Across cultures, the weeks after birth have long been marked by rituals designed to help a mother heal, restore, and find her footing in a transformed body. One of these traditions is bengkung—the ancient practice of binding the abdomen with a long cloth to offer gentle support and a sense of containment during postpartum recovery. Today, BelliBind is bringing this tradition into a modern conversation about maternal care, inviting women to see postpartum not as a period to rush through, but as a passage worthy of intention and reverence. Because what if the way we care for a mother after birth could shape how she feels in her body for years to come? We explore the meaning behind belly binding, the wisdom it carries, and how BelliBind is reimagining this time-honored practice for today’s mothers. Read on for our conversation with their founder, Princess Estocia McKinney-Kirk.
HS
What inspired you to create BelliBind?
PEMK
Bellibind came to be out of my early exposure as a birth and postpartum doula to address the void in care of mothers in the crucial first weeks postpartum. I vowed to offer the best resources and knowledge to the families I supported by seeking out wisdom from the ancestral practices of cultures around the world. In my search for ultra healing practices I discovered the art of Bengkung belly binding and learned it was a ritual even my late ancestors had practiced. After supporting a handful of mothers with this personalized belly wrapping style I got to witness the healing power this simple practice could have on a moms physical well-being. Fast forward a couple years to my own birth experience that resulted in a 42 hour labor and emergency c-section delivery, the only thing that felt good and supportive on my own belly was the belly binding I had hugged so many new mothers with before me. It was then, I felt for myself the immense impact this cotton garment had on my recovery journey. I vowed to ensure every mother who wanted to experience this level of support and comfort would have access to it. From that point on I made it my mission to support as many mothers as I could with a Bellibind Hug. We're now in the several thousand and counting.
HS
What are the benefits of this ritualized recovery, Bengkung Belly Binding?
PEMK
Giving birth and recovering from birth is no joke. There is not only the physical transformation that is monumental but on a spiritual level, there is an invisible portal that opens top to bottom for birth and it's essential to know how you can contain and reclaim that vital energy afterwards. Cultures around the world incorporate belly binding practices into their postpartum recovery rituals. And I can pull out the many resources of information from each culture with how and why they do their belly binding in the way that they do. But at the end of the day, what is most relevant for you, the modern birthing person and mother, is how this practice of belly binding creates a deeper reverence and honoring of not just your womb space but your entire being. With just one long piece of fabric, we are able to build a foundation for ritualizing your postpartum journey while also providing you with a supportive and customized garment. This is the biggest benefit in my opinion. Then as a result you gain other physical benefits like: posture support to reduce bleeding time after birth are just a couple key benefits most clients love to hear. Increased hip stability, rapid reduction of abdominal swelling and ultra comfortable core and lower back support are all reasons why moms are choosing to be swaddled in a Bellibind wrap.
HS
If you could change the way our society approaches postpartum care, what is the first thing you would do?
PEMK
First thing I would do is enact federal policy that would provide coverage for speciality in-home recovery support in the first 6-12 weeks post-birth. With over 40 million women experiencing long-term health problems after childbirth and many of these issues being preventable in the first months at home. This kind of specialized care would have a huge impact on the well-being of mothers and the generations that are birthed from them.
HS
What are some of the most common misconceptions about postpartum recovery that you aim to address through Bellibind?
PEMK
One of the biggest misconceptions I like to address is that postpartum recovery isn’t about how fast you "snap back", rather how nurtured and held you are you post-birth. Have you been cradled in the arms of your tribe? We aim to come alongside a birthing person and not only hold space for the physical and emotional recovery journey but to also help normalize the experience overall and make it all much less isolating then it currently is here in the United States.
HS
How was your postpartum journey? Is there anything you wish you could tell your younger, motherly self?
PEMK
Both of my postpartum journeys were different and had their own unique challenges. Also, being a doula, I did a great job planning ahead for the after birth experiences I wanted. Here is my go to postpartum planning checklist and journal curated from my own experience as a mom and birthworker. That said, I would tell my younger, motherly self that “You are enough and you don’t have to do it all.” I would also tell her to “let him (my ex-husband) figure it out, you don’t have to teach him everything, let dad find his own dad-tuition, it will give you more opportunities for renewal activities.”
HS
Beyond Bellibind, what are your favorite postpartum healing products that you recommend to your community?
PEMK
I tend to recommend services over products as I know postpartum families have enough amazon boxes arriving at their home those early weeks before and after birth. Belly binding rituals and services that nurture the mother should be part of the registry. If not already on your must-haves or registry list, I always urge you to have a lactation consultant on your postpartum plan, I love to share the Origin Way as our go to NationWide Pelvic floor PT support. Having a knowledgeable chiropractor for mom and baby care is key for any newborn colic and body alignment issues. I would also urge every birther to find an amazing Acupuncturist as TCM is based on centuries of healing wisdom and their treatment of the post-birth body is unparalleled. One product I do love mentioning is a baby belly band. With newborn digestion being at its peak between 6-12 weeks post-delivery, having a belly band for babies really helps hug their little tummies and comfort the gassy days/nights as their body works hard to digest all the nutrients they are provided. These would be what I recommend.
HS
If you could collaborate with any other organization or professional in the maternal wellness realm, who would it be and why?
PEMK
We are all about collaboration and working with other like-hearted brands. We had our dream collab with the supermodel owned maternity wear brand Bumpsuit! To be fortunate enough to have another dream collab I would say would be with the midwifery practice Oula or Swiss brand Understatement Underwear.
HS
What advice would you give to expectant mothers who are preparing for their postpartum journey?
PEMK
I know it all seems foreign and it’s easy to focus solely on the pregnancy and birth journey as there is a lot to understand and learn within that realm as it is. I encourage you however, to look and plan ahead for your post-birth recovery, as you will be in the healing phase for much longer than both of those two previously mentioned states combined. One in three women experience long-term health issues after childbirth and a lot of these are avoidable with the right support early on and just a little advance preparation. Here is my go to checklist and planner to ensure you get the right support where you need it most after-birth.
Honeyseed x Princess Estocia McKinney-Kirk
