Common questions on Maternity Belts:
- Do Maternity belts help and how?
- What size should I get?
- Does it matter what I where over it?
- How tight should I wear it? (Can it hurt my baby?)
- What are the different types of maternity Belts?
Do Maternity belts help and how?
A maternity belt can help you by decreasing your Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP). I’m having this problem myself right now, and I’m using a maternity belt to reduce the discomfort. Here’s what happens…
Normally my pelvic joints (there are three) exist to make sure that no one part of my hip can move independently of the others; gotta keep those bones together! But you know all those pregnancy hormones you start churning out the moment your body knows it’s been impregnated? Yeah, you do! Well, the pregnancy hormone Relaxin (ha ha!) has the job of preparing my hips for birth by ‘loosening’ those three pelvic joints. So our joints and ligaments are just a bit more ‘slidy’ than they used to be, which makes for a more painful walking experience; it’s the main reason so many pregnant women develop that trademark ‘waddle.’ And not to mention all that extra baby-weight that’s adding downward pressure on those Relaxin-ated joints!
Okay, so that’s PGP. Anyway… the belt helps me by ‘cinching’ the newly stretched joints closer together, making them feel a bit more like they used to and reducing the pain. If you find that a belt is not enough for you, you can move up to a girdle that provides even more relief!
What size should I get?
You can find your size for the belt based on how much you weigh right now. For instance Small is 90-165 lbs., Medium is 150-220 lbs. and Large is 250-300 lbs. Keep in mind that you’re probably going to increase in weight (sorry!) so, if you’re on the cusp of a size, you might want to go the next size up because pregnant women rarely ever lose weight while growing a child. 😉
Some brands use your dress size to determine the right fit for you. When this is the case, they usually want you to use your pre-pregnancy dress size. If you are still unsure, ask a sales associate. And if they aren’t any help (they usually aren’t!) check directly with the manufacturer by phone.
Does it matter what I where over it?
I know that while I was pregnant, all care for style flew right out the window; the only thing I desired was a relief! So I wore my big (let’s tell the truth) ugly girdle over my maternity shirt, because no matter how comfy the girdle is I can’t wear it on bare skin because I’ll get occasional Velcro scratches. You might be able to find a girdle you can wear against your skin and when you do, if you care about undergarment lines, you can experiment with different layers according to the season.
But who out there has the gall to rag on a pregnant woman’s garment line? Only a nut; that’s who.
Here is a quick article (with video) on how to put on a maternity belt.
How tight should I wear it? (Can it hurt my baby?)
Wear it as comfortably snug as you can get it. Obviously don’t cinch yourself until you undo all the benefits. Why would you? You can’t hurt your baby as long as you read your manufacturer’s directions and wear your belt comfortably.
What are the different types of maternity Belts?
The usual pregnancy belt is elastic and fits around the back and stomach. You can adjust it to fit your body and will grow with you. It is a light to medium single piece support garment.
The girdle is a full torso support garment. It supports belly and back as the belt might but is decidedly more heavy duty (mine comes in 3 pieces!) and provides medium to maximum support. This is a good choice for the woman like me who needs extra support for her huge baby bump.
The maximum pregnancy support garment is called a ‘prenatal cradle.’ It works by redistributing the weight of your belly up off your pelvis. This option does have decidedly more strappage, crossing along your breasts, making it more challenging to cover with clothing; but it is invaluable to the woman carrying multiples!