About Belly Bandit

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers can still remember the days when the women who had just become mothers were tied up in cotton abdominal binders for a number of weeks following delivery to support the abdominal muscles and to help them regain the former position.

They had to lie flat in bed for twenty-four hours. The second, third and fourth day they were given instructions to do several exercises with legs and feet. The fifth day they were allowed to dangle, meaning that they could sit on the edge of the bed moving legs and feet. The sixth day they were allowed to take a shower under supervision and on days seven, eight and nine they learnt how to handle the baby. On day ten the maternity nurse would go home or the mother would return home from the maternity clinic. They would wear the cotton abdominal binder for nine days in order for the rectus abdominal muscles to close again. Because the belly expands during the pregnancy the abdominal muscles separate (diastasis) and so the abdominal binder is called abdominal binder for a reason.

In addition to the abdominal binder other alternatives have been marketed, such as: supporting panty hoses with extra support at the level of the belly, abdominal belts or leggings. These are however not as effective and besides they are not as nice to wear.

Why is the abdominal binder so nice to wear? The abdominal belts that are currently on the market do not provide as much support as the abdominal binder: the word ‘binder’ in abdominal binder already indicates it: because of the special design and tying technique it can be tied pleasantly firm, whereby it pulls the rectus abdominal muscles back together again, or ‘binds’ them as it were. This stimulates the recovery process of the abdominal muscles.

The entire abdominal wall, which has been stretched considerably after the pregnancy, is delightfully supported by the abdominal binder. The abdominal binder is also extremely suitable for women who have a light or severe form of pelvic instability. The womb shrinks quickly, but the first few days the mother feels a big ‘grapefruit’ rolling in her belly. The abdominal binder keeps the womb in place, allowing the mother to lie on her side without problems.

A favorable side effect is the fact that while wearing the abdominal binder you are constantly aware of your stomach muscles, which makes you pull your muscles more tightly automatically. As a consequence your belly will of course regain shape more quickly. So the abdominal binder stimulates the mother taking a more correct posture when standing and walking, which causes less physical fatigue.

Many women experience wearing the abdominal binder as a relief. It is sometimes stated that wearing an abdominal binder causes lazy abdominal muscles, but this is not true according to the professionals, because the abdominal binder is only worn during the first two weeks following delivery when most mothers do not feel like doing difficult abdominal exercises. In addition, light abdominal exercises such as pulling in and releasing the abdominal muscles can simply be performed in the first week while wearing the abdominal binder. In the second or third week, when you have recovered somewhat, more difficult abdominal exercises can be performed while you temporarily remove the abdominal binder.