Do Postpartum Girdles Really Help You Get Back in Shape?

Girdles have been around for a long time in different forms and designs. During pregnancy body goes through a lot of changes and one hopes that the body can just bounce back to its original shape. However, it's not always easy to regain the original shape and posture without any help.


Photo Credits: Amazon


Postpartum girdles, belly bands, abdominal binders are all different versions of the same tool the can help to get your confidence and body back.

What is a Postpartum Girdle?
A woman’s body goes through amazing changes which leaves the bodies after pregnancy and childbirth with loose muscles, excess fluid, flab and incorrect posture. As the name suggests postpartum girdle provides support for recovering after childbirth with waist reduction, improved posture and a lot more.



It is designed to be worn around the midsection, under the clothes providing compression and help flatten faster. Some modern designs are not visible under the clothes and can be worn while performing daily household chores and exercising.

Benefits of Postpartum Girdle
Important benefits of the girdle include-
  • accelerate the postpartum healing and weight loss process,
  • improve lymphatic drainage and reduce excess water retention,
  • help organs return to their original position sooner,
  • bind the abdomen,
  • help in body shaping,
  • provide comfort and extra support to the muscles after having a baby,
  • reduce postpartum pain,
  • improve posture, and
  • help recover from c-section or experiencing Diastasis Recti (also known as separated ab muscles) and incision healing.
How does it work?
Wearing an abdominal binder that puts pressure on your belly after childbirth might seem like a painful idea. However, these binders works on the age-old technique of compression that promotes healing, also commonly used technique post surgery. Compression improves the blood flow and reduces swelling, together accelerating the healing process.

Compression also helps the internal organs, that were pushed to make more space for the growing baby, to return to their pre-pregnancy position sooner.

Wearing a compression garment provides support to the abdomen and reduce pain which most women experience while coughing, getting up or even laughing.

The jury the still out on whether these girdles work as they claim. These are not sufficient studies to prove their efficiency and safety. But for a small price of $50-$100 they are worth giving a try. In the worst case they will provide the required support and improve healing by protecting the wound.



How tight is enough?
These girdles are meant to worn around tightly to provide the desired belly shrink and support. But should be comfortable enough to enable movement and breathing.

How long should you wear the girdle?
They are meant to be worn everyday for 24 hours, even while sleeping to reap most benefit. You need to start wearing right after birth, for the first 8 weeks as the hormone Relaxin stays within your system for that long.

Always consult your doctor first before starting to wear these belts.

What to look for before buying the right girdle?
Always look for medical grade, doctor recommended and high quality girdles that provide efficient support, right compression and aid recovery without discomfort. Ensure that its easy to use and is not visible under your clothing. Opt for the girdle with breathable material that lasts and maintains a tight snug.

Understand the sizing guide of the product well as the right fit makes all the difference and is a common complaint among users.

Take a look at the top 10 postpartum girdle of 2016 here.

(Contributed by Namrata Kothari)

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4 comments:

  1. Ananya4:06 PM

    they are relatively inexpensive ($20-$100) and don't require much other than putting it on and not being too bothered by it

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kalavati4:07 PM

    wear IT for about eight hours a day and when you are most active.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mallika4:10 PM

    it helped immeasurably with my pain and discomfort from the surgery, and got me back into regular clothing almost immediately.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Namrata4:12 PM

    these girdles can be used for many reasons: even for tummy tucks, liposuctions, and even just to make someone look good in her gown or dress.

    ReplyDelete

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