SingaporeMotherhood | Pregnancy
September 2023
This Mum designs Shapewear that helps other Women look Good, with a Postpartum Range too
In a time and age where everyone micromanages imperfections — who hasn’t used a social media filter to make their skin look better? — Jas Chua is a breath of fresh air. While the 32-year-old co-founder of luxury shapewear company Lazywaist Co. fashions garments that help women achieve pin-up worthy curves, she herself has no burning desire to attain Barbie proportions. For this mum of two who used to be in the finance industry,
“shapewear should be a tool of empowerment, not a measure of self-worth. Love your body first, and use shapewear to enhance your confidence and comfort.”
If you take the mumfluencers whom we meet at the brand’s recent launch of its postpartum collection as examples, Jas’s wares do work. All are yummy mummies with one thing in common. Clad in body- skimming outfits that show off enviably svelte figures, they are way more yummy than mummy.
(See also: THE BEST ORGANIC AND NATURAL SKINCARE AND MAKEUP FOR PREGNANT AND BREASTFEEDING MUMS IN SINGAPORE)
Shapewear for women at all stages of motherhood
(L-R) @omfgwen @mongabong, @cherb8ar, @melissackoh, and @selinaong
Mongchin Yeoh swears by The Slim, which she wore on recent flights to and from the United States. These high-waisted tights come with a fully-bonded front panel to flatten the waist and trim the tummy area. What’s intriguing is that they are made from the same medical grade compression material that Korean doctors use for their patients after liposuction. Upon disembarkation at each destination, Ms Yeoh realised she had no water retention at all. She did pee a lot though. Twenty-two year old DJ Cheryl Chin is also a fan of The Slim. The mum to a six-month-old wore hers during confinement, and now for gym and Pilates workouts.
(See also: 10 POSTNATAL MASSAGE SERVICES TO HELP YOU HEAL AND SLIM DOWN AFTER GIVING BIRTH)
Not a new mum or a first-time mum? Lazywaist shapewear can still help, it seems. Three-time mum Melissa Koh and Coulisse Heir founder Selina Ong swear by The Shape, a nine-steel boned shaper that helps to sculpt as it trims. Selina, who gave birth nine years ago, reveals that she has just downgraded to a smaller size of the waist trimmer.
Filling the postpartum recovery gap with shapewear
According to Jas, while the products work on every body, there is generally a “golden age of recovery”, within six months of childbirth, when results are best. That is because the body is most receptive to compression shapewear during this time. This was the period when Jas herself, unable to find a solution for that post-birth mum tum, decided to create the Lazywaist range in 2021.
“I discovered that there were limited options for effective abdominal support in Singapore, especially after completing postnatal massages. This gap became evident as I struggled to regain my pre-pregnancy shape. Traditional methods such as dieting or rigorous exercise weren’t feasible during this demanding phase of life.
(See also: 10 PRENATAL PILATES CLASSES IN SINGAPORE FOR PREGNANCY FITNESS AND CONDITIONING)
Consultations with gynaecologists often resulted in advice to take light walks. It was a bit disheartening because there were limited options for effective abdominal support during this critical period of recovery.
It struck me that there was a lack of compression wear that could seamlessly fit into the busy lives of moms with minimal fuss. This gap had persisted for too long, unnoticed and unattended as new moms have more important priorities than herself. Lazywaist was born out of a need to fill that void, starting with identifying the gap, finding the right materials, and creating effective regimes to support new moms.”
Using shapewear the right way
Having tried The Shape at the launch, I can confirm that it really does nip and tuck. I look, as the young ones say these days, “snatched”. But will this hold up in the long run? And what about the less visible effects these shapers may have on the body?
A quick Google search reveals that waist trimmers and shapewear tend to have a bad rep. There are studies that claim they (i) compress the diaphragm (ii) affect internal organs (iii) cause digestive issues, and (iv) weaken the musculoskeletal system, among others. When asked about these, Jas does not shy away.
“Criticism of shapewear and waist trimmers is valid if they are not used correctly,” she says. “Like any product, they should be used in a proper and responsible way. That’s why we provide an eight-week regime to guide our customers on how to use our products safely and effectively. It’s crucial to always listen to your body, as everyone is different.”
To this end, Lazywaist has a recommended minimum age of 21 for users, as well as a list of do’s and don’t’s on their website FAQs. These include following a prescribed eight-week Lazynote Regime (which accompanies every waist trainer in its box), the guided hours of wear, and not wearing the waist trainers to sleep, or if you are pregnant.
Shaping lives too, not just bodies
As a mum — she has a 2.5 year old son, and an eight-month-old daughter — Jas is shaping lives too, not just bodies. How would she would talk to her daughter about body awareness? What if her son, when he grows up, only wants to date women with pin-up figures?
“I do not have a fixed stance on beauty standards,” Jas says. “As a mother, I’d stress the importance of self-confidence and respect. Self-confidence is the foundation of self-love and acceptance. When you truly value yourself, that respect extends naturally to others.
My hope for my children is that they make choices driven by their hearts and aligned with their values, all while maintaining a deep sense of confidence and respect for others.”
– Jas Chua
But while self-love and self-acceptance do go a long way in building confidence, what often goes unsaid and unseen is the journey it takes to get there. This can be long, difficult, and necessitate self-care and healing. Furthermore, for many women, it does not only relate to the way they look, but to other aspects of motherhood.
Healing and empowering from within
For Jas, it was a miscarriage. “Many women silently navigate this challenging path, and it’s a journey that requires immense strength and resilience. Unfortunately, societal pressures, including work demands, sometimes prevent women from allowing themselves the proper care and recovery they need during this time.
I understand the physical and emotional toll it can take. It’s an experience that calls for compassion and understanding, not just from loved ones but also from employers. There’s a pressing need to raise awareness and educate women about the importance of self-care and healing after such a loss. It’s a journey that no woman should travel alone.
With Lazywaist, we want to create a more supportive environment where women feel empowered to take care of themselves and regain their confidence. It’s about healing, both physically and emotionally, and embracing the strength that lies within every woman.”
A journey in self-awareness and confidence
When I tried The Shape at the media launch, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was no pain, no sense of being trapped in a cylinder. All I felt was a comforting sense that my jelly belly was being incredibly well supported. My posture had instantaneously improved.
Do I love the way my body looks in it? Will this delude me into thinking that I can eat more since I can depend on it for some semblance of shape? Did it give me a boost of confidence knowing that I looked good? Yes, yes, and yes. It’s addicting. I can’t stop looking at myself in wonder and yes, I feel more confident even as I know that this body glow-up is temporary.
(See also: LOVING YOUR POST-PREGNANCY BODY)
At the end of the day, when it comes to shapewear, the onus is on the wearer to be self-aware, to know where to draw the line, and to understand that this is neither a quick-fix weight loss tactic nor a permanent solution to body concerns. After all, when the hooks come off at the end of the day, the body that spills out is the same one you loved when it was inside the shapewear.
Featured image: Courtesy of Jas Chua
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