Like many moms-to-be, the second trimester of pregnancy ushered in the official debut of my growing baby bump — and with it, some serious growing pains. Known as round ligament pain, these sharp, shooting pains typically flare up after week 14 of pregnancy, as your uterus expands and starts to grow out of the pelvis, says April Dunmyre, D.O., assistant director of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Womancare Associates in Pittsburgh.
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Pregnancy belly bands — sometimes called pregnancy belts or maternity belts — wrap around your lower back and abdomen to gently cradle your bump, easing pressure on your back and pelvis.
“[Pregnancy belts] can help support the uterus and, if worn lower on the abdomen, can help pull the baby off the pelvis,” explains Dr. Dunmyre. I found that wearing a belly band significantly helped alleviate my round ligament pain and made being on my feet more comfortable. Plus, they can potentially help relieve lower back pain in addition to pelvic pain.
However, keep in mind that these special bands for pregnant bellies are different from pants extenders, which are designed to help you wear your non-maternity jeans for longer and offer lighter support. (Although some belly bands may do both.)
In order to determine what pregnancy belly bands are safe and effective to use, I spoke to three OB/GYNs: Dr. Dunmyre, Shannon Smith, M.D. a board-certified OB/GYN and partner at Brigham Faulkner OB/Gyn Associatesin Boston, Massachusetts and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board, and Jennifer Wu, M.D., an OB/GYN and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. They provided advice as to how belly bands work and what to look for when buying one. I also referenced information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for additional research around belly bands.
Additionally, I used my experience both as a mom of two who wore belly bands and as a parenting editor to guide my decisions in selecting the best options. Finally, in order to get a more general sense of what brands and types of bands moms prefer, I spoke to moms on the What to Expect staff, and also canvassed the What to Expect community boards to get direct feedback from moms and moms-to-be who used belly bands.
One of my biggest tips during pregnancy is to be proactive and wear pelvic supports for pregnancy as needed. Taking care of your body (and vagina) can make it pregnancy a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience and keep you active and exercising throughout.
This is because pregnant women who are active and exercise regularly during pregnancy have an easier labor and delivery, decreased pain, decreased constipation, better sleep, decreased risk of postpartum depression and healthier babies.
If you are experiencing any type of pelvic pain during pregnancy (think cramping or heaviness, pain in your lower back, pain when you pee or poop, etc.) seek help!
An online pelvic health physical therapist can assess your situation and offer guidance, tips and tricks to navigate whatever it is you’re dealing with (there is nothing we haven’t seen!). In the meantime, if you need a little physical pelvic support, check out these two pelvic support belts below.
My favorite pregnancy support is the MomEZ Maternity belt.
I encourage women to start wearing this in their second trimester through the remainder of the pregnancy.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Pelvic Brace For Pregnancy. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
This support band helps support the lower back and abdominals, keeps the pelvis stable, decreases lower back and hip pain, and can help keep you active.
Remember, you want to wear this throughout the day and not just AFTER you start hurting.
You may experience vaginal swelling and/or varicose veins in your vagina due to the increased fluid and blood flow in your body during pregnancy.
Vulvar varicosities may cause an achy, heavy feeling. This feeling can become especially worse after a lot of standing or walking and at the end of the day.
For this I recommend the V2 support. It’s pretty much like a jock strap for your vagina. Wear it over your underwear BUT underneath clothing (just wanted to be clear).
This is also recommended to wear throughout the day, not just after the achy feeling commences.
This V2 support can also be used for pelvic organ prolapse after pregnancy as well (you may have this if you feel like something is falling out of your vagina).
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Are you currently pregnant or planning to conceive? If so, make sure to download my FREE resource — How to Prepare Your Pelvic Floor & Core for Childbirth + 8 Must-Dos for C-Section and Vaginal Deliveries.
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