Postpartum Belly Binding

Postpartum belly binding is a practice with deep cultural roots, but there’s much more to it than simply wrapping the belly after birth. I sat down with Charlotte doula and belly binding practitioner Kira Kimble to talk about the history behind the practice, how it can support postpartum recovery, who may benefit from it, and why proper technique matters. We also dive into the cultural significance of belly binding and what families should know before giving it a try.

For someone who’s never heard of postpartum belly binding, what is it, and how is it different from the Velcro belly bands you get online?

Kira: “Okay. This is a good question. So, postpartum belly binding is practiced throughout the world where you use cloth of some sort to find the mid-section to support everything that was stretched out through the pregnancy and pushed to the limits during labor. In different parts of the world, they call that cloth different things, but the whole concept is understanding that the birthing person’s body is open at the time of delivery. Not just physically open but spiritually open and it was historically believed that when the body was open like that you are susceptible to bad things like, infection and bacteria, but also bad things like, negative energy and if someone has put a curse on you. All these other worldly things.”

Haley: “Who would do that to a postpartum mother?”

Kira: “It could be the other woman whose husband got another woman pregnant. You know, like all these things can happen. To protect the woman, this is part of the reason why they would bind. It’s not just a piece of cloth. In the days of slavery, the cloths that were used to bind were from the cloth scraps that they were picking up while working in fields for long hours throughout the day. They would have a little bit of time at night to work, so they would go into the community weaving rooms where the older women would sit and they’d be with the strips of cloth and then children would be in there helping with the machines and talking the kids would overhear all the the banter that was going on. The midwives are also in there and they were putting these cloths together. The room was filled with their prayers and their hopes for this child was coming into the world.

It wasn’t just cloth. There was community with this cloth that women prayed over. Once the baby was born they would bind the mother and wrap wrap her in all these prayers and well wishes for their for her health and recovery. That’s what I’m saying. It’s not just to “how-to” class it really has cultural meaning and significance to these binds, so it did physically bind the the body that holds the hips and abdominal muscles together while everything was healing and shifting back to its pre-pregnancy state but it was also about being literally wrapping mother in love and prayers and love from the community.”

What are the real, evidence-based benefits of belly binding and what are some claims that might be exaggerated?

Kira: “Well there’s not a lot of studies about belly binding and of course, if you don’t do this, it’s not like your organs aren’t going migrate back to their pre-pregnancy positions. Belly binding helps that process occur more efficiently. It also gives you extra support so you don’t have the aching back and you don’t feel as loose and exposed. Without it, you’re still going to feel fine so it’s not like there’s a whole lot of evidence to say. “well without it it’s not going to happen.” Yes it’s going to happen. It just feels different and so then change of feeling how you feel there’s no science to that.”

Haley: “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Kind of like placenta encapsulation. There’s not a lot of scientific studies with that either.

Kira: “I know this is not your question but we just talked about this before we first started recording. When you were saying the relationship between placenta encapsulation and belly binding, I didn’t see the connection so when I was saying that the the person who gave birth is open during those first 42 days, I believe, the baby is also open and it’s kind of like that in-between world of life and death. Traditionally, the placenta was buried as a way of connecting the baby to the earth which is a symbolic way of saying, “you belong here.” That connection is part of why placenta traditions and belly binding often go hand in hand.”

Haley: “Well that makes more sense. Ok”

What was your first experience with belly binding and what made you fall in love with it?

Kira: “My first experience? I had never heard of belly binding until about the same time we were talking about that in 2017.

This may have actually been before 2017. Someone came into our Facebook group and said, “Hey, I’m going to teach everybody how to do this.” The training was held in the instructor’s home, and everyone who was interested went to learn together as a group.

Unfortunately, I was at a birth that day and wasn’t able to attend, but I was still really interested. The following year, I ended up taking a private training instead. Looking back, I think learning one-on-one was really beneficial because I was able to ask questions and have the instructor walk me through the process as many times as I needed.

