Postpartum Belly Wraps Promise a Lot—Here's What They Really Can Do for Your Body
Because of all the uncomfortable ways carrying a baby and giving birth change your body from head to toe (your abs, your pelvic floor, your posture, the list goes on), pregnant and postpartum people are often on the lookout for relief. Experts, moms, and even doctors sometimes recommend belly bands to help balance the load on the back and hips during pregnancy. But do postpartum belly wraps also deliver on all their promises for restoring midsections to their pre-baby state?
So you can decide what's right for your body, we asked experts for insight on belly wraps and what they can help with, plus we found a selection of bands that parents swear by.
Illustration by Sarina Finkelstein; Courtesy of Belly Bandit and Amazon
Best Postpartum Belly Wraps and Bands
Best Belly Band for Pregnancy and Postpartum: Azmed Maternity Belt
Best Belly Wrap for C-Section Recovery: TiRain 3 in 1 Postpartum Belly Bands
Best Postpartum Girdle: Bellefit Girdle with Side Zipper Bodyshaper
Best Postpartum Hip Wrap: Belly Bandit 2-in-1 Pregnancy & Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap
Best Belly Wrap Alternative: Blanqi Postpartum Nursing Underbust Tank
Can Belly Wraps Help Postpartum?
Postpartum belly wraps have been around for generations, ever since people started wrapping sheets around their midsections after giving birth, explains board-certified OB-GYN Heather Bartos, M.D., founder of be. Women's Health and Wellness in Cross Roads, Texas. And while there isn't a ton of data about their use during pregnancy or postpartum, there are some studies to suggest at least some benefits.
For one, most experts agree that light support postpartum—when tissues and organs start moving back into place—can help you feel better, which was the case for Ashleigh M., a 30-year-old in New York who used a belly wrap after a vaginal delivery.
"I felt like my body was just complete jello after birth, and wearing the wrap helped me feel less like jello in those first few weeks postpartum," she says. "It also provided some welcome back and core support for breastfeeding."
How Postpartum Belly Bands Work
Light compression from abdominal wraps can support your natural transverse abdominal when you can't contract it yet, explains Michelle Guido, D.P.T., founder of Activo Physical Therapy in San Diego.
Belly wraps more or less "splint" the muscles that have separated during pregnancy (something that happens in all pregnancies, BTW, to make room for a growing uterus), adds Dr. Bartos. This could help you be more conscious of using your abs, which is step one in getting them back to full strength, notes Guido. They could also help with spinal alignment, encouraging, in turn, organs, the uterus, and all the muscles around them get back to business as usual, she explains.
Additional potential perks? There's some research to suggest that binding can help improve body image, and—with exercise—trunk flexion (how well you can bend forward, basically).
Of course, your abdominal muscles do make their way back together on their own in time, and Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine notes that there's not much research to suggest that binders truly help the healing process. They also won't help accelerate the healing of an abdominal separation, says Guido.
But? If you feel better, that probably helps healing in and of itself, says Dr. Minkin.
Belly Band for C-Section Recovery
Other potential benefits of a wrap include alleviating pain related to a C-section. One small recent study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that women who wore a binder after having a C-section experienced less pain, suggesting that a postpartum belly wrap might be a good way to deal with postpartum pain. Other research suggests that a binder could help with pain, with no significant difference in bleeding, allowing new parents to focus more on feeding and bonding and less on being distracted by pain.
Dr. Bartos notes that wraps could also help with pain from gas from an exposed abdomen (which traps gas and can be super painful).
At the same time, other studies find no effect on recovery or levels of distress for parents who delivered via cesarean. Abby G., a mom of two who lives in Westwood, Massachusetts used a wrap after both of her deliveries (one that was a C-section and one that was a vaginal delivery), for example, and says that the band didn't help with the pain.
Can Belly Wraps Help During Pregnancy?
Many women use abdominal binders not only postpartum, but also for support during pregnancy, too, says Guido. Generally speaking, abdominal binders are fine to use for comfort during pregnancy when your abdominal muscles stretch (read: uncomfortable), says Dr. Minkin.
