Pregnancy Support Belt: 5 Amazing Benefits Of Belly Band 2024

Anything that makes pregnancy easier is going to get a lot of interest, both from pregnant women and the people in their lives. Pregnancy is not comfortable at the best of times, but it can also lead to long-term issues that continue after you’ve given birth.

A pregnancy belly band, also called a belly belt or maternity support belt can reduce the pain of carrying your new baby during pregnancy. Belly bands can also help moms during postpartum recovery.

They may be made of an elastic cloth or can be sturdy to offer more support. Most belly bands use a velcro closure, but there are other options as well. 

Many women find that, as their pregnancy progresses, the clothes they had to begin to get a little tight, while they aren’t quite ready for new maternity clothes. A belly band, while also acting as a support band, is used by some pregnant women to hide clothes that are a little tight or not completely fastened. 

Many pregnant women find that gentle compression helps with common pregnancy complaints, including treating carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy.

The main use is as a support band, however, as well as providing some gentle compression. Due to that compression, however, belly bands should only be used for a couple of hours at a time.

5 Benefits Of Wearing A Belly Band During Pregnancy

Reduces Pain

There are lots of different types of pain and discomfort associated with pregnancy. Some types of pain simply make life hard, while others may linger and cause problems long after you’ve given birth.

A growing baby bump will put increasing amounts of pressure on your lower back, causing some significant back pain. The changes a woman’s body undergoes also can cause pain, as ligaments and tissues are stretched in new ways. Some common types of pain can include:

• Pelvic girdle pain
• Back pain
• Round ligament pain

Pelvic girdle pain is a catch-all for all pelvic pain, originating in the pelvis and hips. Round ligament pain^[1] refers to pain that results from stretching the two ligaments^[2] that connect the uterus to the front of the pelvis^[3]. 

A belly band will relieve pain^[4] by changing the distribution of weight and giving some extra support. 

Eases Movement

Despite the hunched-over, keyboard-friendly posture most people end up with these days, proper posture has your spine and head erect and muscles relaxed. At that point, your center of balance is between your feet. Less strain is put on your back and abdominal muscles.

When a baby begins to develop, your center of balance is pulled forward by your pregnancy belly. It’s no longer easily between your feet. Balancing gets more difficult. You’re also putting a lot of strain on your lower back and spine.

Pregnancy belts can help by supporting the baby bump, distributing the weight, and relieving pressure on the lower back. That can also help to make balancing a little easier.

Even simple motions like standing up or sitting down can be an adventure for pregnant women. By making it easier to stay balanced, these basic motions also become easier.

Facilitates Activity

Exercise may be the last thing a pregnant woman wants to do. However, there’s really no question that exercising, or at least some degree of activity, is very important to the mom’s health. It also can affect the baby’s health, even after they are born and develop.

There are a number of low-impact, low-intensity options for exercising. Yoga for pregnant women is one great example, but even a simple walk is enough. Whatever sort of activity you can manage, a belly band can make moving easier. Physical activities may be the last thing on a pregnant woman’s mind, but it is an important part of staying healthy.

It might help to think of a belly band as similar to a sports bra, in that it can provide support. A belly band can also help keep your belly from moving and adding strain. As a result, everyday activities can be much easier.

Improves Endurance

A belly belt can improve endurance in a few different ways. 

• Relieving pain, allowing pregnant women to stay mobile for longer
• Makes moving and balancing easier
• Additional support allows a faster recovery

Most discussion of pregnancy belts centers on their use as the baby grows. Sometimes, they continue to be worn after the baby is born^[5], however.

A pregnant woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy, but also afterward as many of those changes are undone. In particular, core muscles tend to be stretched and weak. That can lead to lower back pain and other problems.

Abdominal Muscle Strength

Your core muscles include external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis. When most people think of core muscles, they think of a six-pack of abs. Those muscles are actually called the rectus abdominis muscles. 

A pregnant woman’s belly has to grow fairly large to accommodate a developing baby. In the process, the rectus abdominal muscles are stretched. Sometimes these muscles are stretched so far that they separate, a condition called diastasis recti abdominis^[6]. 

Even when that doesn’t happen, those muscles are usually substantially weakened after pregnancy. That can lead to lower back pain and difficulty returning to pre-baby weight. 

Belly bands have been found to make a significant difference in retaining and building core muscle strength. New moms were generally found to be stronger, have trimmer waists, and lose weight faster when using belly bands.

Disadvantages of Using a Pregnancy Belt

A pregnancy belt has generally been found to be very helpful both during and after pregnancy. However, there are a number of reasons to use a pregnancy belt in moderation. Disadvantages of a support band may include:

• Not as effective for postpartum recovery as exercise
• Unknown long-term side effects
• Skin irritation
• Change in fetal heart rate

One concern is that there are no real long-term studies on the effects a pregnancy support belt will have on a child. When used properly, the belt should only provide support and a little compression. Wearing a support band has also been associated with a change in fetal heart rate. 

The same may be true of any other maternity support garment. While doctors don’t seem too worried about it, being cautious might be good.

Support bands weren’t as effective in aiding postpartum recovery as a simple exercise. While mothers who used pregnancy belts did display a significant increase in ab strength, moms who didn’t use the belt were even stronger^[7].

Weaker muscles can lead to lower back pain, heartburn, drops in blood pressure, and other issues. However, that might just indicate that pregnancy belts and exercise might go best together.

One complaint common to women using support bands is skin irritation. The material of the band may not always be very breathable. A pregnant woman might use the band frequently, particularly when moving or exercising, and therefore build up a sweat.

Skin rashes and irritation follow. The answer is to take the support belt off and allow your skin to breathe. 

Alternatives to a Pregnancy Belt

Pregnancy belts are generally considered safe to use. However, if you’re interested in other options to try^[8], there are a lot of ways to reduce an expectant mom’s pain and stress. They include:

• Acupuncture
• Water gymnastics
• General activity
• Yoga

Most of those are some variety of exercise, which is probably not a coincidence. Being more fit and strong helps in almost every situation. It also can help pregnant women reach and maintain a healthy body weight, which is another big indicator of general health.

Acupuncture was found to be very effective in a number of studies, as well. It helped to reduce pain and make the activity easier. Additionally, it appears to have no adverse effects. 

Any one of these strategies can be effective on its own, but combining them in a way that works for you may be the best way to go.

New mothers can generally use all the support they can get. Belly bands offer a more literal form of support, helping to manage the growing awkwardness of a baby belly. There is a whole range of options, from stretchy bands to stiffer bands that provide more support. 

This is one health product that seems to deliver on its promises. Not only is it effective at relieving pain, but it also can help pregnant women improve their overall health. 

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