The Cinch Tummy Wrap

That thing all new moms dread happened to me—twice.

The first time was when my firstborn was three weeks old and my husband and I went to buy a new car. We’d left the baby at home with his grandparents. The guy they send in to upsell us on a maintenance package opened with, “I see you’re getting ready to start a family.” We ended up not buying.

The second time was at the grocery store. I had my three-month-old with me when I started talking to the mom of a six-month-old. Eyeing my belly, she asked, “So, where do you plan to deliver?” Really? I’ll cut the car guy some slack since it turned out he didn’t have kids and we didn’t have the baby with us. But the woman who had a kid herself? She should have known better.

The bottom line is that a lot of postpartum bellies—mine included—take their sweet time shrinking back down to size. And when people confuse you with still being pregnant, it’s pretty maddening.

That’s why I was stoked to discover The Cinch Wrap after I had my second baby. I’d never heard of belly-wrapping the first time I gave birth. You can imagine my excitement at the prospect of avoiding the mishaps I encountered the first time I was postpartum.

The Cinch Wrap is essentially a garment that provides compression around your entire waistline. It has adjustable panels with impressive Velcro strength that makes it easy to adjust the size as you slim down.

There’s also a pocket in the front of the wrap where you can put a heating pad or cold pack, depending on what makes your belly feel best after delivery.

Like a compression garment, the wrap supports the area of your body that was effectively “injured” when it grew your baby. The concept is similar to the compression garments plastic surgeons prescribe after procedures like liposuction.

Compression helps because your post-baby body is full of water and air, as well as expanded organs. Postpartum wraps are known to speed up the release of excess water. They help cells shrink back to their pre-pregnancy size. Constant pressure on your abdominal muscles is also supposed to reduce recovery time.

I found the Cinch Wrap did a good job of supporting my abdominal area. It holds in flabby skin and fat so you don’t wiggle and jiggle as you walk. I know the compression helped because my clothes started fitting better even before my weight started going down.

I also like the back support. If I wear it during breastfeeding, it keeps me from slouching (something most new moms do without realizing).

The only downside I found was that I was uncomfortable wearing it out in public. It was visible through my clothes and made a slight noise when I walked. Also, it became uncomfortably hot if I wore it outside, though it was fine as long as I was in an air-conditioned room.

While I definitely recommend the Cinch, it’s important that you understand the results from all body wraps are temporary. They aren’t an effective long-term weight loss solution.

But, wraps are terrific for keeping you firm and boosting your confidence while you work on getting rid of those pounds. The ability to compress loose flab in the belly area is definitely the best feature, since nothing shakes your confidence like feeling there’s a bowlful of jelly around your midsection.

Overall, it’s a worthwhile cosmetic fix. Though your baby-fat ultimately has to be lost via smart eating and exercise, the Cinch Wrap bridges the gap between those uncomfortable early days of flab until you get your body where you want it.

Price:$89
To buy:byanew.com