If you’ve ever had a baby, then you know the tremendous changes your body goes through over about nine months. Once you’ve recovered from childbirth and have your little one in your arms, you might naturally wonder when you can expect to get your body back to its pre-pregnancy shape.

Since it took the better part of a year for your body to expand, for most people it will take time and patience for it to recover. What’s more, for the fastest and best results you’ll want to incorporate healthy lifestyle practices like hydration, a nutritious diet and exercise.

A waist trainer can also play a part in your postpartum recovery, from the first days after childbirth to many months afterward.

Want to know what a day in the life a of a mama who waist trains looks like? Waist training is a natural part of her routine.

“Every single person who has ever known me has commented on my results, begging me for my secrets … They think I look amazing and I've been told that it doesn't look like I've ever had a baby.”

– Lillie H., real waist training mama.

Benefits of Postpartum Waist Training

Before looking at a mom’s daily waist training routine, it’s helpful to know why this practice is helpful in the first place. There are several benefits to postpartum waist training at various stages of recovery.

In the early postpartum weeks, a waist trainer can aid your body’s natural healing process. Belly-binding is a centuries-old practice in cultures around the world. Wearing a compression garment helps stimulate perspiration and blood flow, which helps your body’s natural process eliminating the extra fluids that have accumulated. You can benefit from a waist trainer whether you’ve given birth vaginally or by c-section (just check with your healthcare provider).

Wearing a compression garment can also provide support while the muscles in your abdomen heal and regain their strength. It can remind you to engage your core when you go about your day and help you hold your back straight. With better posture and core engagement, you’re less likely to experience back and hip pain.

Since exercise is an important part of recovery (especially once you’re past the initial six weeks of healing) postpartum moms can also benefit from wearing a workout band. By stimulating heat and perspiration around the core, a workout band can intensify workouts without extra effort. That’s good news for mamas who don’t have a lot of free time!

Finally, wearing a waist trainer as part of a daily regimen can be part of a healthy lifestyle that gets your body back into its pre-pregnancy shape over the long run. It will encourage good posture and core engagement, help your clothes fit better, remind you to eat small, healthy meals, support you during your workouts, and keep you motivated. Waist training is a must-have part of every mom’s routine, from postpartum and beyond!

“I was having difficulty getting my body back. I’m still working on it, and this waist trainer has helped me become more confident while helping me reach my goal.”

– Ana P., real waist training mama.

How Many Hours a Day Should You Wear a Waist Trainer to See Results?

To get the most benefit out of waist training, we recommend wearing a waist trainer from 8 to 12 hours a day. You don’t have to start out that long, but you can slowly work your way up to it.

In the days following childbirth, you can start incorporating a waist trainer into your daily life for a few hours at a time, like when you’re up and moving around. Gradually, you can wear your waist trainer longer as you feel comfortable, and you can tighten it as your waist slims down. If desired, you can wear it in two or more shorter sessions in a single day, rather than one longer session. This can be helpful if you want to rest or take a nap with your waist trainer off.

By the time you’re about six weeks postpartum, wearing a waist trainer for most of the day should feel natural and comfortable. Keep up the routine and watch your results in the long run!

A Day in the Life of a Waist Training Mama

To help you imagine what it’s like to wear a waist trainer as a mom, we’re giving an example of a routine of a stay-at-home mom who’s a few months postpartum. She’s been wearing a waist trainer since a few days after the birth, so she is comfortable wearing it for most of the day. And just to make things more interesting, she also has a toddler underfoot!

It’s a full life and it doesn’t always go smoothly, but this mama is doing her best to prioritize taking care of herself with a healthy lifestyle.

6:00 a.m. Time to wake up! The baby is hungry, so mama feeds him while listening to an inspirational podcast. He dozes for a bit after he’s done.

6:20 a.m.Mama drinks 16 ounces of water with lemon to start her day. She measures out 48 more ounces to make sure she gets at least that much throughout the rest of the day. She also brews some coffee for herself and her partner.

6:30 a.m.The toddler is awake! Mama scoops her into her arms and snuggles for a bit while the baby is still dozing.

6:45 a.m. Mama dresses the toddler and then herself. She slips into her workout gear and her brightly colored workout band. It makes her feel energized.

7 a.m.The baby is awake again. Mama places him in a bouncy seat while he’s in a good mood. She makes a smoothie for herself and her toddler, which they enjoy together at the kitchen counter.

7:30 a.m. That baby is hungry again! Mama feeds him a bit more. Afterwards she throws a load of laundry and does a bit of light cleanup in the kitchen and the bedrooms. The baby coos on the play mat and the toddler follows mama around and pretends to help. Her partner leaves for work.

8:30 a.m.Mama loads everyone up in the double stroller and they go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood since the weather is nice today. Her waist trainer helps her get the most out of this activity. She takes a few sips of water before they go. Once they return, she does some abdominal exercises and stretches while the toddler plays in the yard and the baby curiously looks around.

9:15 a.m. The baby is drowsy, so mama puts him down for a morning nap. The toddler sits quietly watching a cartoon while mama takes a quick shower. She dresses for the day in her everyday waist trainer underneath a t-shirt and jeans. She loves how it makes her clothes fit.

9:45 a.m. Mama spends time with her toddler while the baby sleeps. They share a snack of fruit and nuts.

10:30 a.m. The baby is awake, so after he eats again, everyone goes out for their late-morning activity. Today they are picking up groceries.

12:00 p.m.After mama unloads groceries and puts them away while trying to keep the toddler out of the way and the baby happy, she makes lunch for the toddler and feeds the baby again. Once they’re content, she prepares her own lunch: leftover soup from the night before and a side salad.

1:00 p.m.It’s naptime! Mama puts the toddler down first and holds the baby for a while before he finally falls to sleep too. She slips off her waist trainer for a little while so she can relax and perhaps even doze for a bit herself.

3:00 p.m.Everyone is awake again. Mama puts her waist trainer back on and feeds everyone. She has raw veggies and hummus herself and makes sure she’s on track drinking her water. The kids play for a bit while she tidies up around the house.

4:00 p.m.Mama and kids do their late afternoon activity. She reads to her toddler and they color while the baby plays on the floor.

5:00 p.m. Mama’s partner returns home, and they work together to get dinner on the table. Of course, the baby is hungry and the toddler is cranky, so it’s not easy. The baby goes down for a quick evening snooze.

6:00 p.m. Dinner is served: roasted chicken and veggies along with brown rice. After dinner, mama cleans up and does some prep for tomorrow while her partner plays with the kids.

7:00 p.m. It’s time to tidy up the house and get the kids ready for bed. They get baths, bedtime stories and lullabies. The baby eats one more time.

8:00 p.m. Both kids are in bed. Mama takes off her waist trainer, and she and her partner unwind and relax for the evening. She tries to go to sleep between 9 and 10 p.m.—she needs extra time since the baby will probably be up overnight!

"My stomach was flatter and my waist was smaller. You really go down 2-3 sizes!"
– Jessica R., real waist-training mama.

You can see results as a waist training mama too! Check out all of our options and contact us if you have any questions.