Following the birth of your child, your body goes through a lot of changes.
Not only does your stomach look kind of awful but your back is likely to hurt as well. There’s also the issue of bulging belly which is a result of the weight you might have gained during your pregnancy.
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Some women are lucky enough to go through and survive pregnancy without the physical manifestations. But a lot of women are not.
The good news is there are ways to make you feel sexier and more confident about your body postpartum. One of these is wearing belly wraps and girdles.
Rather than go under the knife or through non-invasive procedures to lose excess stomach fats, postpartum girdles provide you with a more affordable and safer alternative.
There are many reasons that women wear girdles. But for new moms, using them is a necessity.
Benefits of Wearing the Best Postpartum Girdles
Abdominal support
Your stomach is the one thing that will pay for your pregnancy. Following the birth of your child, your muscles with be shot for weeks or months. If you had a C-section, there is also the pain of the incision that you have to deal with.
Girdles and wraps provide you with that extra abdominal support that will help with the pain and pressure that come with childbirth.
Posture
Your posture can suffer over the past 9 months of your pregnancy. Getting it back to normal could take some work and, in some, cases it can be a huge feat post-pregnancy. Postpartum girdles can help ease the process.
Back pain
Girdles have been known to alleviate back pain in the short term. It may be just a temporary solution but it is better than suffering for the first few weeks after childbirth.
Combine it with Pilates, yoga, and some stretching and strengthening exercises and you can regain a healthy posture and ease back pain.
Appearance
Admit it, wraps or girdles are used for appearance’s sake, more than anything. Well, you deserve to use them. After feeling like a whale over the second or last trimester, you have every right to try to get your body back in shape in any means available.
Choosing the best girdle to buy
Belly wraps and postpartum girdles come in many shapes and sizes.
Top 3 Picks
What you buy will depend on a lot of factors. But you have to ensure that:
- It hides well under your clothes, without any bulges. No one has to know that you are wearing a girdle.
- It is it easy to use and wear. The last thing you want is to wrestle with your girdle every time you want to put it on.
- It stays well in place, so you don’t need to tug or pull it up, regardless of what you’re doing. Avoid a postpartum girdle that keeps shifting and sliding.
- It is comfortable to wear and enables you to breathe. Avoid anything too tight or one made of itchy fabric.
- It’s made of breathable fabric to keep you from feeling sweaty and uncomfortable underneath your clothes.
- It is priced just right for your budget. With all those hospitals and medical bills, overspending on wraps and girdles is not a good idea, financially.
When to wear a postpartum girdle?
Shortly after childbirth is a good idea. Some women even wear it a couple of hours after delivery.
But if you had a C-section, you should consult your doctor about when best to put on your girdle. Some women prefer not to have anything touching their incisions, while others don’t mind. Which one are you?
10 Best Postpartum Girdles in 2018
1. Chongerfei, 3 in 1 Wrap – (Best 3 in 1)
The 3 in 1 refers to the wraps that provide support around your belly, waist, and pelvis.
What makes this product great is that it is designed in such a way that you won’t get a bulging muffin top under your clothes. This is because the elastic goes high up on your waist.
It is made of breathable fabric for a comfortable feel on your skin, built-in boning for lower back support, and Velcro closure for convenient use.
However, this product only works for women under 190 pounds. If you wear thinner clothes, it tends to be noticeable as well.
2. Foumech Girdle with Adjustable Straps
Designed specifically for women who have had a C-section, this postpartum girdle provides extra support yet is easy to wear and adjust. Putting it on would not feel like you’re pulling your stitches.
It is made of stretchy and breathable material and comes with a double adjustment Velcro fastener and built-in boning.
The only downside is that it can only be hand washed which some new moms find inconvenient.
3. Bellefit Postpartum Corset, Medical-Grade
A medical-grade postpartum girdle short, it follows a corset shape with two rows of hook and eye for closure. Unlike Velcro, the closure provides additional compression that you need to promote healing of your incision.
It is worn like a short with high waist but has the convenience of a groin flap with hook closures. If you want to empty your bladder, you just need to unhook the flap.
Because it is designed like a corset and covers your hips, pelvis, and buttocks, it not only helps in healing and recovery postpartum but also helps you get back into pre-pregnancy shape faster.
4. ProCare Elastic Abdominal Binder
Diastasis recti is something a lot of pregnant women have which actually refers to the belly sticking out because your left and right abs spread apart during your pregnancy. This binder will give your abs the essential support that will help in a post-birth recovery process.
It has support panels that offer great compression and flannel lining that keeps it from rolling and help heal abdominal strain. It is made of latex-free elastic that dries quickly. Unfortunately, some women find the fabric itchy.
5. Shinymod Postpartum Corset
Made of seven steel bones, this particular corset-type girdle will stay in place and without curling and rolling. It has hook and eye closures in 3 adjustable settings, perfect for when you start losing weight postpartum.
Even if you have a longer torso, this corset will provide the coverage you need.
Made of thin, lightweight, and breathable fabric, it is comfortable wear all day and without showing through your clothes. It offers back support too.
If you’re a busy mom, however, this might prove inconvenient since it can only be hand-washed. Not suitable for women with bigger frames too.
6. Olikeme Women’s Shapewear Postpartum Girdle
Unlike other girdles and wraps on this list, the Olikeme shapewear is designed to be simply pulled up when worn. No need for Velcro or hook and eye closures.
It offers a lot of compression that makes you look slimmer and gives you lower back support to alleviate pain. This is recommended for when you take your activity level up a notch.
The lack of groin flap, however, makes going to the restroom burdensome. This limits your options as to when best to wear it. Moreover, it is designed only for women weighing up to 155 pounds.
7. Mamaway Nano Bamboo Postnatal Recovery Support Belly Band
When it comes to flexibility, this belly band offers just that. It works for new moms who either have natural births or C-section. This is because it has a corset-like design and added Velcro straps.
It improves posture, stabilizes abdomen, holds loose skin and muscles in place, and stabilizes your incision.
8. Hip Mall 3 in 1 Girdle
Designed to support your entire midsection, it has 3 Velcro bands that go around your belly, waist, and hips. Because it is intended to put as much pressure on your hips as you like, you have the option to tighten or loosen the band that goes around it.
For easy and convenient use, you can set the Velcro straps the one time and just slip it on the next time. No need to remove the bands, unless you need to adjust them again because you’ve lost weight.
Made of breathable and comfortable material.
9. Loday Postpartum Recovery Wrap
If you’re looking for the most affordable postpartum girdle, this is it. Without the Velcro straps or hook and eye closures, you can conveniently pull it up and you’re done.
The wrap will smooth out any bulges and help improve your posture. It comes with flexible boning in four areas to keep it in place.
But because it is made of a thick material, it is likely to show through thinner clothes.
10. TiRain 3 in 1 Girdle
While most of the postpartum girdles listed above only accommodate women of certain sizes, this one is designed particularly for new moms weighing more than 190 pounds. It does come in two sizes.
Similar to other 3 in 1 girdles, it has Velcro belts for your belly, waist, and pelvis.
One downside is that it tends to roll up a bit. But just a bit.
