Belly bands (or similar) after c-section?

[BambinoJune]

Are there any Mums here who had a c-section and successfully used a 'belly band' or c-section shapewear afterwards to support their tummy?

I am looking o to this and there does seem to be some evidence of this helping recovery, but I am also aware there are a ton of scammy looking products!

The main goal is to support recovery, feel more comfortable / secure, and also to help slim down if possible of course.

Following as I've been wondering the same.

Following x

Im in a group on facebook for people due in May, seems almost all the American ladies having/had c-sections swear by them so I asked the midwife at my pre op on Wednesday if I need to buy one and she had no idea what I was on about! So I'm curious to know other peoples opinions/experiences

I'm not having a c-section myself however whilst hospital bag toiletry shopping I came across these:

www.boots.com/cantaloop-csection-briefs-twin-pack-medium-10228459

Don't know if this would interest anyone on this post. Just thought I'd post it x

Hmm, maybe I should have posted this is parenting to catch the mums who've already had their c-sections??

I used a Vespa and The Ladybird belly band after a c section with dd2. I really liked it because it made me feel like my stomach was being held together and wasn’t going to fall apart. I had bad muscle separation after dd1 but nowhere near as bad with dd2 so it might have helped with this too. I’m not sure. I’ll be using it again after dc3.
I also wore Jojo Maman Bebe postnatal support nursing vests at night.
I’ll add the disclaimer that my stomach was wrecked after a very large dd1 so will never be the same again but dd2 did a lot less damage and I went back to a reasonable shape more quickly. I definitely think the band and support clothes helped. If nothing else they made me feel better about myself!

@lovelyjubbly12 they look great. I just wish they weren’t white. Why just why???! I’ll probably get some anyway though

I have two belly bands and love them!!! I had an EMCS for baby 1, ELCS baby 2 and will have an ELCS for baby 3 shortly.

I bought the belly band for c-section recovery and the leggings too. Loved loved loved!! I’ve used them after my two previous births and will again after this last one.

I found the belly band initially sucked me in super well and gave me a sense of tight security for afterwards. It also made my scar feel Non-existent. You wear it during the day but not at night. I found my belly tightened up quite quickly with everyday and constant usage. In fact, I don’t have a pouch above the scar (obviously I have no way to prove it’s linked to the belly band but...). My night nurse after my first baby was from Ghana and she said they used them all the time, same with a friend from the Philippines. Both said in their countries it was absolutely normal practice to help the abdomen muscles reconnect and give them support. Made sense to me so I bought it. My husband helped wrap me the first few times til I got the hang of it and felt more comfortable on my own. I laid down on the bed and he rolled me and fixed the position (I bought the Velcro one). Super super tight and after week one and two I began having to tighten it even more as my tummy deflated and began going flatter and flatter.

I lived in the belly band (after birth) tights too! I had severe edema (I was pre-eclamptic with both previous babes) and the tights were phenomenal for me to help reduce the water retention in my legs.

Highly highly recommend! I bought my band (new) on eBay and the tights directly from BellyBand company.

I had a c section and bought a belly band but couldn't stand the feeling of anything over the incision. I was keen to wear one as I heard they were good but when it came to it I opted for very loose clothing as anything else felt too uncomfortable.

I bought these two. I bought the C-section Velcro band in black and the MotherTucker tights in black too. Now they’ve added a new c-section Velcro band which has two wrap straps - in hindsight I would have preferred the two strap band (LuxeBellyWrap - see image below)
Sometimes you’ll notice your hips and waist aren’t one size (duh!) so you’ll get buckling with the one main Velcro wrap. Instead the two strap wrap surely will give you more control over which area of the abdominals need tightening or loosening (wider hips and smaller waist or vice versa).

The MotherTuckers were expensive but OMG!!! I needed every bit of help (I’d gained 17lbs in fluid my last three weeks... insane edema!). These puppies are seriously named “MotherTuckers” for a reason! Best investment... I did get help putting them on initially from my DH (good guy 😍)! They were literally an everyday part of my waking up regime - “Don’t leave the bed without them” 😎

Interesting, thank you.

@MrsAmelia was it the white Velcro bamboo belt on this page you used? And the leggings here also? https://www.bellybandit.co.uk/collections/c-section

I was looking at this page. The recovery undies looked a bit scary with those hook and eyes. Sounds like the Velcro one would be better. How tight do you actually do it though? I'm such a scaredy cat!

I used a Velcro tummy wrap from amazon - it was really good and recommended on a different thread. I slept in it to support and stop the pain on tummy hang on the scar and wore it during the day for a few weeks for general support and it really helped me getting back on my feet

I'll see if I can find the link for you, it was pretty reasonably priced too if I remember correctly

I had huge 10lb baby by c section first time and wished I’d tried one

This time round I’m trying the seraphine post maternity support leggings which are meant to be great for post c section

@BambinoJune
Yes! That’s the link.
I bought all of mine in black.

