Best Postpartum Belly Wrap For C-Sections (Cheap!!)
Looking for the best postpartum belly wrap for c-sections? What is the best postpartum belly wrap to use? In this post, I talk about which postpartum girdles and wraps I used and recommend!
Wondering about abdominal binders and the best belly wraps for the postpartum period?
Hi friends! My name is Chantal.
I’m the owner of Ironwild Fitness, as well as a mom and personal trainer.
If you’re into the short version of things, all you need to know is that I am a 2-time c-section mama.
My first c-section was considered an emergency c-section, while my second one was 100% planned.
My recommendations for abdominal binders are based on my experiences giving birth, as well as my experience as a personal trainer.
However, I find that the story behind my first birth is helpful in understanding what I have to say about the best postpartum belly wrap for c-sections, so if you want the long version, keep reading.
(This is helpful stuff for new moms, IMO.)
If not, skip ahead to find out what I believe to be the best postpartum girdles and wraps! I ended up choosing three of the best post-pregnancy girdles on the market. Here’s the long story…
When I had my first baby, I had a lot of big plans for how I wanted giving birth to go.
Like most first-time moms, I spent countless hours throughout my pregnancy on the computer doing research about childbirth.
I read as many birth stories as I could, along with scientific studies about breastfeeding, giving birth naturally, and so much more. I also read all of the main books like, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.”
If you’re a first-time mom, I’m sure that’s relatable – and maybe even why you’re here.
Maybe you’re doing that right now. (If you’ve already given birth at least once before, you can probably remember going a little overkill on the research.)
Anyway, I had the notion that c-sections were basically evil and I had a 100% natural birth planned. A normal vaginal delivery was my goal.
I had read a lot about the negative side effects and results c-sections could have, and I had my heart set on a natural birth because of it.
Looking back, I should have taken it as a sign when my doctor of 20 years all but rolled her eyes when I gave her my neatly printed birth plan.
You can probably guess how my first birth story went!
Hint: The result is this post about the best postpartum belly wrap for c-sections.
Once I was nine days past my due date, my doctor decided that I should be induced. Since I wanted a natural birth, the nurses and doctors tried the less invasive ways to get things going.
They tried everything – from the Foley bulb to Pitocin.
Nothing made me go into labor.
So after forty hours of stage 1 labor (which is before you start really dilating), the doctor came in and told me that she’d give me one more hour.
One more hour to attempt a vaginal birth. After that, it was go time. They would perform a c-section.
But then my daughter’s heart rate started to fluctuate in a scary way. It was dropping dangerously low very suddenly.
So I decided to skip the hour altogether and go straight to surgery.
I have to admit that I cried like a baby when they told me that a natural birth was out of the question.
Honestly, I felt like a failure for not being able to have my baby naturally, but I was also scared and full of hormones. I started shaking uncontrollably and crying a LOT, so I had to be given a drug to help calm my nerves.
After that, the whole thing was honestly a blur! (Crazy to think what was about to happen to my abdominal muscles!)
Anyway, the point is that I was totally unprepared for all of the possibilities of childbirth.
Related Reading: 13 Things No One Tells You About Having a C-Section
I certainly wasn’t prepared to have major surgery that would mess with more core. After my c-section delivery, I went through all of the regular recovery stuff, but I also started to experience crazy back pain.
Once I got home, the low back pain was almost too much to bear. I could barely walk with my baby and I thought that it would be best if I had some core support.
I wanted my belly to “go down” and shrink anyway, so if I could find something that helped to support my back, too, that would be a winner for me.
In the end, I bought a pretty expensive postpartum girdle, and it ended up being the best postpartum belly wrap I could have found.
Since I knew I wanted to have more than one kid, I justified it knowing that I could use it again. It ended up helping my belly shrink, but it also relieved my back pain BIG time. I had less pain within a few hours.
(I’ll tell you which one I bought below!)
But not everyone has c-sections, and not everyone has a huge budget for postpartum belly binders. So maybe they want the best postpartum girdles available for a small budget!
