Comparing the Belly Bandit® Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap and the Bellefit Postpartum Corset

This is a guest post by Marjorie Bohorquez for Bellefit. I have personally used their products postpartum with both of my children & can vouch for them as well!

Postpartum girdles and corsets offer many benefits to new mothers. The compression and structure of the girdle support the lower back and the abdominal muscles. And a great fitting postpartum corset can also help reduce swelling and increase mobility.

What Are the Benefits of a Postpartum Girdle?

After giving birth, your body begins a journey to recovery. During pregnancy, the muscles, organs, and tissues move to accommodate your growing baby bump. Your body releases hormones during pregnancy to relax your joints, and those hormones can remain in your system for some time after birth. In addition, a postpartum wrap or girdle can support a weakened abdominal wall, including cases of diastasis recti. And both women and doctors report that a wrap or girdle can help promote C-section healing, increase mobility, and reduce pain and soreness for many women.

But not all postpartum wraps, girdles, and corsets are made alike. In addition, there are many brands to choose from, so it can be challenging to find the product that offers all the features you need. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the Belly Bandit® Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap and the Bellefit Postpartum Corset.

The Belly Bandit Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap

The Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap pros include:

●      Two color options: black and beige

●      Two torso length options: regular/tall and petite

●      High-backed to minimize back bulge

●      Beneficial for both C-section and natural birth mamas

However, the Belly Bandit Wrap has some crucial shortcomings, such as:

●      No pelvic floor support

●      Uses Velcro®, which can wear out with repeated use and appear bulky under your clothes

●      Can slide up or down over time and with activity

●      Pricey!

●      Lacks the structure and support of a corset

Many women believe a wrap is simpler because they want something easy to put on. Unfortunately, there are some significant differences between wraps and corsets or girdles. And they may not realize that some girdles and corsets are not only more comfortable to wear but they deliver benefits that a wrap simply cannot offer. Let’s look at the differences.

The Difference Between a Wrap and a Corset

Many hospitals, doctors, and insurers provide new mothers with postpartum wraps. In addition, many companies offer a wide variety of wrap styles. But a wrap and a postpartum corset are not the same garments. The wraps you get from your healthcare provider are often made of elastic and Velcro, and while they provide some support, they are usually not very durable. Often, the support is minimal, and new mamas struggle to get them to fit comfortably. And while many companies sell sturdier and better-fitting wraps, many new mothers are still disappointed with the fit and durability over time.

Wrap vs. Girdle

Postpartum girdles and corsets are designed to deliver unwavering abdominal and lower back support and are usually constructed to support the crotch and bottom. This garment style can offer much better compression and is less likely to shift as you become more mobile. And because of the structural design, the girdle can provide a high compression level with flexible and breathable materials. And you also won’t have to fuss with Velcro, which is noisy to adjust and breaks down more every time you rip it apart.

Now that we’ve examined the differences between postpartum wraps and corsets, let’s look at the pros of the Bellefit Postpartum Corset.

The Bellefit Postpartum Corset

The Bellefit Postpartum Corset offers an incredible array of features, including:

●      Medical-grade material and construction

●      Pelvic floor support

●      Stay-in-place fit and construction

●      Great for both C-section and natural births

●      A wider range of sizes than other brands’ wraps and girdles

●      Comfortable enough to wear all day

●      Made with hypoallergenic, breathable materials

●      Invisible under most clothing

●      Secures with durable and reliable hook and eye closures

●      Groin access so you can easily use the restroom without removing the corset

●      Reinforced abdominal panels

The Bellefit Postpartum Corset cons are few:

●      Only available in beige

●      The sizing isn’t the same as regular clothing sizing, so you may need to consult the sizing chart to ensure you get a great fit

●      You may need help putting it on the first time—putting on a corset when you have not worn one before does take a little practice

Take Care of Your Health and Yourself During Your Postpartum

Always check first with your healthcare provider to ensure you are cleared to wear a postpartum corset like Bellefit. Postpartum garments can deliver the compression you need to feel better and recover more quickly from your pregnancy. And don’t overlook the importance of a comfortable and supportive postpartum corset as your body heals. Take care of yourself and your health with the postpartum support you need by choosing the product that can deliver results.

