Postpartum Mums: Femtech’s Underserved Opportunity
Published 08 February 2023
Swedish sexual wellness company Smile Makers and British community platform Mumsnet have teamed up to develop a sex toy that helps new mothers reconnect with their bodies and their sexuality after childbirth. We explore how brands are tapping into the underserved postpartum opportunity.
The Whisperer is a lipstick-style external vibrator that caters to anxieties around internal penetration. It’s made from soft, flexible silicone to be gentle on areas affected by scar tissue and sensitivity. Smile Makers also crowdsourced the product’s name, colour and branding, so that it would feel empowering to users.
The innovation is the result of UK research revealing that 66% of women are uncomfortable in their own skin after childbirth, and 62% are ashamed about how their body looks (Mumsnet, 2023). The study also found that 58% feel nervous to resume sexual activity, while tiredness (78%) and low libido (64%) lead many to be disinterested in sex altogether.
The postpartum experience is also the focus of a similar collaboration between femtech company Puissante and maternity fashion brand Tajinebanane (both French). They recently introduced a sex toy with seven intensity settings to allow cautious mothers to advance at their own pace.
These two projects demonstrate the value of community engagement, and how reaching out to consumers can help businesses identify issues and crowdsource solutions that have a real impact on people’s lives.
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