Related Reading: 7 Things to Have on Hand for Easier C-Section Recovery
So since I serve mostly moms here, I wanted to do a little research on the best postpartum belly wrap for different budgets, different goals (back pain or tummy toning), and different births.
No matter which way you go, just know that I 100% believe in some extra support in the abdominal area after giving birth. Especially for cesarean delivery. You will just have to trust me on that one.
What is a postpartum belly wrap anyway?
Don’t worry, I was new to belly wrapping before this, too.
Obviously, if you do a quick search for the best postpartum belly wrap, it might come up with a few different options.
A search might say postpartum belly binder, postpartum belly band after c-section, or best postpartum belly wrap – there’s so much to look at!
Because there are different styles for wraps, and since c-section moms need slightly different support, I also wanted to include options for postpartum girdles in this post.
Some postpartum belly wraps are just like they sound – they are something you wrap around your belly and can adjust length-wise.
But I call postpartum girdles belly wraps, too, since they support your core and can also be adjusted.
Either way, a good postpartum belly wrap or girdle is going to have reinforced fabric, be adjustable, and offer plenty of support.
The idea is that you’ll use belly binding for some light compression for abdominal support through the postpartum healing process.
Related Reading: C-Section Recovery 101: Tips & Information
How long should you bind your belly after birth?
Honestly, this is up to you. I don’t think you should religiously bind yourself every day for a year, but there are many factors to consider here.
If you are an active person and were able to exercise during your pregnancy, your core might be pretty strong. If you didn’t exercise, have back problems like me, or if you have diastasis recti (abdominal separation), you might wear a wrap a little longer.
I personally wore mine starting from when I got home from the hospital until a few weeks postpartum. Since I wore mine partially for back pain as well as for helping my tummy recede, I wore mine basically until my back pain went away.
I also cinched mine a little tighter every couple of days until it no longer felt effective.
So I don’t think there’s any real rule here – just go with your gut. (Ha!)
Do postpartum belly wraps really work?
I think so! If you understand that they are both useful for back support and belly shaping, they’ll definitely be useful.
Putting a little pressure on your uterus after giving birth is actually supposed to be good for helping your milk come in, too. (You might have a nurse or doctor smush your tummy really hard after giving birth – this is why!)
For me, wearing a postpartum abdominal binder after my c-sections also helped me with posture, too. It helped me be aware of my core muscles and learn to engage them again in ways I couldn’t towards the end of my pregnancies.
With the help of the girdle, I was able to fit into my pre-preg jeans a lot sooner!
Best Postpartum Belly Wrap For C-Sections
I only want to give you two best options – a couple for a “typical” postpartum belly wrap, and one for a girdle.
So to start, let’s talk about the girdle option.
If you’re curious about which one I used for both of my c-sections, check out this postpartum girdle. It worked super well for me both times, but I’ve found that its rating is lower now than it was when I bought it.
(It was super highly rated then – now it’s only a four-star, so IDK!)
However, it did a super job at helping my uterus recede and relieved my crazy back pain both times.
So – it was worth it to me!
One more note – I chose the girdle over the standard belly wrap because it went lower on my abdomen.
When I had my c-sections, there were a few weeks when it felt that my insides were falling out near my incision.
The girdle covers the entire groin area and makes me feel very secure. That’s why this still might be the best postpartum belly wrap for c-section mamas!
Anyway, onto the best postpartum belly wrap for c-sections!
*P.S. A wrap is different than the corset/girdle in my opinion because it’s not something that you step or slide into. It’s typically one continuous, long piece of fabric with Velcro or something similar to make it adjustable. I searched high and low for the best postpartum belly wrap based on ratings, stories from friends, and my personal experience. Here are the top three!
1. 3 in 1 Postpartum Belly Wrap & Body Shaper by ChongErfei
This particular wrap not only features great postpartum belly binder reviews, it is something that can be used for more than just the postpartum belly.
You can keep it to use for shapewear or just as a body shaper when you’re done! (If you’re into using a waist trainer, it could work for that too.)
