THE POWER OF BELLY BANDS DURING PREGNANCY

OVERVIEW

You might have heard of maternity support clothing, prenatal cradles, belly straps or belly belts. There are many differences between them, which can lead to some serious overthinking once it comes to picking one or the other. This is why we decided to make it easy for you and selected what for us can be the most beneficial garment for you. 

Belly bands are made to support your lower back and abdomen during pregnancy. These flexible support garments provide many benefits for pregnant women, especially during the second and third trimesters. Here’s the five reasons why belly bands can be a powerful solution for you.

 

 

1) BELLY BANDS EASE YOUR PAIN 

Back and joint pain during pregnancy can become pretty uncomfortable and limit yourself from certain physical activities, even from your everyday routine. Studies from Spine Journal Trusted Source have shown the prevalence of back and pelvic pain exactly during pregnancy. It was reported that 71% of women accuse low back pain, and 65% pelvic girdle pain. Wearing a belly band during the second and third trimesters may help support your baby bump during life activities, which can effective in decreasing the pain overall.

ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN

This problem usually occurs during the second trimester. It can be felt as a simple ache or a sharp pain right on the front of the hip and below the belly. The symptom is caused by the extra weight and pressure generated by the growth of the uterus on the ligaments. Fortunately, this pain is temporary but it certainly can be almost unbearable. The use of a belly band would help distribute the weight of your baby across the muscles of your back and abdomen, relieving the ligaments from all the pressure. 

SACROILIAC JOINT PAIN

Sacroiliac joint pain is the direct reaction to the increment of relaxin in your body. Relaxin is a hormone released in your body during pregnancy which allows internal tissues to relax and grow. This hormone is extremely beneficial for a healthy pregnancy, however it also loosens and destabilizes your hip joints. The pain is sharp and sometimes agonizing. It can be felt right around your tailbone. In this case, the belly band creates support and helps stabilizing the joint, preventing unexpected cramps during activities. 

 

2) BELLY BANDS PROVIDE PLEASANT COMPRESSION

Some of you might have experienced the total discomfort of going for a run without a sports bra. I mean, the bounce isn’t too pleasant after a while… The same exact fundament applies to growing a beautiful belly bump. The warm and reassuring compression of the belly band helps supporting the uterus and ease your discomfort during a physical activity. 

IMPORTANT: It has to feel like a pleasant compression for a reason! Do not tighten the bands too much because it can impair circulations and cause some negative effects, like heartburn and indigestion. So avoiding becoming a renaissance lady but don’t keep it too loose either. The belly band needs to feel just right. 

 

 

3) BELLY BANDS IMPLEMENT YOUR POSTURE

Do you keep catching yourself “sway-backing” like a bow? Belly bands can give you an easy and constant cue to a proper posture. By supporting your lower back and torso, they incite a better posture and avoid an overextension of the lower back. The swayback is caused by the extra weight being carried on your belly combined with the weakening of your spinal muscles. 

4) BELLY BANDS GRANT YOU AN ACTIVE LIFE

Keeping an active daily life prepartum is one of the best advices we can give you. In fact we wrote a whole article about Prenatal Yoga, which you might find pretty inspirational.

So many studies have shown positive health benefits maintaining an active prenatal routine. Exercise increases muscle tone and decreases hypertension, depression and diabetes. It literally works like magic. Some women find it very difficult to exercise during pregnancy due to the constant discomfort and pain. However, belly bands can be extremely beneficial easing your soreness and granting you an active life, even with a big round baby belly.  

 

5) BELLY BANDS WORK EVEN POSTPARTUM 

How about saving up from buying another garment once you already have the belly band? After giving birth your core strength can decrease, as the muscles and ligaments were used to be stretched and strained during the pregnancy. Your body will need some time to heal back to normal. This body weakness can get in the way since now you’ll need to find all the strength in you to care for your baby. 

The usage of a belly band postpartum provides additional support to abdomen and lower back, decreasing discomfort, even for those women who suffer from diastasic recti (separation of the abdominal muscles), as, combined with specific exercises, it can assist in closing the gap between the abdominal muscles. This is not a magic wand, so it doesn’t heal the underlaying condition, but it can “turn off” the muscles in need of rest and repair. 

 

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Do not wear the belly band for more than three hours at a time.

• For a better core muscles support during exercises, it is recommended to strengthen the transverse abdomens as well while using the belly band. 

• Consult your doctor before using compression garments as you may have low or abnormal blood pressure. In this case, the belly band it is not advised. 

• Belly bands do not fix the underlaying disfunction. If the symptoms continue, it is better to connect with a physical therapist to address the ongoing pain during and after pregnancy.