Belly binding postpartum « Back to Group Discussions

[odinsmama]

Hey mamas,
This topic has come up in another thread but thought it could use its own separate thread for anyone not reading the other one.

Just found some older threads on the subject and there is some great info out there.
I've never done it but plan on it this time around. I had thought it was just cosmetic but it doesn't seem to be so, not purely cosmetic anyway.


http://www.mothering.com/community/t/827145/belly-binding


http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1188614/anyone-planning-on-postpartum-belly-binding

[kellybeth]

i'll be doing the postnatal malay wrap, and my sister is a massage therapist and is really into chinese herbs, and i'm a clinical herbalist- so i'm all over this!

[loveandgarbage]

Thanks for the info! I definitely want to try it this time around.

[HouseofPeace]

i want to find out more about this too- don't think it's really available in my area though....  thanks for making it a thread of it's own!

[MoMofZandI]

I'm from Argentina, and this is something that has been done for ages, i remember when i had my first my mil had sent me a faja ( that's what they call it) and my ob said not to use it so i was dumb enough not to.  With my youngest my midwife said it was really good, and i can assure you it made a world of difference with the after pains and just helping getting everything back in place ...

[Chloe'sMama]

I got a cheap wrap from motherhood maternity last time and it was really narrow and I would not use it.  I want to do it this time, but don't know what wrap to get.  Anyone have a link for the best?  I have a long torso, so a wide band would be great.  Also, those doing the Malay post par tum stuff, where are you getting the herbs?  I did some research and could not find where to get the herbs and teas.  I would love to do this for my last pregnancy.  There is no one in my area or even state that does it.  I am exited about it though.

[josie423]

I would really love to do it after this baby. Someone here on MDC did it in my March/2010 DDC and posted progress pics and comparison pics from her last baby and the difference was very dramatic! I'm overwhelmed by all the binders out there. I'm scared I'll end up with one that rolls down.

[MoMofZandI]

I read great reviews on the belly bandit but i didnt tried it personally ..

[odinsmama]

Someone gave me one that looks just like the belly bandit so I'll be trying that.

I also have a moby-type wrap that I'll try out.  I know this can be much more difficult to get snug, but at least I'll have a couple options.

[Rikki 27]

I used a Tummy Truss after the birth of my two and it was a little bulky but after 6 weeks the results were excellent.  I'm 6' tall and it was the only wrap I could find that was long enough to wrap from my hips to lower ribs.

[Adaline'sMama]

Ive use the belly bandit twice, and I really like it. I put it on a couple of hours after ds was born and wore it pretty much constantly for a couple of weeks. 

[buko]

Ooh, ooh! I have a question!

For anyone who has a Belly Bandit-- how wide is it? I don't mean around the waist-- I know it comes in different sizes. But more like how "tall" is it? Because unless something changes by the end of pregnancy, I am very short-waisted. I have mayyyyyybe 4" between my ribs and hip bones and my ribcage and my hips are really big, so I'm afraid something like this would either roll up or down or simply not fit. Does that make any sense? I wonder what would work best for someone like me?

[typebug]

Post-natal wrapping techniques in Malaysia and Indonesia

Since I was posting links from my research buried in an unrelated thread I’m re-posting here so we can keep everyone’s research on this all together.

This is an excerpt from a brochure for a wellness spa in the UK that offers the Malaysian approach to wrapping/massage.

Quote:

“The Malay Way, in particular, focuses on the health of the woman’s reproductive organs.   The Malay Way will heal the wounds of childbirth, reposition the uterus and restore the tightness of the vagina muscles.  To achieve this, a special corset known as a ‘barut’ is used throughout the 6 weeks. This ancient practice, until now almost unknown outside of Malaysia, is the key secret in ensuring a firm flat stomach, clean and devoid of stretch marks, even after undergoing several births.  Furthermore it helps to correctly re-position the uterus.”

 

source http://www.themalayway.co.uk/Brochure.pdf

Quote:

“Combining this abdominal wrapping with special herbal remedies, a strict diet regime, massages, and Kawi hot stone treatments will greatly enhance the internal and external health of the new mother.

 

source http://www.themalayway.co.uk/Brochure.pdf

Here’s a little excerpt from an article goes into detail on the after birth rituals from past and present. It’s a nice little intro to the culture around it.

