Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on March 02, 2021
Pregnancy is a wonderful time in your life, full of joy and anticipation. But it’s also full of discomfort for many mothers-to-be. The good news is, there are plenty of products on the market that can safely help ease your aches and pains. One of these products is the pregnancy support band. A pregnancy support band is also called: No matter what you call it, there are some key similarities all pregnancy support bands share: Pain and discomfort. The primary reason moms turn to the support of a pregnancy support band is to relieve aches and pain. As your baby grows bigger, he puts more pressure on your body. You may begin to walk and stand differently to compensate for the extra weight, causing pain in your muscles and joints. Additionally, during the second trimester, your ligaments loosen to accommodate your growing baby. You may feel increasing aches in your hip, groin, and legs as your pregnancy progresses. Physical activities. If you enjoy being active, a pregnancy support band is a great addition to your workout. Even if you don’t need extra support on a daily basis, having it during exercise may help you maintain a more effective workout. It can also prevent you from getting hurt during a workout by providing some compression to your abdomen. You should always take it slow working out while you’re pregnant and take extra precautions to stay safe. Outfit hacks. Even though your belly is growing, your hips and legs may not be. So you can pull your favorite pants up, but not fasten them. A pregnancy band can act as a buffer between your pants and your tops – covering your belly and the upper band of your pants. Plus, if you bend over, your band will spare you the embarrassment of showing your back or belly as your clothes get smaller.
Posture. You change how you walk and move to support your growing baby, and your posture takes a hit too. By compressing your lower belly and lifting the baby off of your hips, your pregnancy support belt will also help you sit and stand up straight. With added support to your lower back, bad posture won’t be a concern. This is great because bad posture can mean added strain on your body, leading to more aches and pains.
Postpartum healing. The benefits of your pregnancy support band don’t end with your pregnancy. You can keep using the band for support after giving birth. Pregnancy and birth take a huge toll on your body, and it takes time for your body to heal. Maintaining additional support for your lower back and abdomen has many benefits, including faster healing.
Talk to your doctor. Always consult with your doctor before trying anything during pregnancy. Your doctor can talk to you about your symptoms and determine if a band is beneficial.
Choose the right size. Although support belts are able to stretch to accommodate you as your belly grows, you still want to start out with an appropriate size. Most bands have sizing charts based on your pre-pregnancy size to find the right fit. A band that is too tight can be harmful to your growing baby.
Follow the instructions. Some belly bands fasten in the front while others fasten on the sides or back. Don’t try to use your pregnancy support band in a different way than it was designed.
The right compression. Your support band should not feel tight or uncomfortable. It should provide gentle compression under your abdomen and around your back. If your pregnancy support band is too tight, it can compress your organs, causing indigestion, heartburn, and may even negatively impact your circulation and blood pressure.
Time limits. Don’t wear a support band for more than two or three hours at a time. Wearing it for too long can weaken your muscles, leading to long-term negative effects.
Belly bands should be paired with daily exercise to shed extra pounds and build up strength. Results. If your band isn’t providing relief, talk to your doctor. She can help you adjust how you’re wearing the band or make other suggestions for relieving your discomfort.
Whether you’re in your first trimester, snuggling your little one postpartum, or somewhere in between, a little belly support goes a long way. As your belly grows during pregnancy and shrinks postpartum, you might find that a belly band or belly wrap is all you need to feel energized and ready to conquer the day.
We’ve pulled together some of our favorite belly bands and belly wraps, plus a list of how you can use them at every stage of pregnancy—especially in that critical “fourth trimester.” But first, let’s talk about the benefits of wearing a belly support band during pregnancy.
Why You Need a Pregnancy Belly Support Band
Here are three ways a belly band can help support you and your little one as they grow inside you:
-
Belly bands can help decrease pain. By the time your little one is ready to come out, you’ve gained quite a bit of weight in your belly. That’s going to take a toll on your back and hips. In fact, 71 percent of women struggle with lower back pain during pregnancy. Belly bands give that little extra support you need, and just the right amount of pressure on your lower back to relieve any pain, to help you accomplish what you want to when you’re pregnant.
- Belly bands provide compression. When you’re running around (exercise, chasing older kids, or having a great time on vacation), having a little bit of compression to support your back and belly can make all the difference. Just make sure it’s not too tight and that you give your belly a break after an hour or two.
- Belly bands support posture. Something about a comfortably snug band around your middle reminds you to sit and stand up straighter, which is so great when you’re pregnant. You’ll be tempted to hunch over and cuddle that baby belly, but a pregnancy support band can help you stand up straight and give your little one all the space they need to grow.
Who doesn’t want an easy piece of clothing that decreases pain, provides compression, and adds posture support? Whether this is your first pregnancy or your fourth, you might have some more questions about belly bands—and that’s where we come in.
