Has anyone "bound" their tummy post-birth?

[dinny]

I heard this helps the tummy go flat quickly. Anyone heard of this/done it?

Slightly off the subject of binding but on the subject of getting your stomach flat again - in France the state pays for 5-10 sessions with a physio after chilbirth (mainly to avoid gynaecological problems later but if you had a fairly easy delivery the physio's use the sessions to get your stomach muscles back in shape - everyone I know who's done this looks fab.
Somehow stomach binding conjures up visions of foot binding for me!

Never heard of it!

Well, i don't know about bounding with it but I'm quite fond of the austrian blind effect my stretch marks create

just looked at the title and it looks really odd! I've heard it from two people (anecdotally though)

I mean wrap a bit of material round where the bump was - dunno how long for though.

I can be an experiment!

don't they do this in african countries, or is it China?

I think I remember my Nan-in-law saying something about this. She is 85 and was born and brought up in Kenya and had 2 boys.
I also remember her saying that all mums had to spend 10days in hospital after the birth and in the afternoons they were instructed to lie on their tummies for a couple of hours - oh the luxury!
My Gran also put her corset on as soon as she had had both my mum and my aunty!

Think I will be trying this. Worth an attempt (not a corset though - maybe a bit of stretchy material like a sarong)!!!!

Dinny, not sure if you should try it. my gran & NIL had their children 50+yrs ago and things were a lot different back then. I would check with a health professional first.
TBH breastfeeding got my tummy back to nearly being flat.

Oh my goodness that's exactly what we had to do when I had my Dd's1&2!!I must admit the 10 days in hospital were bliss,I often think back to those few brief days with much affection!

I live in Malaysia where many women bind their tummies after birth with this kind of cheesecloth material. You need someone to wrap it round you from just below your breasts down to your pubic bone, and then tie it on tight. I tried it after having ds2, but only did it for two days. Its quite tight and I think its only real value is to remind you to keep pulling in your tummy muscles as it is a tad uncomfortable. It also makes you sit up straight which is probably a good thing.
Anyway, it was too much hassle for me. But women round here swear by it, and two years on I still have a saggy tummy, so maybe I should have persevered? Lorien

You had to lie on your tummy, Boudicca?

Don't think it has to be tightly bound - just enough for support so it can shrink back. That wouldn't be dangerous, would it?

Yep,sure did,andd drifted off for a couple of hours if we were lucky!The nuns were most insistent on it.

and my Dm insisted that I should wear a 'girdle'after having babies,I didn't tho (it wouldn't have seemed right somehow with the Biba stuff!)

How old are you, Boudicca, if you don't mind me asking?

53 please don't throw me off the site!I have still got one at home!(arsy Dd3)

It's great to see you on here!

Thank you Dinny

Are you Irish (the nuns...)?

to be sure I'm not from the Emerald Isle!I had my first 2 Dds at St.Theresas in Wimbledon,it's closed down now.

My mum did it - she's Russian. She thought it helped 'show' the muscles where you want them to go - otherwise you'd be skinny and saggy.

I couldn't be bothered. I actually bought an elasticated support belt thingy from a health shop (actually for back pain - but same idea), but found it v. sweaty and awkward... don't know iof i will regret not persevering.

Funnily enough, my Mum suggested this last week. Apparently very common practice in Italy too. My Mum has seen something in the Clean-Eazi (sp??) catalogue which can be used for this purpose. Dont know why it is in a cleaning products catalogue though. But yes Im going to give it ago after this sprog pops out, I have never had a flat tum since ds was born 4 yrs ago.

I think excercise is probably the best way of losing a tum!how about Pilates or yoga?

Ha ha Bunny2, cleaning catalogue! What a strange place for it to be! Do you think a sarong would do the job at all? When are you due? Let me know how you get on!

I know, Boudicca, just want to help it along a bit!

Dd 15 wks - s'pose too late to make a difference? Or is this the beginign of a new support group. 'Bind your tummy with Dinny' if you like .