“I’m 47 years old, I’ve been a midwife for 22 years — and for 13 years my belly never went back to the way it was before. Then I understood what was happening.”
By Camilla Moretti, midwife for 22 years · May 17, 2026 · 09:12
“Camilla, I’m 51 years old. My youngest child is 17, and my belly still looks like it did after giving birth. Do I just have to accept it?”
One of my patients asked me this question recently. I answered her with what I wish I had been told many years earlier: you don’t necessarily have to resign yourself to it, but it may be helpful to stop treating the problem as if it were only a matter of weight.
Shapewear that is too rigid, years of repeated ab exercises, increasingly restrictive diets: many women try all of this without understanding why the shape of their abdomen remains practically unchanged.
For years, I too thought it was simply age or the inevitable consequence of pregnancy. Then a colleague examined my abdomen and showed me a detail I had never truly considered before.
Traditional shapewear tightens the front. The body, however, is 360°.
The limitation of many traditional shapewear garments is simple: they concentrate most of the pressure on the front of the abdomen. But the silhouette also includes the sides and back.
When the compression is too localized, it can feel uncomfortable, shift during the day, or create visible side bulges under clothing.
That’s why so many women describe the same frustration: they lose weight, work out, wear shaping garments… and yet the shape of their belly still doesn’t seem like it did before.
“I lost the pregnancy weight, but the shape of my abdomen stayed different. I exercised for years and couldn’t understand why it wasn’t changing.”
Active women who watch what they eat, who for years have followed all the most common advice. And who still end up thinking they must have done something wrong.
What many women only discover years later
Ab exercises for months. Walking. Swimming. Yoga. Shapewear. And the feeling that the abdomen still isn’t supported the way it should be.
In some women after pregnancy, there may be a separation of the rectus abdominal muscles, commonly called diastasis. In these cases, the feeling of a “protruding belly” does not necessarily depend only on body fat.
Some traditional abdominal exercises may also not be suitable for every situation. If you have doubts or significant diastasis, it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional.
The signs I had ignored for years
Pair text with an image to focus on your chosen product, collection, or blog post. Add details on availability, style, or even provide a review.
A routine checkup completely changed the way I saw the problem
During a checkup, a colleague gently placed two fingers above my belly button and pointed out the space between my abdominal muscles.
I knew the term “diastasis” perfectly well, but I had never thought it could still apply to me, so many years after my last pregnancy.
That’s when I understood something important: for some women, the problem isn’t simply “losing the belly,” but giving the abdominal area more even and comfortable support.
I wish I had understood this much earlier
During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles have to adapt to make room for the baby. After giving birth, recovery varies from woman to woman and may take time, specific rehabilitation, or simply better support in everyday life.
This explains why you can return to your pre-pregnancy weight and still have a different silhouette. Weight and structure are not the same thing.
Do you suspect you might have diastasis? Here’s a simple indicative check.
Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Place two fingers horizontally just above your belly button.
- Slowly lift your head without straining.
- If you feel a noticeable gap between the muscles or notice a central bulge, talk to a professional.
Note: this check does not replace a medical diagnosis.
For everyday use, what I was looking for was gentle, evenly distributed compression: not just in the front, but around the abdomen, the sides, and the lower back.
That’s the principle behind the integrated cross-band in Vyralla shaping briefs: an X-shaped structure designed to wrap around the abdominal area more evenly.
I wasn’t looking for a miracle. I was looking for something I could actually wear every day.
I didn’t want a Velcro belt that I had to keep adjusting. Nor a rigid shapewear garment that I’d have to take off after just a few hours.
I wanted a pair of briefs I could put on in the morning under my normal clothes and then forget I was even wearing.
The difference? The cross-band distributes support across several areas of the torso, while the high-rise cut helps contain the lower abdomen without turning the garment into a corset.
In the first few days, I wasn’t looking for drastic changes. I was mainly looking for comfort.
Days 1–3: the first thing I noticed was the feeling of support. Present, but not rigid.
Day 5: I was able to wear it under my clothes without constantly thinking about it.
Day 8: I tried on an old pair of jeans again
That day, I took out a pair of jeans I had been avoiding for a long time. The difference wasn’t “magical”: it was mainly the feeling that my abdomen looked more streamlined and supported under my clothes.
For the first time in a long time, I stood in front of the mirror without immediately looking for something to hide.
Six weeks later, the most important change was how I felt in my clothes
My silhouette looked more defined when I wore the briefs and, above all, I had stopped feeling “unsupported” around the middle of my body.
I immediately texted a friend to tell her about it.
What women who have already tried it say
It can also be useful if you’re active or if you’ve been living with this silhouette for years
Many women are active, run, do yoga, or strength training and still continue to feel a lack of firmness in the abdominal area.
A shaping garment does not replace rehabilitation, exercise, or medical advice. But it can offer immediate aesthetic and everyday support, especially under clothing.
It doesn’t matter whether your last pregnancy was a few months ago or many years ago: you can still choose a garment that flatters your silhouette better today.
The briefs that changed the way I look at myself in the mirror — Vyralla
Inside, the cross-band structure creates a feeling of support in the lower abdomen. The high-rise cut helps shape the silhouette without using rigid boning.
These briefs are designed to be worn under everyday clothes: discreet, practical, and easy to incorporate into your routine.
If you’ve made it this far, maybe you don’t need to “fight” your body
For years, I thought I should work out more, eat less, or simply accept that my body had changed forever.
Today, I see it differently. A post-pregnancy silhouette is not a personal failure. And choosing the right shaping support can make getting dressed and feeling comfortable much easier.
There’s no need to promise miracles. What you need is a garment built with a different approach: a cross-band, distributed support, and enough comfort to actually wear it.
For me, the biggest difference was being able to wear my clothes again without constantly thinking about my belly.