We’re breaking it down trimester by trimester, with some ideas of when to start wearing a belly band, how often, and what type might be best for each stage of pregnancy.
First Trimester Belly Bands
These three months probably feel like survival mode for many moms-to-be. Between morning sickness and exhaustion, your growing body is putting you through the ringer as you nurture that little one through its earliest days of life.
In these first few months, you might not need a belly band regularly, but once in a while, the support can make all the difference. Here’s what we suggest:
2-in-1 Bandit™
This maternity belly support band is a smart purchase because it also doubles as a hip wrap for postpartum. It lifts and supports your growing belly, while also reducing the strain on your back muscles. During your first trimester, you might need this band towards the end as your belly really starts to grow. We suggest wearing it for an hour or two at a time, especially if you’re exercising.
Second Trimester Belly Bands
For so many women, the second trimester is their favorite. Baby is moving a lot, you get to see that cute little face in an ultrasound, and you might even get to start planning a nursery or choosing a layette. But even more exciting—the second trimester is usually when women feel their energy come back and want to get out and about. If you want to capitalize on that newfound energy, don’t forget to take a belly band with you.
2-in-1 Bandit™
This one is your best friend, again! Seriously, we can’t recommend this band enough as you and your baby are growing.
Flawless Belly or Belly Boost
We also recommend the Flawless Belly or Belly Boost, both of which are designed to gently support your belly and seal in any stretch mark lotions or creams. Just rub that shea butter all over your growing belly to soothe itchy skin and help prevent stretch marks, slip on one of these, and keep your skin soft and moisturized all day long.
Third Trimester Belly Bands
This trimester, it’s all about growing. As you near the end of your pregnancy, your baby will start putting on a pound a week. And baby isn’t the only one changing. You might experience leg cramps, swelling in your ankles and hands, and backaches. Guess what? All of these things can be alleviated by wearing a belly support band just a few hours a day.
While you don’t want a lot of compression on your baby as they’re growing, having the support of a belly band can help relieve the pressure on your legs and feet (helping ease cramps and swelling!) and, of course, that support on your back will feel oh-so-wonderful.
Upsie Belly
As you get bigger (and baby does, too!) your belly might feel like it’s weighing you down. The Upsie Belly is designed to give you just a little bit of lift, relieving the muscles in your stomach and back throughout the day. Our favorite feature? A pocket designed for a hot/cold pack to give your lower back an extra dose of relief!
V-Sling
You know how you said you wouldn’t be one of those pregnant women who waddles by the end of her pregnancy? Nine months later, you might be eating your words. But with the V-Sling, you can get relief and avoid the waddle! The V-Sling supports your belly and uterine wall, which helps with symphysis pubis, pelvic floor pressure, and other issues that cause that stereotypical waddle.
Postpartum Belly Wraps
Many doctors are embracing the idea of a “fourth trimester.” You and your baby are still going through so much change and growth after birth. While your body is actively recovering from a major event—whether you had your baby vaginally or via C-section—you deserve all the support and love you got while you were pregnant, and then some.
With that in mind, we’ve developed several different types of Belly Wraps to help you not just recover from birth, but start to feel like yourself again . Here’s a breakdown on what each of our belly wraps do, so you can choose the one that fits your needs in the fourth trimester.
Original Postpartum Belly Wrap
We still love our O.G. belly wrap! It does all the things we designed it to do over a decade ago: slims and supports, strengthens core muscles, eases back pain, promotes mobility, and provides support after C-sections.
B.F.F. Belly Wrap
Utilizing Power Compress Core™ fabric, the B.F.F. Belly Wrap applies targeted compression; slims your belly, waist, and hips; and helps strengthen your core muscles that went through so much during pregnancy.
Viscose from Bamboo Belly Wrap
Our softest wrap ever, this wrap is covered in viscose from bamboo fabric, perfect for caring for your incision after a C-section or just giving your midsection a soft hug after birth.
Postpartum Luxe Belly Wrap
This belly wrap was designed with five levels of targeted compression for the perfect cinch postpartum. Ten years in the making, it combines all the things we love about our other belly wraps into one. Ultra-thin, breathable, and invisible under your clothes, it’s a new-mama favorite.
Couture Belly Wrap
If you need a self-esteem boost or want to feel chic after giving birth, snag this belly wrap! Covered in a super soft lace-printed fabric, it gently hugs and shapes your postpartum curves.
Mother TuckerⓇ Belly Compression Corset
This corset is designed for when you’re ready to transition out of wearing a postpartum belly wrap. It provides compression to help you look and feel your best postpartum, plus released tension at the bottom for more comfortable sitting. Flexible boning helps prevent rolling and digging, and gives your torso that long, lovely shape you want.
---------------
Having a belly band during pregnancy and a belly wrap for the postpartum period can give your body the extra level of support and compassion (even compression!) you need to feel and look great—through every stage of motherhood.