Unfortunately, when you have a newborn, there isn’t much time for resting until you’re fully recovered. Enter postpartum belly binding and the postpartum belly wrap or belly band. Because the muscles in your core have stretched to accommodate your growing baby during pregnancy, they become weakened, which can make basic movements after birth much more painful. Add to that the fact that some new moms also find that doing everyday tasks can put painful strain on their bodies. Kansas journal of medicine, 11(2), 1–19.Getting used to how different your belly looks after pregnancy is tough enough. Elastic Abdominal Binders Reduce Cesarean Pain Postoperatively: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. The effect of abdominal support on functional outcomes in patients following major abdominal surgery: A randomized controlled trial. Depending on what it is, there might be a better way.Ĭheifetz O, Lucy SD, Overend TJ, Crowe J. It’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider about what you’re trying to accomplish.
However, some of the other related products, like waist trainers and corsets, have much more compression than belly binders and may have some negative side effects like breathing, digestion, and skin problems. If you think you might feel better wearing one, it won’t hurt to try it.
Using a medical belly binder is generally accepted as safe for postpartum use. Related: Why do I still look pregnant? Is belly binding safe after childbirth? Many binders claim that they help heal diastasis, but there is no evidence supporting this claim. In the case of diastasis recti, when your abdominal muscles split apart in the midline during pregnancy, abdominal binders will help relieve the pulling and discomfort but will not reverse the problem.
The pressure over the uterus would potentially diminish the amount of bleeding but this was not shown in this study. By being in constant contact with the skin, the binder sends nerve messages to the brain that interfere with the pain signals. Another theory is similar to the ‘sea bands’ or wrist bands that are used to reduce motion sickness. One theory regarding pain control is that the compression reduces stress on the wound especially when walking or getting in and out of bed. Some women find extra support helpful while others do not like the restrictions they place on movement. Other studies did not find any difference in the amount of pain experienced when wearing a binder. The results did show a reduction in pain but not in bleeding. One study found that binders after cesarean section might be a potential ‘non-drug’ way to reduce postoperative pain and postpartum bleeding. It is probably best to wear something underneath to prevent chafing. They will give a sense of support to your abdominal region and help you fit into some clothes faster. However, they may help with back pain and support while you exercise. Many belly binding products claim to speed up your recovery process or weight loss, but there is little evidence to support this.
Binders may help with these symptoms postpartum. Postpartum, the same symptoms can continue until the body returns to its normal weight, but this can take many months. The spine is affected with an increased lower back curvature known as swayback (lumbar lordosis) because of the protruding abdomen which commonly results in low back pain. During pregnancy, strain is put on the joints with weight gain, and the hormones make the joints looser. Pregnancy results in both anatomic (physical/structural) and physiologic (functional) changes that alter the body's center of gravity, thus affecting balance. They are often recommended for cesarean births, but there may be some benefits for vaginal births as well. What is a belly binder?Ī belly binder generally refers to the medical product that contains an elastic piece of fabric that wraps around the abdomen and is used postoperatively, postpartum, and for back pain. Generally all of these products wrap your abdomen in some way, but they have different levels of compression, claim different benefits, and have varying degrees of safety. In addition to belly binders (or abdominal binders), you may have seen ads for belly wraps, postpartum girdles, and corsets. Belly binding has been around for a long time and has recently seen a lot of new products crop up.