If you have any questions about postpartum girdles or Bellefit, I’d be glad to help!

Marjorie Bohorquez

Marjorie is a mom of 2 and youtube influencer with her 5 year old son Sebastian and 3 year old daughter Astrid.

You can follow along with Marjorie here:

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You Don’t Have to be a Stay at Home Mom to be a Good Mom

You don’t have to be a stay at home mom to be a good mom.

(And the photo of this couch relates to that, just give me a minute).

I’ve spent the past 5 years staying home with my kids. And to be honest, I haven’t enjoyed it.

This isn’t some sort of complaining post, so don’t come at me. My goal is for it to be hopeful for mamas in the thick of little bitties and the monotony of staying at home with them.

When I decided to be a stay at home mom, it made the most financial sense for our family of 3. Then we became a family of 4 and I didn’t see the sense in going back to work.

So I stuck it out at home. And I really, truly struggled. I tried really hard to be a mom that I’m not. I’ve been them all: the crafty mom, the educational mom, the home made every meal mom (this one was my shortest stint), the do all the activities mom, the keep the neighborhood kids mom.

I thought I needed to be the “perfect” mom. And I blame myself for that. I fell into the lies of society (and the patriarchy) that say you must be Carol Brady in order to be a good mom.

And that’s a complete load of crap in case you’ve made it this far.

Do I love my kids? Absolutely. Do I want to spend every single moment of my life with them? Hahahaha no.

My kids are in pre-K now. I have two days a week to myself. So I’m back to working a part-time, flexible schedule that still allows me to be Mom first.

And let me tell you - my mental health has never been better.

It took a lot of therapy and self discovery for me to realize that I can do motherhood my own way & still be a good mom. I can still be the mom my kids need and deserve AND be true to myself in the process.

So, back to the couch.

I bought a couch today. By myself.

Something I couldn’t have done 5 years ago as a stay at home mom.

And I felt like I was coming full circle.

I wouldn’t trade the 5 years I’ve had at home for anything. I’ve learned so much! About myself, my kids, my relationships, my faith, and my marriage.

Those 5 years were an immense blessing.

But they were also the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

So if you’re in the thick of mothering little babies at home, know that it doesn’t last forever. You will, one day, feel a bit more like yourself again.

You do not have to prescribe to all the motherhood lies the world throws your way.

Find your avenue of motherhood & own it.

(And if it includes a couch, even better I say!)

Hey Momma, You are not Failing, Our Culture is Failing You - Aubrey Vick

I am proud to have my friend - Aubrey Vick, MFT intern, therapist, and owner of Maryville Wellness Center - as a guest blogger this month.

Mamas, please read her insightful and gracious words.

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Everyday women come into my office, sit on my couch and trust me with their innermost thoughts and fears. As a therapist who specializes in Perinatal Mental Health - most of those women are pregnant or postpartum. All of my clients are unique individuals who have completely different upbringings, life experiences and traumas, but after a while I started to realize that I was hearing much of the same material.

I had to ask myself the question- why?

Why do all of these Moms believe they are not good enough?
Why do all of these Moms feel like they are failing as Moms?
Why do so many of these Moms have similar birth traumas?
Why do all of these Moms struggle with self care?
Why do all of these Moms struggle with simple questions like: what are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun?

This question really started to eat away at me.

Granted, I have a sample size that is biased- they are all women who are in the perinatal period and seeking therapy. I started to listen to Moms in general and as a Mom myself around the same age as most of my clients, I already found myself in conversations with plenty of other Moms. I found that I heard the same troubles outside of my office and this was not a phenomenon only occurring amongst Moms in therapy - this was affecting Moms in general.

The ones in therapy just happened to have the resources, support, privilege, etc. to be able to go to therapy. Once I had this realization the questions only grew - why are so many Moms experiencing the same feelings of unworthiness, exhaustion and existential confusion?

Most of the Moms who sit on my couch are burnt out, have no idea who they are, think they are failing and believe they are not good enough. Commonly the cherry on top is some sort of traumatic birth or baby related trauma experience, although this is not the case with everyone. As I started to zoom out and look at the way our culture treats Moms/Women the answer to all of my questions was simple:

Moms are not getting Motherhood wrong- we as a culture are completely failing Moms.

