Why I Recommend a Belly Band to Almost Every Single One of My Moms…

Here’s a video explaining the science behind my reasoning that every mom should get a belly band for late stage pregnancy and early postpartum!

One of the things I suggest for almost every single one of the moms I treat is to purchase a belly band in preparation for the postpartum period. Not "maybe," not "if you have a hard birth," not "only if something feels off." And I want to walk you through exactly why, because once you understand what's happening in your body, it makes complete sense.

First, let's talk about what actually happens to your belly in pregnancy

Here's something that surprises a lot of moms: when you expand in pregnancy and get past about thirty-five weeks, you will — one hundred percent of the time — have a diastasis recti happen at the linea alba.

I'll say that again because it matters: this happens to everybody in the later stages of pregnancy. It is not a problem, and it is not your body failing. It's the opposite. That separation along the linea alba — the connective tissue running down the middle of your abdomen — is exactly how your belly fully expands so your baby can pack on the pounds before they come out. Your body is doing precisely what it's supposed to do.

So if you've heard the term "diastasis recti" and it scared you, take a breath. By the end of pregnancy, you have it. We all do.

Where moms start to diverge is in postpartum

After baby arrives, this is where things split into two paths.

For some moms, they don't need any sort of guidance or help on the back side of postpartum. Their linea alba simply comes back together, lays down the connective tissue just fine, and they have no issue at all.

But for a lot of women, that linea alba stays expanded. It does not come back together appropriately. Instead the body lays down too wide of connective tissue, and then it stays in that position. And when it stays that way, it causes a lot of issues — back pain and core instability being two of the big ones.

Here's the hard part: you usually can't predict ahead of time which path your body is going to take. So I don't gamble with it. I take the precaution.

So here's what I tell all of my moms to do

Purchase a belly band, and use it consistently during the day — not at night, but during the day — for six to eight weeks postpartum.

I want you to think of it like a bone break. When you break a bone, what do we do? We set it. We stabilize it so the connective tissue can lay down appropriately, and we keep it in that position for six to eight weeks while it heals.

It's the same thing with your linea alba. We're going to set it with the belly band. We're going to allow it to stabilize and lay down the connective tissue in an appropriate, healthy way, so everything can heal the way it's meant to.

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When to wear it (and when not to)

You'll definitely want the belly band on when you're up doing functional activities — the laundry, the dishes, when you're out for a walk. Anytime you're loading your core in everyday life, that's when the support matters most.

And here's one I really want you to hear: wear it when you're laying on the couch and you've got little ones running around who can jump on top of you. I know that scene well. It's just a great way to protect everything while you're recovering.

You do not have to use it at night. But during the day — maximize your time with it.

The bottom line

A belly band isn't about "snapping back" or how your stomach looks. It's about giving your connective tissue the stability it needs to heal correctly, so you don't end up dealing with back pain and a weak, unstable core down the road. Six to eight weeks of consistent daytime support is a small investment for a healing process that sets you up for years.

If you're pregnant and planning ahead, add a belly band to your postpartum prep list now. Future you will be grateful.

My caveat to this recommendation is that if you have had more than three children and have not utilized a belly band after pregnancy, have been assessed for DRA healing after each child and had no separation, AND have had debilitating prolapse symptoms, then a belly band is likely not the right recommendation for you.

Have questions about postpartum recovery, diastasis recti, or whether your core is healing the way it should? That's exactly what we're here for. Reach out to schedule a visit and we'll take a look together.