Belly binding itself isn’t necessarily complicated, but when you’re first handed this really long strip of cloth, it can feel a little overwhelming. There were plenty of moments when I needed to say, “Wait, can you show me that again? Am I doing this right?” It takes a few tries, and like anything else, you become better and faster with practice. Having that individual instruction gave me the opportunity to slow everything down, repeat the steps, and really understand how to properly apply a belly bind.

I believe that training was sometime around 2015. Later on, I began learning more than just the “how-to” of belly binding and when it may or may not be appropriate. I also learned more about its cultural history and the importance of practicing belly binding in a way that is respectful of the cultures and traditions it comes from. That gave me a much deeper understanding of why someone may choose traditional belly binding rather than simply using a Velcro-style postpartum binder.”

How does belly binding support emotional healing during the postpartum period?”

Kira: “It’s kind of like getting a hug, because after you have a baby, as much as the media likes to show women just snapping back and looking like they never had one, there’s actually a lot going on with your body. You have loose skin that can pull on your back, and there’s what we sometimes call the ‘breastfeeding slouch,’ because you’re constantly leaning over and bringing your body to the baby instead of bringing the baby to your body. Then you’re walking around carrying a baby on one side, so you’re off-center. There’s just a lot going on with your back and core.

Belly binding helps give you that reminder to sit up straight while providing extra support. It’s almost like giving you a second set of abs while your own abdominal muscles are still recovering. You feel a little more supported and less loose while you’re walking around and doing normal, everyday things.”

Haley: “Yeah, because it feels like your insides are all over the place, and they kind of are! They’re finding their home again. That’s what I really enjoyed about belly binding. I didn’t necessarily love it while I was sitting down, but I loved it when I was standing up and moving around.”

Kira: “Yeah! I actually didn’t discover belly binding until after I’d had my own children. But there are so many different ways belly binding can be used, and I don’t know if this is one of your upcoming questions, but it’s not just for postpartum.”

Haley: “That actually was one of the questions I was going to ask you!”

Kira: “It can be great if you’re having cramping. You can use warming oils or herbs and then bind. It can also be used for back support. Even men can use belly binding if they’re experiencing back problems. You can wrap and bind the area to provide that additional support.”

Haley: “That’s really cool. I’m learning so much!”

Kira: “And remind me after you get through your questions, because I’d also like to tell you a little more about the cultural aspects of belly binding.”

Haley: “Yeah, absolutely. I definitely want to get into that as well. Who is belly binding best suited for, and who should avoid it?”

Kira: “Honestly, it’s best suited for people who feel good wearing it. If it doesn’t feel good to you, maybe you have sensory issues, you’re already hot and don’t want all of this wrapped around you, or you simply don’t like the feeling, then you shouldn’t do it. Don’t feel like you have to belly bind because someone has told you it’s the ‘right’ way to do postpartum. If it doesn’t feel good to you, then it’s not good for you.

With a C-section, you do need to wait for the incision to heal. You obviously don’t want to bind over an open or healing wound.

I’ve also found belly binding can be a wonderful source of comfort for someone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. If it feels right to that person, binding can be a way of honoring that empty womb and providing a sense of comfort. But again, if it doesn’t feel good emotionally or physically, don’t do it. For some people experiencing loss, though, that feeling of being wrapped and held can provide a sense of nurturing and comfort at a time when they really need it.”

When after a C Section should you do this?

Kira: “Generally, around six weeks postpartum, as long as the incision has healed and they’ve been cleared to do so.”

Haley: “And what about vaginal births? Can someone begin belly binding immediately after birth, or should they wait?”

Kira: “If they’re in the hospital, I usually recommend waiting until they get home simply because providers are frequently coming in to perform fundal checks and assessments. But with an out-of-hospital birth, belly binding can potentially be started right away.”

How long would someone wear a belly band or belly binding? As far as how long per day and how many weeks.

Kira: “This goes back to the cultural traditions surrounding belly binding. Traditionally, someone may be bound for 42 days. During the first two weeks, I usually encourage people to wear it as much as they comfortably can. Of course, you would take it off to shower and then rewrap afterward. After those first couple of weeks, you can transition to wearing it throughout the day as desired.”

