Pregnancy is not just a phase in your life, it is an experience. It is something that alters your life altogether. When a woman is pregnant, it completely changes her way of life and her thought-process. Pregnancy brings with it a million and one questions; what should I wear? What is OK to eat? Are my actions going to affect the baby? So on and so forth.
Pregnancy: Concerns and Questions
All these questions and more are always on the minds of women, and it seems like everything they do, has to have a connotation with the well-being of their child.
Not saying that this is wrong or unnecessary, it is absolutely essential, rather, it is actually instinctive to have these thoughts and to be concerned about your baby, because after all; everything that you do during this time, will somehow reciprocate and effect your baby.
There are numerous questions that women ask everyday, questions like; Is sushi good for me during pregnancy? Can I have fizzy drinks? Does a belly band affect the baby? Are maternity pillows effective? These are the most commonly searched questions throughout all search engines. All of these questions stem from your concern and you have every right to ask them.
The one question that we will be addressing today is about pregnancy belly bands, what they are, what they do and whether they are beneficial or harmful for the baby.
Pregnancy Belly Bands
The concept of maternity belly bands comes from the ancient technique of belly binding. There are two types of belly binding; pre and post natal. The concept is that if you bind your tummy after delivery, it helps to provide compression and tighten your core muscles and helps you get back in shape in no time. Building on the same concept, the idea of pregnancy belly bands was conceived.
Belly bands are part of maternity wear. They are, like the name suggests, bands that you wear around your belly, and the basic purpose of them is to provide added support to your pregnancy bump, as it grows bigger, starting from the second trimester.
They provide a lifted feeling to your bump, and take some pressure off your pelvic and back bone so that you feel relieved and do not get tired while doing basic chores during the day.
There are many different types of pregnancy bands now available, and many brands have added additional support gear and extra features which help with one thing or the other, alleviate some ache or the other during pregnancy.
There are so many different styles and colors to choose from as well. Belly bands have definitely become a staple for pregnant women around the globe. It is as important as maternity pants!
Women who have not yet used a belly band often wonder does a belly band affect the baby and rightly so; because belly bands are worn directly on the belly and people might think it to be constraining. However, belly bands are an extremely safe way of harnessing your body and protecting yourself from extra aches and pains during pregnancy.
They are a medically approved and recommended support system that allow you to go about your day while safeguarding your belly and also provides aid in making you feel relaxed.
Do Belly Bands Have an Impact on Babies?
Yes, they do and there are many ways in which they affect them.
Provide compression
Belly bands provide compression to the belly and make it nice and warm. Compression creates a soothing effect around your belly and hugs the contours of your belly so you feel snug. This relaxes the body, which will have an impact on your body’s blood pressure and will also then have a positive effect on your baby.
Round Ligament Pain
Round ligament pain, also known as growing pain, is a common symptom of pregnancy. It usually starts at the end of the second trimester and happens near the abdomen. It is a sharp jabbing pain or a dull pain that causes discomfort.
Round ligament pain usually happens when the ligaments of your body become loose and stretch out during pregnancy, this happens because of a hormone that helps you accommodate your growing baby and uterus. Belly bands help support your pelvic area and provide gentle contain the pain.
Many people often also wonder if belly bands constrain the loosening of the round ligaments. The answer is no, they do not hinder the loosening of the ligaments at all. They just keep you nice and tight so you wouldn’t feel too much discomfort.
Wobbly Belly
Often, when pregnant women walk, jog or exercise, they feel that their tummy is moving too much or wobbling. This is common for women who are relatively more active during their pregnancy. They feel that they might be moving their belly too much, causing their baby inside to go on an off-roading trip or make the baby feel like he/she is on a roller coaster.
This wobbling is also lessened if you wear a belly band as it will keep your bump nice and secure. So, you will be able to go about your day without having so much trouble.
Do Belly Bands Constrict Blood Flow?
Not really. Not if you know how to wear the belly band correctly or fasten is properly. Constricting of blood flow is a very rare possibility, however, that is why all brands ensure that they give you a proper guideline about fastening the belly bands. Tying the belly band around your bump too tightly could cause constriction of blood flow and shortness of breath, not to mention intense discomfort to you.
This is why you should tie the belly band around your abdomen just tight enough so that it makes you feel lifted, but not make you struggle to move around or breathe.
Conclusion
So, if you are still wondering does the belly band affect the baby, you now know that it doesn’t. Belly bands are designed with immaculate perfection and are recommended by doctors, so they must be doing something useful. Use the belly band and you would know the benefits it has to offer. There are some amazing belly bands to choose from, so go and get the best belly band that you can find.
There are some great belly bands that you will find online. The best thing is, now you can find belly bands catering to your specific needs and wants. You can get belly bands that have added groin support, fitness belly bands that you can wear for exercising, seamless belly bands for those who feel claustrophobic, belly bands for postnatal care as well!
There are multitudes of options available, they come in different sizes so you can choose one that fits you well, and different colors so that you can wear them under your clothes or flaunt them from over your dressing too, and the best part is that they are all affordable and one band will last you your entire pregnancy, your postpartum phase and, if you take care of it and handle it well, you can keep it for future pregnancies too!
Once you start using maternity belly bands, you will find that they are a great support to you and if you are happy, you can be sure that the baby inside is happy too.
