Pregnancy is one of the most joyous and fulfilling experiences of a mother’s life. But it can become tainted and frustrating when you have to deal with constant back pain as well as joint and muscle soreness. This pain also hinders you from performing your daily routine tasks. The good news is, you have plenty of options available to tackle this problem, namely in the form of belly bands and support wraps. 

Belly bands consist of the soft and elastic wrapping material in the shape of wraps that can be worn just under the breasts and cover the whole hips. These belly bands are known to:

1. Improve blood circulation, helping sore joints.
2. Speed up postpartum recovery, this is especially helpful during cesarean delivery.
3. Support the lower back to gain back its posture.

Don’t know where to get belly bands from? Check out the Belly Bands and Support collection for a variety that will satisfy you regarding your convenience and comfort.

Problems Faced During Pregnancy:

Throughout the stages of pregnancy, your body keeps growing to make space for the baby developing inside you. This growth occurs in the form of your abdomen stretching and expanding and the rest of your body following suit. This stretching process and the excess amount of hormone release and blood flow results in your body becoming sore and ache constantly. Most of this pain is centered in the lower back which makes it hard for you to move around and perform daily activities.

1. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction: Also known as Pelvic Girdle Pain or Sacroiliac Joint, this occurs when the ligaments that keep the bones aligned become too flexible and relaxed due to the release of hormone ‘relaxin’, causing instability in the pelvis and triggers pain as a result.

1. Round Ligament Pain: This occurs due to a large amount of pressure from the growing abdomen onto your round ligaments, tissues that support the uterus from each side. This is a temporary but mostly unbearable condition.
2. Diastasis Recti: Partial or complete separation of abdominal muscles due to the stretching that occurs to support the growth of the baby. It isn’t limited to pregnancy, as a lot of babies and men suffer through it too.

Need proper support for your pregnancy pains? Have a look at Pregnancy & Maternity Belts.

The 4 Best Types of Belly Bands and Belts:

1. Pregnancy Support Bandage Belly Band with Velcro Closure:

It’s hard to battle back pain during pregnancy while carrying out daily life activities. The pregnancy belly band helps support your lower back and abdomen while you carry out your daily tasks. The material is manufactured with lightweight cotton and polyester material, making it soft on your skin. It provides gentle compression to ensure your growing abdomen is supported and discomfort is reduced. The band also provides support to the back and abdomen. 

Check it out at Pregnancy Support Belly Band.

2. Postpartum Bandage Belly Band:

Manufactured with breathable mesh fabric, this belly band is comfortable and soft on your skin. It comes with the added benefit of triple compression and built-in boning to help support your posture.

If you think this is the answer to your belly band concerns, have a closer look by clicking here

3. Maternity Support Belt

Made with soft cotton and polyester materials, this band distributes the abdomen and back weight, resulting in reducing the pain in ligaments that support the growing uterus. It’s a subtle design that doesn’t make itself obvious through your outfits. Check out the Maternity Support Belt for more information.

4. Lace-Decorated Pregnancy Bandage Belly Band:

Breathable fabric constructed of a multi-layered laminate with an elastic lining, the Lace Decorated Belly Band works to fix your posture during and after pregnancy.

The Importance of wearing Belly Bands

The purpose of belly bands is to provide support to pregnant women and to help regulate their posture, especially during the last 6 months and the postpartum period. While scientific evidence doesn’t exactly show belly bands to provide support, many women report having felt comfortable after they started using belly bands during their pregnancy or postpartum period.

1. Provide Support by Decreasing Pain:

Belly bands help reduce the pain in your back by dividing the pressure on your belly through some other areas of the body and as a result, help stabilize the body.

2. Provides Gentle Compression:

A growing abdomen can be uncomfortable without proper compression. Imagine traveling along a rocky road without wearing a bra, now you may understand the kind of discomfort we’re referring to here. Belly bands provide the necessary level of compression to support the uterus and minimize discomfort during physical activities.

Although, it should be kept in mind that too much compression can cause heartburn, impair blood circulation and affect your blood pressure in negative ways. 

3. Allows You to Engage In Physical Activities:

Prenatal exercises are important as they help keep your physical movement consistent and your muscles don’t become sore as a result. But many women give up on exercising or even performing daily physical tasks due to the increased amount of pain in the back and joints. Belly bands help you by providing support to the belly, reducing pain and allowing you to participate in your daily exercise routine. 

Comfortable, relaxing and breathable are just a few words to describe this belly band you may consider making a part of your wardrobe! Check it out at Lace Decorated Postpartum Belly Band.

4. Are Suitable During and After Pregnancy:

The postpartum period is a trying time for a majority of women. The muscles that were stretched during the pregnancy period will require a lot of time to heal and have become weak and prone to injuries. Hence wearing a belly band gives support to the abdomen and lower back, decreasing the amount of discomfort and weakness felt in the belly. 

It can also help with diastasis recti by helping physically bring the abdominal muscles closer. It should, however, be remembered that belly bands can result in making the muscles weaker by turning their functioning ‘off’ and causing long-term problems underneath.

5. Provide Support to Regulate Posture:

Belly bands constantly prompt you to regulate your posture. Pregnant women have a ‘sway-back’ appearance that happens due to the weight being carried in the front of the abdomen, which causes stretching and weakness in core spinal muscles. The belly bands support the lower back muscles and as a result, encourages one to correct their posture and prevent the over-extension of the lower back. 

Cons of Using a Belly Band:

Although it has delightful benefits, there are a few pointers that need to be remembered in order to prevent too much dependence on the belly bands.

1. Remember that belly bands are a temporary fix and if you have severe pain during or even after pregnancy, you need to visit the doctor first to decide what should be the steps to prevent said pain.
2. Always use belly bands for approximately 2-3 hours in order to prevent overdependence and let your muscles do the job they’ve been built to do or else they tend to become weaker and intolerable of dealing with pain.
3. Make sure you consult your ob-gyn before using belly bands as women with inconsistent blood pressure and abnormal circulation will not do well with the compression provided by these bands.
4. It’s necessary to exercise as well while using belly bands in order to strengthen your core muscles. 

How To Choose the Best Belly Band:

1. Make sure the belly band is made of soft and comfortable material. 
2. Too compressive or restrictive belly bands should be avoided at all costs.
3. It’s recommended not to use corsets or tight shapewear during pregnancy as your body needs space to grow instead of becoming too tightly closed in.

While belly bands can not be a permanent fix, they do provide the comfort you need during some specific phases throughout the pregnancy period. Your wardrobe choices all over matter a lot during this 9-month time-span. Make sure you check out the collection of maternity products available at Little Angel Baby Clothes.