Postpartum Support Belt

I haven't read any of the responses, but honestly, I never lost my tummy (had a c-section at age 35) & I weighed exactly what I weighed when I left the hospital...2 years LATER. I breastfed for 15 months - no changes. I changed my diet. No changes. That 15 pounds & a "preggie" looking tummy stuck on me for years.

The only thing that reduced my tummy as well as helped me get back to my pre-pregnancy weight was joining a gym. Walked on a treadmill, did the eliptical, worked with weights. 6 months later I could not believe the difference.

I am now 4 mths pregnant, still working out as much as I can muster & am hopeful that I won't be stuck in the "baby body" rut for years after this baby simply by keeping up my exercise & watching my diet. I certainly still had a ways to go & was nowhere near having a slim & trim waistline, but I knew that, for me, exercise was more effective than anything else.

Good luck!

Lets start a petition to have reputable plastic surgeons be reqiured to donate their services and perform free "Mommy Makeovers" Who's with me?? =)

Hi, I hope this helps. I've had c-section and also did breastfeeding. I've pretty much lost of my pregnancy belly. I still have it just a little left over. Did you breastfeed or pump your milk for your baby? If not, this could be the reason for you not able to lose the pregnancy belly. Breastfeeding helps to shrink your uterus and giving away all that fat in the milk to your baby also helps too. I have 4 kids and it doesn't look like I had kids (that is what alot of people said about me). If you're not breastfeeding, try to do crunches or sit ups, this may help.
Well, hopefully helps. Good luck!

breastfeeding is the best way to get your uterus and belly back in shape. that being said, my daughter's a year and a half, still nursing, and i eat well and have an active lifestyle and am still at least 15 pounds more than before pregnancy. maybe it's just the way our bodies are supposed to be.

Well My youngest is 22months and I still have 5lbs more to go til my pre-pregnancy weight!! So it does take awhile and you shouldnt expect it to come off right away..it does take 9months to put all the weight on carrying your baby and will take time to come off..I have heard of the postpartum belts..I actually tried a supportive undergarment..like one of those ones that go mid-thigh up to mid-belly and found that did help suck in some of the loose skin..but I dont feel it really helped in the long run to get ride of it..Just diet and exercise has been working..slowly..for me.. hope it helps a lil :)

I tried one because I had really bad ab separation (diastasis recti), but the only thing that has helped is something called the Tupler Technique. It's a type of ab exercise that helps pull the muscles back together - it really helped a lot.

That said, I'm 14.5 months post partum and while I lost the baby weight without any trouble (10 months?) my stomach is still flabby. I think that having a baby just changes your body. I've accepted my new body for the most part, but I am going to miss my boobs since nursing this long has really changed them!

If you breastfeed, it will shrink back in no time, if not then a belt is good to use while working out to help sweat in the area you want tone. Lots of jumping jacks, situps jumping rope will do good also.

I know that unlike in the US in Europe they don't let you leave the hospital without wearing one because they believe it does help the uterus to regain its original shape. This has nothing to do with the belly fat. I am Italian and gave birth in the US and my friends were horrified to find out I did not use a girdle. Now, I have lost all the extra weight, I am back in great shape, and still have a tummy that says "I am 3 month pregnant". So, maybe it was just meant to be, but if I went back I would wear a girlde/belt. You never know.

Hi S.,

I have no experience with the belts you are referring to but I do have a comment about your tummy and weight issues. I go to a chiropractor who offers free classes on muscle/skeletal strengthening. They warn against doing crunches or sit-ups for reducing our bellies as recent studies show they do more harm than good for really tightening the core. They provided a handout of proper exercises that I could scan and email to you. If you would like it just email me at ____@____.com and I'd be happy to send it, maybe it will help.
On the weight topic do you eat a low-glycemic diet? If not your body may be in an abnormal metabolic state where it actually holds onto excess weight like a sponge holds onto water. If you are interested in learning more I can forward a list of low-glycemic foods and other info on this topic. Periodically we start what we call "RESET" groups where people support and encourage each other. We share info (through emails and conference calls) from a doctor specializing in nutritional medicine, to give people the information they need to know to make the switch to a healthier lifestyle. Let me know if you are interested in getting more info on our next group.
Take care,
L. Leduc
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I never used the belt you're talking about. Think of it this way: it took your body 9 months to make that baby & gain that weight so you can't expect it to loose it after only 5 months. Youe body is still adjusting to this HUGE hormonal change so give yourself lotsa more time. And, not to be devil's advocate, but your stomach & other parts of your body may never go back to their original size &/or shape. I go to the gym 3x/wk & do about 200 ab exercises each time & while my stomach is like a rock underneath, there's still this flabby spot around my belly button. When our youngest was 8 month, I started going to Weight Watchers & lost about 38 lbs. I've gained some of it back & am doing the program again but what I took away from it (as do most people) is portion control. I scaled way back on the size of my meals. So, first my advice is to relax & enjoy your new baby & don't stress so much about the weight loss. If you really feel the need to loose it, I highly recommend joining Weight Watchers. As another mom said, they have a program specifically for nursing moms & you can also take your baby to meetings w/you (which is what I did) or do it all on-line. Best of luck!

