Proper Use of Postpartum Corset And Your Health

Belly wrap and waist cincher are large belt or wrap worn across the waist. They are great tools to trim your postpartum waistline and abdomen. Many over-enthusiastic mums fasten the wrap too tightly in order to shrink their abdomen. Shrink it they will, but when there is so much inward pressure on the abdomen, you are also creating a potentially harmful downward pressure on the womb and pelvic floor muscles.

Following childbirth, the womb takes about six weeks to return back to its size. What is not normally emphasised is the womb also needs to be back to its proper position for homeostasis and homeodynamics. When there is a strong downward pressure on the lower abdomen, it can cause your womb to prolapse or further weaken the pelvic floor muscles. Read our article to know more about this subject as to how a displaced womb can affect a woman’s health considerably.

When you wear a belly wrap or waist cincher (loosely termed as postpartum corset) and you feel pressure on your perineum or a sensation of “something” is bulging out of your vagina – these are signs that you are wearing your wrap too tightly. The pelvic floor muscles supports your bladder, womb and bowels. Having a weak pelvic floor makes it harder for you to squeeze the muscles at the bottom of your bladder and cause accidental leaks when you cough, sneeze or am holding your pee.

Considering the above, a panty-like corset compression garment works better by ensuring the compression effect is even throughout the abdominal area. An even better option is the traditional abdominal binding method, which wraps your abdomen specifically according to your body shape instead of just choosing the closest-fitting size. The ideal is of course giving yourselves a treat of traditional binding and massage treatments.

However, when an abdominal binding service is not an option, choose a postpartum compression garment that you feel is comfortable enough to wear over a period of two to three months post-delivery for best effect.

Karen Loke – Founder and Practitioner, Restoring Mums Limited腹部包裹型 (Belly Wrap)和腰夾式塑身型 (Waist Cincher)的產後束腹帶跨越整個腰部。他們都是很好的產後修身(腰圍和腹部)工具。但是我見過很多過分熱衷的媽媽以產後束腹帶把自己長時間包得太緊，想達到縮小自己腰圍和腹部的最大效果。這一番”努力”當然會幫助媽媽們達到縮小腰圍和腹喇，但是當有太大的外來壓縮力施予媽媽的腹部時，這便有很大可能造成對媽媽子宮和盆底肌肉的傷害。

分娩後，子宮大約需要六週才會自然的回到它在產前的大小。除此以外, 許多媽媽也忽略了子宮須回到正確的位置以達到媽媽身體機能的自然調節. 當下腹部位有太大的外來壓縮向下擠壓時，這可能會導致媽媽的子宮下垂或進一步削弱盆底肌肉。(建議讀者細閱”子宫的位置決定妳的健康”一文，以了解這個問題。)

當媽媽們穿上腹部包裹型 (Belly Wrap)和腰夾式塑身型 (Waist Cincher)的產後束腹帶修身，妳會感覺到陰部會有一些壓力或感覺到有些“東西”在陰道鼓起時 – 這些都是妳的產後束腹帶包裹得太緊的跡象。盆底肌肉在支撐着媽媽的膀胱，子宮和腸道。弱的盆底肌肉使媽媽們更難擠縮在膀胱底部的肌肉, 造成當你咳嗽，打噴嚏或憋尿時會有尿失禁的問題。

鑑於上述情況，産後束衣 – 內褲型(Postpartum Panty-Like Corset) 是一個更好的選擇因為它的設計是確保壓縮力均勻分佈在整個腹部區域。但是我個人認為沒有比[傳統馬甲式束衣]更完美的，它的專門設計是根據媽媽不同的體型按腹部和腰圍去施予足夠但不會太大的壓縮力，這就是選擇最接近自己合身的尺寸的普通產後束腹帶所不能比擬的地方。

話雖如此，當媽媽們身邊未能找到傳統專業產後修身的服務時, 那選擇一個合適自己身型, 穿戴舒適的產後束腹帶(建議讀者細閱”産後媽媽最關注又最貼身的課題是…?”一文，以了解這個課題。)， 穿上兩到三個月後也可以達到一定的效果。

Restoring Mums創辦人和治療師Karen Loke