Postpartum Belly Binding
Did you know that two out of three women have postpartum abdominal separation, also known as diastasis recti? You usually get this while you’re pregnant. The pressure from baby pushes your abdominal wall outwards and separates the long, vertical muscles. Think about that for a second. Your abs are separated. That’s like a main support beam being knocked out from under you! Sheesh. If you’ve already had a baby, are you certain it healed properly? If you’re currently pregnant, do you have a plan for healing after baby arrives?
What I like most about postpartum belly binding is the ritual. Sure, you can purchase an abdominal wrap from Amazon that is a “one size fits all” kind of thing. But when you receive postpartum belly binding from me, you get a mālama momma moment to pause, reflect, and focus on self-care. At your first visit, we assess the severity of your abdominal separation. You will lie down and put your fingers between your vertical muscles above the belly button. Is it one finger? Two fingers? Three… four? Once this is identified, you have a baseline to measure your progress over the next 6 weeks. I’ll remind you to be mindful of the incredible journey your body has just been through. You will take a moment to acknowledge the strength of your muscles and joints. You will breath in and out and relax. Once you’re up, we begin to belly bind with your natural muslin wrap. If your partner is home, I encourage him to be present so he can observe the wrap and learn how to assist you. The wrapping takes about 5 minutes. Finally, you will enjoy the supportive benefits of the belly bind for the rest of the day.
In a study done by obstetric physical therapy researchers, 30 mommas reported back on the benefits of postpartum belly binding and abdominal exercises. The core support from belly binding has many proven benefits. The mommas in the study started their binding within 2 days of delivery, and they got STRONGER and SKINNIER and HAD LESS PAIN. Please note that this particular study highlights the increased benefit of abdominal exercises. I'll write another post on postpartum physical therapy and movement to heal.
Key Benefits of Postpartum Belly Binding:
Increase in abdominal strength
Decrease in abdominal separation
Decrease in waist circumference
Supports the spine
Improves posture
Stabilizes the body by supporting ligaments and muscles
Reduces strain on lower back and pelvic joints
Alleviates back and pelvic pain
Improves ability to lift
Assist organs returning to their pre-pregnancy position
It makes perfect sense. When we reduce stress and support the muscles in our core, our body has the ability to heal faster in the delicate postpartum phase. If you think you “missed the boat” and had your baby months or years ago, it’s not too late. Check right now. Lie down flat. Insert a finger between the two vertical muscles right below your belly button. Raise your shoulders off the floor like a partial crunch. Can you fit a finger in there? Can you fit two? If you can, then you have diastasis recti. If you have any abdominal separation, I also suggest getting in touch with a pelvic physical therapist that specializes in postpartum recovery. Get on a plan, momma! You can do this. And you have support. Just reach out.
Get in touch with me if you have any questions or want to get wrapped yourself.
