A peri bottle is a soft, squeezy bottle with an angled spout. You fill it with warm water and rinse instead of wiping when you go to the toilet in the weeks after the birth. Midwives recommend one after a vaginal birth, and it helps after a C-section too, because it means no reaching, twisting or wiping while everything is sore.
This guide covers how to use the BABYGO® Peri Bottle, when to start, what to put in it, and the questions we get asked most.
Why ours is worth having by the toilet
- It does not look like hospital kit. It is a soft oatmeal colour with a small BABYGO® mark, so it can sit by the toilet or on the side of the bath without you wanting to hide it.
- The spout is angled. Turn the bottle upside down and the water goes where it is needed. You do not have to twist, reach or lean, which matters in the first week.
- You control the flow. The body is soft. A light squeeze gives a gentle rinse, a firmer squeeze gives a stronger spray.
- Safe materials. EVA, ABS and silicone, all BPA-free.
- It packs small. It comes with its own travel bag, so it goes in your hospital bag and nothing leaks on your things.
How to use a peri bottle, step by step
1. Fill it with warm water
Warm, not hot. Screw the lid on and pull the spout out until it clicks. Plain water is all you need.
2. Sit down first
Sit on the toilet as normal. Hold the bottle upside down between your legs with the spout pointing towards you, from front to back.
3. Squeeze while you wee
A gentle, steady squeeze gives a soothing stream. Rinsing while you wee dilutes the urine, which takes most of the sting out of it. This is the bit that makes the biggest difference in the first few days.
4. Pat dry, do not wipe
Pat with soft, unscented toilet paper or a clean maternity pad, always front to back. If even patting feels too much, give yourself a minute to air dry instead.
5. Empty, rinse and leave to dry
Tip the water out, rinse the bottle and leave it to air dry with the lid off. Every few days wash it in warm soapy water. You can also run it through a steriliser or wipe it with a steriliser wipe.
When to use it, and for how long
Use it every time you go to the toilet for the first couple of weeks, then carry on for as long as it feels better than wiping. Most mums use theirs for two to six weeks. If you had stitches, a tear, an episiotomy or a forceps birth, you will probably want it for longer, because the area stays tender for longer.
The first time you will want it is within hours of the birth, on the ward, not once you are home. That is why it belongs in your hospital bag rather than in a drawer at home.
Can I put anything other than water in it?
Warm water on its own does the job. Some mums add a few drops of a perineal wash made for after the birth, or a little witch hazel, and find it more soothing. Keep it mild, never use anything scented or antiseptic, and never use hot water. If your midwife has given you anything specific for stitches, follow their advice first.
After a C-section
You still have bleeding to manage after a C-section, and bending and twisting are the last things you want to do with a fresh wound. The peri bottle lets you rinse without either. It is one of the small things that makes those first toilet trips less of an ordeal.
Questions we get asked
How often should I use a peri bottle?
Every time you go to the toilet in the first few weeks. After that, as often as it feels helpful. There is no wrong amount.
Do I need one if I am having a C-section?
It is still worth having. There is bleeding to manage after a C-section, and the bottle saves you bending and twisting over a healing wound.
Should I pack it in my hospital bag?
Yes. Pack it filled with nothing, in its travel bag, next to your maternity pads and knickers. You will reach for it within hours of the birth.
Can I use it with stitches?
Yes, and most mums with stitches say it is the thing that got them through the first week. Use warm water only, pat dry gently, and if the stitches become more painful, smell, or you feel feverish, speak to your midwife the same day.
Is it only for after the birth?
That is what it is made for, but people also use one after other surgery, during a heavy period, or any time wiping is uncomfortable.
How do I clean it?
Rinse after each use and leave it to air dry with the lid off. Wash in warm soapy water every few days. It can go through a steriliser.
Get yours before your due date
The BABYGO® Peri Bottle comes in oatmeal with its own travel bag, ready for your hospital bag. Most mums buy it with a pack of postpartum knickers, which is the other thing you will be glad of in the first week.
Shop the Peri Bottle Postpartum knickers › Hospital bag essentials ›
