Belly Binding in PostpartumJanuary 19, 2019

The fact that pregnancy changes everything about a woman’s body is well known. Among other hormones, Relaxin increases significantly during pregnancy to relax the intrauterine ligaments and cervix and allow our bodies to stretch and loosen things up for childbirth. Most women who give birth have a belly that is protecting the little soul inside her that’s about the size of a watermelon. Some women experience diastasis recti or DR where the two large parallel bands of muscles that meet in the middle of the abdomen to separate. A belly band is used to do many things including helping the uterus return to its normal position within the pelvis. This simple and ancient practice offers women many important healing properties after pregnancy. Belly binding and hip binding takes advantage of the softened state and pushes the hips and the separated abdomen back together as the body firms up. Belly binding helps to decrease postpartum bleeding.  Specialists recommend belly binding 24/7 for two months starting on five days postpartum, or starting at six weeks postpartum for C-sections, though time frames can vary. Wear the bind as long as it's comfortable.

What are the benefits of Belly Binding after pregnancy?

Belly binding has a lot of benefits. It supports the womb after birth, speeds up the healing process of the uterus and cleans the blood clots inside. It improves posture thereby reducing common back and shoulder pain that happens during nursing. And like we mentioned earlier, belly binding after delivery also helps tone up the abdominal muscles and shape the hips after a lady has a baby.
Postpartum belly binding also helps get rid of water retention. It also speeds up the burning of fat and makes circulation better. If you have had a c-section wait for the green signal from your gynaecologist before binding. It is important that your wound(an understatement, but nevertheless) should heal. This may take upto 2 weeks.

Wearing a postpartum belly binder for a good amount of time will also provide a holistic support to the abdominal and pelvic organs including the muscles in the pelvic area. It is very important for a woman that just had a baby to have support for their pelvis for a while after they have a baby. This is very important due to the fact that the cervix stretches while a woman is in labor.
When a woman wears a long wrap in their hip area, it will help the cervix get back to its pre-pregnancy size and make it possible for the pelvic muscles to heal without being stretched anymore. Binding also helps with the pains that are part of recovering from childbirth that often get worse with every child a woman has. They also help with postpartum internal swelling and help a new mom feel secure and together.

Another benefit of postpartum belly binding is comfortable back support and compression that they can depend on. They also help cut down on back pain and help lower the amount of pressure that they feel in their back and legs. When a new mom feels more comfortable and their abdominal muscles are stronger, they will get back into shape a lot quicker.
A lot of women choose to use a belly wrap to help shape their body. They help women look like they did prior to having a baby by reducing swelling and any pregnancy-related skin or weight by compressing the skin tightly. Belly binders can also do a lot for a lady’s self-esteem because they help a woman look like she did before she got pregnant and makes her feel more confident. When a woman feels good about how she looks physically, it helps her emotional and mental health as well.

When to start belly binding?

It is recommended that for a vaginal delivery, you be wrapped within the first week postpartum and if you have had a cesarean 4-6 weeks postpartum with a doctor’s approval. You will continue to wrap for each day, for about 10 hours, up to around the 40 day mark.
You can start wearing a binder the day that you are discharged from the hospital. Most hospitals in Kerala provide a belly belt after delivery. It is a good idea for a pregnant woman to get one and pack it in their hospital bag. Some women start wearing one right after they have their baby. It is a good idea to check with their doctor first to make sure it is okay.

How Long Should You Wear Your Belly Bind?

How long a woman wears her binding depends on what kind of binding she gets. The Ayurvedic method suggests wearing it all day, till sunset, giving the skin time to breathe. You can also use a commercial binder. These come with instructions how long they can wear one every day. Some of them can be worn all day and all night, while others need to be taken off before the lady wearing them goes to bed for the night. Also, it is very important to wear one for the first eight weeks postpartum.

This information is for educational purpose only. Consult your doctor immediately for any signs of for dizziness and report any headaches. The key with belly binding is it should never be painful. Remember that belly binding is only a tool to a flat tummy after birth. Once your doctor says OK, you can do light exercises. Ask your fitness trainer for exercises to build your core muscles and get closer to a flat tummy.