Best Postpartum Girdle

Especially after the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth, most new moms appreciate all the support they can get. Fluctuating hormone levels and a changing family dynamic usually require emotional support, while having someone else take over some of the cooking or housework duties can be a form of mental support. However, don’t overlook the importance of physical support for a taxed and stretched postpartum body.

Specially-designed garments like girdles or wraps can help a woman feel more comfortable after birth, decrease some types of pain and even help speed the recovery process along.

How do these garments work, and how can you pick out the one that’s right for you? Check out our tips to learn more about the role of support garments, and our in-depth reviews can help you select the best postpartum girdle for your needs.

Our Top Picks at a Glance

• ChongErfei 3 in 1 Postpartum Support
• LODAY 2 in 1 Postpartum Recovery Belt
• Mamaway Nano Bamboo Postnatal Support Belly Band
• Moolida Postpartum Belly Wrap
• BRABIC Postpartum Belly Wrap
• Trendyline Women Postpartum Girdle

Note: There’s a lot more information below but clicking the above links will take you to current prices, further information and customer reviews on Amazon.

What is a Postpartum Girdle or Belly Wrap?

Postpartum girdles are supportive garments that can also go by the terms belly wraps, belts, bands or even a waist trainer. Regardless of the name, all these products aim to provide external support for stretched abdominal muscles and organs, and they can also help stabilize the lower back and promote proper posture post pregnancy.

Most women can start wearing a postpartum girdle almost immediately after giving birth, although some forms of more aggressive support or shaping are usually best left until at least a week after delivery. Most mothers find that wearing a support garment for several weeks or even months after childbirth increases their physical comfort.

Benefits of Wearing A Postpartum Girdle or Wrap

Support

After being stretched beyond what seems possible for several months, your pelvic and abdominal muscles will understandably need some time to return to their normal tone. A postpartum girdle can help hold these muscles up from the outside, so you can feel a bit more like your old self without having to consciously flex your muscles.

May Help You Return to Your Pre-Pregnant Size Sooner

Wearing a girdle or wrap may help accelerate the process of re-training your muscles, and many mothers who use compression feel like they are able to return to their pre-pregnancy clothes sooner than expected.

Back Support

During the last months of pregnancy, almost all mothers find that their lower spine starts to pull inwards as the baby grows larger and heavier. This unnatural spinal position usually causes some issues with posture, and it can be a hard habit to break after you give birth.

Additionally, it can be all too easy to fall into the habit of hunching over your newborn during feeding times, particularly if you’re dealing with abdominal pain or soreness.

Postpartum support garments are usually long enough to cover the lower and mid-back areas, and many girdles have strong, flexible boning that encourages you to sit or stand straighter and re-develop the habit of good posture.

Potentially Shortens Healing Time After a Cesarean Section

Particularly in the early days following a surgical birth, gentle support can make a big difference in a mother’s pain level. Sneezing, coughing or other sudden movements that engage the core muscles are typically less painful when you have some outside counter-pressure.

Deep breathing could also be uncomfortable for some women after a C-section, but taking only shallow breaths could lead to some respiratory problems. A support garment could reduce the pain associated with proper breathing and encourage a mother to take deep, healthy breaths.

Can Encourage Rest and Recovery

A postpartum girdle or wrap will probably restrict your movements to a degree, and this can be a gentle reminder that rest and healing need to be a high priority during the postpartum weeks.

Avoiding Problems From a Postpartum Girdle

Traditional cultures around the world have used compression girdles or wraps for many years, and these products and techniques can effectively provide soothing postpartum support.

However, it’s important to consider a few points before beginning a wrapping routine.

Consult your health care provider first

Most women can tolerate gentle compression with no problems at all, but don’t begin a wrapping routine unless your health care provider gives you the green light. Certain conditions, such as pelvic organ prolapse, can occur during a difficult delivery, and they could get worse with the additional pressure from a girdle.

Talk with your provider first, then make sure you follow their advice about whether you should use a girdle under close supervision or avoid them altogether.

Don’t overlook the importance of diet and exercise

One danger in using a postpartum girdle is the false sense that you don’t have to watch what you eat or start a reasonable exercise program to lose weight because the wrap will do all the hard work for you.

