Understanding all of the postpartum girdle benefits is important for new moms when deciding whether or not to use one in their postpartum recovery.
A postpartum girdle is a postpartum garment that provides support for the abdominal wall, back, and hips. It can help to re-shape your postpartum body to its normal size. Finally, a postpartum girdle is useful in supporting the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth.
Postpartum girdles also go by many other names like an abdominal binder, belly belt, postpartum wrap, belly bandit, postpartum compression garments, waist belt, support belts, abdominal wraps, and post-pregnancy girdle to name a few.
Despite their many names, they all do the same thing: provide abdominal support to new mothers in the postpartum period.
Postpartum girdles are designed to be worn following a vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery.
A postpartum girdle will provide you with physical relief from pain in your abdomen, hips, and lower back pain as well as give you some confidence when wearing your postpartum clothes by accentuating your waist and flattening your belly.
There are many different types of postpartum garments on the market today–you just have to know what type of postpartum belly wrap benefits you need!
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Postpartum Girdle Benefits
Some postpartum girdle benefits are that they provide support to your abdominal muscles and help them return to their original shape.
Postpartum girdles can also help with painful uterine contractions post-delivery, especially if you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding triggers the uterus to contract back to its original size, and the contractions can be really painful in the first few days postpartum.
They also can help alleviate pain in your hips, back, and abdomen post-delivery.
In addition to pain relief, postpartum girdles can help you maintain good posture (especially when you are spending so much time slouched over caring for a newborn).
In addition, postpartum girdles can help reduce the appearance of excess skin after pregnancy and reduce the appearance of any baby weight that you put on during pregnancy.
The Best Time To Wear A Postpartum Girdle
You can wear a postpartum girdle starting at postnatal day one, under the supervision of your healthcare providers.
This is usually around the time you are discharged from the hospital or birthing center but will vary depending on your doctor’s recommendations and recovery process.
Make sure to get clearance from your healthcare provider before you start using a postpartum girdle. I checked with my OB on the day I was discharged from the hospital.
Use a postpartum girdle immediately after vaginal delivery or c-section as soon as you are medically cleared by your doctor to support your abdominal muscles that have just been through labor.
Typically, postpartum girdles are worn for six to eight weeks post-delivery for the best results.
This is about how long I wore mine. I loved all of the postpartum girdle benefits but found it too difficult to transition from my postpartum wardrobe to my work clothes.
I did start using a Bengkung Belly Bind around 9 months postpartum as part of my effort to heal my diastasis recti.
Postpartum Girdles To Return To Your Original Size
A postpartum girdle helps your body to return to its original size by providing compression and support to your abdomen and waist.
It also encourages your organs that were squished up into your torso during pregnancy.
You should take advantage of the relaxin hormone in your body after labor to return your waist and hips to their original size.
During pregnancy, your body produces the hormone relaxin which loosens your abdominal muscles and other connective tissue to prepare for childbirth.
Relaxin can be found in your body postpartum for up to six months post-delivery.
You can take advantage of the same hormone that loosened your connective tissues to allow your bones and ligaments to return to their original state.
It is best to start using your postpartum girdle during the first 6 months postpartum while relaxin is still in your system. Although I did find my Bengkung Belly Bind did help with my waist definition as late as 9 months postpartum.
Postpartum Girdle Benefits For Diastasis Recti
Diastasis recti (or ab separation) is very common in pregnancy. As many as 50% of post-pregnancy women experience some degree of abdominal separation.
This is when the two large parallel bands that form your six-pack split apart and stick out at an angle towards your sides instead of remaining in a straight line across your abdomen.
A sign that you might have diastasis recti (DR) is if your belly still looks pregnant a few months after delivery. You can also check yourself for diastasis recti, or have your doctor check for you.
Although wearing a postpartum belly band can’t cure diastasis recti, it can help to draw the abdominal walls closer together and minimize the appearance of your belly.
If you want to cure your diastasis recti completely, you will need to do specific exercises for your core muscles and pelvic floor.
Pro Tip: Find out how I completely heal my DR in 12 weeks with the Every Mother program.
Postpartum Girdle Benefits For Your Skin And Internal Organs
A postpartum girdle will help your internal organs like your bladder, uterus, and intestines to return to their original position, and will help to minimize pain post-delivery.
