AIBU about belly binding?

[sockonmyhead]

I have never done this and it strikes me as a bad and wrong idea, primarily designed to make women feel even crapper about post baby jelly bellies (or at least that is how it is commercially marketed).

There is an advert for an abdominal binder on another parenting forum at the moment. It made me feel very sad to see it,but I don't know if I am in the minority thinking it is the wrong message to send to new mums.

Has anyone done this? Is it even medically advised or beneficial?

It's not wrong to want to lose your baby belly or to look and feel attractive. This is a product aimed at women in the few weeks after they have given birth, which is a time I think many of us have spent worrying about absolutely everything; not least what other people think of us.

I just don't think advertising this on a parenting forum is a very positive message; it adds being in shape to the list of worries and legitimises the need to loose weight as it comes from a trusted information source. I do not think the advert from the other site would ever feature on mumsnet for these reasons.

Women in general face so much pressure from the media about their appearance it would be nice to have just a few weeks with a new baby without worrying about it.

This has brought out my bra burning side so I am probably taking it too seriously.

Suspect this thread will have the opposite effect to what the OP desired - I can't be the only one reading this thinking "ooh, I fancy one of those..." and DS is 18months!!

It will help to redefine shape, if firm enough - take off your wedding rings and see how the same principle applies on your finger. However it won't help with muscle tone/strength directly - though it might help the surrounding muscles to contract in a better shape rather than being all pulled out of alignment by jellybelly...

I want one!

lulabellarama, yes I know, I have been pregnant with twins whom I brestfed. Regardless, I didn't gain much weight as most was lost once the babies were born. The twins were perfectly healthy and are such fabulous and strong two year olds now.

I bought something similar for a wedding as my dress was skimmy, but just found it so uncomfy I barely bothered after that.

In some parts of india, a new mum has their tummy bound then spends a month resting at her mother's house, receiving daily massages!

Personally I find think it's wrong to heap pressure on new mums with those celebrity fitness videos made 5 second after having twins (Yes you, Gabby Logan), and prefer to have taken my time to bond with my baby and wear tops that flatter a bigger tum for a while.

I could have done with the daily massages tho

God I've just ordered one. Brilliant reverse psychology advertising there OP .

My stomach muscles separated after DC1, got worse after DC2 and I was unable to stand up straight for a week after giving birth, was literally doubled over! Pregnant with DC3 now and the problem is already getting bad.

I'm not worried about the getting back into shape aspect (and can't really see how it works TBH, fat can't be permanently squashed away), it's never really been an issue but being able to see my internal organs squishing out of the gap in my muscles when getting out of the bath is not an entirely pleasant experience.

I've been offered surgery but will see if this and some serious physio after the birth will help.

I was a size 16 pre pregnancy. DO you think it will make me a size 10 post pregnancy?

I was size 16 pre-pregnancy, I'm now a size 10. Don't think it was the slimming knickers wot done it, though.