Quote:

“The arrival of this jovial little Malay woman wearing a traditional batik sarong and carrying a large woven basket full of traditional herbs never failed to intrigue me and enthuse my mother. I was six years old and fascinated by the sight and smell of the jamu (traditional Malay herbs) being rubbed onto my mother’s still-swollen belly, the extensive massage she received with aromatic oils, the very long cloth wrapped around her abdomen and the overpowering smell of the akar kayu (dried roots of medicinal plants) bubbling in the kitchen. At the end of every session my mother was a picture of serenity and contentment.”

 Source: http://www.wellbeing.com.au/article/Features/Parenting/Jamu-Massage-&-Wrap-Therapy_129?page=1

This post-natal wrapping is a standard thing where I live. A local herbalist/massage lady comes to the house every day for the period of “confinement” and does this ritualistic binding and massaging. A lot of modern women have opted out of the whole confinement ritual where a confinement nurse lives with you, cooks your food and takes care of baby stuff. There are many other customs related to traditional confinement like not leaving the house, not washing your hair, being kept very warm and eating some pretty bizarre meats… the list goes on!  Some women just focus on the massage and binding and some of the teas and they don’t tend to do it for quite as long as 6 weeks. I’m planning on doing the latter for two weeks and seeing how it goes. I know pandan leaf is one of the ingredients in the herb mixture and I'm pretty sure they use lemongrass but the rest really depends on the practitioner and they are very secretive! I haven’t even found a written book on this stuff. It's part of an oral tradition handed down within that culture. 

[Adaline'sMama]

Im pretty short waisted too, Im 5 foot tall.Id say the belly bandit is probably 8 inches tall- I wear it low and it comes up above my belly button. 

[buko]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 

Im pretty short waisted too, Im 5 foot tall.Id say the belly bandit is probably 8 inches tall- I wear it low and it comes up above my belly button. 

Does that work, then?  I'm having a hard time imagining it fitting "correctly," since I just measured, and I only have 4.5" of space to work with.  Am I making any sense at all?  Is it supposed to go partly over your ribs and/or hips, and if the bottom of your ribs and/or the tops of your hips are MUCH larger than your waist (would normally be), will that even... work?  I wish I could draw a diagram, but hopefully what I'm trying to describe makes some sort of sense...  I guess I'm trying to say... since I have such weird measurements AND such a short waist, when I had a fashion blog, I was "accused" of wearing a corset.  I have never worn one, but I admit I normally have the appearance of wearing a pipe stem corset...  Like this is pretty close to what I look like with no corset on (left-most, though slightly less exaggerated):

http://corsettraining.net/wp-content/uploads/36caa99ccbd7917.jpg

So it's like...  ???

Maybe the Belly Bandit is less like a belt than I imagine it to be?

Edited by buko - 10/5/12 at 9:05am

[Adaline'sMama]

I think it works, I mean its not really a belt, and I have to wear it a little lower on my hips than this lady, but I can easily wear it under my clothing. 

http://www.bellybandit.com/store/p-53-kourtney-kardashian-limited-edition-belly-bandit.aspx

[buko]

You know, I'm still skeptical, but it occurs to me that maybe I should just order one and return it if it doesn't seem like it will work!

[Chloe'sMama]

buko, I think they are non-returnable.... I read that somewhere... I would check before you buy it.

Another person on here posted one that laces up that may work better for someone with more unique measurements.  It would go far down your hips, like to your thighs, but because you can control how much you lace specific areas... may work better.  I was thinking of getting one of each.  I like the lace up one, but I cant imagine wearing it out at all. 

[odinsmama]

There is a long thread on the baby wearer about using woven wraps and ring slings as pregnancy and postpartum support.

I'll post the link, but you have to sign up to the site to read any of it.
The thread has lots of photos.

If you were to go with a short woven wrap you could use it as a carrier later, too . Seems like this option might be better for some than a "one size fits most" option. I'm definitely planning on a short wrap purchase some time soon.

http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?448457-Anyone-ever-used-a-wrap-like-a-pregnancy-support-belt

[HouseofPeace]

i'm in.  i'm doing the research and am serious.  i bounce back pretty well, but it's been slower and slower after each kid, and i also have an umbilical hernia that would probably greatly benefit from support post-partum!  

any links on using wraps or making your own (or do i have to sign up for the site?)?  i can be bulky for a while.  also am looking at Squeem based on this http://twinpossible.com/bellybinder

but i also want to learn more about massage and herbs to help get things back into place.  i'd love to get my shape back quicker, but would also like things lined up and healed better internally as well!

Thanks!!!