Even the most secure woman on the planet can get upset after giving birth when she looks down at her tummy and realizes that her stomach is anything but flat. Patience, they say, is a virtue. But you’ve got lots to do that requires you to climb into your “regular” clothing sooner rather than later. Your miracle garment? A post-partum girdle. Choose the right one and you’re ready to go out solo – minus that little miracle you carried around for 9 months!
Top quality, medical grade, and durable. The Bellefit is a girdle that can be relied upon to help heal your tender tum.
For some women, just the thought of having to pull on an elasticized garment follow childbirth is torture enough. We feel your pain. But there are times when this body-constraining garment is a prescription for recovery–particularly if you’ve gained lots of weight, had twins or underwent a C-section.
Manufactured of a fabric blend that includes a large amount of elastic content so the torso is encased in a garment that constrains and supports this area, this type of lingerie is regularly recommended by doctors.
I’m an avid runner, so I often compare this type of garment to compression wear on steroids. Some styles come with hooks and eyes, Velcro or snaps that help secure the girdle in place and help moms get in and out of them easier. Oftentimes, it’s the elastic content alone that does the job.
Some Eastern cultures have centuries-old traditions of post-pregnancy girdles worn long before the invention of elastic. Western tradition can be more egocentric! Girdles in western societies serve as figure-boosters, shaping and constraining at the same time. My grandma wouldn’t leave home without wearing one. Yours may tell the same story!
What are the benefits of wearing a postpartum girdle?
Supports abdominal muscles – Childbirth places an enormous amount of stress and strain on your abdominal muscles. The reality is you can be sore for weeks or even months. Postpartum girdles bind your torso and relieve your muscles of having to do some of their work. Moms report that this eases some pain and discomfort. It’s not clear whether this effect is physiological or psychological; but, hey, if it makes you feel better without causing any harm, why not give it a try?
Improves posture – Feeling a bit bruised and tender, it’s easy to let things go a bit postpartum. Your posture is one of the first to go. Heck, I was a terrible sloucher! This can be especially pronounced when breastfeeding. The problem is, bad posture leads to all sorts of aches, pains, or worse. So anything to help you to maintain a better posture is good by us.
Back Pain – Many moms shout about the pain relieving benefits of girdles. While there may be no scientific evidence that stomach binding has a direct effect on reducing pain, because it improves posture, it may, in fact, be alleviating it indirectly. Personally, I found that wearing my girdle did seem to reduce my back pain; so much so, I didn’t leave the house without it for three months.
Self-confidence – Our bodies change in so many ways throughout pregnancy and childbirth. While we are going through it, it all seems to have a purpose, ie, growing our little miracle. However, once baby is out, then the extra lumps and bumps become unwanted extras. It is normal for these to impact the self-esteem of women. Postpartum girdles make you look slimmer. This has the dual effect of making you feel sexier and allowing you to get back into your normal clothing quicker.
Help with post-surgical recovery – There is no scientific evidence (yet) to support the claim that girdles speed up post-surgical recovery. (Source) That said, the added support afforded by a postpartum girdle can take the fear out of sneezing, coughing, and laughing. You won’t need to worry about reopening stitches or staples after a C-section.
The Corset: This garment is constructed of fabric that is usually medical grade and features boning and/or snap enclosures that help get you in and out of this type of girdle. It’s considered the most extreme style of post-partum girdle because it offers the most constraint.
The Zippered Girdle: If you’ve been through hell and lived to tell about it, a zippered post-partum girdle gives you the support you need, and it’s easier to escape from this garment-especially compared to some styles of corsets. In my estimation, the more zippers a garment has, the better I like it.
The Wrap: This type of girdle may remind you of a waist nipper because it literally embraces your midsection and can be secured in either the back or the front. Constructed of multiple sections that mix stretch and non-stretch fabric, many women continue to use these as waist cinchers once they no longer serve as post-partum therapeutic garments.
The Pull-on: While doctors don’t agree on whether women who have had C-sections benefit from this high-waisted garment, it does an adequate job of constraining the area stretching from below the breasts to the crotch. This girdle makes an ideal choice if you’ve already done the hard work by wearing a heavy-duty girdle and you need a bone-free garment that can take over after your first garment is retired.
Is it comfortable? If you intend to wear your girdle for extended amounts of time without breaks, this question is extremely important. Make sure the fabric feels soft next to your skin.
Does it behave? You seek a comfy mix of compression and support that impacts your body in positive ways. That includes an ability to stay in place without riding up or rolling over.
Will it stay the course? Washing and drying intimate garments can be a hat trick. Buy cheaper girdles and you may find that they neither keep their shape nor hold up as long as you need them.
Does it make me look fat? This question is no laughing matter for women who worry that the girdle style they choose could inadvertently reveal itself under clothing or cause unsightly bulges.
Can I get it on easily? Getting in and out of post-partum girdles can be a struggle. This is where proper sizing, textile quality and zippers and snaps come into play.
Can I afford it? Girdles come in a range of quality and price. As ever, you get what you pay for. If you want a medical grade one, then be prepared to shell out for it. That said, we’ve rounded up some very decent girdles that won’t cost you the earth.
If your OB recommends a medical-grade post-partum girdle following your C-section to help heal that incision, consider this Bellefit corset. Constructed of medical-grade fabric, it is designed to deliver compression benefits following birth and for up to six months after baby is delivered.
The Bellefit features a reinforced abdominal panel which is adjustable (for tightening/loosening) via two rows of hooks and eyes. It also provides groin access via a front flap with hooks. This means it stays securely in place until nature calls – at which point you get quick access to your important bits; essential for many moms post-birth.
but the price may be more than your budget can sustain.
