Pregnancy period is followed by many body changes - Women’s tummy stretches, their bust grows and they gain weight around their hips, thighs, and arms. These changes are accompanied by striation, chafed thighs and pain in the back section. Many women choose to bear with the pain and discomfort without knowing that maternity shapewear undergarment can relief them from pain and unpleasant feeling of discomfort as they journey through pregnancy stage.
In this guide you will learn about:
- Top 5 benefits of maternity shapewear during and after pregnancy
- Different types of shapewear and their main features
- Best maternity shapewear garments for everyday use
- Best maternity shapewear garment for special events
Maternity shapewear is becoming a huge trend among both expectant moms and women in post-pregnancy. Supported by strong celebrity endorsement the popularity of this shapewear is growing increasingly.
Maternity shapewear is a specially designed garment that can help you smooth out and hide undesirable bulges and provide support to growing baby bump, and ease pain and discomfort. Women can choose from a large selection of maternity shapewear, from belts to bands, bras, and vests. Each garment has different advantages, and each expectant mom will have her own priorities when it comes to support and comfort. This guide provides an insight into the most popular maternity shapewear items, with a focus on the benefits and downsides of each type.
Top 5 Benefits of Shapewear During and After Pregnancy
There are many benefits to wearing shapewear during and after your pregnancy journey.
Lose the Baby Pooch
First and the most important reason is so-called "Post-baby Pooch" Basically, it is that last piece of tummy that sticks out even after you get back to your regular weight. It is even impossible to suck it in. It is caused by pregnancy phenomenon called Diastasis Recti. Diastasis Recti happens when the booming uterus stretches the muscles in the tummy causing the two large parallel bands of muscles that hit each other in the middle of the tummy to separate. This tummy separation results in a bulge in the midriff.
Support Your Back
Maternity shapewear offers alleviation from upper and lower back pain, as well as eliminating pressure on the pelvic region, and strained muscles and ligaments.
Support Your Back
During pregnancy, breasts tend to grow tremendously, so it becomes very hard and uncomfortable to bear them especially for women who experience tenderness and sensitivity. That’s where maternity bra comes in place, providing a neat support while giving the breast a natural shape.
For Every Stage of Your Pregnancy
Maternity shapewear garment forms and fits women’s body throughout the pregnancy stage improving the overall body posture.
Improve Your Self Esteem
As long as it’s not bothering their body maternity shapewear can help expectant mothers feel more confident and it can boost their self-esteem in the pregnancy stage when many body changes occur.
Get The Benefits
Maternity shapewear can eliminate pressure of the growing uterus on the tummy is the main reason why separation occurs. Wearing a compression garment during gravidity will ease that pressure. There are different options when it comes to maternity shapewear, from light to medium control depending on the pregnancy phase and the amount of compression that you are looking to achieve.
Maternity Shapewear Collection
Types of Maternity Shapewear
Maternity shapewear consists of form-fitting undergarments that women wear during pregnancy, and for some time after. Similar to regular shapewear, the garment comes with shaping panels, that smooth out and draw in some of the unshapely bits, and creates seamless, neat, well-toned lines beneath the outside surface of clothing. As opposed to regular shapewear, maternity shapewear garments are less firm so as not to restrict the baby belly, although many contain soft panels that support the bump and relieve pain and discomfort in the back section, hips, and pelvis.
Maternity Support Belt
This maternity shapewear garment is a band designed to be placed on the underside of the baby belly, above the hips and around the lower back. It lifts and supports the belly in a subtle way so that it eliminates pressure on the back and pelvis. This is especially important in the later period of gravidity when the pressure tends to become stronger. This belt features full adjustability that ensures women to unfix it as their pregnancy progresses, so as to keep the comfort and eliminate unpleasant pressure on the back or the bump. Maternity support belt should be both comfortable when sitting and standing, without the need for readjustments. High-quality support belts are designed of a very soft, but durable fabric that does not roll down or bunch up. This eliminates that feeling of irritation of the delicate skin while giving enough support to help future mothers to keep their body posture under control.
