You are going through an amazing time – you are pregnant! With the wonders of impending motherhood come the joys and the not so joyful things of pregnancy. Some women experience wonderful pregnancies with never the first ache, but for most, this is not the case.

There will be aches and pains, stretch marks and waddling down the super market aisles to endure.

To help alleviate some of these issues, we have the convenience of maternity belts and belly bands to help us make life just a little easier.

Here are a few of the top models that I have looked at:

*All product links in this article will take you to the latest prices on Amazon.com, scroll down for our in-depth reviews below.

Types of Maternity Belts

There are several types of maternity belts and they each have their own type of benefits. Let’s go over the types of maternity belts first.

• SINGLE STRAP MATERNITY BELT – The single strap maternity belt is a single strap the goes around the small of your back and attaches normally adjustable to size by Velcro. This support is the best beginning in the late first trimester to the second trimester and can be used in the third trimester.

 

• EXTRA SUPPORT STRAP MATERNITY BELT – The extra support strap maternity belt has the single strap that goes around the small of your back but it is thicker as it has another strap that comes off of it that straps across the top of your belly. This belt also uses mostly Velcro as its main source of closure. This belt is best used in the second and third trimester of pregnancies.

 

• PRENATAL CRADLE MATERNITY BELT – The prenatal cradle is different in that it has shoulder straps to help use your shoulders and back to support the extra weight of your belly. Typically, the band supports under the belly and the shoulder straps cross in front on top of the belly to offer the most support or they can be open in the front and cross in back. The belt is secured mostly with Velcro or hook and eye closures. This belt offers support best in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

 

• BELLY BAND – A belly band is a stretchy piece of material that normally goes over your head and settles over your belly in one piece. It is tube-top shaped and is best in the first and second trimester of your pregnancy and can offer support after you have given birth.

Some of the Benefits of Using a Maternity Belt or Belly Band

Since pregnancy brings many new aches and pains – with the promise of great reward at the end – anything that we can do to help alleviate some of these issues should be embraced.

Spine Journal has done several investigations into the prevalence of pelvic and back pain during pregnancy and found that a significant amount of woman reported of both pelvic girdle pain and lower back pain. The use of a maternity belt or belly band during pregnancy may help in decreasing this pain.

Some ways that a maternity belt or belly band can help are:

• Posture – A maternity belt helps to give your body proper posture. When you are pregnant, you may appear sway backed due to the extra weight that you are carrying in the front of your body and this may knock your posture off. A maternity belt helps with this issue.

 

• Pain – During pregnancy, you may experience back pain due to your center of gravity being off. The maternity belt helps take some of the pressure off of you and realign your body. Belly bands and maternity belts can also support the joint that causes Sacroiliac Joint pain due to an increase of relaxin. In addition, belts and bands help distribute your weight better to help alleviate round ligament pain.

 

• Support – Bands and belts can also be worn to help support you during times of extra activity such as exercise. The compression of the belts (worn at the appropriate level of tightness) can provide the right amount of comfort to make exercise more comfortable.

 

• Positioning – With the added support of a maternity belt or belly band, standing, sitting, and getting in other positions is made easier by the added support.

 

• Harmless – Wearing a maternity belt or belly band, the recommended way, will in no way hurt your unborn baby.

 

• Insurance – Some insurance plans will cover the cost of a maternity belt or belly band.

 

• Stretch Marks – While there has been no documented proof that the wearing of a belly band or maternity band will minimize or eliminate stretch marks, it is thought that it may help. Stretch marks are caused when the skin is pulled and stretched and as a belly band helps prevent sagging, this may help. Once again, there are no guarantees.

 

• After Pregnancy – After your new bundle of joy has made their appearance, you may still want to use a belly band. Many have found that the compression has helped postpartum by providing extra abdominal and lower back support and therefore decreasing discomfort.

Some Disadvantages of Using a Maternity Belt or Belly Band

While there are a lot of good things about maternity belts and belly bands, you need to be aware of some of the disadvantages of these items.

• Not Worn Correctly – It is very important that you wear the maternity belt in the correct position and that you do not wear it too tight. Wearing the belt correctly is how you get the most benefit.

 

• Time – You must not wear a belt or band continuously. They are designed to be worn for only a few hours at a time.

 

• Clothing – While the belly band is not as noticeable and can blend in with clothing, it is very noticeable that you have a device of some type under your clothing when you are wearing a maternity belt as you get larger. Maternity clothes do not hide your belly bump so it is hard to hide a maternity belt and the bulk that it is.

 

• Doing Too Much – Because you have the extra support from the maternity belt, you may overdo it.

 

• Depend Too Much – Don’t depend too heavily on your belt. You also need to remember to watch your posture and exercise without the aid of the belt.

