One of the biggest concerns of moms-to-be is whether their postpartum bodies will snap back into shape after childbirth. This was the case for me while I was pregnant with my daughter. I tried everything, from engaging in daily walks to prenatal yoga and healthy eating in order to keep my pregnancy weight under control. Despite my attempts, I still ended up gaining 35 pounds, going from 125 pounds pre-pregnancy to 160 pounds by the end of my third trimester. Yikes! I’ve heard that while many women will lose their pregnancy weight within months of giving birth, it will take much longer for the loose skin to regain its elasticity, which really concerned me.
When I was given the opportunity to review Bellefit I was ecstatic. It seemed to be exactly what I was looking for: a postpartum girdle to help with childbirth recovery. The company generously sent me several sizes and styles to try. By the time I had my daughter, I had the Bellefit girdles waiting at home for me.
By day three, after delivering my daughter (via natural birth), I returned home and put on the girdle. I started with a size medium in the dual closure style. It was really tight at first; almost hard to zip up, but once I was able to get into it, it felt great! Something with the compression helped me regain control of my belly, and everything felt right in place. I slept in it, and kept it on all day, except for showering.
By the end of week one, I had started to notice a difference. My skin was tighter, my belly had shrunk back significantly and I was able to move from size medium to size small. I wore the size small girdle for 24 hours each day for the first month (except during showers). During month two, I reduced the wear time down to just during the day, removing it before going to bed. In the span of just over two months, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and all without exercising.
Learn from my experience:
- Use Bellefit’s online sizing tool to find the right size. Their self-service tool is very helpful and accurate with sizing. If you have more questions, talk to a customer service representative; they are extremely courteous and helpful.
- Purchase the Bellefit girdle one month before your due date. That way, you will be more accurate with the sizing, and have the girdle ready right when you return from the hospital.
- Buy an extender piece for comfort.
- Between the different styles, the dual closure girdle is the most versatile, and the easiest to put on without sacrificing the degree of compression it offers. The dual closure corset works for both women who have had a vaginal birth and those who have had a C-section.
- The dual closure girdle has two rows of hooks in the front and a zipper on the side. It’s basically a combination of the girdle with zipper and corset style, which gives you more than one option on how you would like to squeeze into the girdle. The design is very well thought out, with hooks to secure the sides, and padding under the zipper, so you won’t risk catching your skin while zipping into it.
All of Bellfit’s compression girdles are made with high quality materials and can withstand stretching and pulling. The only negative I found with Bellefit’s products was the pull-up girdle itself. This style is extremely tight; with more weight in my hip area than pre-pregnancy, I almost couldn’t get this girdle on. Also, this style tends to roll down more than others.
I received so many compliments on what great shape I was in after having a baby. In fact, most people cannot believe that I have an infant at home. I had such a great experience with Bellefit and I recommend it to all women who are looking to get back into shape after giving birth. Bellefit is a pregnancy must-have on my list and I cannot be any happier with the results. Check it out yourself at Bellefit.com.