Kinesiology taping is a tried and tested method of controlling the motion of your muscles and is a great method for reparative therapy. Many people get confused when they hear other people asking about the best kinesiology tape for pregnancy because what’s kinesiology taping got to do with pregnancy, right?
Trust me, there is a connection between the two, and it is like a match made in heaven.
What Is Kinesiology Taping?
Kinesiology taping is a decades-old practice of non-invasively controlling and restoring muscles to their correct state by taping the muscles.
Oftentimes, muscles need reparative treatment and need to be controlled in their movement if there has been some injury to the muscle. Muscle injuries are quite common in sportspeople, athletes, and fitness freaks.
One of the best ways to treat and control the movement of the muscle is to apply a medical-grade tape on the part of the body where the muscle has been affected and this will restrict its movement and help the muscle to get normal.
Not just sports injuries, but post-surgical treatment and physiotherapy also require taping to be done to the affected area and this is where kinesiology taping comes in handy.
How Is Kinesiology Taping Done?
Kinesiology taping is done by using medical-grade tape, usually made of a light and breathable material that is elastic in nature (usually a blend of soft cotton and spandex is used) and has strong adhesion as the glue made of an acrylic adhesive which has a strong grip and gets the job done.
The Kinesiology tape is used in multiple ways and can be used all over your body, depending on which area requires attention.
Recently, women started using the kinesiology tape during pregnancy and the results were mind-boggling. Thus, the advent of the pregnancy belly tape came to light.
What is a Pregnancy Belly Tape?
A pregnancy belly tape is more or less the same thing as kinesiology tape, but the only difference is in the way it is used. The kinesiology tape is generally used for muscle treatments, but the pregnancy belly tape is used during pregnancy to provide support to the belly and the back so that your pregnancy journey becomes a tad bit easier.
Women figured out that the kinesiology tape, which is light and breathable but strong, can be used during pregnancy to help ‘lift’ the belly as the bump grows bigger and give it support so that some weight may come off the pelvis and hips, which would help you feel better, curb round ligament pain and help you move around easily.
The pregnancy belly tape is usually used from the middle of the second trimester all the way to the end of your pregnancy. It is used to give extra support to the belly, lift it, and redistribute the belly weight that has been dragging you down and making you feel extra tired.
It is an alternative to the pregnancy belly band but is aerated and light-weight so you won’t feel like you have extra clothing on as this can be worn without showing under clothes. The fact that it doesn’t show and you can wear any dress over it without your midriff being bulky is one reason why women are opting for it.
While it is difficult to say which of the many brands available is the best kinesiology tape for pregnancy, it is however, easy to differentiate the different brands according to what they offer best and the one unique selling point that their product has which makes it stand out from the rest.
Our Top Picks
Overall Best Kinesiology Tape for Pregnancy: Tummy Tape
Best Kinesiology Tape for Back Pain: KT Tape
Best Self-Applying Kinesiology Tape: Tummy Tape
Best Kinesiology Tape for Athletes: RockTape Pregnancy Tape
Best Kinesiology Tape for Gifting: Frida Mom Pregnancy Tape
Tummy Tape
One of the leading brands in the belly tape industry is Tummy Tape. It is an ergonomically designed belly tape that is made with a soft cotton and spandex blend and has great adhesive power.
One of the reasons why the Tummy Tape is the most sought-after belly tape is that it is extremely easy to stick it on your belly by yourself, a feat that may take some practice with other brands.
Using the SpiderTech technology, they offer pre-cut pieces of belly tape, cut in the shape of a fan, and have markers on how to stick the Tummy Tape on your belly.
The pre-cut style allows easy wearability and you can easily stick it by yourself.
What We Liked
Ergonomically designed
Pre-cut pieces allow ease of wear
Provides great support to the belly, hips, and pelvis
What We Disliked
Can only be used in the way given
The pre-cut piece does not allow additional back support
KT Tape
KT is an abbreviation of kinesiology taping and the KT Tape company is one of the pioneers of the industry. They have been in the game for a long time and their success can be measured by the fact that people around the world call the kinesiology tape “KT Tape”.
They provide tapes to athletes all over the world and some of the most famous sportspeople are known to use their tapes.
KT tapes are widely used by pregnant women as well. The strong grip of the tape makes it a viable choice for belly support and to help with back pain.
