To Use a Belly Binder or Not: C-section Mom Edition

I am going to start by sharing what I used during my second pregnancy that was a lifesaver for my workouts. It allowed me to run into my third trimester. It is called a belly sports bra and is from Bao Bei Body. It provided amazing support and comfort.

Postpartum belly wraps (belly band or belly binder) are often suggested by a doctor to help with c-section recovery pain and healing. They are designed to help support your organs and muscles while you heal. Other benefits are said to be lowering swelling, increasing blood flow, and helping with posture.

When I wore the belly band I had bought after my first c-section it did help my posture and me sit tall. The problem was it got uncomfortable really fast and if I wore it for too long my pain increased. I maybe wore it a handful of times after my first c-section. After my second c-section, I still owned it so I tried it once and then remembered I had the belly sports bra. HALLELUJAH!

It was the best for supporting my core while it healed while allowing for movement and longer wear. It might cost more than a belly binder on Amazon but in my opinion, especially if you will be pregnant again, it's worth the comfortability. Anything to add comfort when recovering from a c-section is ideal.

Another option is these postpartum support leggings by the same company. They are designed to help support the core muscles and aid in the healing process. I wore them 1 month postpartum during a 5k walk (I was a little crazy to do that at 4 weeks but I was very active during my pregnancy). I wore them about once a week during my first couple of months recovering.

I know belly binders are very popular and usually, the thing recommended to c-section moms postpartum. I wanted to share what I enjoyed in case, like me, those binders don't help you.

In addition to supporting your healing core with these tools, core breathing exercises can be very beneficial.

Join my FREE Live webinar: C-section Recovery Jumpstart to learn important tools you can use for free to help heal post c-section. JOIN HERE