Body image has always been an issue when it comes to the female of the species. It is one of the reasons the fashion industry can get away with charging hundreds of pounds on singular items, and why the cosmetic market is worth billions – women love to pamper themselves and put in the effort because when we look better, we feel better.
For a lot of women this can become difficult after giving birth. Although they embrace a ‘bump’ with the upcoming excitement of their new-born child, the aftermath of this is not quite so admirable. Inevitable as it is, women are still unhappy with how they look after the baby has made its grand entrance into the world.
Body image gets worse after a baby
In fact, according to a survey by BabyCenter.com, a whopping 64% of the 7,000 new mums surveyed confessed that their body image had gotten worse since having a baby. Even those that had since lost their baby weight still weren’t happy in their new skin.
So what can new mums do? If we take a look at the stereotypical new mum, she will be busy, she will be in-demand and she will be exhausted. It is understandable that she may not necessarily find the time to hit the gym and lose the weight naturally.
What alternatives to exercise are there?
The fact is, to lose weight, exercise is the sure winner. And looking after children can be a workout in itself, so weight will eventually drop off. But, in the meantime shapewear can be a great alternative for boosting self-confidence when hitting the gym simply isn’t an option. With the stomach area a particular sore-spot at this time in a woman’s life more than any other, control underwear can help to hide the evidence that your body has just been through a nine-month transformation.
It is also the case that after multiple children, or for older mothers, sometimes the stomach muscles can become so far stretched, that no amount of abdominal exercises can change the way you look. In fact, last year it was reported that there had been a 33% increase in tummy tucks after pregnancy in the previous five years. These women could have saved themselves the hassle of going under the knife and invested in shapewear instead.
How does shapewear work?
Shapewear works by redistributing fat so that you don’t see any distinguishable lumps and bumps – including the dreaded muffin top. The structured stretchy material accentuates special areas – by pulling in at the waist for example – and smoothes out the hips and buttocks, to give a more even silhouette.
A great way to drop a dress size in a matter of minutes, Shapewear can offer an instant fix to get you get the body you want temporarily. Particularly post-pregnancy, shapewear can help you to feel more toned, and because of their structure, can in many cases assist in reducing back pain.
Playtex, for example, offers shapewear and body shapers including their most recent addition to the range: Objective 1 Size Down. This is new approach to active shapewear is clinically make you look slimmer. It also has an anti-cellulite effect as well as an immediate shaping effect.
This article was written by Jessica Fowler, a copywriter who writes articles for Playtex and has her own personal blog at www.lingerieandfashionblog.com.