I have never heard of that belt.
Drink nothing but water, all day & night.
It is always the most effective way to lose fat.
Have one little weakness (mine is am coffee and pm cheetos) but always water.
The docs used to give isoexercises for after birth; they are easy, start small and work up., esp on the sit ups.
Also, we all have our lil mama pillow stretch marked bellies-consider it your badge of honor for the big job you did bringing that baby into this world.
I know you don't want an "apron" though, so that will prob require a few sit-ups. CSections are harder to heal from so take it SLOW. Good luck!

Hi S.,

I had the same issue as you. It is hard to come to terms with this new body...especially if, like me, I was a little unappreciative of my old one!
So anyway. I agree with only drinking water, and eating a healthy diet. I cut out all soda and coffee and my skin and clothes fit nicer. Also there is nothing wrong with crunches or ab exercises.
I have lost all but 10 lbs and I am still bf so I think my body is just gonna hold onto that,(I did do weight watchers for the first 25lbs, lost a total of 65lbs) . But I feel good and feel fit. I joined StrollerFit - it is a fitness group where we bring out babies. It is circut training, a little joggging, lunges, we work with bands, and fitness tubes. When I started I couldn't jog, and now I do the extra running at the end -its only been 3 or 4 months. They have a website to see if there is one in your area.

But what really worked for my abs and core is Pilates. I can not say enough about it. Stroller Fit offers a specail program for postpardum women, but I think any pilates would work.
Our deep stomach muscle, the transverse abdomin is only used when we sneeze, cough, or if we engage it while lifting. So that muscle must be specifically worked. My abs have a little definition even!!

I really recommend Weight Watchers, they have a special program for bf moms. We still need a little extra calories. It taught me to make choices, and really pay attention to what I am eating. I used the online program, but my mom was very successful going to meeting.

So I hope you can find a fitness group. I know there are other companies that offer working out with for mommies.
Best of luck to you. You CAN do it, it takes patience, discipline, and hard work. Losing weight and dieting suck...but if you need any encouragement or if you have questions don't hesitate to email me.
Go for it!

I'm still 5-7 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight, and my son is 4 years old. I blame it on the 16 months of breastfeeding (when I couldn't diet) and my age (I had him at 43). Plus, I just like to eat! :-) Still, I found that getting regular exercise, at least 1xweekly, does help the tummy to look and feel better. Just doing simple things like leg lifts and a few tummy crunches and scissors, and some stretching really helps. To answer your question about the belt, I also gave birth to my baby in Europe, but I had to ask the nurse for one after my cesarian. I found it really helped with the pain and just sort of held things together. Not sure if it gets your tummy back in shape like excercise would. As for the best way for a young mother to lose weight and strengthen up everything, including the tummy muscles, I suggest you walk. Take baby out in a stroller 2xdaily and for a period of at least 30 minutes. Both of you will enjoy it and feel better for it. We really don't place enough emphasis on how good walking is for us, and it's so easy to do, too!

Get a soft (without a frame) back carrier for that child and get out and walk, in tight jeans, for about 30-60 minutes a day. If you can do that twice, it's even better. When I had my son, a long time ago, I was going to school while my mother watched him, and I walked to school (a distance of nearly 3 miles) for morning classes, back to mom's house for mid-day nursing, and back to school for afternoon, then back to mom's home for about two months (as long as the weather was good). I lost all my pregnancy weight and more and my stomach had never been tighter. You'll find that if you do that, and measure your food (not change your diet, just measure to become more aware) you will need to get smaller jeans, probably twice, over the period of a month or two. Then just walk the baby with a stroller (he'll be heavier by then, too)once or twice a day. Exercise will help the weight, the stomach muscles (if he's on your back you'll tighten them just to balance him) and any postpartum depression because endorphens will be released, too. Take time to enjoy every moment with him, because he will be grown before you blink twice. Good luck, mom.