and whether your discharge has decreased. You can use it until you are completely healed or until you can comfortably use a cloth.

MomWasher Peri Bottle

The  has an ergonomic design with an angle head to be held upside down, which means that you can aim exactly at the required area.

The MomWasher Peri Bottle contains a one-way air valve to allow for a steady water pressure to aim at the exact spot that you need it.

Also included is a light-weight travel bag making it portable and mothers can use it while travelling.

Brondell GoSpa Travel Bidet GS-70

The  has an angled nozzle which makes it is easy to use. It has an ergonomic design with a soft squeeze bottle. The Brondell GoSpa has been designed to allow airlock for a consistent spray at each squeeze.

One thing that we liked about the Brondell peri bottle was that you don't have to worry about constantly re-filling the bottle as it has a large capacity of 400ml and means you can also push a lot of water into the affected area.

The Brondell GoSpa Travel Bidet GS-70 comes with a distinct travel bag to conveniently use it on the go with all parts being designed to compact down and conveniently fit in a bag.

BioBidet The Palm TP-70

The  has an angled nozzle which is 7.5 inches long for easy cleaning and not requiring you to almost pull a muscle trying to get the right body angle!

The bottle has a 450 ml capacity which is great as it allows you to clean a large area in a short time and not have to worry about filling up the bottle.

The BioBidet Palm TP-70 comes with two sets of five nozzle holes which offers strong water pressure thanks to the airlock system.

Like other bottles reviewed in this article, the BioBidet Palm TP-70 comes with a convenient carrying bag and it is small enough to fit into handbags or luggage.

Closing 

A perineal irrigation bottle is an important necessity for mothers during the first few weeks after delivery. Choosing the right one will make work easier for you and offer the comfort you are looking for.

We hope this guide has been useful! 🙂