A postpartum girdle can also help to reduce the appearance of loose skin after pregnancy. The compression provided by the girdle helps to “suck in” the skin and gives you a more toned appearance.
If you combine your postpartum girdle with the proper postpartum clothes for your new body, you will start feeling and looking like yourself again in no time!
Wearing a postpartum girdle is one of the best ways to speed up your post-pregnancy healing process. You should also make sure to have the right postpartum recovery supplies on hand.
It is important to follow your healthcare provider’s directions when it comes to wearing a postpartum girdle. If the girdle is causing you any pain you should stop using it immediately.
It is also important to find the best postpartum girdle for you. There are virtually thousands of postpartum girdles and waist trainers on the market. They are made for women of every shape and size.
As a very tall and curvy woman, it did take me some time to find a postpartum girdle that actually fit.
I’ll walk you through some of the things I learned when shopping for a postpartum girdle below.
Related Posts:
The Ultimate Postpartum Survival Kit (A Complete Guide For New Moms)
Postpartum Padsicles: DIY Recipes And Where To Buy In-Store
What To Wear Postpartum: Clothes For Your New Body After Birth
How To Fix Diastasis Recti
How To Find The Best Postpartum Girdles
Finding the right postpartum girdle can be tricky, but there are a few things you can look for when trying to make your decision:
- Look for a postpartum girdle that is made from high-quality material. You don’t want something that is going to wear out quickly or cause you discomfort.
- Find a garment with breathable fabric. Your body temperature fluctuates so much in the first few weeks postpartum, something that doesn’t breathe is only going to intensify the sweats and get uncomfortable and stinky quicker.
- Look for postpartum girdles that are specifically designed to target the abdomen, hips, and waist, instead of simply offering general belly support.
- Make sure your postpartum belt is easy to put on and take off by yourself (without assistance). This can be tricky because some postpartum belts are quite tight and can be difficult to remove.
- Make sure the postpartum belt has adjustable straps so that you can ensure a good, comfortable fit.
- If you are experiencing postpartum abdominal pain, make sure to choose a postpartum girdle with extra support for your abdomen and hips.
- Decide how much compression you want. You can find postpartum girdles that are more like a compression sleeve for your torso, all the way to postpartum girdles with adjustable clasps and zippers. It will come down to what you can wear comfortably for hours a day.
- Choose a garment that will stay in place. If you read the reviews on some postpartum girdles, you will see that they have one thing in common: don’t stay in place/ rolls over/ falls down/ etc. Some garments that are great for tall women might not stay in place well on a petite woman. Try to read the reviews as closely as you can to see what people with similar bodies to yours have to say.
- Buy a postpartum girdle somewhere with a great return policy. Trying something on in the store does not do the garment justice. You need to be able to really move around in the girdle, handle your baby, breastfeed, pump, sit, walk, etc. I found one of the garments I tried seemed perfect… Until I actually started moving.
The Best Postpartum Girdles
These postpartum girdles are either ones that I tried and really liked (but maybe the fit was off), or come highly recommended to me by mamas who have.
There are honestly thousands out there, so this list can get you pointed in the right direction, but you might find a different model that has all of the features you’re looking for.
3-In-1 Postpartum Girdles
The one I wore just a few days postpartum was a 3-in-1 support girdle.
I really liked the customizable aspect with the 3 different pieces. It allowed me to gradually increase the compression without getting uncomfortable. It also gave me a more custom fit for my long torso.
Ultimately wearing all of the layers together under my regular and work clothes was too challenging. The hip support band added too much bulk to my pant-line and made my pants too tight.
Bengkung Belly Bind
The Belly Bandit
The Belly Bandit is a classic postpartum girdle. I loved the fabric and ease of use, but the band was too short for my torso. I think it would work beautifully for someone who is less tall than I am.
Bellefit
Bellefit is definitely the go-to brand for postpartum girdles. I love that this one has the support straps, so you don’t have to worry about the waistband rolling or falling down.
To Sum It All Up
Overall, a postpartum girdle is a band of material that wraps around the waist to provide post-pregnancy support.
The best postpartum girdle benefits are helping your internal organs return to their original shape and place after giving birth. It can also
I would highly suggest using a postpartum girdle under the supervision of your doctor as it can help you return to your original size by providing compression for abdominal muscles, soothing your belly (especially if you have diastasis recti), and helping with hip and back support post-delivery.
