Pregnancy Support Bands: Are There Benefits?

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.

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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.

Making the right decision for yourself is a matter of knowledge and understanding, especially during pregnancy. In order to provide an individually tailored approach to your pregnancy and postpartum needs, we strongly recommend that you consult a Women's Pelvic Health professional such as a physiotherapist/physical therapist who specialises in pelvic health.

Why use pregnancy belts or bands?

We know that approximately 70% of all pregnant women suffer from low back pain, and up to 45% experience Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)¹,². Pregnant women suffering from one or both conditions may find it difficult to function daily. Pregnancy Bands and Belts are often used to provide support and relief for these discomforts. Before we explore this aid any further, let us consider the causes of these pains.

It is believed that Relaxin, which is released during pregnancy, softens ligaments and soft tissues throughout the pregnancy and during breastfeeding. As ligaments become softer, the joints become more mobile, which may cause varying degrees of pain.

A pregnancy belt &#;holds up&#; your pregnant belly and relieves pressure on your back.

In the same way that &#;maternity belts&#; do not specify whether they are for pregnancy or post-natal use, the terms &#;belly belt&#; and &#;maternity belt&#; can sometimes be seen as vague. You must decide which stage of your maternity journey you need them for, during pregnancy or after delivery. The term pregnancy belt and belly band, which are interchangeable terms, may refer to either a pregnancy support belt or in some cases a post-pregnancy belly wrap. We will only discuss pregnancy belts and belly bands here.

A pregnancy belt or belly band clearly states that it is to be worn during pregnancy, so you are better able to learn about the pros and cons for your particular situation before consulting your doctor.

So let&#;s take a closer look at the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of pregnancy and maternity belts.

The Good

The following are a few good reasons to wear a pregnancy belt during your pregnancy, especially if you suffer from Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) or Low Back Pain (LBP):

Helps reduce, low back pain and aids with sacroiliac joint and hip joint pain.

They provide support to the pelvic area by stabilising the pelvis and relieves pressure on the lower back during various activities.

Dr. Smith, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, says maternity belts improve comfort during daily activities.

Although research has found 83% of women with Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) or Lower Back Pain (LBP) experience reduced posterior pelvic pain when wearing a pelvic support belt, only 12% experience no relief, and 5% reported that they felt worse (Depledge et al., ). Other factors need to be considered when prescribing pregnancy belts, since the target population is pregnant women.

The Bad

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Sherry A. Ross, MD, author of "she-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women's Intimate Health. period&#;, says that pregnant women's benefits and risks depend on the maternity shapewear product and how much you wear it. She explains this by saying; "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."

If a pregnancy belt is used too long or incorrectly, it can behave like shapewear, which by definition is designed to change the shape of your body by applying quite high levels of compression. Some medical opinions on maternity belts include the following: It is possible to alleviate back pain during pregnancy using pregnancy belly bands. Pregnancy belts provide support for the lower back and help redistribute the weight of the growing belly. However, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider before using them and follow the manufacturer's instructions. The danger is that if you do up the pregnancy belt too tightly you may deactivate your pelvic muscles making them weaker rather than activating them and making them stronger.

The Ugly

Dr. Christopher Smith has warned against wearing a maternity support belt for too long, as it may impede blood circulation as well as affect pelvic floor and bowel activity. However, he does advise women to wear them for brief periods during pregnancy, to prevent reliance on the belts and pair them with pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Remember, it's never too soon or late to begin improving your pelvic muscle strength!

Many Pelvic Health physiotherapists/specialists, as well as the founder of SRC Health, Sinead O'Donovan, often advise women to "activate don't de-activate," Sinead developed tailored compression garments for pregnancy and recovery after delivery.

Sammy Margo, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, says: "I tell my patients "use it or lose it". It has been found that women who wear maternity shapewear when they have no physical need can weaken their bottoms, stomachs, and lower backs. According to her, they are more likely to be injured after giving birth because of lifting and caring for their newborns.&#;

Additionally, there are low levels of compliance³ in the population wearing pregnancy belts because of issues with comfort, frequent re-adjustments, and skin irritation caused by the seams and fasteners.

If you choose to wear a pregnancy belt, you should ask your Pelvic Health Specialist how to wear it properly to prevent long term issues.

Now let&#;s look at an alternative to a pregnancy belt.

Having been in the industry for 15 years, we know a thing or two about helping mothers cope with pregnancy's most common conditions.

SRC Pregnancy compression garments, leggings, and shorts are designed by women for women in consultation with an obstetrician.

A quasi-experimental study by Szkwara J, Hing W, Pope R, Rathbone E, Bond University, Robina, Australia, November showed that as a non-pharmacological option for preventing and managing pregnancy pain, SRC Pregnancy Shorts are effective, thermally safe, and non-toxic."

Watch (90 seconds) why Physiotherapist Anna Scammel prefers SRC Pregnancy Leggings and Shorts over Maternity Belts and Belly Bands during pregnancy and recovery.

SRC Pregnancy Compression Shorts /Leggings with their unique patented Anatomical Support Panels (ASP) are recommended by thousands of women's health care professionals around the world to provide consistent gentle medical grade compression to increase pelvic and back support and reduce pain by improving their patients' mobility.

Their ASP&#;s deliver True Cross Compression which is a multilayered support panel that provides consistent and anatomically targeted compression. To manage pregnancy pain, SRC pregnancy compression garments are an effective, evidence-based choice:

82% of women who wore SRC Pregnancy Shorts or Leggings reported less discomfort².

The products are endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association and the Australian College of Midwives.

SRc Pregnancy Leggings

SRC Pregnancy Leggings and Shorts can treat various conditions, are more comfortable and convenient to wear and are therefore more likely to be worn for longer periods that increase their effectiveness.

The product is backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

SRC Pregnancy Compression Shorts or Leggings and a pregnancy belly belt are sometimes combined by women. In the event of severe pain, women can wear their SRC Pregnancy Shorts/Leggings 24 hours a day without experiencing muscle atrophy as a result of prolonged muscle deactivation. In cases where they need to be on their feet for a long period of time, they can combine both products by adding the pregnancy belly band over top.

References:

1. The Effect of Abdominal Support on Functional Outcomes in Patients Following Major Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Volume 62 Issue 3, Summer , pp. 242-253. Oren Cheifetz, S. Deborah Lucy, Tom J. Overend, Jean Crowe.
2. Effect of Abdominal Exercises versus Abdominal Supporting Belt on Post-Partum Abdominal Efficiency and Rectus Separation. International Journal of Medical, Health, Biomedical, Bioengineering and Pharmaceutical Engineering Vol:7, No:1, . Hanan S. El-Mekawy, Abeer M. Eldeeb, Marzouk A. El- Lythy, and Adel F. El-Begawy
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/ 

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