While the gentle pressure encourages your muscles to recover and contract while helping your body feel tighter, you still need to ensure that you have a healthy diet and follow a safe exercise program to lose the pregnancy weight and re-train stretched muscles.

Use the correct wrapping technique

Even if you don’t have a complicating situation like pelvic organ prolapse, it’s still vital to make sure you understand how to use your support garment correctly.

Always wrap from the bottom upward. Fasten your girdle or wrap at your hips first and work your way upward to help prevent excess downward pressure on your pelvis. Don’t overlook the fact that even if you had an easy vaginal delivery or a C-section, your pelvic floor muscles still had to work overtime during pregnancy and probably have some degree of weakness.

What to Look For in a Postpartum Girdle

Adjustability

While you want enough compression to be effective, you don’t want so much that you are uncomfortable or putting too much pressure on your healing body.

Girdles that let you tailor the fit with adjustable closures can be a great way to make sure you get just the amount of compression you need as your body heals and changes.

Number of Pieces

Girdles that function as a multi-piece system often provide support to a greater area of your body, but they can get a bit bulky or be tricky to put on. On the other hand, one-piece girdles are typically very easy to put on and adjust, but they usually offer a smaller area of support.

Think about your specific body-shaping goals and everyday life to decide which one might be a better choice.

Smooth Design

Even though there is zero shame in it, you probably don’t want to advertise to the world that you are wearing a support garment.

Some girdles are smoother and sleeker than others, so you may want to look at the size of the girdle’s closures and how multiple layers fit together to get an idea of how it may look under clothing.

Size Options

Your goal is gentle but effective support, and you’re likely to get neither if your girdle is the wrong size for you.

Some seamless bands are very stretchy and accommodate a range of sizes, but a girdle that offers specific sizes can provide a more customized fit. This consideration could be especially important if you fall into the smaller or larger areas of the size spectrum.

Back Support

Boning bars help prevent your girdle from rolling or slipping, but they also accomplish the bulk of the back-supporting work.

If your back is aching or you want to correct your posture, look for a girdle with two or four strips of boning.

Ease of Use While Breastfeeding

Particularly if you have a short torso, a girdle made from soft fabric with no boning may be more comfortable for you to use while nursing. If more support and boning is a priority for you, a girdle that has a shorter length should be less likely to crowd your baby or your breasts when you sit down to nurse.

Our Choices for the Best Postpartum Girdle

ChongErfei 3 in 1 Postpartum Support

Just as pregnancy and childbirth occur in a series of phases, your postpartum period will include different stages of recovery. This set contains three separate pieces that you can use independently or together, so you have options for building the support system that works best for you.

Immediately following the birth of your child, use the belly band to gently support your entire abdominal area and encourage your uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnant size. This belt reaches from roughly the navel to just under the bust line, so it supports your upper abdomen and organs without putting too much pressure on your uterus or pelvis. Thanks to a large Velcro front panel, you can easily adjust the fit to your individual shape.

One to six weeks after delivery, start using the waist belt to provide back support and help encourage your muscles to return to their normal shape and size. This belt is taller in the back and narrows in the front, so it supports a large area of your back without constricting your movements or breathing too much. Wrap the belt around your waist, and use the two Velcro strips to let you adjust each side.

The pelvic band is the final stage, and you can start using it about seven weeks after delivery through nine months postpartum. This belt fits snugly around the fullest part of your hips and helps your pelvic joints return to their normal state.

Each piece features a light, stretchy material that provides reliable support while also letting air pass through. Strong Velcro lets you get a secure closure that is also easy and quick to adjust, but the closures are slightly bulky and may be visible through your clothing.

This support system comes in two sizes. Your body size at full-term pregnancy determines your proper size choice, and both sizes have the same adjustability features to fit a range of body types.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Polyester and spandex material with steel boning
• Adjustable: Yes
• Number of pieces: Three
• Care: Hand wash, lay flat to dry

Summary

This girdle system from ChongErfei provides targeted support for three stages of postpartum recovery, so you can get the exact type of compression you need when you need it.

