Hi everyone.
I thought I'd write; as I have a bit of something (better than nothing) to contribute. Someone reminded me just how little is written about female belts, so here I am, fulfilling my obligations to inform and amuse you all. Don't get your hopes up, is my advice to you, at least with regard to the amusing side.
I managed - through what planning, persistence and anxiety I won't bore you with - to get five days without the kids this week. You have no idea how unheard-of this is. And how many times it almost fell through. And how - no, I said I wouldn't bore you. Anyway, I took the opportunity to actually wear my Goethals belt - it's been languishing, hidden away for some kind of opportunity. For those of you who were around last fall when I got it, you may remember that I discovered that as I had expected, it was unwearable around kids, who would feel it the minute they put their arms around me or climbed into my lap. For those of you who think that kids are easily put off with glib explanations, think again.
First, this is what I wrote last fall in response to some questions.
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I will try to describe and answer questions about the belt for everyone who has asked. Incidentally, the URL is http://www.tpe.com/~altarboy/not91002.htm --second two pictures.
First of all, Walter is offering the belt with more hinges than I got. There is one at the perineum, but I turned down the one above the pubis. I thought it might make access too easy, but in retrospect I probably should have gotten it, because it might have made the belt more comfortable. You can also get hinges at the hips, but you have to pay extra; I couldn't afford it.
No, I do not get pinched in the openings, and they are quite good for ventilation, and for spraying oneself off. The curved shape, although much better than the original female design, does make it difficult to reshape that area. I'm experiencing a lot of pressure on the pubic bone when I sit down (sound familiar?), and reshaping helps a bit, but not enormously. I wish I could have tried it both with and without the hinge before I ordered -- the perils of long-distance purchases. Note that I sent Walter a plaster cast of myself along with my measurements. He clearly used it, as the belt fits very well standing up. I now wish I had made the cast sitting down--but then the belt would probably not fit well standing and walking.
Where I do get pinched is simply anywhere in the crotch when I sit down, if I'm not careful. Or even if I am. Standing is definitely more comfortable than sitting, but I'm a sedentary type, so that's not a lot of help. I'm still experimenting with fit. I have had advice to shave, but I'm unwilling to do this (REALLY unwilling), so that may contribute to the problem. My next experiments will include creams and such. Walter emphasizes the need for these to prevent irritation.
I was originally very worried about the bar at the back being uncomfortable, about being able to pee without a mess (or at all), and about unwanted ease of access. All three are better than I thought. You really can sit on the bar without it bothering you (although if the belt is tight it is pretty damned close to the anus on the toilet--haven't tried that function yet). Re: the second and third concern, Walter has made a very clever inner ridge around the vulval area, which seems to keep urine channeled where it's supposed to go -- no mess -- and which also makes access much more difficult. I honestly don't know if it's going to be impossible. I haven't tried all possible settings and reshapings. But it certainly makes it difficult, and possibly not worth the bother. The inner ridge is probably responsible for the fact that the flesh is not pressed out through the decorative openings.
Re: detection by children-- my perennial concern -- no good. There is no way they would not feel it if I wore it around them. At my request, Walter put foam on the outside as well as on the inside. Not a successful experiment; I think it only adds a little to the bulk, without significantly changing its detectability. My kids fling their arms around my waist a lot, and jump into my lap. They are curious as hell, persistent and unable to let a subject drop if it interests them. No way in hell can I wear this thing around them. Which is a disappointment, but not an unexpected one. Sorry, Smooth Dancer, but that's the way it is.
I'm trying to get up the motivation to get into the belt each night after the kids are in bed. My husband is not very insistent, and by that time I'm wiped and need to get some sleep, so it's hard to keep up. I'll let you know how I do, however.
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Now, back to the present time.
I tried at that time to wear it after the kids went to bed, but that didn't work out. First, by that time I was very tired and lacked enthusiasm. It would have required some encouragement (read: believable orders) from my husband, which were not forthcoming. Second, I couldn't sleep with it on; third, I was worried about kids coming in to share their nightmares. Fourth, the belt put a lot of pressure on my pubic bone, making it uncomfortable sitting down. Fifth, the procedure of bolting it on I found almost impossible on my own; I needed my husband to help, and the bother of it was not especially good for his enthusiasm. This made it very hard to experiment with fit.
Happily, Walter did me the favour of putting a hinge in above the pubic bone (thanks, Walter), and that improved the comfort a lot. I highly recommend that hinge. And I got ahold of two bolts of the right size, and had them cut down so that they screwed into the bolt holes in the shield. Then, all I needed to do was hook the waistband holes over the bolts, and close the cover. That made putting it on myself, and experimenting with fit, much easier. That didn't solve the kid problem, however, and the whole project continued to languish.
Now we skip a whole bunch of time, and get to this week.... Practically the first thing I did after off-loading my little sweeties was to get the belt on. I found it surprisingly comfortable, and looking back at the posting from last fall, I note that it pinched then; it isn't a problem now. I'm not sure why, except that the hinge makes it more flexible. Also, I'm better at adjusting to it, I guess. I did some adjusting after the first day to keep it from banging into the tendon at the front/top of the thigh - it needed to be tighter and more forward to ride clear of that. After that it was relatively smooth sailing. I managed to sleep most of the night in it the first night, and all night for the rest of the time. I had it loose the first couple of nights, but last night I just left it tight, and I slept okay.
I gave myself a few hours off here and there, but as of now I've had it on continuously for a day and a half, and I seem to be doing okay. It's not entirely comfortable - bending over is a bit of a chore, and it can pinch and catch here and there. Sitting down on a hard chair has to be done VERY carefully if one doesn't want one's bottom pinched. And I definitely need to put some padding on the tailbone area when I get the chance. But there's been no discomfort where I think, "I simply have to get this off me."
So that's the comfort issue. Now, what you're all waiting for - effectiveness. I think that might depend on the person. I could get past it if I was determined enough, by drawing the relevant area over to the side, out from under the belt. It's not ideal, but it's certainly possible.
It may be different for someone with a harder body - I'm pretty squashy. I'm not sure how it would be if I made it one notch tighter, and I doubt I'll find out, as it's as tight as I want it right now, and my week's about over. The only way really to prevent this would be piercings, with the rings locked to the belt somehow. That would definitely work to prevent direct contact with the clitoris. It's not something I'm going to do, however. And it is possible to get some interesting stimulation of the labia through the slots. If I'm sufficiently stimulated, my body will take itself over the top and head down the other side, whether or not I have a noticeable orgasm. What I'll experience is a resolution of sexual tension, without the best part of the fun. I don't think that can be prevented in any kind of belt, even with rings, at least not in me. Not unless you want to get to fantasy realms of Victorian spring-loaded devices, etc., which doesn't turn me on.
Effective or not, it's been lovely wearing it. My husband's been hiding the key, and I haven't had to call him and ask for it. He offered the key yesterday when we went out for dinner, and I didn't need to take him up on it (of course I was dying for that particular experience!). I'm adding skin cream here and there, and zinc ointment underneath, as needed. I only wish I had another week (or two or three), to try continuous wear.
That's probably the only report you'll get from me for a while, sadly. I've enjoyed this week so much, I'm already plotting for next summer....
sidle
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Page last updated 00-Aug-03 by: Altairboy@aol.com