Top 5 Benefits of Wearing a Maternity Belt
Top 5 Benefits of Wearing a Maternity Belt
Even in the perfect scenario, pregnancy is a wonderful but challenging nine months. In high-risk pregnancies or those with complications, these pains can be debilitating. It can feel scary and lonely. I want you to know you are not alone.
For more information, please visit Pelvic Brace For Pregnancy.
Hey there, beautiful, and congratulations on your pregnancy! This is such an amazing time for you! As someone who has been in your shoes, had questions about what was normal to feel during pregnancy, and as a Doctor of Physical Therapy who has helped thousands of women enjoy active pregnancies in my 15+ year career, I wanted to share with you how using a maternity belt can help you stay active and control any pregnancy-related pains as your beautiful bundle grows inside you!
Even in the perfect scenario, pregnancy is a wonderful but challenging nine months. In high-risk pregnancies or those with complications, these pains can be debilitating. It can feel scary and lonely. I want you to know you are not alone.
Pelvic Floor PTs are one amazing resource for you, but so are maternity belts. Since a maternity belt might be easier and quicker for you to come by than a Pelvic PT, I want to share with you the top 5 benefits of wearing a maternity belt. Additionally, I’ll plug one of my personal favorites, the KeaBabies Maternity Support Belt.
The Top 5 Benefits of Wearing a Maternity Belt
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Maternity Belts Reduce Pain. By offering circumferential support to your pelvic ring (translation: giving your pelvis a gentle hug), the belt assists in supporting your growing bundle of joy, thereby reducing pain.
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Stay Active While Pregnant. By providing pelvic ring support, a maternity belt allows you to do things you might not otherwise have been able to do from a comfort perspective. This is especially true in cases of complex pregnancy where pain may have caused inhibition of your core muscles, leading to more pain—a vicious cycle. A maternity belt can interrupt that cycle and help you stay (or become) more active.
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Work Smarter, Not Harder. Maternity belts complement the work of your own amazing core muscles. By doing a bit of the work to stabilize your pelvic ring, the belt frees up the abs, glutes, and pelvic floor to do other work that the belt cannot do. This makes it easier to maintain good posture and perform daily tasks.
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Specifically Designed for YOUR Changing Body. General SI Belts can be good too, but maternity belts were designed with a pregnant body in mind. They are lightweight, breathable, and have special materials by your belly to avoid chafing. If you’ve used a general SI belt in the past for pre-pregnancy woes, you owe it to yourself and your belly skin to purchase a special one for maternity use.
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Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. Do It for Your Baby. Numerous studies have shown that active mamas have healthier babies, better mental health, and greater fitness for delivery than moms who were sedentary. Wearing a belt can help control your pain and get you (or keep you) active.
So those are my Top 5 Reasons for Wearing a Maternity Belt. Remember to put them on with gentle compression, low around your hip bones. It should go under your undergarments, so you don’t have to move it on and off when you use the bathroom.
Why Do I Love the KeaBabies Belt?
Because of its construction. I find it to be high quality, easy to put on (out of the box, Velcro towards you, wrap around, and viola!), and it has held its quality through many (hand) washings (please secure Velcro first and dry flat, not in the machine). I also appreciate their eco-conscious packaging and the company’s care for the whole mama in general.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Please check out the KeaBabies Blog, Pelvic Floored Blog, and follow me on Instagram for more great tips! Remember, you’re not alone in this journey.
Meet Our Guest Writer, Dr. Kelly Sadauckas, DPT, OCS, ITPT
Dr. Kelly P. Sadauckas (sad-ow-skiss) is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who has specialized in treating pelvic health conditions for individuals of all sexes and ages for nearly two decades. She is a Board Certified Specialist with a goal of reducing geographic, financial, and psychosocial barriers to accessing high-quality pelvic health care worldwide. She has a special place in her heart for new and forever mamas. Follow her on social media for awesome, free tips on how to live your best life during pregnancy and beyond!
Pros and Cons of wearing a Pregnancy Belly Band
Approximate Reading Time: 2 Minutes
Low back pain? Pelvic girdle pain?
Finding it difficult to enjoy your pregnancy? Relief can be found in the form of:
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Pregnancy belts or belly bands as they are commonly referred to
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Specialized compression garments
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Physiotherapy or a combination of these
6 Reasons You Need to Be Careful with a Pregnancy Belly Band and Why It May Not Be the Best Solution for Painful Pelvic and Back Joints:
- Maternity support belts may impair blood circulation and negatively impact your pelvic floor and bowel function if worn too tightly or for too long.
- You are relying on your "feel" to get the right level of compression, potentially risking muscle deactivation by having a potentially dangerous level of compression.
- Pregnancy support belts should only be worn for short periods, 2-3 hours to prevent dependency and deactivation of your muscles in your bottom, abdominals, and lower back, leaving you unsupported for most of the day.
- Most pregnancy belly belts/bands do not move with your body, can feel restrictive, and need constant readjustment when sitting down or getting up.
- Pregnancy belts are not the most comfortable or flattering, especially if you are wearing them under anything that is fitted.
- Many pregnancy belly bands/belly belts have hooks, loops, or Velcro, so there is a chance of snagging your clothes.
SRC Pregnancy Leggings and Shorts are Specialized Compression Garments
Designed in consultation with an obstetrician for the ultimate comfort and functionality, they utilize patented Anatomical Support Panels that provide targeted compression, ideal for treating multiple conditions to help you enjoy your pregnancy and assist with:
- Low back pain
- Sciatic nerve pain
- Pelvic Girdle Pain (SIJ & SPD)
- Vulval and Varicose veins
The multi-layered support panels, called True Cross Compression, provide consistent and anatomically targeted compression during movement so compression is not lost during movement. SRC pregnancy compression garments are an effective, evidence-based choice for the prevention and management of pain during pregnancy:
- 82% of women who wore SRC Pregnancy Shorts or Leggings experienced a reduction in their discomfort.
- Backed by a 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee
- Endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association & Australian College of Midwives
They have all the benefits of belly bands and belts but none of the six disadvantages mentioned above.
Unlike belly bands, SRC Pregnancy Leggings and Shorts can treat various conditions, are more comfortable and convenient to wear, and are more likely to be worn for longer periods, which increases their efficacy.
4 Reasons to Wear Pregnancy Belly Bands / Belly Belts
Usually prescribed for extra postural support for severe symptoms of Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) and Pelvic Instability, there are good reasons to wear pregnancy belts/belly bands during your pregnancy if you have severe symptoms:
- Relieving pain in joints, muscles, and lower back
- Assisting with sacroiliac joint pain and hip joint pain
- Decreasing discomfort and providing support to the pelvic area during various activities by stabilizing the pelvis and relieving pressure from the lower back
- Helping improve your posture
Some women combine both a pregnancy belly belt/band and the SRC Pregnancy Compression Shorts or Leggings. The benefit for women with severe pain is that they can wear their SRC Pregnancy Shorts/Leggings 24 hours per day without causing muscle atrophy due to prolonged muscle deactivation. During periods where they need to be on their feet for an extended time, they can combine both products by adding the pregnancy belly band over the top for additional support.
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