What is Belly Binding?

In most African culture, after the birth, your postnatal recovery months consists of the traditional food, drink for nourishment and milk supply. Plenty of rest, Also lots of massages of the body and wrapping a cotton clothe firmly around your abdomen for restoring, cleansing and healing of your womb and surrounding organs.

What is the aim of Belly Binding?

This practice is done by your mother, grandmother or a female member of your family and it is done straight after birth .

You wear this wrap at most times to help close together your abdomen and help shrink your womb back to its normal size.

As the days pass the wrap is made tighter and tighter.

What you feel is this closed embodiment of you body being held together. After birth you can feel rather open, achy and rather lose from the sudden change of birthing your baby. Nine months is a long time to adjust to the growth and change of your body the in a matter of hours it is completely gone. Your lefts with your tummy lose, soft and rather floppy.

The wrap brings in a sense of structure and firmness that is almost relieving.

In the days, weeks that pass wearing the wrap, your body organs are getting back into places, your uterus is expelling blood from its lining – blood that is being drained from the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall.

Other benefits are that is it a really good back support for your back. Breastfeeding can give you a real backache and stiffness in the shoulders if you tend to hold baby incorrectly. Your posture tends to stay straighter and sometimes too stiff you may feel like a mummy in bandages, so loosen up to feel comfortable.

How I became to know about Belly Binding

My lovely sister-Vide

Most of my friends have been shown how to do this after their baby birth. It only really common if an elder female like your mother is not there to pass on this knowledge that you are unable to use this.

One Ghanaian friend had learnt of this from another friend. Her mother passed years earlier so was not able to learn from her.

This is a universal knowledge passed on from older women of your tribe, village sharing, nurturing the new mother. Bringing healing and support to the new mother.

BELLY BINDING IN SOUTH AMERICA & ASIA.

In South America it is called the Faja. Used for the same purpose for the postnatal period. In Asia it is also used after the abdomen is massage with warm oils. The wrap is much longer and woven around your body and twisted in the front for much secure.

I was re-introduced to the lovely material again for other purposes than postnatal. As an Arvigo practitioner, I use this with women is who have experienced a prolapsed uterus.

You wear it often omitting days of your menses and during sleep. The aim is to help left the uterus stay in position too.

I actually started wearing my wrap during my pregnancy mainly because of my work. As a mobile massage therapist I travel to my clients home. When I could get help from a neighbor to carry from my door to car or an very helpful stranger or husband from the car the door, Carrying my table became challenging.

It gave me the needed the support around my abdomen for balance and help prevent any later problems such as the rectal disease or any pelvic floor weakening.