The Guide To Being Transgender

Be Safe When You Bind pt 2

Here's a list of, I dunno, rules? To follow when you're wearing a binder. They are in no particular order, but I suggest you follow all of them and comment if I miss any that you know of. These are important steps to take when wearing a binder.
• Don't ever wear a binder for more than eight hours if you can avoid it. Try to get somewhere that you can take it off when you get close to wearing it for more than eight hours.
• NEVER sleep in a binder. Your posture is all weird when you sleep, and your breathing can become even more restricted. It also places often unnecessary pressure on your ribs.
• If pain becomes unbearable at any point in time, take the binder off immediately and check your ribs. Take deep breaths and don't put the binder back on until the next day. Maybe even skip a day, just for good measure.
• Posture is everything. Try not to have slouchy posture while wearing a binder. If you notice yourself starting to slouch, straighten your posture and take a deep breath for good measure.
• If at any point, you feel a sharp pain in your ribs, straighten your posture and take a deep breath, using your diaphragm to the best of its ability. Then cough once. Make sure its a good cough. It should sound like you're dying inside, that's how big the cough should be. Then take another deep breath and be sure to keep the good posture. If pain doesn't subside, or if it starts up again, take off the binder immediately.
• Don't wear a binder during excessive physical activity. It constricts your breath enough already, plus it's hot. When wearing a binder, you shouldn't work out. If you must go to the gym in a binder, take it off in the bathroom before you actually start working out.