Haley: “When I think about belly binding, I remember practicing with one of my woven baby wraps. You mentioned that different fabrics can be used. Can the fabric used for belly binding eventually be used for babywearing, or is it really intended just for binding?”

Kira: “The fabric I use for belly binding is about 15 yards long, so you definitely wouldn’t want to try to wrap a baby with that, it would be incredibly long and cumbersome! But there are shorter fabrics that can be used for a simple belly bind, and depending on the fabric and length, that same cloth could potentially be used for babywearing.”

Haley: “Well, we could team up! If you ever have a belly binding client who wants to learn how to wrap and wear her baby afterward, I could help her with that.”

Kira: “Could you do it with 15 yards of fabric?”

Haley: “Fifteen yards? I honestly don’t know! If you had asked me 10 years ago, I probably could have told you. Baby wraps can be pretty long, but 15 yards is a LOT of fabric!”

Kira: “Yeah, mine is much longer than a typical baby wrap.”

Haley: “Oh wow, I didn’t realize it was that big!”

Kira: “Belly binding can also be helpful for someone who has had an external cephalic version, where the baby was successfully turned from breech to head-down but labor or an induction didn’t immediately follow.”

Are there any warning signs that belly binding is being done incorrectly?

Kira: “I actually made myself a note to make sure I mentioned this. A lot of pelvic health therapists have concerns about belly binding because, when it’s done incorrectly, it can put too much pressure on the pelvic floor.

Belly binding has become trendy, but it should not be used like a waist trainer with the goal of getting ‘snatched’ or getting your waist back. That can put too much pressure on the pelvic floor. Belly binding isn’t intended to help you get your shape back, that’s not its purpose.

When it’s done correctly, much of the focus is around the hips rather than cinching the waist. You also shouldn’t experience increased or excessive bleeding as a result of belly binding. If you do, that’s a sign that something isn’t right.”

Haley: “So should someone have a professional like you do the binding, or is this something they can learn to do themselves?”

Kira: “You can absolutely learn to do it yourself, you just need to learn how to do it correctly. I teach people the proper technique, but I also explain why we do things a certain way and why belly binding shouldn’t be treated like waist training.”

Haley: “So basically, you’re there to teach them and help guide them?”

Kira: “Exactly. Don’t just watch a YouTube video and assume you know how to do it correctly.”

Haley: “What do moms typically say after their first belly binding session with you?”

Kira: “Once I’ve wrapped around them several times and they begin to feel that gentle squeeze…that hug, they often immediately feel more supported. It’s not just a physical experience, although physically they may feel more stable and supported. There can be an emotional component to it, too. It really can feel like being hugged, except that feeling of being held stays with you.”

Haley: “I really love that. I came into this thinking I knew a lot about belly binding. Apparently, I don’t know shit about it! If you could gently call out one toxic postpartum trend you’re seeing on social media right now, what would it be?”

Kira: “Oh gosh, there are so many right now! One that bothers me is this idea that after having a baby, you should immediately hand the baby off to someone else, go on vacation or to some luxurious spa, and have everyone wait on you hand and foot while you’re separated from your baby.

I absolutely believe in rest and being cared for during postpartum, but I also think there’s something important about that lying-in period and having that time to rest with your baby. When postpartum is portrayed more as, ‘I gave birth, so now my reward is a vacation away from my baby,’ I think we lose some of what that postpartum period is really about.”

Talking with Kira was such a great reminder that belly binding is about so much more than simply wrapping the postpartum belly. There’s history, culture, comfort, education, and intention behind the practice, and clearly, I learned a few things along the way too!

Belly binding is just one of the many ways families can feel cared for during the fourth trimester. If you’re preparing for life after birth, you can also learn more about postpartum doula support with Uptown Doula and how having an extra set of hands can make those early weeks a little easier.

Kira Kimble is a certified birth doula and postpartum doula who has been supporting Charlotte-area families since 2012. If you’re interested in learning more about belly binding, traditional postpartum care, or the other services she offers through Mine-R-T Doula Company, visit her website at www.charlottedoulaco.com.