Most of the weight we gain in pregnancy is not just around the belly, though it sure looks like it, right? : ) The weight is distributed with extra water, extra blood, the baby, the amniotic fluid and of course the extra padding (a.k.a. "fat" )we store all over our precious frame. My sister had a natural delivery and used this belly band you are referring to. She swears it helped her belly "shrink" but no one knows for sure. It was her first pregnancy so she did bounce back fairly quickly but she was very physically fit prior to pregnancy so I tend to believe that being fit before pregnancy has a lot to do with how our bodies "bounce back" after having a baby. Now, I am pregnant with my 4 child and all my other pregnancies resulted in c-sections so no belly band for me but I also was very physically fit/active prior to pregnancy and I can tell you from my own personal experiences that I bounced back fairly quick as well. Keep in mind that the skin and muscles stretches and never fully recovers but the uterus does recover and shrink back down to it's pre pregnancy size, with or without the use of a belly band. I know, because I've only had c-sections and my uterus was fine but the skin and muscles, I'm sorry to say, no band will improve the tone or elasticity of the skin or muscles. When you get the okay from your doctor, you can begin exercising your abs and building them strong again.