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Pregnancy, Maternity and Birth Product Reviews
The reviews of Belly Bandit below have been written by members of TheBabyWebsite.com. They aren't simply provided by the suppliers or manufacturers, but are a true impression given by someone who has used the product or service. If you own, or have used Belly Bandit yourself, please feel free to add your own review using the pink link above.
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"not worth the money"
i was asked to test the original belly bandit, i ordered size small as im usually size 8-10. i couldnt actually get the belly bandit on for 10 days as my tummy was still too big, when i first tried it, i found it difficult to put on, i really had to pull it tight, it felt uncomfortable and rigid, but it gave me instant back support which felt great and helped my posture when breast feeding, i found it much too uncomforablt to wear at night, i used it for 7 weeks and i dont think its made any difference to the size of my tummy, it reatails at about £50 which i think is very expensive. maybe if you used it from a first pregnancy it might make a difference, but no flat tummy for me.
Member review by Kerry - mum of 4
- review date 22nd April 2010
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"Perhaps one for the (very) rich and famous"
When I had the boy our Brasilian friends told me I should wear something to hold my belly in. It would help it shrink they said. I laughed at the idea that compression would work and put it down to being one of those strange Brasilian notions that would never catch on back home.
This time around the idea of post-natal abdomen compression never even entered my mind. Until, that is, I was asked to try out the Belly Bandit.
The Belly Bandit is an abdominal compression binder designed to help you get your body back to its former fabulousness post childbirth. Not only does the Belly Bandit help reduce uncomfortable uterine swelling, it aids in decreasing bloating caused by water retention, and gives additional support for Mommy’s weary legs & back. For breastfeeding moms, there’s a bonus… the Belly Bandit will help you with your posture during feedings, and may help to reduce the all too common back & shoulder pain associated with breastfeeding. Ultimately, the Belly Bandit will aid in getting you back to your pre pregnancy hotness faster than ever!
Well that's what they claim.
My first problem was ordering the right size. Belly Bandit suggest that you go up one to two sizes from your pre-pregnancy belly size. If only I'd thought to measure that when we were trying to conceive! They helpfully note that in the eighth month of pregnancy many women will be the same size as they will be post delivery. Right. But I was four days away from my due date when I was ordering so no luck there. Ah, but just prior to delivery you can subtract three to five inches from your belly measurement. I measured out at the bottom end of the large size so opted to go for the medium and hope for the best. My belly seemed to be all bump and no fat, and I'd lost a lot of weight having been ill when pregnant so it seemed the logical move to me.
I was sent the Originally Belly Bandit in black. What I didn't like was the fact that it was plastered in the Belly Bandit logo. Although the logo was black too, it was a shiny non-iron print so it stood out a fair bit. It also seemed to be quite bulky around the edges and I wondered if it would show up quite a bit underneath my clothes.
I found the Belly Bandit quite uncomfortable to wear at first, but managed to avoid the problem by loosening it up a bit. Even after loosening it, I could still tell that the compression was working as when I took it off I could feel my belly fall out! From that point on, it was quite comfortable. For a time. I wore the Belly Bandit for five weeks but have had to give up. The Belly Bandit forms to the bend of your body which does make sense, however I found the area around the velcro fastening began to crease and dig in. Because the velcro is quite firm it tended to rub and wearing the Belly Bandit was unpleasant at best. Washing the Belly Bandit did improve the issue, but only for a few hours. I also found that although the Belly Bandit is surrounded by a soft edging, the velcro pushed through the edging making it scratch against my skin. Now I wasn't exactly a size 8 before I got pregnant and it's fair to say that I didn't lose my spare tyres (yes, more than one) during pregnancy. I found that I had to be really careful positioning the Belly Bandit otherwise my tyres would take over and force it to roll down. However, the Belly Bandit wasn't really tall enough to cover from the top of the problem area to the bottom. I found it best to wear the Belly Bandit quite high (and I'm pretty short in the body anyway) but because of this there was always a gap between the top of my trousers and the bottom of the Belly Bandit. Not a good look. For trousers it did manage to sit under, I found that it slid off really easily. It's not easy to get into either. In fact, I gave up at first and had to get the husband to put me in it as I couldn't manage it standing up or lying down. In the end I fastened it before putting it on and then slid it up over my hips. This worked for me because I've got a non-existent bum but if your bum's bigger than your hips then it's going to be a problem.
