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Corsets and Pregnancy: Here’s What You Should Know

Posted on by Rachel Barb
Corsets and Pregnancy: Here's What You Should Know
19
Sep

Pregnancy is a magical experience, once you get past the morning sickness and before you start peeing a little every time you laugh or sneeze.  Okay, so it’s not exactly the rosy picture our mothers paint for us, but there’s still something truly awesome and miraculous about growing a brand-new person inside of you.

Of course, you’re going to have to rethink a lot of your life choices.  No more martini Mondays, obvi, and you may have to rejigger your exercise routine at some point to minimize impact.  Forget about getting bleach highlights during pregnancy, and spray tans are definitely out.  You’re going to have to avoid the hot tub, too.

On the upside, you now have a great excuse to make your partner take over any cleaning duties around the house that involve potentially harmful chemicals.  Plus, if you want to eat pickles with peanut butter and ice cream, you’re not going to get any side eye for the next nine months.

What about your waist training regimen, though?  If you’re trying to get pregnant or you’ve recently discovered you’re in the family way, what does that mean for your wardrobe?  How does wearing corsets intersect with pregnancy?

Getting Pregnant

If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, you’re going to start questioning everything you do.  It’s only natural to wonder, at some point, if your wardrobe is impacting your ability to conceive.

Let’s be very clear about this.  Corsets have absolutely nothing to do with conception…except that maybe wearing a fancy one in the bedroom will help to get your guy in the mood for baby-making activities.

Corsets are not a form of contraception.  Waist training will not prevent pregnancy, no matter how extreme your tightlacing.  If the father-to-be is obsessed with skinny jeans, on the other hand, you might want to gently suggest he give the boys a little breathing room, since overheating can affect sperm count.

Waist Training with a Bun in the Oven

Sorry, but you’re going to have to put your waist training efforts on hold when you’re pregnant.  This should not come as a surprise since slimming your waist and growing a baby are pretty much diametrically opposing propositions.

Since corsets and waist training began enjoying a modern revival, detractors have warned of potential health dangers of wearing these support garments, from fainting spells to shifted or deformed internal organs.  These claims have been largely disproven, so as long as you waist train responsibly, you can slim your waist in a safe and healthy manner.

However, you’re going to need to stop when you get pregnant, as you don’t want to impact the development of the fetus in any way.  On a side note, it has been scientifically proven that pregnancy puts a lot of pressure on your internal organs and causes them to shift, and women continue to bring children into the world with no ill effects.  Make of that what you will.

When to Start Waist Training after Childbirth

Giving up your waist training regimen and the results you’ve achieved so far can be hard, so after you deliver your bundle of joy, you may be keen to get back on the wagon and return to your svelte, pre-baby body.  You can absolutely resume waist training after childbirth, but with a couple of caveats.

First of all, your body needs time to recover from the rigors of pregnancy and childbirth, and while you might want to jump right back into a corset, it’s best to give your body a break.  Some women start as soon as a couple of days after childbirth, but it’s generally best to wait about six weeks so your body has time to shed extra fluids and your uterus can shrink down to normal size.

Keep in mind that your body will continue to readjust for about six months after childbirth, with elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone creating extra laxity (needed to accommodate a growing fetus and facilitate childbirth).  Wearing a corset can actually help to keep you comfortable while your body returns to normal and you regain muscle tone lost during the weight gain and limited activity of pregnancy.

Once you do start waist training again, don’t be disappointed if you can’t fit into your old corsets.  Putting on weight during pregnancy is natural, and you’re likely to have some extra bulk around your abdomen and breasts, which will remain more voluminous as long as you’re breastfeeding.

Take your measurements and you may find that you need a larger size of corset to get started.  This is normal.  As you lose baby weight, you’ll slowly return to your pre-baby size, especially if you work in diet and exercise.  Just make sure you listen to your body, take your time, and waist train in a way that feels comfortable and suits your needs.

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