The Benefits of Postpartum Belly Binding

Belly Binding is a service we often get questions about, so we asked our Lead Postpartum Doula, Carrie Aiken, to explain: 

Belly binding has been done for centuries.

However, more recently it has been confused with items on the market that target a different area of the body and are more about body shaping, as opposed to healing and support. Belly binding is the tradition of wrapping the postpartum belly 2-4 days after a vaginal birth (or 10 days to 2 weeks after a cesarean birth). A long cloth is used to wrap the belly in the lower pelvic area up to the belly button. The wrapping is typically done daily, for 6 weeks, to provide physical support for the new mother. Many women describe it feeling like a big hug, which provides emotional support as well.

There are many benefits of belly binding.

The two that most women notice immediately after binding is the hip and lower back support. As you know, when you are pregnant, your hips need to expand to allow room in your pelvis. Once baby is born, your hips will slowly move back into place. This can sometimes cause some soreness or discomfort. Wearing the bind provides constant support to your hips and can reduce some of that discomfort. It is also very common to have a sore back after labor for a variety of reasons. The wrap goes around your lower back providing support for your back and your posture. Many times women are hunched over during those first few postpartum days, holding their tiny baby, learning to nurse or bottle feed, or just from overall fatigue. Often women are standing up a lot straighter after binding, due to that extra support on their lower back.

There are many types of belly binding methods, rooted deep in some cultures. The common style used is the Bengkung method of learning how to tie a series of knots up the pelvic and abdomen area. One of our postpartum doulas will come to your home to teach you how to wrap your own belly in what is called a belly binding session. This usually takes about an hour. Often self belly massage is done first with oil, prior to wrapping the belly, to help stimulate your digestion.