It also has many different adjustable points, so you can tighten various areas as your belly starts to go down. So, you can start with gentle compression and add extra compression as you feel comfortable.
But I didn’t just choose it for its reviews – the price tag is fabulous!
You can get this super-adjustable postpartum wrap for under $25. It’s also available in a few different colors, so if you want to wear them under different outfits, you can get more than one.
I think this price tag is justified whether you’re having one baby or five! Use it for years, or not!
Even if you only experience a postpartum body once, I think this price range is super reasonable.
2. Moolida Postpartum Belly Wrap & Back Support
Here’s another belly wrap for much-needed support.
This post-pregnancy belly wrap is another top performer according to Amazon users.
This particular postpartum recovery belt is a little less “fuss” than option #1. However, it has adjustable straps and over 4,000 ratings, putting it at 4.5 stars. (Keep the postpartum belly binder reviews coming people!)
This postpartum belly wrap is available in pink, white, and black. Personally, I rather buy a “skin-toned” wrap for more versatile use, but the price tag is a huge plus. This postpartum belly wrap runs less than $20 a piece!
The only drawback here is that this particular wrap looks like it’s a bit short in the waist. It might work great if you have a short torso though!
If you’re tall or have a really low incision, it might be best to opt for one of the other top postpartum belly wrap options.
3. KeaBabies 3-in-1 Postpartum Recovery Wrap
I picked this wrap to add to my list of the best postpartum belly wraps for a few reasons.
Firstly, it has almost 1,000 ratings averaging 4.5 stars. Secondly, it looks highly adjustable, with lots of ways to customize tightness and support. Third, the price is right. This wrap runs less than $25!
That’s amazing when it comes to postpartum bands.
One more thing – this wrap looks like it hits longer and lower than the other two wraps. So depending on your incision, it might be worth looking at!
If I hadn’t already dropped a pretty big chunk of change on my postpartum girdle, this would have been my second choice because my incision is REALLY low. (They did my second incision right on top of my first one.)
Other Options For Best Postpartum Belly Binders
As you probably already know, there are plenty of other options for the recovery process.
There are even some body shapers and other types of wraps that, while not specifically designed for postpartum support, would work similarly.
(I don’t recommend trying to use a sweatband or regular body shaper right away after having a baby.)
Whatever you end up with, the best postpartum belly wrap is one that is highly adjustable and comfortable/convenient.
I saw some postpartum belly wraps that were full of hooks and that just looked terrible and time-consuming. I also saw some that looked like really thick and bulky fabric with weird seams.
While that might be okay in the first few weeks, I think I would want something a little more discreet later on.
Related Reading: 11 Ways To Tighten Your Postpartum Belly
Other Ways To Tone Up Postpartum
As I was just getting really into writing on this blog while I was pregnant, and then postpartum with my son, I have a lot of blog posts and resources about this topic! I even had a physical therapist come on the blog to tell us about postpartum core restoration exercises.
As you probably know, there are natural and easy ways to help your belly tone back up after giving birth. But there are also ways to help things along. That’s where I come in!
Here are some of my most popular resources:
- Core Exercises For Beginners | 5 Essential Exercises
- 11 Ways To Tighten Your Postpartum Belly
- 19 Ways To Start Losing The Baby Weight Fast
- 5 Tips On Postpartum Core Restoration from A Physical Therapist
Before you go, I wanted to tell you about my home workout programs. (I even have one just for postpartum moms!)
My 21-Day Postpartum Challenge includes workouts, meal ideas, and a clean eating challenge designed to help you strengthen and tone. (After being cleared for exercise by a doctor.)
My other home workout program, called Restore The Core, is designed specifically for your postpartum belly and is all about core strength.
(P.S. I JUST put them together in a bundle for people who want both.)
Check them out!
Are you a veteran mom who has some tips on the best postpartum belly wrap? Do you have a favorite postpartum belly binder that I haven’t listed here? Tell me about it by leaving a comment below!