The Belly Bandit also has to be hand washed. Yes, hand washed. In cold water. Not exactly what a new mother wants to be doing in the spare hour she has between feeds, not even considering your time's also consumed with nappy changes, rocking the baby to sleep and anything else you're running around to get done. Luckily, thanks to the modern wonders of washing machines, I chucked mine in on a cold delicates cycle and hoped for the best. It certainly didn't seem any the worse for wear because of it. Drying also takes around 12 hours and the product can't be tumble dried or left on a radiator to dry. The first time I washed the Belly Bandit I made the mistake of leaving it to dry overnight in the conservatory where it's quite cold. I woke in the morning to find a soggy puddle on the floor (we have nowhere big enough to lie it flat so I hung it from a clip hanger instead) and a Belly Bandit that was still wet. The next time around I dried it in the house (with the heating on) and 12 hours was a fairly accurate timing. Because the Belly Bandit takes so long to wash and dry, and because you are supposed to be wearing it continuously, it is suggested that you buy two.
The Belly Bandit did seem to work. Yes, that's right, it worked. I noticed a difference in the size of my belly and it wasn't an upwards one! That said, whether I would have achieved the same difference without the Belly Bandit, I don't know. The next problem is the sizing again. If your belly's shrinking rapidly, you'll need to downgrade to a smaller size because the velcro doesn't extend through the whole (or even much) of the band. But, at around £50 a pop (for the original - the bamboo and couture versions are even more expensive) it's not a cheap exercise, especially as there's no discount for a second purchase. When you consider that it's suggested that you buy two Belly Bandits (one to wear and one to wash) and a further two when you need the next size down, you're looking at an investment of a £200 minimum. As a new mum, I can think of a lot of other things I'd rather spend that £200 on.
Would I have spent the money had I not been sent a Belly Bandit to review? No. Something that pulls in your belly is all well and good, but pregnancy weight goes on everywhere and this product only deals with a small fraction of the problem. The price doesn't make it attractive and it just doesn't win on the comfort factor.
Member review by Victoria - Mother of two boys
- review date 9th March 2010
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"ok"
I have been trying out the Belly Bandit for the past 6 weeks. I found it to be quite uncomfortable and irratating to use as it rolled up when I was sitting down and it would rise up my body when I walked so I had to keep pulling it back into place. I think the belly bandit is a great idea but I think the comfort needs to be re-thought out! And the price perhaps lowered?
Member review by adelle - mummy 2 Eva
- review date 5th March 2010
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"unsure!?"
Looking around the Belly Banit retails at around £50. I think is really expensive considering its just fabric and velcro!I have worn my belly bandit for only 1 week. It is now too big!!! I cannot say whether this is to do with the belt's supposed slimming factors or not as I seemed to have to tighten it up everyday I don't think the smaller size would have fit at first, so it was definitely correct fitting. It wasn't very discreet as you could see the lines where the velcro fastened, also I found it uncomfortable to wear as it was a bit itchy. I did find it great support for the after pains of my second labour. They were quite painful and I took the belt off for a little while as i found it uncomfortable but had to put it back on to help the pains as they were more painful without the 'belly bandit'. It was also great support for my back when I was in bed on a night as I found it difficult to get comfortable with the back pain the same as the after pains I put the belt on and it was great support. I must admit i dont think i could wear this for 6-8 weeks 24/7 as its not the most comfortable. As for weight loss the jury is out as I have shrunk and can no longer wear the belt. However I would definately recommend it if you just want a bit support to ease the aching pains. Maybe the more expensive versions would be more comfortable.
Member review by Tina - mum of 2
- review date 1st March 2010
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