As pregnancy progresses, the woman grows to accommodate the baby within. Her abdomen expands to give room to the baby. When the baby gains weight, she has to bear the weight and learn to balance it, which can be tricky and painful for some. As a result, pregnancy belly support belts are now widely available and widely regarded as essential items.
Many women need extra support to carry the weight. There are belts specifically designed to offer this support. Pregnancy belts are being increasingly used as women learn about the benefits of using them.
In This Article
- What Are Pregnancy Belly Support Belts?
- When To Consider Using Pregnancy Belly Support Belts?
- Benefits Of Using Pregnancy Belly Support Belts
- Types Of Pregnancy Support Belts
- How To Choose Pregnancy Support Belts?
- Top 6 Brands Of Pregnancy Belly Support Belts
What Are Pregnancy Belly Support Belts?
Pregnancy belly support belts are rigid bands. They have to be wrapped around the pregnant belly to offer support to the lower back, hips, pelvis, and abdomen itself, during pregnancy.
These belts can be worn on top of the clothing; however, some women prefer to wear them underneath their clothing. These belts come with adjustable straps, which enable you to use just one belt throughout the pregnancy.
Also known as maternity belts, these are made of flexible or elasticated fabric that is stretched over the belly to support the weight.
When To Consider Using Pregnancy Belly Support Belts?
You can start using the pregnancy or maternity belts right from your first trimester. One can start using these belts when:
- You are unable to perform your regular activities due to the extra weight in front that seems to be “hanging”
- If you feel the need to hold your abdomen tight every time you do any physical activities
- When you start experiencing backaches due to managing the weight in the front
- If your uterus is too low and you feel the need for extra support.
You should remember, these belts offer just a little support. They only offer minor compression to hold the belly in. They cannot offer extensive support to manage the weight of the baby.
Benefits Of Using Pregnancy Belly Support Belts
There is not enough scientific data to prove these belts are useful or beneficial in pregnancy. Some of the possible benefits these belts can offer, according to other women who have used them, are:
1. Hold Better
The belt’s compression can help hold your tummy tighter. So, you won’t feel your abdomen to be hanging or sagging under the weight
2. Extend Clothing
When you wear the belt over your clothing, it will cover your abdomen. If your top is lifting due to the expanding stomach, you can make do with the belt for a few days, before you have to invest in bigger-size clothing.
3. Postpartum
You can use these belts post-pregnancy too. After pregnancy, the empty uterus takes time to shrink back. You will need extra support and something to hold your uterus tight. These belts can be very useful.
4. Reduce Back Pain
As it helps hold the belly in a little tighter, it can reduce your back pain. It takes the load off your lower back.
5. Better Posture
With extra support to hold the stomach in, you won’t be bending backward to maintain your balance. The belt can help improve your posture.
6. More Stability
The belt offers more stability for the pelvic region, thus improving your balance and reducing the risk of falls.
7. Lowers Pain
In some cases, when the belly has more support, it can help reduce certain pains and discomforts.
8. Exercise
With better support to the belly, you can exercise more comfortably. You can even use this belt postpartum while exercising, running, or jumping.
Types Of Pregnancy Support Belts
There are many types of maternity or pregnancy support belts. The primary types that are generally used are:
1. Belly Bands
Also known as belly sleeves or maternity bands, these are tube-like clothing that is worn over the expanding belly region. They come in different sizes, shapes as well as colors, which many women love.
2. Belly Belts
These are rigid belts made designed to be worn over your regular clothing. They hold the stomach in and offer support for the lower back, hips, and pelvis, as the weight increases.
3. Maternity Cradles
These belts come with two straps. One strap is wrapped around the lower part of the abdomen – just below the bump and the other strap is narrower and wrapped over the belly region. So, there is one strap below and one above cradling the pregnant belly and offering support.
4. Maternity Clothing
A variety of maternity clothing is available today. You can choose from maternity briefs, leggings, or pants with an elasticated tube-like fabric just around the abdomen area. This part is elasticated and can expand as the pregnancy progresses. It holds the stomach tight and offers enough support while doing regular activities. Since it’s elastic, it expands as the abdomen expands, so you don’t have to keep investing in bigger-size clothes.
5. Belly Wraps
This is a stretchy fabric that is typically wrapped around the pregnant belly. So, it is one size that can be stretched more as the pregnancy progresses. It helps by supporting the lower back, holding the tummy in, and improving blood circulation. It can also be used after the delivery, especially if it was a C-section, to offer more support to the sutured area.
How To Choose Pregnancy Support Belts?
Choosing a pregnancy belt can be confusing since you cannot predict how big the abdomen will become or how much support you will need in a few months. Here are some tips to choose the correct pregnancy support belt:
- Wear the belt to check the size. Some brands have different size options, so ensure you don’t select a size too loose.
- Try it on your clothing and underneath to see which way you like it better. Some materials might irritate your skin when worn underneath your clothing.
- If a brand offers two sizes in one package, consider the offer as you may need a smaller size after the delivery
- If you want to hold the belly in, you can opt for the tube-type garment. Also, if you want to support under the belly, you can opt for the maternity cradle that can offer better support.
- Check how much the elastic expands. It should feel tight. If it is too loose or expands easily, it will not offer enough support.
- If you are planning to wear the belt over your clothing, choose a belt that won’t snag or ruin your clothes.
Top 6 Brands Of Pregnancy Belly Support Belts
Pregnancy is both the best and worst time for a woman. Motherhood is lovely, but it has certain problems that may be alleviated with the right products. Maternity belts are one among them. During pregnancy, you may experience pain in your stomach, back, pelvis, and anti-sternum. It is a difficult time for women, and a maternity belt is essential at this time. Find out the top brands of pregnancy belly support belts:
1. Tynor
Tynor pregnancy back supports have the advantage of technologically sound materials and cutting-edge design to offer the expectant mother adequate support. It effectively immobilizes the back and improves back pain brought on by the third trimester of pregnancy. Because of its lightweight & greater ventilation, it increases user comfort.
2. Tocolytic
Because of the way this belt is constructed, it will help maintain your weight distributed evenly, which will relieve pressure on your hips, pelvis, and back, allowing you to move more freely during your pregnancy.
3. Grasshopr
The belt can be adjusted to fit a growing belly at any point in your pregnancy. Has an abdominal lift attachment that tightens the stomach without adding strain. The belt is held in place and cannot move because of the built-in support
4. CellFAther
The adjustable CellFAther Maternity Support Belt supports your baby bump and gently compresses your abdomen. Supports and relieves lower back pain from strains, sprains, and muscle spasms protect your back from regular activities, and maintains proper sitting position throughout pregnancy.
5. Impotikaah
The IMPORTIKAAH maternity belt is the optimal solution for a broad range of pre- and post-natal issues! This pregnancy belly band, unlike similar items on the market, has a highly breathable design and is 100% skin-friendly, enabling you to spend your day doing what you love! This band is comfortable and simple to conceal beneath clothing, making it ideal for the gym, the home, the workplace, and everyday activities.
6. NEOtech Care
The NeoTech Care maternity belt supports the pregnant belly and lumbar spine. This pregnant belt distributes pressure over its surface to support the lower back. It includes four elastic side panels for compression and skin ventilation. Whether walking or standing, put this bump support belt over clothing.