After delivery, your abdomen is over-stretched, and the muscles weaken. Therefore, most moms look for belly wraps or bands to bring back the body to its original self. A belly bandit offers the best support to your stomach muscles and prevents any pain that you may have. But are they worth it? Here, we look at the benefits of wearing a belly bandit.
Photo by @nolakids.ro
Is a belly bandit necessary? Here are the facts
Belly bandits have been receiving a lot of hype lately due to their promise of delivering remarkable changes to the body after childbirth. They are publicized as solutions to shaping your abs, posture, and pelvic floor.
However, belly bandits are not new as they’ve been around for generations. In the ancient days, mothers would wrap sheets around their bellies after birth to reduce the size of the tummy. Although there are no statistics to reveal their application, studies suggest that there are enormous benefits.
For sure, wrapping the stomach supports the tissues and body organs to go back to the original place. Also, the wrap offers the best support when you’re breastfeeding.
How does it work?
When you wear the belly bandit, it compresses the abdomen muscles and causes them to contract. Wraps split the muscles that had separated due to overstretching caused by the pregnancy.
The belly bandit can also help align your spin and prompt other organs such as the uterus or the muscles to go back to their original state.
Certainly, your stomach muscles contract after birth as the healing takes place. However, the rate of contraction may be slower and hence the need for a belly bandit to speed up the process.
Can you wear a belly bandit after a C-Section?
A major concern is whether you can wear a belly bandit after a CS section. It is understandable since most mothers after a CS-Section may require one or two weeks to allow for the stitches to heal. However, a belly wrap can help ease the pain because of a C-section.
Studies reveal that moms who wear a belly binder after a C-section experience little pain than those who don’t. Therefore, this suggests that a belly bandit is an excellent way to relieve postpartum discomfort and pain. It lets you focus on breasting your baby as well as bonding as there’s less distraction from pain.
Another benefit of wearing belly wraps is that it helps relieve pain caused by due to gas or air from the stomach. However, some pundits may argue that there is no relationship between C-section pain and wearing the belly bandit. However, research reveals that wrapping the belly helps improve your body.
Wearing a belly bandit during pregnancy
Did you know that you can wear a belly bandit during pregnancy? Most moms who wear abdominal wraps during pregnancy do so to boost their comfort. Usually, the abdominal muscles can overstretch and cause discomfort.
For the best support, a belly bandit is a friend to rescue. It’s comfortable to use, and also it stabilizes the spine and back due to the pressure caused by the baby’s weight. Also, it works perfectly with your sense of fashion, and you can comfortably wear leggings and maternity jeans.
Belly bandits help you engage in workout activities.
During pregnancy, experts recommend exercises that are necessary as you prepare for the baby. Exercises improve your muscle tone, endurance and reduce the risk of hypertension.
Unfortunately, most women are not able to exercise because of pain or discomfort. You can wear a belly bandit to lessen the discomfort or pain and participate in regular workouts necessary for your physical health.
Tips when wearing a belly bandit
- You can wear the belly bandit during your pregnancy and after childbirth. As an extra piece of advice, ensure it’s neither too loose nor tight. It shouldn’t put a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor because postpartum is weak due to the excess weight. Be careful about wearing very tight wraps, especially if there is a leakage.
- During pregnancy, very tight binders can restrict proper blood circulation to the uterus.
- For C-section, don’t wear the wrap too close to the incision as it can irritate the cut.
- Refrain from wearing the belly bandit for many hours as it can cause overdependence. 2-3 hours every day are sufficient to support your belly.
- Exercises can help in strengthening the muscles during pregnancy and after delivery.
- It’s essential to contact your doctor before you consider wearing a belly bandit. The experts evaluate your suitability and offer a recommendation. In case you experience any discomfort, consult your practitioner immediately.
- Belly bandits are short-term measures to firm your abdominal muscles and reduce pain or discomfort.
- Belly bandits can minimize the risks of falling during pregnancy since they stabilize the pelvis and boost your balance.
What are the disadvantages of wearing a belly bandit?
- Although belly bands have been touted as helpful in preventing discomfort and pain during pregnancy, there’s still more research that’s being done, and the findings of their safety are not yet conclusive.
- Lack of awareness is yet another downside of using a belly band. Most women don’t have sufficient information on belly bandits and whether they are effective during pregnancy and after delivery. For this reason, most people would want to go the traditional way of wrapping the belly with sheets as opposed to belly bandits.
- It is not suitable for long-term use. They can be uncomfortable and may restrict blood flow.
Conclusion
A belly bandit boosts your comfort during pregnancy and reduces the post-pregnancy belly. However, it’s not a means to an end since it’s essential to take other steps for your recovery. Eating a balanced diet and light workouts can help boost recovery. Also, take enough rest, which is good for you and your baby.
If you prefer nature taking it’s the normal course, you may not want to use this product. However, if you’d like support during and after pregnancy, then a belly bandit is a worthy consideration.
