During pregnancy, it is crucial to take care of your body. It is important to know every little detail and take care of little things to avoid an unnecessary burden on your body. Pregnancy belly belts help a lot to support your belly weight. The belts are easily available in the market, and you can easily choose from a variety of choices.
The belly band helps in physically bringing the abdominal muscles back together. Wearing a belly band when combined with specific exercises, may help speed up the process of mending the gap between the abdominal muscles. Let us know about the pros and cons of these belts in detail.
In This Article
- Are Belly Belts Safe During Pregnancy?
- Can Maternity Support Belts Hurt the Baby?
- What Does a Pregnancy Support Belt Do?
- Benefits of Using Pregnancy Belly Belt
- When Should I Use the Maternity Belt?
- How Do You Wear a Pregnancy Belly Belt?
- FAQ’s
Are Belly Belts Safe During Pregnancy?
Belly belts are safe during pregnancy, but they also have some cons with their ultimate pros. Belly belts are very expensive. There is no point in buying such costly belly belts which do not even do their work properly. Belly belts will increase your expenses during pregnancy. You can also not wear it under your clothes. The biggest and serious cons are that women should avoid using belly belts for a long time.
They should also avoid the use of tight pregnancy belly belts. Tight belly belts or using them for a long time can reduce the blood flow in the abdomen and to the fetus. This can also have a negative effect on the growth of the baby. Also, while wearing belly belts, always read the instructions so that you can wear them in the correct way without bothering the growth of the baby inside the womb.
Can Maternity Support Belts Hurt the Baby?
While trying any kind of pregnancy belt, make sure you read the material it is made with. Rigid and tight belly belts can actually hurt the baby. Using a belly belt for a long time can also block the blood flow in your abdomen, which can be very dangerous and harmful for the fetus.
The specialists also advise not to wear a belly belt frequently since wearing them for a long time can make you habitual of it. You will face more pain than before if you constantly wear it for a long time. They can put extra pressure on your belly, which will reduce the volume of the womb and will ultimately affect the natural growth of the baby.
What Does a Pregnancy Support Belt Do?
A pregnancy belly belt is very common in women who work in the office and have a heavy professional life. It really helps in reducing pain in the lower muscles and makes your muscles feel relaxed. During the pregnancy period, the strain on your back muscles, increases, leading to pain in the back muscles.
- The pregnancy support belt gently compresses the back muscle providing extra support.
- Pregnancy belly belts gently support your baby bump.
- It helps in releasing the pain in the lower back and muscles around there.
- It helps a lot when you have heavy footwork to do.
Benefits of Using a Pregnancy Belly Belt
As mentioned earlier, the pregnancy belly belt reduces hip and back pain to a great extent.
1. Bring Down the Joint Pain During Pregnancy
During the third trimester, hormones are released to loosen the connective tissues of muscles and joints, thus increasing the pain in the hip and back. Round ligament pain and sacroiliac joint pain are unbearable pains that many expecting women experience during the second and third trimesters. Wearing a belly belt will help to reduce these pains to a great extent.
2. Helps to Maintain Good Posture
During pregnancy, changes can be observed very easily in postures. Maintaining a good posture during pregnancy is very tough. Improper posture can bring out many issues as well. But by using a belly belt, you can easily maintain a good posture during your pregnancy period.
3. Reduce Discomfort During Physical Activities
Exercise helps in the healthy progression of the pregnancy. Many expecting women find it hard to exercise during pregnancy due to pain and discomfort. Wearing a belly belt can reduce a lot of pain and will provide you comfort to a very great extent.
4. Permits to Take Part in Daily Activities Comfortably
Due to pain and discomfort, many women are unable to carry out their daily activities comfortably during pregnancy. The growing belly may interfere with the flow and pace of the daily chores she performs.
A belly band’s gentle compression can help support the uterus and reduce discomfort caused by movements. Thus, wearing a belly band allows pregnant women to participate in their daily activities comfortably.
5. Might Lower the Risk of Falls
Pregnant women who wear belly bands may be less likely to fall. Wearing belly bands greatly aids in the stabilization of a pregnant woman’s pelvis. This greatly helps in the improvement of their balance. Even clinical studies show that pregnant women who wear a maternity support belt have better balance and are less likely to fall during all three trimesters.
6. Provide Postnatal Support
Core strength is commonly reduced in the weeks following birth. Muscles and ligaments that have been stretched and strained during pregnancy take time to heal. Weakness, when combined with the demanding job of caring for a newborn, can be not only challenging but can also result in injuries.
Wearing a belly band after childbirth helps to support the abdomen and lower back. This can significantly reduce the discomfort of new mothers. A belly band can also help women who have diastasis recti, a condition in which the abdominal muscles separate.
When Should I Use the Maternity Belt?
Maternity belts can be used during and after the pregnancy period.
1. During Early Pregnancy Days
Many women also use maternity belts in early pregnancy days when they have fewer aches and need less support.
2. During the Third Trimester
Most pregnant ladies start wearing maternity belts during the third trimester. This is because the womb at that time increases in size very fast, thus leading to aches in the lower back. Also, it supports the increased belly very gently and reduces back pains, and relaxes the muscles.
3. After Delivery
Women can also use these pregnancy belts after they have given birth to a child. It helps a lot in readjusting your pregnancy clothing. Many women also face back pain just after they have given birth. That is why most women do not stop wearing maternity belts suddenly after giving birth to a child. You can put on a maternity belt until you feel free from every kind of lower muscle ache.
How Do You Wear a Pregnancy Belly Belt?
Here is how you can wear a pregnancy belly belt:
- Clasp the belt to one side of the ASP using the given hook and loop system.
- Stretch the other belt it reaches the other side ASP. You can adjust the belt according to your comfort or convenience.
- Make sure the belt is not too tight.
- Now hook the tummy strap in the upper corner of ASP until you can wrap it around your tummy.
- You can also adjust the tummy strap according to your comfort.
Now that you know about the benefits and risks of a pregnancy belly belt, weigh your options carefully and decide what is best for you as well as for the life growing inside you.
FAQ’s
1. Is a Pregnancy Belt Compulsory?
No, you need not wear one if you don’t want to. You can avoid it if it is uneasy or not comfortable. It is a must only if your doctor insists.
2. Can Pregnancy Belt Help Reduce Weight After Delivery
The belt can help in tightening the uterus. It can even help reduce the sag in the abdomen area. However, it cannot help you lose pregnancy weight.
3. Can I Wear the Pregnancy Belt at all Times?
Pregnancy belt tightens your abdomen. It is not advisable to wear the belt during meal times as it will interfere with digestion. Wearing it while going to bed is not a good idea either.
4. Should I opt for a Cloth or Elastic Pregnancy Belt?
Women used to tie a saree or a towel in the earlier days. Many women prefer cloth over elastic as it is less itchy and more breathable material. Also, once your stomach contracts, some elastic belts may be loose and not do their job well.
