Thrift with Kal

Giving birth is probably the most “privacy-shattering” experience a woman can go through. From labor to actual delivery to breastfeeding, you will never be the same again (especially if you’re like me who had to endure more than 24 hours of induced labor and still ended up having surgery.)

Recovery was slow for me, despite not feeling pain initially during the early labor phase. But after everything my belly went through, I needed postnatal shapewear that was not only effective and comfortable, but also friendly for nursing mothers.

For my CS wound, I was able to try three binders: The Persona binder (can be bought at Mercury Drug), the generic blue binder (also available at Mercury Drug), and last but not the least, the Postnatal Tummy Band with Enhanced Belt from Inay Moments (available here).

Right after my operation, I was able to use the Persona binder given to me by my family.

Persona Binder

The Persona binder, steeply priced at 900+ pesos, had good support and was helpful at the beginning when my tummy was still huge. But I had a hard time nursing my baby and had to make a lot of adjustments because the binder was stiff and had a rough surface. Also, when my tummy got smaller, the binder kept moving upward and sometimes hits my wound when I’m sitting down. Because of this, we decided to buy another one by the time we got home from the hospital.

This time, we decided to use the generic blue binder from Mercury Drug, which was way more affordable.

Blue Binder

This one was more flexible, but it did not have good back support. It was softer, so it was definitely more friendly for nursing mothers. But at some point, as my tummy grew smaller, it became useless to wear because it no longer gave the support I needed. It was at this point that I started looking online for a better binder.

When I came across the Instagram of Inay Moments, I was very happy to see that they were selling postnatal shape wear.

Inay Moments Postnatal Shapewear

What stood out to me the most was their Postnatal Tummy Band with Enhanced Belt.

Photo from @InayMoments Instagram

Photo from @Inay Moments Instagram

Judging by the photo alone, I felt like it was the right binder for me. True enough, after using it for a week now, I can safely say that I found exactly what I needed.

The tummy band had good back support but was also flexible because of the garterized back. The velcro enclosure at the front was not stiff, yet it protected my wound very well. (Right now, my wound is already dry and I was given the go-signal by my OB to wet the area.)

The enhanced belt allows you to adjust the tummy band according to which area you needed to trim down the most. (You would need this because after giving birth, your belly area won’t be fully symmetrical.) The tummy band is also barely noticeable beneath your clothes, which is always a plus when it comes to shape wear.

Apart from the binder, I also tried Inay Moments’ High Waist Tummy Control Postnatal Panty Girdle.

Photo from @InayMoments Instagram

I plan to use it alternately with my tummy band (particularly when I’m wearing form-fitting clothes). Plus, if you don’t mind the extra clothing, you can even wear the binder over it.

On its own, the panty girdle gives sufficient support and is also very comfortable to wear. I love that the panty girdle helped minimize the appearance of the muffin top I gained post-pregnancy.

Overall, I would definitely recommended Inay Moments to all of my friends. (Although personally, I would not use their tummy band and girdle immediately after surgery, especially if you had a delicate pregnancy like I did. But if your CS wound does not hurt anymore, I would definitely recommend using these products.) The best thing about Inay Moments? Their postnatal shapewear is very affordable compared to the other shape wears available here in the Philippines (*ahem* Wink *ahem*).

Here’s the price list for those who are interested to buy:

Post Natal Tummy Band with Enhanced Belt = 450 pesos