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SUMMARY: Belts are a common device used for pregnancy pain relief with elements that are good, bad, and sometimes ugly! Understand some of the dangers that may be associated with pregnancy belts/bands and how to overcome these and why some health professionals recommend alternative solutions. All belly belt/band products are safe when used according to manufacturer guidelines and/or your health care practitioner directions.
As with all health-related products, the key to making the right decision for yourself, especially during the period of pregnancy, is knowledge and understanding. We strongly recommend consulting a Women’s Health Care professional like a physiotherapist that specializes in pelvic health who can provide an individually tailored approach to your pregnancy and postpartum needs. So, what are belly bands, maternity belts and pregnancy belts?
Pregnancy belly belts are also sometimes incorrectly referred to as belly bands, however there is a difference between the two.
a) Belly belts are designed to carry your belly weight. Not as lightweight as belly bands because they hold up the pregnant belly and take the pressure off your back.
b) Belly bands on the other hand, according to "Pregnant and Perfect" provide you with proper ‘coverage’. When your pants stop fitting, the fabric you place around yourself are called a belly bands. Huggies define belly bands as “an item of clothing and looks like a tube top or boob tube.” It is a wide circular strip of fabric, which is seamless and knitted; much like a pair of pantyhose is woven. Made from fibres like Cotton + Elastane/Spandex or Lycra, belly bands stretch in order to stay up and on and also to “grow” with your abdomen as your pregnant belly expands.
Because the generic terms “belly belt and maternity belt” do not specify whether they are for pregnancy or post-natal use these terms are ambiguous, and you need to work out what stage of your maternity journey they are for; during pregnancy or for recovery after birth. Maternity belts and belly belts can be either a pregnancy support belt or a post pregnancy tummy wrap. Here we will only focus on the pregnancy support belts and belly bands, generic terms that are used interchangeably.
The term "pregnancy belt" clearly states that this aid/appliance is for wear during pregnancy hence making it easier to learn about the pros and cons for your specific circumstances before consulting your health care professional.
Let's dive into the Good, The Bad and The Ugly of pregnancy and maternity belts and examine the most important first - the ugly - a warning that every mother should be aware of and then progress to the bad and good features and benefits of these products.
Belly bands in the original definition of the term are no more than stretchy bits of fabric to provide the coverage over your belly when your pants stop fitting you. So they have no therapeutic purpose whatsoever. This is also confused by brands and products that have the term “belly bands” in the name yet are providing pregnancy support belts that do have a therapeutic purpose.
Pregnancy belly belts or maternity belts, if used for too long a period of time or incorrectly, fall into the same category as shapewear which by definition is designed to change shape of your body with high levels of compression. Here are some medical opinions discussing the dangers of pregnancy belly belts/bands or maternity belts that act like shapewear if worn incorrectly by their user:
According to Sherry A. Ross, MD, author of “she-ology, The Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health. Period”, the benefits and risks for pregnant women depend on the maternity shapewear product, and how much you wear it. She goes on to say that:
"Maternity shapewear that is too tight and puts too much pressure on the body is never a good idea. If you have trouble breathing, or you're in pain while wearing your shapewear, that's a sign that it's probably too tight for you. Discomfort, pain, reduced blood circulation and heartburn are some of potential issues from maternity shapewear that is too tight or worn for prolonged periods of time. Ross is most concerned about the Kardashian favourite “waist trainers” that can, if done up too tightly, compress and squeeze internal organs and ribs."
Shapewear that’s too tight may lead to health problems, says neurologist Orly Avitzur, MD, medical advisor for Consumer Reports. "Any time we put on really tight garments we take the risk of compressing organs or nerves." Avitzur says that in her practice, she has had patients complain of tingling and numbness in the front to outer thigh region, from hip to knee. Avitzur has linked the cause back to restrictive clothing like shapewear or skinny jeans, in the article titled "How to Choose and Use Shapewear" on WebMD.
You can also become overly dependent on the pregnancy belt which is the exact opposite of what you should be trying to achieve. “Activate don’t de-activate” is often heard advice of many women’s health physiotherapists as well as the founder of SRC Health, Sinead O’Donovan who developed various ranges of gentle grade medical compression garments; for different stages of a woman's life.
Remember it's never too late or too early to start improving your pelvic floor and core strength.
The commonly accepted advice about belly belts and bands means that you shouldn’t be wearing it all day long every day. Wearing it just for two to three hours every day is best. If you were to wear it too long, you may end up weakening your lower body muscles causing muscle wastage: a garment that supports your stomach and bottom all day, every day, will take the load away from muscles and ligaments.
London-based physiotherapist Sammy Margo, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, explains: 'What I say to my patients is “use it or lose it”. 'What we find is that women who wear maternity shapewear when they have no physical need can weaken muscles in their bottoms, stomachs and lower backs. 'After the birth of their baby, they are more likely to be injured as they lift and care for their newborns' she warns.
So please ask your doctor how to wear your belly belt to avoid putting pressure on your uterus, and only wear a belly belt for a couple of hours a day, never wear a pregnancy belt continually. Alternatively, there's always a more comfortable / practical alternative, one where you don't have to worry about deactivating your muscles that is discussed straight after The Bad.
The issue with most belly belts/bands, even those that have stretchable inserts, is that they:
We recommend you to try one on and/or make sure you can get a refund if the product simply irritates you when you have to constantly readjust when sitting down or getting up.
