Sydney, Australia

In the early weeks after the birth I found wearing my shapewear regularly helped alleviate the lower back pain which had developed from carrying and feeding baby often. This back pain is caused by the stretched stomach muscles letting the back do all the hard work. I started wearing my shapewear a week or so after my baby’s birth. The clever design of the top means the shapewear doesn’t interfere with establishing your breastfeeding routine, the soft ‘bra’ part of the top means milk production is not inhibited by tight fabric.

Essex Mum

This is different to normal shapewear though – it’s designed specifically for the post-partum period, helping to tighten and strengthen stomach muscles, and also promotes easy breastfeeding – you can get a version with or without a built in bra, but either way, it’s easy to nurse wearing it and not at all restrictive.

When I first put it on I was quite surprised how tight it felt, which is perhaps a silly thing to say! However, it wasn’t uncomfortable, just felt a bit like being wrapped up.  The material is lightweight and breathable so doesn’t feel like an extra layer, and the fact that there are hardly any noticeable seams, or lumps and bumps means that it’s really unnoticeable underneath most clothes.