They help provide support, explains Guido, which can alleviate back and joint pain for some women, offloading weight away from the abdomen.
Ashleigh used this belly band during her third trimester when she was hit with immense pubic pressure. "There were some nights I was in so much pain, I couldn't even walk from our bedroom to the bathroom," she says. "My doctor suggested a belly band and I ordered one pretty much immediately."
The band helped relieve the pressure, she says, plus it had the added benefit of keeping maternity jeans and leggings in place.
What to Keep in Mind If You Use a Belly Wrap
Want to try a band or wrap during pregnancy or postpartum? Make sure it's not too tight. The reasoning is two-fold: Extra compression puts more pressure on your pelvic floor, which is especially weak postpartum and also holds a lot of weight during pregnancy. (So if you have signs of incontinence, leaking, or vaginal prolapse, be cautious about using the binders, says Guido.)
Also, during pregnancy, you don't want to constrict blood flow to the uterus, notes Dr. Minkin. A band would have to be amazingly tight to decrease blood flow to the uterus, she says, but the concern is worth noting.
If you had a C-section, make sure the edge of the band is not directly on your incision, where it could irritate the wound, notes Dr. Bartos.
Should You Buy a Postpartum Belly Wrap?
While a belly wrap may help you feel better during pregnancy or post-baby, it's not going to be a cure-all and you don't want to rely on it for complete relief or recovery. "A wrap is never going to take over the function of your muscles," Guido says. Proper exercise (or rest when needed!), core work, and pelvic floor moves can help you rehab and heal in time, she notes.
Best Belly Band for Pregnancy and Postpartum: Azmed Maternity Belt
This band is the simplest on this list, but it does double duty. Pull the compression belt around under your bump to support your hips and back during your pregnancy, and postpartum, cinch it a little tighter to keep your exhausted abdominal muscles together. The hook-and-loop closure (it's similar to Velcro) makes it very adjustable to your changing size. "At 24 weeks, I started having very uncomfortable back and hip pain so I purchased this," one mom-to-be wrote. "It helps so much. I am actually able to be on my feet, taking care of the things I need to without hobbling around."
To buy: Azmed Maternity Belt, $24.97 (originally $50); amazon.com.
Best Belly Wrap for C-Section Recovery: TiRain 3 in 1 Postpartum Belly Bands
Three separate bands come in this set, so it's easily adaptable to different postpartum stages and needs. One stomach band takes care of the upper abdominals, a waist band takes care of the center (supporting the back too), and a lower belt supports the pelvis and hips. You can wear them all at once or one at a time, and if you've had a C-section, you can leave the lower part out until after the incision has healed.
To buy: TiRain 3 in 1 Postpartum Belly Bands, $21.94; amazon.com.
Best Postpartum Girdle: Bellefit Girdle with Side Zipper Bodyshaper
For someone looking for more intense compression of the entire midsection, this girdle that attaches under the crotch and zips up the side is one option that actually looks good under clothing, according to customers. "With [other] wraps, I found they rolled up at the bottom—and that's not helpful," one customer wrote. "I can actually wear this all day and it's no problem."
To buy: Bellefit Girdle with Side Zipper Bodyshaper, $80.80; amazon.com.
Best Postpartum Hip Wrap: Belly Bandit 2-in-1 Pregnancy & Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap
Like the Azmed wrap, this Belly Bandit works during and after pregnancy. Postpartum, you can place it around your hips to support those loosened joints. "I'm eight months postpartum, suffering with back pains, trying other natural remedies, and this by far is one [of] the best choices I made," one new parent wrote of their purchase.
To buy: Belly Bandit 2-in-1 Pregnancy & Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap, $39.99; target.com.
Best Belly Wrap Alternative: Blanqi Postpartum Nursing Underbust Tank
For less compression and zero fussing with straps and hooks, try the Blanqi tank top instead of a traditional belly band. "I love how it holds my postpartum belly in and covers me, all while having great access for nursing," wrote one reviewer. "The back support is also wonderful, especially with carrying around a newborn."
To buy: Blanqi Postpartum Nursing Underbust Tank, $68; amazon.com.