The Belly Bandit is a popular and affordable choice following a C-section or vaginal birth. Its PowerCompression Core strength feature will help speed healing while helping to stabilize core muscles. This belly wrap comes in 5 popular sizes, from XS to XL, and comes in black, nude and grey colors.
Medical-grade fabric and high-quality stitching.
The price is right and it’s easy to get on and get off, so if you’ve had a vaginal delivery and want to give your body TLC while it heals and recovers, this high-waist UpSpring Shaper is a good choice. It doesn’t have any bands, hooks, Velcro or other fasteners, which make this girdle comfortable and easy to use.
Because it’s affordable, you may decide to buy both the black and nude versions to coordinate with other undergarments, and since it weighs just a few ounces, you needn’t worry about adding body bulk to your silhouette.
Can be worn as regular shapewear down the road.
At first blush, this belly wrap looks like a work of art; a complex weave of geometric strips of cloth that could win an design prize. The Gepoetry is made up of three components: belly, waist and pelvis wraps. This allows you to target and finely adjust just one area using the appropriate binding.
Yes, it is a little more complicated than other options, but it comes with directions for application, care and washing, and maybe the best option if you want more control over which area receives compression.
The Gepoetry comes in two sizes: “one fits all” and “plus size” (for women weighing over 190 pounds).
Fabric a little scratchy if your skin is sensitive.
The Shinymod is the most affordable of our top pick girdles. It’s not medical grade – as you would expect – but this Lycra corset does a decent job for low-need moms, plus it’s well rated on Amazon.
You can adjust compression with three rows of stainless steel safety buckles at the front, and four anti-curl steel bones do a good job of keeping it in position.
If you are in two minds about getting a girdle, then the Shinymod is cheap enough that you can give it a go and treat it as a trial run.
Of all the post-partum girdles profiled in this review, this high-waisted corset gets props for being pretty and utilitarian. Beautifully embellished with a lacy floral pattern, it’s strong and solidly constructed. The “Power Cinching” feature gets a tummy back to normal after pregnancy, but you may want it to keep it in your lingerie drawer rather than retire it.
It comes in three colors: nude, black and white. And it offers three hook and eye columns for custom adjustments.
Open bottom design for convenient bathroom visits.
Can be a little tricky to put on.
You’ve already met the Bellefit brand, so you won’t be surprised to learn that this postpartum girdle comes with a hefty price tag. It’s the most expensive item in this review. That stated, this is likely the girdle your doctor had in mind when he recommended one designed to help you recover from Diastasis Recti.
This girdle is features durable medical-grade fabric and construction, and has a handy side zipper plus adjustable front hook and eye system. It is approved by doctors for post-surgery recovery. This is the one if you are serious about quality and health benefits.
Customer service is responsive if returning or exchanging sizes.
Women with long torsos may find this girdle won’t cover their entire belly.
This mid-priced Leonisa post-partum girdle is styled to match classic shapewear prized by women who want a little help with tummy-taming, but also acts as a postpartum abdominal compressor.
The Leonisa’s front panel has two layers of PowerSlim and DuraFit fabric which will tame your tum and help you to regain proper posture. But the main strength of this girdle is just how easy it is to use. It features velcro sides for quick, streamlined adjustments to suit your changing body contours.
andy hook/gusset configuration at the crotch.
May not support your lower abdomen as much as your upper abdomen.
When should I start wearing a postpartum girdle?
A friend said she packed hers in her “go” bag so she could wear it home from the hospital and that sentiment seems about right. Just remember that the more structured the girdle happens to be, the more pressure is put on organs and/or a C-section scar.
How long should I wear a postpartum girdle after giving birth?
Common advice is to wear it all day every day, for at least the first week after birth (with or without surgery).
Keep wearing it for up to three weeks if it’s comfortable. Seasoned moms suggest buying several types and using the most restrictive style first for the best results.
What risks should I look for and how can I avoid them?
Given the nature of this undergarment and the compression it forces the body to tolerate, allow pain to be your guide. Check for signs that your circulation is being impaired (redness; numbness) and if an area of your torso feels tender and hot, that could mean a blood clot, so call the doc.
What can I expect after wearing a postpartum girdle?
Be realistic. Modest expectations mean you won’t add post-partum depression to your list of complaints. The girdle is used by almost all cultures around the world, which points to how useful they are. At the end of the day, though, your body will never be exactly the same as pre-birth. Close is good. Perfection aint gonna happen.
Again, that depends upon the amount of time you wear your girdle, how quickly your body recovers and (this won’t make you happy) your genes. Not every woman heals at the same rate or in the same way.
Can a mom recover from a C-section faster by wearing a postpartum girdle?
There is no scientific data (yet) that supports this claim, but women who are scared to death that a violent sneezing fit or the wrong move could open stitches or staples will feel reassured by wearing a girdle.
Having applied due diligence while searching for the holy grail of post-partum girdles, our journey begins and ends with the Bellefit Postpartum Corset – whether or not you’ve had a C-Section. Mom report that the sizing is accurate (unlike others), and while this girdle is prepared to see you through your recovery, it weighs only a pound, so you won’t feel as though you’re still lugging the vestiges of baby weight around.
Between awesome compression capacity – especially against the abdomen itself – and the ease with which you can get in and out of this girdle (thanks to hooks and eyes through the midsection and those keeping the groin closure snug), this corset is the real deal. Wear it for up to 6 months if you need the extra time to heal.
Yes, it’s a pricey piece of lingerie, but your baby is getting the best of the best; don’t you deserve it, too? Your organs will thank you and auxiliary to getting into body-after-baby shape, there’s a good chance your posture will have improved, too, so you will step out looking like a million bucks.