Approximately 70% of all pregnant women suffer low back pain and up to 45% exhibit symptoms of Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)1,2. Women with one or both conditions can find it difficult to cope with and participate in everyday activities.
Usually prescribed for extra postural support for severe symptoms of Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) and Pelvic Instability, here are a number of good reasons to wear pregnancy belly band/belt during your pregnancy:
Although research has found 83% of women with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) or Lower Back Pain (LBP) LBP experience reduced posterior pelvic pain when wearing a pelvic support belt, with only 12% experiencing no relief, and 5% reporting they felt worse (Depledge et al., 2005) other factors need to be considered when prescribing pregnancy belts / belly bands, given the target population is pregnant women. These factors include:
- low levels of compliance3 in wearing pregnancy belts due to issues like comfort, need for frequent re-adjustment, skin irritation from the seams and fasteners.
- positioning of the belt,
- accuracy in sizing,
- required compression
- location to stimulate stabilizing muscles, and
- effects on core body temperature (a special consideration, as this needs to be carefully regulated during pregnancy) (Damen et al.,2002; Ho et al., 2009b).
With 15 years’ experience under our belt, figuratively speaking, we know a thing or two about the industry and how to assist mothers to deal with the most common conditions during pregnancy.
Designed by women for women in consultation with an obstetrician, the SRC Pregnancy compression garments, maternity leggings and shorts, address the majority of the most common conditions during and after pregnancy.
A Quasi‐Experimental Study To Evaluate The Use Of Compression Garments To Manage Prenatal Pelvic And Low Back Pain by Szkwara J, Hing W, Pope R, Rathbone E, Bond University, Robina, Australia, November 2017 concluded that:
"SRC Pregnancy Shorts are effective, thermally safe and a non-pharmacological option for prevention and management of pain during pregnancy."
Hundreds of women's health care professionals recommend SRC compression garments for pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
Anna Scammel is a Masters-trained Women's Health & Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist from The Whole Mother who helps optimise your physical health during pregnancy and recovery. See (90 seconds) why she favours SRC Pregnancy Leggings and Shorts over maternity belts, pregnancy belly bands/belts.
SRC Pregnancy compression shorts and leggings are more expensive but also present a more versatile and functional investment for many women.
They are a purpose made medical grade compression garment (leggings graduated 4mmHg to 15mmHG) can be worn as outerwear or as an undergarment.
SRC Pregnancy compression and can be worn 24 hours a day without deactivating your muscles which as described above presents a real challenge with pregnancy belly bands/belts of all types.
SRC Pregnancy Shorts and Leggings are ideal for providing pain relief during pregnancy and treating Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain, Mild Varicose Veins, Sciatica and Vulvar Varicosities.
Speaking of vulvar varicosities, this is a condition pregnancy belly bands/belts simply can not address unless through the use of a different pelvic belt that provides compression to the pubic area but resembles a marriage of a medieval chastity device and a jockstrap! Not exactly a sexy fashion statement.
Designed to be worn under regular clothes and most importantly comfortable, SRC Pregnancy Shorts and Leggings will assist you in getting through the demands of work and exercise and aid in reduction of leg swelling, they can be worn from 12 weeks, until term and keep you looking and feeling fabulous.
"Have found the src pregnancy shorts to be very helpful for my pelvic girdle pain. Now not worried about going for walks."
"Absolute game changer! I wish I got the shorts sooner, and currently in my 3rd pregnancy & chasing two toddlers too! These shorts have provided wonderful support for me to continue enjoying my pregnancy as I go into the third trimester!"
"Amazing. Definitely helps with back strain and the pain from symphasis pubis dysfunction and pelvic girdle"
"Great product. Started wearing the mini over the bump shorts at 22 weeks and felt near instant relief from SIJ pain and an aching lower back."
"Great compression. Definitely pays to measure up correctly, as having the correct size can create the compression that you need otherwise they don’t serve their purpose. Have lived in these since they arrived!!"
"Worth the money. Gave SO much relief for vulvar varicose veins. A total game changer in a good way!"
"Comfort & Confidence. I lived and loved my SRC Pregnancy full length over the belly tights. I felt secure, comfortable and confident making my belly shaped perfectly and dressing to a growing belly easy."
Some women combine a pregnancy belly band/belt and their SRC Pregnancy Compression Shorts /Leggings. The benefit for women with severe pain is that they can wear their SRC Shorts/Leggings 24 hours a day without causing atrophy due to prolonged muscle deactivation and during periods where they need to be on their feet a lot, they can combine both products by adding the pregnancy belt for additional support.
Pregnancy belly bands/belts and maternity belts:
In short, the SRC maternity compression leggings and shorts have all the benefits of belly bands/belts with no disadvantages listed above and we have the science to prove it.
A Quasi‐Experimental Study To Evaluate The Use Of Compression Garments To Manage Prenatal Pelvic And Low Back Pain, from Bond University, concluded that SRC Pregnancy Shorts are effective, thermally safe and a non-pharmacological option for prevention and management of pain during pregnancy.
A holistic approach to management of these pre and post pregnancy conditions will produce the best outcome. Visiting a Women’s Health Physiotherapist can greatly assist as they will provide you with a tailored program which may include clinical Pilates as well as fit you for the right garment for supporting you through the pregnancy journey.
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