From the very top of our governmental systems down to the bottom person to person interactions- we are unequivocally failing Moms.

Before I give an example I want to mention that this example will be of a cisgender, white, middle class Mom. My intention is not to leave out anyone - my intention is to shine light on these issues reflected in the way I personally have experienced Motherhood and in the way most of my clients have. It is fair to say that Women of color, those with less socioeconomic privilege, and those within our transgender and LGBTQ+ communities experience our failure of Mothers at a much larger and more severe level.

Imagine this scenario: you are married and find out you are pregnant.

It was a planned pregnancy and your family and partner are supportive. At first the pregnancy goes very well but you experience some medical issues later on in the pregnancy which causes a lot of anxiety. You are told that your birth plan will no longer work and although the birth was medically a success - you are left feeling disempowered. You felt unheard and like you had no say in the way you experienced your birth into Motherhood; but when you expressed these emotions you were told by well meaning family and friends that the baby was healthy and that is all that really matters. Already, your mental health and experiences are being sacrificed and gaslit and you have not even left the hospital.

Once you are home you quickly realize that the 6 week paid leave your work has given you is not nearly enough. Your body is wrecked, and your partner has no paid leave, so as you try to recover from birthing a human being out of your body you are waking up every 2 hours. You hurt all over. You are exhausted and the little human you just met is very demanding. You do not feel warm and fuzzy like you thought you would- which makes you think that something is wrong with you. Why are you not connecting right away with your baby?

Your 6 week appointment comes and your doctor sees you for 5 minutes, just enough time to clear you for sex and send you on your way. Meanwhile, you are lugging your infant to their appointments every week or two, constantly stressing over their weight gain. Breastfeeding has been a disaster but all of the blogs you read up to this point say it is important, plus the ACOG just came out and said you breastfeed till 2 years old, so you wince and your nipples bleed and you tough it out.

As the day your maternity leave ends looms closer your anxiety heightens. How can you possibly go back to work? You can barely form coherent sentences. Yesterday, you almost brushed your teeth with diaper cream, how can you function in a fast paced work environment? Plus, securing childcare has been an absolute nightmare and you have not been able to find a reliable provider.

After many tears and talks with your partner you decide you have no choice but to quit. You figure you can go back once you get this whole being a Mom situation under control and once you can secure childcare. You try your hardest. You clean, you feed the baby, you cook, you change the baby, you read to the baby, you buy the brain challenging toys for the baby, you purée sweet potatoes once the baby is old enough and you do all of this on very little sleep. You tell yourself since your partner is the one who has to be at work he should sleep and not do night wakings. But as the days, then weeks, then months go by and you grow more and more exhausted - you start to feel bitter and resentful towards him.

Under that resentment is jealousy. Jealousy that he also just had a baby yet his sleep, his work, and his life seem to be almost exactly the same while your body has completely changed, you forgot what sleep was, you had to quit your job and your entire life now revolves around the nap schedule of someone who is 14 pounds.

Your entire existence and identity have shifted and you have no idea who you are.

As time goes on you are fueled by the idea that you are not doing enough. You could be homemaking all the baby food instead of just some. You could be better at sticking to all of the sleep schedules you have tried and that have failed, you could figure out a way for the baby to nap in their crib instead of on you, you could work out and fit into a smaller jean size if you just tried hard enough. Every time you scroll Instagram you get ads for weight loss programs but you do not have the energy to sign up. You are failing, and you have completely lost yourself. How do other Moms do it? Why can’t you be more like them? Why are you so bad at this?

These thoughts cause anxiety and/or depression until one day you cannot take it anymore and you call to make an appointment with a therapist and you land yourself on my couch.

If any of this resonates with you I will tell you what I tell my clients: this is not a you problem, this is an us problem. From the very beginning you embarked on this journey into Motherhood on a road that is full of gaping potholes and land mines. Our medical system is failing Mothers. Our political and governmental systems are failing Mothers. Our patriarchal views are failing Mothers. Our outdated ideas about what Women’s roles and bodies should look like are failing Mothers. Our baby-centered culture is failing Mothers.