Equilibrium Maternity Abdominal Belt
Maternity Support Band
A maternity support band is a kind of undergarment that is the most effective in late stages of pregnancy. It is similar to a belt, but it’s more efficient when it comes to support, comfort and overall feeling of security. A support band provides coverage to the entire baby belly and fits around the lower back. Seamless bands are a preferable maternity shapewear, due to its invisibility that every expectant mother is looking for. Same as support belt, a maternity support band subtly lifts the baby belly, eliminating pressure on the lower back and the pelvic zone. The additional support enabled by the maternity band minimizes the risk of muscle stress. High-quality support bands are of made strong, but soft fabric, that doesn’t roll down or bunch up, but stays in place in a comfortable way, regardless of the woman’s movement.
Rago Extra Firm Wide Band Thong
Maternity Support Bras and Bustiers
A maternity support bra is very important maternity undergarment. As the breasts tend to grow significantly during pregnancy, bras that were once comfortable can become hard to bear quickly. This especially happens for women who experience tenderness and sensitivity. A maternity bra is a kind of shapewear that provides subtle support while creating a pleasing, and natural shape. Most maternity bras are not underwired, as this is extremely uncomfortable for most women, especially for those in the mid to late stages of pregnancy. A good quality maternity bra is seamless and made from a firm, but breathable fabric. In order to save money, women should consider buying a bra that stretches and grows with them throughout their pregnancy, otherwise, they will have to buy different maternity bras of different sizes. Not only should the cups grow, but the straps should be adjustable enough to offer breast support with a subtle upward lift. This improves overall body posture and alleviates upper back and shoulder pain.
Panty Shaper
Many expectant mothers have their thighs increased in size, together with their baby bump. Some women find this unattractive, so mid-thigh shaper pants can solve this problem. These maternity shapewear garments consist of tough, durable panels which draw in the thighs to create a smoother look and help to slim any areas of cellulite. The best thigh shapers are seamless without leg bands that could show through the clothes. These shapers reach to mid-thigh, providing coverage to the entire bump, as well as the thigh area, offering support and a subtle lift. They generally have pressure relief to prevent any discomfort in the back and pelvic region. This ensures a comfortable, healthy posture during and after pregnancy.
Abdominal binder
The Abdominal Binder Women use it to help them heal after a C-Section procedure. To help you stay as comfortable as possible during the process, this abdominal binder has outer boning to prevent rolling as well as a soft inner lining to allow your skin to breath.
Top Choice: Maternity Shapewear for Everyday Comfort
Finding the perfect blend of functionality and comfort is crucial for everyday shapewear. It needs to be easy to clean, breathable, and stay in place without causing irritation. Plus, durability is a must.
This garment provides the ideal level of support for daily wear, ensuring comfort without the discomfort often associated with formal shapewear.
Top Choice: Maternity Shapewear for Special Occasions
Navigating pregnancy and maintaining confidence during special events can be challenging. With your body changing daily, finding the right garment that offers support and flatters your figure becomes essential.
Whether it's for a photoshoot or a big event, investing in high-quality shapewear can save you from last-minute wardrobe mishaps and boost your confidence on the day.
Sizing Maternity Shapewear
Most maternity shapewear items should be purchased in the pre-pregnancy size, as manufacturers take pregnancy weight gain into consideration during construction. Still, every woman confronts with different amount of weight gain and has a different shape during her pregnancy period.
When purchasing a maternity bra, the crucial thing is to find the right fit. A bra that is too tight can cause serious discomfort issues, and a bra that is too loose will not offer enough support and can cause stretched ligaments. Expectant mothers should measure themselves for a maternity bra at the period of around 16 weeks, as much of the breast growth will have already happened by this time. While wearing a current bra, measure around the rib cage, pulling the tape measure quite tight. Lastly, measure around the fullest section of the bust, ensuring the tape measure is held equally all the way around.
Refer to size charts on product details page for proper size and measuring instructions.