KT tape is a great choice for women who have persistent back pain during pregnancy. They can use the tape for belly support and can cut additional straps and apply them on the back for added back support.
The material is soft on the skin and it is waterproof so you can continue using the same tape on your skin for a couple of days before it needs to be changed.
Waterproof.
Needs to be changed after 3-5 days.
What We Liked
Provides strong support to the belly
Used by pregnant women all over the world
Added support can be given to the back
What We Disliked
Might require help from someone to apply it if you don't have enough practice
Product not designed specifically for pregnant women
RockTape Pregnancy Tape
RockTape Pregnancy Tape is one of the most sought-after pregnancy belly tapes available. It is the go-to option for most pregnant women who are athletic or avid fitness lovers.
The ultra-strong grip of the tape gives unwavering support to the belly and keeps it nice and snug while you exercise or go out for a run.
Nearly all women claim that it is very effective and the adhesion is great. Made from specialized adhesive glue that mimics the texture of the skin, it sticks to the skin firmly but is gentle and does not cause the skin to chafe.
The RockTape is available in a multitude of bright and invigorating colors and looks like a fun product. Can you imagine your tummy taped in hot pink? Sounds cool, doesn’t it?
RockTape is not just fun to look at, it also gets the job done. The best part is that you can cut pieces according to your preference and the same tape can provide added back support.
Lightweight on the skin.
Designed to withstand sweat.
May require help from someone to stick it if you don’t have enough practice of applying it.
What We Liked
Ultra strong grip
Can be worn for long hours; gentle on the skin
Can be used to provide additional back support
What We Disliked
May require additional help to apply it
No pre-cut pieces available
Frida Mom Pregnancy Belly Tape
Frida is a renowned company that caters to pregnant women and childcare all over the world. They provide wholesome products for pregnant women and newborn babies which are meticulously designed with a lot of care and attention.
One of the products from their product line is the Frida Mom Pregnancy Belly Tape which is a pregnancy tape that you can use to support your belly and it helps with alleviating round ligament pain.
It is made from medical-grade adhesive and is especially designed to be gentle on the pregnant skin.
Packed in minimalistic yet chic packaging, each box has an 18ft roll of tape and a dispenser so you can cut pieces of tape according to your preference.
The tape itself comes in muted colors so it doesn’t show much under clothes as opposed to tapes that are bright and luminous under clothing.
The pricing is optimum and the packaging is super cute which makes this product an ideal gift for moms-to-be.
The material is soft on the skin.
Requires changing every 3 days
Might require help from someone else to stick on.
What We Liked
Breathable material
Great for gifting
Muted colors; camouflaged on skin
What We Disliked
Difficult to apply by own self
Needs to be changed every 3 days
Conclusion
There are numerous benefits that pregnancy belly tapes provide, from supporting your belly to lifting and redistributing the excess weight that you carry in front of you, helping alleviate back pain, taking some pressure off your pelvis, and helping curb round ligament pain, benefits are plenty.
Belly tapes are almost magical, who would have thought that a tape could help you with so many problems that occur during pregnancy, it does.
The entire concept of body taping is relatively new and not many people may be up for it but thanks to the sportspeople and athletes who regularly use them (and most can be seen wearing them on TV) the idea of using medical-grade tape to control your movement is now garnering much success.
After all, this is recommended by doctors all over the world so it must have some scientific backing and research to fit the claims.
Talking about pregnancy belly tapes, you can’t really say there is any one single best kinesiology tape for pregnancy, as there are a few really good options to choose from and this totally depends on the kind of product you are looking for as all of them have something unique to offer.
If you are new to using pregnancy tapes and think you won’t be able to handle an entire roll of tape, cut it, and then apply it on your own, then you should go for the Tummy Tape as it has done almost all of the work for you and all you need to do is stick it on.
If you are an athlete and require extra grip from your belly tape and want it to be super firm and doesn’t make your tummy wobble too much while you work out, then RockTape is just the thing for you.
For those who want to support their belly but also want extra support on their back, or want to have extra support for the belly, then KT tape is your go-to product.
If you are looking for a nice and chic-looking product to give as a gift to your loved ones who are pregnant and want the product to be effective as well, then you should definitely go for Frida Mom Pregnancy Tape.
Depending on your preference, you can opt for one of the many options available and you will see for yourself how incredible this product is.
