Check out this recent article in Stroller Traffic!

Girdles, cinchers, compressors—call ‘em what you want, postpartum tummy wraps are making a huge comeback. They’re controversial, to say the least. But what we really wanted to know is: Do they work?

“For many women, there’s a postpartum loss of sensation in different parts of the abdominals,” says post-natal Pilates instructor Alana Reed. “Critical to getting the ‘post-baby belly’ back in shape is re-conditioning the transverse abdominus—the muscle responsible for scooping the abs in and up. A cincher is great for helping women gain sensation and actually feel the ab muscles again.” But Reed and her Movin’ Mamas partner Randi Stone agree that cinchers should not be used as anything other than a prop: “It’s great for reminding women how it feels to use the ab muscles, however the key is to work on replicating that feeling sans cincher.”