Using a belly binder like the Postpartum Belly Binder by Misty Phases can help your body heal and recover after you’ve given birth. Your body has just gone through some crazy changes but in a matter of time things will go mostly back to normal.
How A Belly Binder Works
A postpartum belly binder is made of flexible yet durable material. There are a couple of variations in size in regards to how much of the abdomen is covered. Some belly binders are used for the lower portion of the tummy while others wrap from the waist all the way up the rib cage.
Wearing a belly binder is going to help support your lower back and abs which will help you immensely. This helps with posture as well which causes you to carefully use your abdominal muscles correctly in order to avoid any strain or struggle.
The compression provided from the tightly wrapped binder helps to hold the stomach and organs in place making it easier for them to heal. Belly binding can help speed up the recovery time and it helps the healing take place. A postpartum binder isn’t wrapped so tight that it provides discomfort, rather it is just snug enough to keep things in place and it can also ease the pain.
How Long Do I Have To Wait Before Using A Binder
Before you start belly binding make sure you have had a postnatal exam giving you the go ahead. Some women begin postpartum belly binding directly after giving birth while others need more time.
Postpartum Binding After C-Section
After being cut open through layers of tissues and muscles your tummy could definitely use the support a belly binder offers. This means that the recovery and healing period will naturally take longer than a vaginal birth recovery.
A study that was conducted back in 2015 shows that belly binding after a cesarean birth can have a huge positive impact. Women who took part in the postpartum belly binding study experienced less pain, discomfort, and bleeding compared to those who did not participate in belly binding.
Postpartum belly binding after a c-section cannot begin until the incision is fully healed and dry. Once your incision is healed and you’ve received a postnatal exam you can happily begin your belly binding. It will likely be a few weeks before you can start.
Postpartum Belly Binding After Vaginal Birth
Many experts agree that it is generally safe to begin postpartum belly binding right after giving birth. The only time you shouldn’t start right away is if there has been complications with your pregnancy or childbirthing.
Once you’ve had your postnatal exam speak to your doctor about how soon you can begin. More often than not it will be right away. In some cases it might be a few days before you can start. The sooner you begin postpartum binding the sooner you will recover and the better you’ll feel.
Tips & Things You SHould Know
You should know that postpartum belly binding is NOT waist training. It isn’t going to slim and shape your waist like a trainer would. It is more about providing support and aiding in the healing and recovery process.
Remember that it is going to take some time before you will see any obvious results. Consider that it took nine entire months for your baby to grow and your body to go through these massive changes. It’s going to take time for your body to shrink back to your original shape and size. In fact, some women won’t ever be exactly as they were before birth, lucky!
If you start belly binding and find that it’s causing too much discomfort then you will either have to loosen the binder or give your body a couple of more days before resuming use.
You should wear your postpartum binder for 12 hours and then leave it off for 12 hours in order to achieve maximum support and results. You should wear the postpartum belt for a month or two before stopping. If after 60-days you feel you need more time, it’s totally safe to continue using it.
Do not wear your binder during showers or bathing. You can wear it for more than 12 hours but there’s no need to. Also, avoid wearing while you sleep.
Wearing a postpartum belly binder can change your postpartum experience on many levels. Don’t believe us, give it a try and see for yourself.
