Postpartum Belly/Hip Belts?? Has Anyone Used These??

Updated on March 15, 2010
J.P. asks from Darien, IL
6 answers

Hi there!

I recently saw the Belly Bandit Couture in a store and was wondering if anyone has used it and had success with losing postpartum baby weight fast, or at least faster than without. I am due with my second baby in April and cant decide if this is something worth spending the money on, or if it is just a gimmick. (I have been known to fall for a late night infomercial or two in the past :))

In researching online I also see many other brands (for less $$) - all of them seem to have mixed reviews. Has anyone tried any of these as well. (Medela, Shrinkx Hips, Bellefit, ect.) - or any other brand that has worked?

Any advice or experiences is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Just as an afterthought: I am not using this in place of a good diet and exercise. I am looking to add it to my postpartum plan! I know I will need some additional hard work to lose the baby weight. I am just looking for advice specifically on the use of these belts and if they worked for you! Thanks!!

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

I was just like you before I delivered and tried the belly bandit, and let me tell you it works! I went from a large to a medium in two weeks and I gained 50 pounds during pregnancy. Its worth the money because it truly works. I did the medela with the first one, and it didint help, but the belly bandit shrunk my tummy even better than it was before.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

My personal opinion about post-partum weight loss is that it takes 9 months to gain the pregnancy weight and we need to give our bodies time to lose the weight. Especially if you are breastfeeding. You will actually keep about 5-10 lbs over your prepregnancy weight sometimes when you are breastfeeding. I did with my first and not with my second. Your body is going thru huge changes and you need to make sure you are properly nourished to take care of new baby and everyone else in the house!

And the other side is you want your muscle to do the work not have a piece of material holding you in. The more you walk around standing up straight, holding in your stomach muscles the better it is for you physically and i think mentally. Just reading the website, it just sounds like a glorified girdle and doesn't sound too comfortable.

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C.T.

answers from Chicago on

I'm curious too. I can't figure out how to see responses without responding so I'm responding just to read what others have written.

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J.H.

answers from Chicago on

It is my experience that non of these products work. My best advice to you is to get a tummy tuck once you know you are done having kids. In the grand scheme of life, it really is not a lot of money, and for the rest of you life you will have a flat stomach and a body that you will love and be so proud of. I had this done a year ago, and have never felt better. I will never have to suck my stomach in again, and honstly I feel like I'm 16 again!! I know people have a lot of differing opinions about this subject, but the way I see it, you have this one body that you have to live in for the rest of your life, and you might as well be happy in it. Your stomach muscels are permenantly streatched out from having babies, and all the crunches in the world will not make it go back to being flat. My plastic surgeon was Dr. Parungao, he works in Naperville; I can't say enough good things about him, he is not only a great doctor but a real artist. I made the decision to go with what works, and I would do it again if I had the decision to make again. Aren't you worth the investment??!

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

I LOVED the binder that they have me in the hospital...I dont know if its the same thing but it was awesome...I had my son almost 8 weeks ago and have just stopped wearing it...Im not sure if it done anything as far as helping shed any inches because I dont think thats what that particular one is for but I know it made me feel great and not as sore!!! Congrats and Good luck!!

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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

I had a belly belt that also served as back support during my pregnancies. I don't know the brand as I passed it along, but I think I saw it at Babies R Us. It had a front panel, back stretchy panel that velcroed together at the hip. There was an elastic band that ran across the top of your belly that I cut off because it dug in.

It was the single best pregnancy item I owned!

Not only did it help me with pulling belly ligament pain to help support my growing belly, but it also helped my back by preventing my belly from pulling my weight forward.

Finally, I used it postpartum IN THE HOSPITAL almost immediately after my kids were born. There is a small window of time post partum where all the hormones that "loosened you up" to let your body open up to pass the baby will reverse and "tighten you up" and help your organs to go back to where they belong. I wore the belt 24/7 and only took it off to shower. I wore it for about 1-2 mos post partum. And it really worked!

I can't tell you how many people commented on my flat tummy postpartum. Sometimes I was wearing the belt under clothes and they didn't know! Other times, I was already done wearing it and things were back where they belonged.

The logic is that when your body is tightening back up due to hormones if you "push things back into place" that's where your muscles and ligaments will hold them into. Therefore your "belly" isn't really your loose organs that have slipped out of place.

It doesn't cure belly fat, but that too will go over time. My third child is almost 6 mos old now and I only have about 10 lbs left to loose. I am back to my prebaby weight from him, so this last 10 lbs is to get back to prekid size. My belly is EXTREMELY flat, with only a hint of that last 10 lbs - but this is all done WITHOUT working out/gym.

Good luck on this preganancy! I'd check out eBay for a used belt, but a new one would be a wonderful gift to yourself too.

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