Let me first say; Welcome to Frosted Tidbits!
What's a better way to jump into a new blog then with a product review? Let me first say, this is not a sponsored post in any way, shape, or form. I bought this on my own after weeks of research.
I am currently 29 weeks pregnant! Yay for one week into the third trimester!
While on Instagram (fine my fitness account here and my personal account here) or Facebook or any other social media, I try to only post happy and uplifting things. Not because I am trying to be "Insta-worthy" or anything, but because the world has enough negativity in it, I don't need to be adding to it. Instead, I hope to make the world a little bit brighter. I will do the same here on my blog, but you'll also see a little bit more of my "real life".
For example! Over the last few weeks, I have been hurting. Like - tearing in my belly when I move hurting. With my other two successful pregnancies, everything was rainbows and daisy's! Aside from a little morning sickness with ZABs, I loved being pregnant! I was comfortable and felt incredibly beautiful.
Sadly, every pregnancy is different and this one has not been all love and sparkles and sunshine. It has been full of morning sickness, headaches, overwhelming exhaustion, lower back, hip, and pelvic pain. Baby Snowman (as one of my sisters lovingly named this babe) is sitting SO low! The doctors have commented on how low he is resting, but say it's nothing to be concerned about. Some babies sit lower then others.
The past three weeks or so have brought another unwelcome and rather painful symptom. Certain movements, laughing, coughing, and sneezing make me feel like my stomach is tearing in two. Right above the belly button. For those of you who don't know what this could mean, it is a possibility of diastasis recti. A separation of the abdominal muscles. Most women - dare I say all - experience some form of this with pregnancy. Some separation is normal and will heal on it's own after pregnancy. But there are the cases where the tear is too great for the body to heal on it's own and surgery is needed to pull the abdominals back together.
I'm no doctor and I'm not even certified as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, yet. I'm working on it. My test is soon! So take this as what you will, but again, I've done my research and I stand by it.
I took it upon myself to start looking for products and other things I could use to help support my belly through these last few months. After weeks of reading product descriptions and reviews I came across Belly Bandit!
Insert chorus of angels!
Hello Belly Boost!
Everything about this product sounded like a gift from the heavens.
Ultra Support. Medium Compression. Made for Maternity. Stretches and recovers with growing belly. Targeted Back support. Built in Belly Support. Wonderweave material keeps lotion on your belly, not your clothes. Everything said here is on their page.
Sounds wonderful, right?
Then I went to other sites to read reviews since Belly Bandit unfortunately doesn't have very many reviews for this product on their website. There were a few reviews that scared me. Some said it was TOO tight. Others said it rolled up at the hips and lower back. Then there were the people who said it pinched the upper back.
Then I found the saving grave reviews. People admitting they noticed it rolled until they adjusted the Belly Boost properly, pulling it up to where it is supposed to rest. That it was a great support. It helped their back pain. It was a great support, not uncomfortable like others had said. People said to order a size up if you prefer a looser fit.
I was sold. This was what I wanted. What I NEEDED!
Friday, September 15, 2017 - My Belly Boost Arrived!
First Impressions and Thoughts:
"It looks small. I wondered if it will even fit around my belly."
"It is pretty stretchy... maybe it will be alright."
"The material is so soft! That's it, I'm trying it!"
Let me tell you a funny story. I grabbed this out of my mailbox on the way to my kids gymnastics classes and put this on in the bathroom there! Hah!
Second Impressions and Thoughts:
"Am I putting this on right?"
"This is silly. I'm in a bathroom stall. Maybe I should have waited until we got home."
"Hmm... that's not comfortable. Note to self, don't rest it directly over the center of my belly while trying to figure it out."
"I think this is crooked."
"Uh oh... it's rolling. Just like the reviews said... Oh wait, there was an adjustment for that!"
Then Finally:
"It fits! Wow. my belly isn't hurting anymore! That was fast."
"No more rolling either! And it's definitely not pinching."
Now a couple days later, Belly Boost is the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing I take off at night.
I love Palmers Stretch Mark Lotion and have been using it for years, but putting it on before the Belly Boost is wonderful! The material keeps the lotion on my belly, not my clothes (like advertised) and my skin feels so refreshed at the end of the day because of it. I put more on right before bed too which as been wonderful. My belly isn't itchy like it was before.
- The material is very soft.
- Belly Boost provides a wonderful support and my belly, right above my belly button doesn't hurt anymore.
- Once I pulled it up to where it is supposed to rest, I haven't had any rolling, bunching, or pinching. Which was fixed the very first time I put it on and remembered those reviews. I didn't size up and I don't feel like it's tight. I'm comfortable!
- I'm able to move around better and I'm not having to hold my belly when I laugh, cough, or sneeze.
- I'm not hot. It's an added layer of clothing around the belly, but it's not hot! This fabric breathes beautifully.
Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this product. Belly Bandit's Belly Boost gets a 5 star from me. I'll keep posting quick updates through the rest of my pregnancy on how the Belly Boost is holding up and how I'm liking it.