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LODAY 2 in 1 Postpartum Recovery Belt

If simply pulling your support band on, sliding it into place and going about your daily business sounds good to you, this simple option from LODAY could be a great choice.

This band is a smooth, single piece of stretchy material that has no potentially irritating seams or edges. Putting the 2 in 1 Recovery Belt on is as easy as pulling it over your head or up your legs.

The fabric is a breathable weave of cotton and spandex, and the thick material is strong enough to provide comfortable and effective support.

A one-piece, no-closure band could make you wonder if your support might slip and slide around. Not to worry: LODAY added four strategically-placed boning bars and a grippy latex coating to keep your band securely in place regardless of the day’s activities.

This belt reaches from the top of your hips to just under your bust, so it should have no problems covering your entire abdominal area.

You have your choice of five sizes, so you should be able to find one that works for you. However, there are no points of adjustability in the belt itself.

Caution: Please note that this product has a latex coating. Do not use this garment if either you or your baby have a latex allergy.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Cotton and spandex material with natural latex outer coating
• Adjustable: No
• Number of pieces: One
• Care: Hand wash in cold water, lay flat to dry

Summary

This stretchy band is comfortable, easy to pull on and won’t irritate your skin with seams or edges. Multiple sizes make it easy to find the one that’s right for you, but there are no adjustability options.

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Mamaway Nano Bamboo Postnatal Support Belly Band

If you’re a fan of having some natural fibers in your wrap, this band from Mamaway delivers with bamboo charcoal and rubber.

Bamboo charcoal is naturally antibacterial, so you can have fewer worries about your wrap being next to your own or your baby’s skin for several hours each day. Stretched muscles need nutrition to be able to heal, repair and tighten properly, and bamboo charcoal actually directs far-infrared rays through your skin to promote cellular regeneration and increase blood flow.

Thanks to the addition of rubber throughout the wrap, this belly band is incredibly stretchy. There are three size choices, and each size accommodates a wide range of waist measurements.

To put the band on, stretch the wide part taught around your waist area, and secure it in place with strong Velcro closures that stick to any part of the material. The two narrower bands wrap around each side of your abdomen and let you target any specific area where you would like some additional support. These bands mimic the effect of the separate waist belt of a three-piece system without the hassle of dealing with an extra garment.

Even though there are no rigid boning bars, this wrap still offers comfortable back support, and you may also find that you have a greater range of motion. One potential issue with the lack of boning is that this wrap may slide out of place or bunch up a bit more often.

This band should reach from about the top of the hips to a few inches beneath the bust on most women. Thanks to its shorter length, you probably won’t run into any problems nursing while wearing this wrap. If you have a short torso, you can also easily pull the band a bit lower if you find it crowding your breasts or baby during feeding.

The Velcro closures lie flatter than some other girdles, but they are still large and may be visible under thin or form-fitting clothing.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Nylon, bamboo charcoal, rubber and polyester
• Adjustable: Yes
• Number of pieces: One
• Care: Machine washable in a lingerie bag, but washing by hand and hanging to dry is preferable

Summary

This single-piece belly band offers targeted support just where you need it, takes advantage of the benefits of two natural fibers and makes it easy to get a comfortable and effective fit.

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Moolida Postpartum Belly Wrap

Another option featuring natural fibers, this girdle offers a nice mix of softness and support.

Quilted woven cotton makes up the front panel, so you don’t have to worry about the potential for irritation that synthetic materials may carry. The front portion does not stretch, but you the flexibility to decide how much compression you want on the upper and lower portion of your abdomen thanks to two separate Velcro flaps. One possible issue with the woven front panel is that it can have a tendency to slip down a bit on some women.

For extra ventilation, the entire back panel of this girdle is breathable, elasticized mesh. This stretchy area makes up for the lack of give on the front, and you probably won’t have any problems getting a snug fit.

Two elasticized side strips let you further customize your wrap’s fit or place additional compression on specific areas. For back support, two ribs of flexible steel boning help you stand up straighter and keep your girdle in place.

Reaching from the upper hip area to just under the bust, this wrap should cover the entire abdominal area on most women and prevent bulging either over or under the girdle. Since the wrap will probably reach the bottom of your bra, you may have to push or fold the top of the wrap down to breastfeed.

