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Style & Beauty

Waist clincher after giving birth - yes or no?

32 replies

LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 11:55

I'm due in 5 weeks and thinking about buying this. Is it a good idea?

I have some friends that swear by them to pull your muscles together, but I believe they're not advisable anymore?

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MmeLindt · 15/01/2010 11:56

I would not.

Your body goes through quite a lot during pregnancy and birth, give it a little time to get back to normal.

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LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 12:00

But I wont a flat stomach!

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LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 12:00

want!

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DorotheaPlenticlew · 15/01/2010 12:01

I bought one of those last time. Don't bother. First of all, you won't be in the frame of mind to bother with it most of the time (esp once the early, glowy newborn days pass), and more importantly, they don't really work -- at least mine didn't, it just rolled up/down and was uncomfortable without really doing anything.

I also bought a fancy-pants version from Agent Provocateur which was better (and specifically midwife-designed), but still, definitely not worth the money in the long run. If you have the kind of body that pings back, you will anyway, and if not, you'll need more than a cincher thingy.

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GlastonburyGoddess · 15/01/2010 12:02

I wouldnt. You also dont know how the birth will go-you could end up with a cs-in which case you definately wouldnt want to wear one of these. Give yourself time to recover afterwards and then think about exercise+toning up your stomach muscles.

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LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 12:02

So, are they called cinchers or clinchers??

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DorotheaPlenticlew · 15/01/2010 12:04

cinchers!

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LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 12:14

Thanks!

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TheDevilWearsPrimark · 15/01/2010 13:15

It depends - I'd wait until after the birth, you may have a section.

I had this however and I loved it, really comfy - not sure it made a difference but I hope it did.

www.agentprovocateur.com/lingerie/maternity/info/cupid-post-control-brief~black--red

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DorotheaPlenticlew · 15/01/2010 13:21

That's the same one I was referring to actually -- nice, isn't it?

I did end up with an emergency section but still used it after a few weeks (was lucky enough to have very quick-healing small scar).

I still don't think it was, on balance, really worth the money, though, because it's quite pricey and I didn't feel sure it did anything at all.

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TheDevilWearsPrimark · 15/01/2010 13:26

I only wore mine after a couple of weeks, when the lochia had almost finished.

It made me feel great though.

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DorotheaPlenticlew · 15/01/2010 13:28

DWP is slimmer and about 1,000 times more stylish than me, so that may have something to do with it ... (as established on sledging outfit thread -- not stalking you, DWP)

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MrsMattie · 15/01/2010 13:29

Give yourelf a break, woman! You will not have a flat stomach after giving birth. Accept it, embrace it and spend the first weeks after your baby is born enjoying him/her, not worrying about your waistline.

When you're ready to start exercising, take up pilates. Great for pulling all those stretched out muscles in again.

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TheDevilWearsPrimark · 15/01/2010 13:29

I d=o wish I'd bought the bfing bra too though.

I made my own instead which was actually a huge success. I bought some 'normal' padded bras (the ones with an insert in them) , cut the straps and attached poppers at the front, then put breast pads in the bit the insert would normally go in.

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sleepysox · 15/01/2010 13:54

I bought a Belly Bandit, but didn't use it until my baby was 5 weeks old and my C section scar didn't hurt anymore. I used it for 5 weeks and went down a dress size around my waist from using it. (I didn't lose any weight, so it must have been the BB). I wore it at nights only. I bought the bamboo one and found it wasn't too uncomfy to sleep in.

I would recommend it. I wouldn't buy the waist cincher you were looking at, as the hooks and eyes looks fiddly and like they may dig in.

HTH

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notjustapuppymum · 15/01/2010 14:56

I wore one of these from the day after I gave birth for about 2-3 weeks and I was back into my size 10 jeans by then. Could have made a difference, guess I'll never know but made me feel a bit better
It does make sense really...your muscles are bound to need some support on their way back in!

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LaCerbiatta · 15/01/2010 14:56

Funny you all say that they shouldn't be used after a c-section. A cousin of mine was told to wear it, by a mw, the day she had a c-section. Mw said it was an absolute must to bring the muscles back together. My cousin is not slim, but has a really flat stomach and says it's all thanks to the clincher (or cincher).
This didn't happen in this country, by the way.

There's no way I could aford the Agent Provocateur one, though. Also they're knickers, right? So you could only wear them a couple of times a week?

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DorotheaPlenticlew · 15/01/2010 15:16

I used to put knickers under them.

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midnightexpress · 15/01/2010 15:20

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bounty007 · 15/01/2010 15:36

Spanx from just below the bra to the thigh helped me....I was back in normal clothes by day 8. They seemed to hold GIANT maternity pads in place too without showing a big bulge at back of trousers ...

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Ronaldinhio · 15/01/2010 16:47

my sil is from overseas as a rule everyone there wears one

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Stigaloid · 15/01/2010 16:54

you will bounce back. just had my 2nd dc and back in pre-mat clothes by day 10. dont waste money - not needed

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MrsMattie · 15/01/2010 18:16

The whole thing about these garments 'bringing the muscles back together' is utter tosh and just a cynical marketing ploy. Any midwife who advises a recently postnatal woman to wear 'magic knickers', girdles etc is barking mad, (especially after a c-section, when wearing something tight fitting can increase the risk of infection substantially).

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Chandon · 16/01/2010 10:57

I had a FAB ob-gyn, who told me not to do it.

It is a short term solution.

He says the cincher takes over from your core muscles, and it feels great, but actually, as it takes the work from the muscles, WEAKENS your muscles and you end up flabby underneath the cincher.

He said to be patient, the uterus needs at least 6 weeks to shrink back to normal size (it goes faster if you breastfeed!). After that, you should just do gentle exercise to strengthen your core muscles (ie back and tummy muscles) and you will slowly get back into shape.

Don´t fall for the quick fix solution!

Still, you may pop it on, say, as a one off, for a big night out.

hth

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mrsflux · 16/01/2010 11:35

I had a cs and couldn't imagine anything tight round my tum afterwards! Yuck!
Bf definately helped a LOT! I didn't manage bf fir more than 6 weeks exclusively but that was enough to sort me out. ESP as neighbour asked when I was having the baby the day I got home from hospital !!!!!!
I've still got a squishy tum but pilates is helping lots as did my mummy and baby exercise class- both low impact and easy for a cs mummy !