Pregnancy belly bands are a modern-day convenience for pregnant women around the world. They are a source of comfort and ease in the day-to-day life of pregnant women and people testify that belly bands provide them with much relief during their difficult pregnancy days.
Pregnancy belly bands not only provide support to the belly by ‘lifting’ it and taking much weight off the bump and the back which results in a feeling of comfort and easiness, but also provide compression and warmth to the belly, which soothes round ligament pain.
However, one of the most common mistakes that women make after buying pregnancy belly bands is that they don’t fasten them properly or get a wrong size. This disrupts the purpose of using it and thus, women complain about the belly band not being of any use.
Rules of Wearing a Belly Band
The first and foremost rule when buying a belly band is to ensure it is of your size. The second most essential element is how you wear your belly band.
You need to ensure you fasten it securely around your bump, preferably wear it when in a lying-down position, and lifting your belly a little bit before fastening it. This way, when you stand, the band will fit snugly in place and will fit around your bump.
Next, you need to make sure the Velcro patch, attached to the front, sticks firmly. It is recommended that you fit the band a little compactly, but not too tight, so that compression is created around the belly which will provide you ease with pelvic girdle pain.
There are many different types of belly bands available in the market and all styles will have specific requirements about how to fasten them. Some different types and how to wear them are:
Tube-style Belly Band
The most common tube-like belly band is a wide belt that you wear around and usually fasten at the front of the bump with the given Velcro. The best way to wear this is to lay the belt flat on the bed, and then lie on top of it, in a back-down towards the band position. Try tucking your bump up a little bit, then bringing the wide straps to the front, secure it snugly with the Velcro or whatever is given to fasten it.
When you stand you will have a ‘lifted’ feeling.
The reason why tying it in a lying-down position is suggested is because usually in a standing position, the belly droops down slightly and it becomes difficult to lift it and tie it and women end up fastening the belt on the droopy tummy and don’t have the suggested lifted feeling, providing no comfort or ease.
Seamless Belly Band
Seamless belly bands, like a tube-top are like a circular piece of clothing. They do not have Velcro patches, metal rods for back support or any other extra element. They are supposed to cover the bump entirely.
The best way to wear a seamless belly band is to wear it like pants, bring it up like you would wear pants, and secure it snugly over your bump. Ensure the band is not turned or rolled in when you pull it up.
The reason why it is recommended to wear this like pants and not like a t-shirt (where you would pull it down over your head) is because when you pull it up over your belly, your bump will automatically lift a little bit.
However, if you wear it down over your head, you will have to pull it down over your belly and that might cause the belly to droop a little downwards. Or you will have trouble lifting the belly when you wear the band from the top.
Belly Band with Shoulder Straps
Belly bands with shoulder straps are much like the tube-style belly bands, except that they have additional shoulder straps attached that you wear on to your shoulders like suspenders or galluses.
The best way to wear them is to wear the belly band, following the same process that you would to wear a tube belly band, with the wide band strapped around your bump. Once it is in place, wear the shoulder straps over your shoulders and adjust the length so that they fit comfortably and are nor too tight which would restrain your shoulders, neither too loose so that the ‘lift’ effect is not achieved.
Belly Band with Groin Support
Belly bands with groin support are similar to the plain maternity bands, but with added flexible straps which go from the back to the front, securing the groin and attaching to the front of the band with Velcro patches. This protects the groin and provides compression to it, along with alleviating pelvic girdle or round ligament pain.
You just have to wear the band around your bump and bring the stretchable groin straps from the back to the front of the groin and secure it tightly to the front of the band. Ensure that the straps are not too tight or they could cause chafing.
Conclusion
It is vital that you fasten the support bands as advised. There have been cases where the instructions have been neglected and that has led to adverse effects caused by the bands, such as constriction of blood flow, nausea, heartburn, chafing, and muscle weakness.
By following the protocol and adhering to the process of wearing the belly band, it will undoubtedly provide you with utmost comfort and alleviate your aches and pains, making your pregnancy journey even more beautiful.