I personally found the corset style is too fiddly in all aspects. I bought a cheap cheap version corset band on eBay to trial it out and it was terrible doing it up and taking off and when I thought about it, the eyelets were only three rows. If your body is changing in size it wouldn’t be able to keep Up with that. So I bought the BellyBandit Velcro one.

I know they’re pricey but in the end, I can’t afford a tummy tuck and I wouldn’t want one. I went for the “RollsRoyce” of belly bands and they and the MotherTucker tights made my recovery smooth & I felt comfortable. I felt held in and I could control how tight or loose I wanted it. My DH has to tighten it for me for the first week/week & a half and pull me up.
**Never put it on when standing. You’ll never get the “tight-sucked in” support you need by putting it on standing til much later on after birth. I laid down, he rolled me a bit and pulled it as tight as I wanted. He gently pulled me up and I was set. It was our morning and afternoon routine 😁 We still joke about it now ...

Remember too: BellyBandit has a c-section design that’s literally for women who have sections. The bands are long enough and you choose where you want them placed. I wanted my waist and hips to be targeted and sucked in so I wore it to the levels which covered those areas and it sat comfortably lower than my incision area. I always felt supported and safer with it on - particularly in case I bumped into something or someone bumped into me by accident (backs of high chairs in cafes or restaurants for example). It offered cushion and protection to that area. I very literally loved mine.

My MorherTuckers were nothing but phenomenal!! I could not get them on alone initially 🤦‍♀️😊 DH helped me. Once on, those puppies did their job and did it well! They were always a part of my daily morning routine ... I didn’t leave home without them on and wore them everyday all day. I only bought one pair so washed them all the time and after two babes they’ve still not gotten any looser 👍🏻

Hope this helps! For me, yes expensive investment but I am so happy and relieved I bought them.

Good luck!

@MrsAmelia

Thanks for the info and the screenshots. That’s really helpful to know. I didn’t know much about belly bands but that info is really helpful. Much appreciated.

Yes thanks @MrsAmelia this is really helpful! I'm definitely going to invest. xx

@MrsAmelia sorry to ask yet another question! But did you wear the tights with the belly band? Over or under it? x

Anytime ladies 👍🏻

@BambinoJune - I wore mine under the belly band. It would have been impossible to go wee “quickly” had it been the opposite. The tights are literally stuck to you 😂

Keep in mind, I wore both simultaneously because I was dealing with some really serious water retention. It took me one year to lose the water weight from my legs (I did work out a lot to help and had regular deep tissue massages). Second time around it took me 1.5 yrs. My consultant even said she supported me in wearing them constantly because of my particular situation. I’ll be honest - I began reducing the bellyband after month 7. I was religious with it. The tights I wore except when working out or sleeping.

I slept free of everything to allow my skin to breathe over night - and BellyBandit does instruct users to remove at night.

😁 Good luck and enjoy the support - it’s “uplifting” 😆

I’ve looked into them but I’m quite fat and I’ve already got a huge overhang from being fat and two previous sections, so not sure it would be any good for this time round?

I’m the same Connie

Just hoping that trying one will help make it not as bad as what I was left with last time

I really don’t want surgery but it would probably need something to get rid of it totally

I’ve seen positive results from scar massage techniques which is meant to reduce overhang

@Rebelwithallthecause - sadly my overhang was caused by years of obesity, huge weight loss and then recently huge weight gain. It’s not just the c section over hang, just a huge apron of fat.

@Connie222 I also have an overhang after a 10lb baby and c section. It definitely didn’t get any worse after the second section when I used the belly band. I do think it helped a bit.

I also used the velcro type tummy wrap as nd found it was supportive when I felt floppy and held me in a bit which helped posture and keep the dressing protected. I'll use one again this time but probably invest in some of those leggings suggested they sound great!

@acatcalledlola I had these with my first and they were a godsend. You can get black pairs 😬

@ACatCalledLola @Connie222 @Rebelwithallthecause I’m the same. Bmi 32 ish and a big overhang already from being overweight and two previous sections. I am interested in stories from folk in a similar situation who have used belly bands with success. I didn’t use one with either of my previous two sections. Last time particularly my back pain and hip pain was ongoing for months after and I’m sure some support would help for baby number 3. However I do worry about how it would affect the wound, sitting as it would under an overhang already. A bit tmi but would it not make it really sweaty at a time when it’s so important to try and let air to it? I vaguely remember airing mine as much as pos last time and wearing a clean sanitary pad inside the waistband of my pants to try keep things more dry across the wound. Maybe it’s best to leave til would has sealed up (10 days wait)? Or maybe the leggings are better? Appreciate any advice from others who’ve had success when in a similar situation. Thanks!