Leaving the maternity ward with a plump tummy and swollen ankles can make even the happiest of new mothers feeling a tad depressed. Most moms expect to exit the hospital feeling a tad more svelte as they shed an entire new body's worth of weight.

For those desperate to bounce back into a lean, mean mama machine, the Belly Bandit [1] may be your best weapon. Eager mothers can use the compression wrap a day after delivery. The binding reduces swelling of the uterus and keeps the bloating from water retention to a minimum. Available in three different styles, Original ($40), Couture ($50), and Bamboo ($60), moms can adopt the stretchy Velcro bound wrap routine for six to eight weeks for tummy firming results.