Having a baby is amazing, beautiful and joyful, and sometimes even scary. We’ve spent so much time anticipating the arrival of this human we created, forgetting about postpartum. The postpartum period is full of hormones, breastfeeding, sleepless moments, and the beginning of a new relationship between you and your new body. The amazing work your body has done during pregnancy and giving birth isn’t over.

Body related demands of having a c-section or of natural birth pose the need for different postpartum recovery garments. Issues arise in whether to use a postpartum girdle or not. The good news is there are different types of postpartum girdles to choose from, these are also called postpartum belly pants, postpartum belly binds, and postpartum belly wraps.

Many cultures already use postpartum baby binders such as the Japanese 'sarashi’ wrap or the Malay ‘bengkung’, a traditional wrapping style made by knots. The ‘faja’ is a post pregnancy girdle used by Hispanics. 

Girdles are an inheritance of those uncomfortable French corsets from the early 1900s. They were made with stiff fabrics to shape, flatten, and compress the waist, and because of that they ended up being used by puerperal women as a postpartum shapewear. 

Nowadays, we have postpartum belly binders, which wrap differently than girdles, and are postpartum compression garments. They also reduce back pain, better support and align the abdomen, and provide light compression for those mamas who underwent a c-section; these are all essential during the early months of postpartum. However, many physiotherapists don't recommend using girdles long-term, as it doesn’t encourage muscle development which in turn causes muscle weakness. 

It is normal that you as a mama have doubts, so do not despair, we are here to help you. Our Good for Mama community selected some non-toxic, environmentally friendly products made in the US and by independent small businesses. We hope this article helps you choose the best postpartum girdle and belly wrap.

_____________

Don't forget to include a Postpartum Girdle in your Postpartum Care Package 

Bellefit Postpartum Girdle
For those mamas who had a c-section, the best postpartum girdle we recommend is from Bellefit, an American home based business specialized in medical-grade and hypoallergenic postpartum girdles. On their website, you can select between corset closure (adjustable hook-and-eye closure) or Zipper closure (easy to close).

Mommy Belly Wrap
For an all natural belly wrap, there is the Mommy Postpartum Belly Wrap handmade of 100% undyed muslin cotton providing support to your tummy allowing you to move with less pain and greater mobility. This type of fabric allows the skin to breathe, and is not as hot as spandex materials. Shop at Etsy.

The Womb Co - Womb Wrap
This eco-friendly womb wrap can be worn to support the mama during pregnancy, as a postpartum belly wrap, and a baby holder. Made from luxurious bamboo stretch fabric they are soft, breathable, and adjustable. These seamless wraps can carry babies up to 25lbs. They come in multiple colors, and are one-size fits all. The thing we like a lot about this postpartum bambook womb wrap is that you can use it as a pregnancy and postpartum cloth. Shop at Etsy.

The Art of Wellness - Bengkung Belly Binding
If you like artisanal brands that incorporate traditional cultures, the Belladonna bengkung belly binding from The Art Of Wellness is handmade, 100% unbleached cotton muslin, and beautifully hand dyed by a naturalist mom of six little ones. She also provides information on caring for your bind, how to bind, binding after a c-section, and much more. Shop at Etsy.

____________________________________________

Written by: Raquel Araujo
Edited by: Lily Zara