“I invented a device to stop bladder leaks!”

After living with stress urinary incontinence for years, Allison Watkins was at her wit's end—so she developed a simple solution that helps women prevent leaks and restore their confidence

- Gina Roberts-Grey

Gathering her belongings, Allison Watkins, 44, raced out of kickboxing class as fast as possible. Oh God, I hope no one noticed, she worried, having just slightly wet her pants. Equally shocked and horrified, the active mom had no warning it was about to happen.

As soon as she arrived home, Allison searched online for reasons a healthy woman might experience urinary incontinence. She quickly discovered that stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, affects up to one-third of women who have had a vaginal delivery. That’s because childbirth can weaken pelvic muscles and ligaments, leading to leaks when sneezing, exercising, laughing or doing other activities that increase abdominal pressure.