The Postpartum Belly Wrap is available in three sizes, and Moolida suggests that you base your size choice on your current waist measurement.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Cotton material with steel boning
• Adjustable: Yes
• Number of pieces: One
• Care: Hand wash, lay flat to dry

Summary

This girdle features soft cotton that feels soothing on your skin, and four points of Velcro adjustment and a stretchy mesh back panel let you get a snug and comfortable fit.

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BRABIC Postpartum Belly Wrap

A one-piece longline design and flexible steel bones work together to deliver a smooth, comfortable and effective wrap that is easy to put on or adjust.

The extra-long length ensures that you have a smooth silhouette by keeping bumps or rolls to a minimum. The wrap’s front hits at roughly mid-hip, and the back curves down to cover most of the buttocks, so your pelvic area can also reap the benefits of compression. Even if you wear thin or form-fitting pants, the extra length in the rear should prevent any embarrassing lines. However, if you are short or have a short torso, the design may be too long or feel uncomfortable for you.

BRABIC offers this belt in six sizes, so you shouldn’t run into too much trouble finding the one that most closely matched your measurements and goals. You also have four rows of hook and eye closures to get a perfectly customized fit within your size.

The material is lightweight and breathable, so this wrap can be a comfortable base layer even on warm days. With a smooth, silky texture, this wrap feels soft on your skin.

Even though it feels light, this girdle is also strong enough to provide effective abdominal support. Four steel bones also help the wrap maintain your desired shape while encouraging you to use proper posture, and they also help make sure the wrap stays put regardless of your activity.

Most women should be able to breastfeed comfortably while wearing this girdle, but you can always undo a few of the upper hook and eye closures to get a little extra room if you need to.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Polyester and spandex material with steel boning
• Adjustable: Yes
• Number of pieces: One
• Care: Hand wash in cold water, hang to dry

Summary

With its long length and cushioned boning, this belt provides great abdominal and back support while remaining comfortable for the whole day. The one-piece design and smooth fabric are invisible under clothing, and you have four rows of hook and eye closures to get just the fit you want.

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Trendyline Women Postpartum Girdle

This girdle from Trendyline offers easy adjustability in a compact design.

You’ll probably appreciate the full-panel mesh back’s breathability and moisture evaporation, particularly if you live in a warm climate. Two lightweight steel bones give the girdle shape, prevent rolling and help you maintain proper posture.

This girdle has a slightly shorter design that will probably hit most mothers a few inches under the bust line. Having a bit of extra room can be a great feature for mothers with a short torso, and sitting down to breastfeed might also be a little easier. However, that extra space could also result in some bulging over the girdle’s top.

Four Velcro points of adjustment let you tailor the fit just the way you want it. The large Velcro tabs are easy to grasp and position and each tab closes securely. Since the tabs overlap each other, one potential downside is that they can be visible or bulky under clothing.

Trendyline offers this girdle in four sizes. Whenever the manufacturer doesn’t specifically recommend using your current measurements, it’s usually a good rule of thumb to choose a girdle according to your pre-pregnancy waist size. However, this brand seems to run small, so you may want to order a girdle one size larger than you normally would.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Materials: Polyester and spandex material with steel boning
• Adjustable: Yes
• Number of pieces: One
• Care: Hand wash with no wringing, hang to dry

Summary

With its simple adjustments and breathable mesh back, this girdle is easy to use and great for a variety of ambient temperatures. Four size choices give you options, but you’ll probably want to order one size larger than your pre-pregnancy measurements call for.

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Conclusion

The BRABIC Postpartum Belly Wrap wins the top spot on our list of favorites.

The extra-long back avoids awkward lines and gives you a smooth silhouette even in form-fitting pants. The hook and eye closures are secure and give you plenty of options for getting a perfect fit. Stretchy, smooth material feels great on your skin, and the seamless design disappears under almost any type of clothing. Finally, this girdle offers a bit more pelvic support than most one-piece options thanks to its extra length that hits about mid-hip.

Time to tell us what you think! Did you use a postpartum support girdle? Which one did you use, and what did you think of it? Do you have any other suggestions to add? Share your opinion in the comments!