Belly binding ins and outs

[purpledragonfly]

I would like to get some feedback on belly binding after baby is born.  Has anyone here done this?  Do you think it benefited you? In what way?  Or is it not a good thing to do?  Opinions welcome!

[1babysmom]

I did it. Not the traditional way, but with a "binder."  Well, I actually started the first time at 13 months PP while dealing with some frustrating diastasis.  I just wrapped with a wide ace bandage at that point.  Didn't have much time for it to help (though I seriously noticed a difference in only a few weeks!) because I got pregnant within a month of that, but I started binding with a binder right after DS was born.  I loved it and will absolutely do it again.  It felt SO good, and it really brought me back faster.  I also believe that it helped contribute to shorter PP bleeding (granted, I was also triandem nursing and lots of RRL during pg, but I think the compression on the uterus helps "massage" it back to size much faster)...we're talking MAYBE a full week of actual bleeding- heavy for a day or two then light, the rest extremely light spotting for only about a week and a half.  But I really loved feeling "pulled together" after the birth, and it offered me a lot of much needed support during those first few weeks.

I recently re-uploaded my binding pics to my old thread (for reference in my current DDC) if you're interested...mostly just pics of how it worked for me.

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1205782/my-belly-binding-experience-w-pics-3-week-pp-update

[tri31]

I did binding with my last two postpartum periods. A simple binder (I found at a medical supplies store) with my 4th birth, ehh."I think it helped". Nothing to write home about.

With my last birth I bought a benkung, and took a lot of flack from my family "okay, mom" eyes roll. Well it was a chore to get it on so I did it at night, I could barely walk in it."I knew it was worth the trouble though". It really helped my recovery, my soreness and bleeding were minimal.By coincidence I took my measurements today for the first time since August of last summer. 37 inches around the hips. They were 39 before my 5th pregnancy in October of 2012.

Hope this helps
 

[amberskyfire]

I did not belly-bind with either of mine, but I really wish I had, especially after the second. I was very uncomfortable afterwards and I had a hard time with it, especially since I had a diastasis which made it much more difficult to heal postpartum.