You are not flawed, you are paying the price for our society’s flaws.

You are enough.
You are not a failure.
Your wants and desires matter.
You are worthy of love and care.
You matter.
You matter.
You matter.

Without someone to carry and birth human beings we as an entire world would crumble.

We would cease to exist. Yet we treat the people who take on the most important task of our existence like they are worthless. Instead of treating them with the reverence and tenderness they need in their most vulnerable time - we cast them aside the moment the baby is born. We gaslight them when they tell us how hard it is to care for an infant. We make them believe they must completely give up who they were before for Motherhood, and if they don’t they are labeled as selfish. Sometimes we expect them to drag themselves back into the workforce but still carry all of the invisible load of being the main parent.

After we unpack some of these truths together in my office, we start on a different path to Motherhood than the one laid out to us by our culture.

A path that is free of shame. A path that is gentler and kinder in its internal dialogue. A path that validates the identity shift and integrates who you were with who you are. A path that demands self care, that requires more help and support from partners, a path that requires less of you and that celebrates all of you.

Because you- in all of your beautiful glory, deserve celebration.

Instead you have been cast aside and made to believe your only worthiness is found when you measure up to our culture’s completely unrealistic and damaging expectations of you. Almost every single Mom comes into therapy and when I ask why they decided to start therapy now they say, “I want to be a better Mom to my baby because they deserve a Mom who (fill in the blank)”.

One of my first goals for my clients is to just help them merely see themself again. See themself as a human being who actually matters.

It is so hard for them to see themself in a culture and society that does not see them and who does not make policies that give any indication that they matter. If you have gotten this far and this resonates with you- just do one thing for me - find a mirror, stand in front of it, look into your eyes and tell yourself, “I see you, you are enough and you matter”.

Aubrey Vick is a MFT intern and holds her PMHC (perinatal mental health care) certificate. She has a passion for working with women in the perinatal period and owns a private practice in East Tennessee. Aubrey is a Mom of 3 and spends what little spare time she has with her husband and kids, playing tennis, hanging out on their family farm and coaching soccer.

The Best Toddler Birthday Gifts

My kids are both under five so, obviously, we spend a lot of time with toddlers and, therefore, a lot of time at toddler birthday parties. Birthdays are my favorite holiday and I absolutely love making the birthday kid feel special!

Lately, we have spent at least one or two weekends a month at a birthday party and with the holidays coming up, I figured a list of some guaranteed-to-be-a-hit gifts for toddlers is something we will all be searching for.

Here are my go-to toddler gifts:

Find all of the gifts (& links!) at Knoxville Moms.

Social Media Can Hurt Moms

Let me start by saying this: I love social media. It connects me to my friends and family, it’s how I stay up to date with world occurrences, and it’s how I’ve found a community after moving to a new city. I’ve found connection with moms from all over the globe, literally, through mom groups on Facebook and by scrolling through Instagram at two in the morning while I’m trying to stay awake to feed a baby. I run multiple social media accounts that in turn put food on the table for my family. The internet keeps the world turning in my house in a myriad of ways.

Social media allows moms, even more so stay-at-home moms, to feel less alone.

Moms that are stuck at home with new babies and toddlers can go days without any interaction with other adults, especially if their spouse travels. If you’ve ever been scrolling through Facebook and see a mom you know posting five times a day and having conversations in the comment section, instead of saying, “Wow, they need a life,” maybe you should think, “That lady needs someone to talk to other than her kids.”

Social media gets a bad rap (rightfully so and I’ll get to that in a moment), but it has created a web of moms that support each other. A mom knows what it means to feel isolated in her experiences; just ask any of us who have been home with littles over the past two years. Finding connection to get through motherhood is vital – and for some moms, social media is the only place they can find it. It allows moms to find playgroups, get pediatrician recommendations, vent, figure out what rash their kid has (if you know, you know), seek out community resources, and more. I’m a firm believer that if you need an answer to something, ask a moms group on Facebook because they have it (and if they don’t, they’ll find it).

Social media has opened doors to an endless possibility of connection. So, when is it time to close the door? That’s basically the question of the decade.

Be sure to check out the rest of my post on this important topic here.