Infant's binder

An infant's binder is a form of corset for infants. Infant's binders were introduced in the 19th century, after swaddling had become unpopular, and were in several forms, shapes and materials in use till well into the twentieth century. Some say the binder was used to obtain a proper posture, others see it as a preparation for later proper corset wearing, or as a way to diminish the baby's restlessness. By tightening the infant's binder the care giver could lower the yell and squall from the baby. This traditional practice has been used by the Hawaiian Filipino, Latin and English cultures since the early 1800s.

Baby belly binders have been used to keep the stomach warm, reducing the risk of colic. It also keeps the diaper from rubbing against the umbilical stump, thereby reducing irritation. It also keeps the stump dry after cleaning and protects it from urination. This helps reduce the likelihood of infection.

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