Find out what 9 things you should never do with postpartum belly wrap when putting it on after pregnancy. Improve your postpartum recovery after having a baby by wearing a postpartum wrap properly to get the best results.  

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

So you just found out that postpartum belly wraps existed and you have no idea how they work. You are either nearing the end of your pregnancy or you just gave birth to your baby and you’re excited to slim down your waist back to its normal size. But did you know that you really need to take precautions when it comes to wearing a postpartum belly wrap? Find out the top 9 things you should never do with a postpartum belly wrap. 

Postpartum belly wraps come with little to no instructions. Basically the manufacturers assume that you can figure it out for yourself. Pretty simple, right? Just strap it on as tightly as possible around your waist and wear it until you see results. NO! It’s not that simple. There are things you should and shouldn’t do with your postpartum belly wrap. Let’s get right into it.

Top 9 Things You Should NEVER Do With A Postpartum Belly Wrap

1. Wear It During Pregnancy

A postpartum belly wrap is not for pregnancy, but it is specifically for postpartum recovery. It is designed to be compression for the entire core musculature (from below your chest to your lower pelvis). A pregnancy belly band is designed with your belly in mind (pregnant belly that is). It’s shaped differently than a postpartum belly wrap. So make sure you choose the correct product when you are deciding between a pregnancy belly band and a postpartum belly wrap. 

Related: 10 Easy And Safe Core Exercises For Your Postpartum Workout At Home | Video

ChongErfei 3-in-1 Postpartum Belly Wrap

2. Put It On Immediately After Just Giving Birth.

You want to have as much skin to skin contact with your baby after childbirth. The postpartum belly wrap will hinder that kangaroo time. Removing clothing instead of putting on more clothing (or a postpartum belly wrap) is the preferred choice for the first moments you hold your brand new baby.

3. Put It On Within 24 Hours Of Giving Birth

Some women jump the gun and immediately put their postpartum belly wrap on right after giving birth. They know it helps with uterine contractions, so why not get a head start? 

It’s important to give your body time to rest after delivering your baby. There is still bleeding that is occurring in your uterus and your doctors and nurses will need to do regularly scheduled uterus checks after delivery. It is customary to wait at least 48 hours after giving birth. Make sure you have your doctor’s approval before wearing one, especially if you had a c-section. If you had a c-section, typically the time is extended before you can begin wearing a postpartum belly wrap.

4. Put It On At The Tightest Possible Level With It Restricting Your Breathing

The postpartum belly wrap should be put on at a comfortable level, where it is tight enough to take a deep breath in and out. If it’s too loose then the product won’t work, if it’s too tight then you will be restricting yourself from breathing normally. You could cause increased pressure on your ribcage which could cause pain.

5. Wear The Postpartum Belly Wrap For An Extended Period Of Time On The First Day You Put It On

When putting anything on your body for the first time, you want to do it gradually and not all at once. Make sure you gradually increase the amount of wear time for a postpartum girdle. If it’s your first day wearing it, don’t wear it from 8am to 8pm but instead wear it for 1 hour the first day and gradually increase by 1 hour each day. You can learn more about how long you should properly wear a postpartum belly wrap in this post. 

Related: How Long Should You Wear A Postpartum Belly Wrap

6. Wear It While Sleeping

Typically most braces of any kind should not be worn while sleeping. Braces and wraps should be removed while sleeping to give your body some time to rest and breath. In other words, your skin needs fresh air to breath and will help to prevent skin irritation. It’s also a good time for your body to bounce back to a comfortable state. 

Belly Bandit – Postpartum Belly Wrap

7. Wear It Directly On Your Skin

I prefer to wear a postpartum belly wrap overtop of a cami in order to prevent skin irritation, rashes and blisters. Most belly wraps are made with a mesh, breathable material; however, there is so much friction that goes on between the wrap and your skin that it’s more likely to cause skin breakdown the more you wear it. For preventative measures, just wear it over a cami. It’s much more comfortable that way. 

8. Wear It For Over 12 Hours A Day

It is recommended to wear a postpartum belly wrap for 12 hours a day and no longer. This is because it’s important for your muscles to develop strength and sustain adequate posture on its own without relying on a brace/wrap to do it for you all day long. If you wear the wrap too long, you will become dependent on it and your muscles will then, in turn, get weaker instead of stronger. Twelve hours is the maximum amount of time per day to achieve the benefits from the wrap without hindering your muscle development.

9. Wear It While Exercising

A postpartum belly wrap should never be worn while exercising because that is the time when you want to fully engage your core muscles naturally without the assistance of a brace doing the work for you. You want to be able to inhale and exhale naturally to its fullest. You want to be able to feel your muscles in your belly engage during exercise. And you want to prevent skin irritation from the increased sweat production during exercise.

Related: 4 Beginner Core Exercises For Your Postpartum Recovery and Diastasis Recti.

When it comes to exercise in a physical therapy practice, it is quite rare that we physical therapist ever keep a patient’s brace on to do an exercise. It is standard practice to remove all braces and wraps during exercise so that a person can move to their maximum potential without any restrictions. While exercising, try to tighten your belly as if you are wearing the brace by performing abdominal bracing and pelvic tilts. 

Bellefit Postpartum Corset

Precautions With Wearing A Postpartum Belly Wrap 

Remember, don’t wear a postpartum belly wrap right after delivery. Wait at least 48 hours, and don’t wear it for long periods of time initially but gradually increase the wear time. Never wear it while exercising or sleeping. The maximum amount of time to wear a postpartum belly wrap is 12 hrs/day. Do not wear the wrap directly over your skin. And lastly, never put it on too tight where you can’t breath!

Now that you know what not to do with a postpartum belly wrap, make sure you understand what you should be doing with a postpartum belly wrap. Understand the benefits and how to properly use one in this article 6 Tips and Benefits of Wearing A Postpartum Belly Wrap.

 And if you are curious about how many hours a day and for how many months you should be wearing a postpartum belly wrap, you’ll get the entire scoop in my article How Long Should You Wear A Postpartum Belly Wrap.

Wondering what product is best for your postpartum recovery? Check out The 11 Best Postpartum Belly Wraps and Girdles of 2019. Here you will find only the top rated postpartum support options for the best results after childbirth. 

Comment below if you have a favorite postpartum belly wrap product already. What do you love about it so much?

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Jena Bradley, DPT

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

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