When Giving Up
When Giving Up
is not an option - our story
Belly Bands Story
The development of the Belly Bands products helped Carol Brunswick heal from a terrible tragedy. In 2010 her husband was taken in an accident and she was left to bring up her two young children alone.
Carol, a computer networking engineer, dropped back to part time work after the death of her husband and in 2012, on a trip overseas Carol had a chance meeting with a woman who sold compression garments for use post surgery. Nothing like this existed in Australia at the time and she asked Carol to become an agent for Australia.
Initially Carol was reluctant, but she agreed to take some home for people she knew might benefit; one of them being a midwife. The word spread and people contacted her to try the support belt, which inspired her to take it further. Her children were still suffering deeply from the loss of their father and Carol saw this as a way to make an income working from home so she could be there more for them.
Facing Problems
Carol was inspired as each day she would learn how belly binding was helping others, but she soon ran into problems as the compression belt had a number of inherent glitches, making it difficult for customers to achieve the support and fit required.
After sinking all her savings and time into the business, the last shipment of stock arrived from overseas and to her horror, all the sizes were wrong.
The product was unsaleable. And the company wouldn't return the stock.
Carol was broke and the only option was to give up on the business and return to her previous employment to support her family.
How one customer Inspired
The Belly Band
A few weeks later a call came through from a man whose wife just had an unexpected hysterectomy. This once active woman was bedridden, and the only relief she had was holding a pillow to the wound. She knew nothing about how to deal with her condition post surgery.
Sympathetic to her situation, Carol mocked up a compression belt from some elastic fabric and gave it to the husband.
Weeks later the grateful woman contacted Carol, she was so emotional explaining how the compression belt had restored her mobility. This was the turning point.
Carol knew that, that although business was a tough gig and a big risk, there was a greater sense of responsibility and purpose to share what had unexpectedly fallen into her hands.
Building A TruSTED
Australian Brand
Carol decided that if she was going to provide products to customers then she would manufacture the recovery bands herself in Australia.
The technology isn’t rocket science, it’s a band that circles the abdomen but she knew from previous experience that comfort, size and the ability to adjust the compression was what people required most. It also had to be suitable for women and men, including mums-to-be.
To achieve this, each Belly Band is individually hand cut/split so the fabric can contour to the body and give a more personal fit.
This led to the one size fits most Belly Band that people are benefiting from today.
We have gone one step further and developed the first Heal Better kit and recovery app to address the needs and aftercare following abdominal surgery.
To our Customers
Thank You!
I’m very grateful that you choose Belly Bands to support your needs and touched by the 1000,s of heartfelt reviews so kindly shared.
It's a blessing to knowing we are making a difference ♥︎
Founder - Carol Brunswick