Real stories · Postpartum

No one told me postpartum would last longer than the first few months

Three Portuguese mothers share what actually helped with belly recovery after birth — and it wasn't what they expected

What nobody tells you about the "after"

Everyone talks about pregnancy. Few talk about what comes next — the months where the body is recovering, the abdominal muscles are still separated (known as diastasis), and your clothes just don't fit the same way.

"I went to my postpartum check-up and the doctor mentioned abdominal diastasis as if it were obvious," says Marta, 33, a mother of two from Braga. "I didn't even know that space between the muscles had a name. I just knew my belly didn't look the same, months after giving birth."

Why the body takes time to "return"

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles pull apart to make room for the baby. After birth, this separation doesn't disappear on its own in most cases. It requires time, targeted exercise, and often external structural support while the muscles regain tension.

This is where the NUXSEA™ Postpartum Shaping Panties come in: a garment with a 360° crossover band specifically designed to provide that support, without compressing the cesarean section scar area and without hindering the body's natural recovery.

"Mine was a cesarean," shares Inês, 29, from Aveiro. "I was afraid of anything that pressed near the scar. These are seamless in that area, the fabric is soft, and I felt immediately that it wasn't forcing anything — it was just providing support."

It’s not about "going back to your old body"

It is important to be clear about this: no piece of clothing "erases" a pregnancy or returns a body to a previous state — that isn't the goal. What the NUXSEA™ Postpartum Shaping Panties offer is support while the body undergoes its own recovery process, and comfort for wearing everyday clothes without discomfort in the abdominal area.

"What changed for me wasn't the look, it was the comfort," says Catarina, 36, from Coimbra, mother of a six-month-old. "At the end of the day, without the panties, my belly area felt tired. With them, I get that extra support that makes a difference."

What the garment offers, in practice

• 360° crossover band, without pressure concentrated only on the front
• Seamless zone near the cesarean section scar area
• High-waisted, covers above the navel for full abdominal support
• Breathable fabric, designed for extended wear without irritating sensitive postpartum skin
• From S to 6XL, adaptable to different stages of recovery

A tradition, reinvented

Postpartum abdominal support is not a new idea. For generations, in various Asian cultures, bengkung has been practiced — a traditional technique of binding the belly after birth, done with a strip of fabric wrapped by hand around the waist.

The principle has always made sense: give the abdominal area external support while the body recovers. The problem is that the traditional method was time-consuming, difficult to do alone, and impractical for daily life.

The NUXSEA™ Postpartum Shaping Panties start from the same principle, but reconstructed: the same idea of support, now in a garment that is put on in seconds, without knots or anyone's help, and that can be worn comfortably all day under your clothes.

When to start using them

It is recommended to wait for medical clearance at your postpartum check-up (usually at 6 weeks, or longer in the case of a cesarean) before beginning the use of any compression or abdominal support garment.