You may also like to check out the best maternity bras.

Features of a Belly Band or Maternity Belt

Many of the maternity belts and belly bands have different features that you may want to look for when you are searching for the right product for you.  Here are a few questions to keep in mind when looking for the right one for you:

• Can you go to the restroom while wearing the maternity belt or belly band?
• How well can you hide this belt or band under clothing?
• How well does this band or belt help improve posture?
• Does this belly band or maternity belt have an adjustable waistline?
• Can I use this band or belt for post-partum?
• How well does this maternity belt or belly band offer shoulder and spine support?
• Is this belt or band easy to use?
• Is this belt or band machine washable and how do you dry it?

Best Maternity Belts

AZMED Maternity Belt by AZMED

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing but it does come with its own set of down sides. Some of those are hot flashes and back pains. The AZMED Maternity Belt helps with the back pain and has a breathable material to help you from getting overly hot. Let’s look at some of the other features that this belt has to offer.

The AZMED Maternity Belt is not a bad maternity belt over all. It offers support to your back, spine, and hips. It has a breathable material that helps you from getting over heated and the price is right.

That being said, the Velcro being in the back is not handy for everyone, you can tell you are wearing a maternity belt under your clothing and the belt can sometimes not stay in place while you are walking or trying to sit down.

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NEOtech Maternity Belt by NEOtech

If you are looking for an affordable maternity belt that encompasses your entire belly, then one solution may be the NEOtech Maternity Belt.

It is made of a three part system that has a lower support band, a top support band, and a back brace. This maternity brace is made of breathable material and is made in the United States so it runs true to size. Let’s see what else the NEOtech has to offer an expectant mother.

The NEOtech has great support with the top, bottom and back supports. It is also nice that this belt has four elastic side panels and is fully adjustable. The belt is constructed of cotton and nylon for stretch, comfort, and durability.

The maternity belt helps alleviate pain in the back, abdominal, hip, and pelvic regions. What I didn’t like was the fact that this maternity belt is visible under clothing.

Some other things I didn’t like was that the Velcro wears out easily with constant use and that the maternity belt is scratchy and you have to wear an extra layer of clothing underneath it. I’m also not a fan that you have to hand wash and dry flat – but this is going to run true with any garment that has Velcro on it. 

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Babo Care Breathable Maternity Belt by Babo Care

Are you confused about sizing and just want a simple maternity belt that gets the job done without all the bells and whistles? Then you may want to consider the Babo Care Breathable Maternity Belt.

It has a one size fits most design up to 48†and is fully adjustable. The soft material has boning in the back for extra structure and back relief but the flexibility to do your everyday activities with ease. Let’s see what else the Babo Care Maternity Belt has to offer.

The Babo is a nice lightweight maternity belt that seems to be good if you are early in your pregnancy. It offers adjustable sides, a money back guarantee and a one size design so there is no guessing on what size to order.

However, due to the one size fit, it does not offer as much support as some other models on the market. The Velcro is scratchy and that means you have to wear an extra layer of clothes which negates the breathable material.

Once again, if you are trying to hide the fact that you are wearing a maternity belt, you will have to be careful about what clothes you wear because this belt is not easy to camouflage.

In addition, the Velcro doesn’t stand up to the test and seems to wear out over continued use which makes the belt useless over time.

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Bracoo Maternity Belt by Bracoo

When the ease of a one piece maternity belt is important to you, the Bracoo Maternity Belt may be exactly what you are looking for. It has a one size fits up to 46 inches with Velcro adjustable sizing to find your perfect fit. And because your belly grows as your pregnancy progresses, the Bracoo can grow with you.

It has a breathable, fabric cover for comfort and the maternity belt offers the right amount of support to comfort you when you need it the most. Let’s take a look at what some of the features of the Bracoo Maternity Belt are.

The low cost and one piece design are great in the Bracoo Maternity Belt. In addition, I liked that it can help reduce the chances of uterine prolapse, improve posture, relieve pelvic muscle fatigue, and assist muscle around the lumbar area. But that is if the belt does all of that.

I find it hard to believe that it can do those things if it is rolling down, shifting out of place, and sliding every time I move.

In addition, this belt is not good later in pregnancy or if you carry large as it just does not offer the support that you need. And you have to hand wash the belt which I think is a big turn off since you know it is sweaty since you have to wear an extra layer of clothing due to the scratchy Velcro.

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Ingrid & Isabel Everyday Bellaband by Ingrid & Isabel

Even though you may know you are pregnant, the belly seems to sneak up on us. One day your jeans fit you just right and the next thing you know, you can’t fasten your pants.  That is where the Ingrid & Isabel Everyday Bellaband comes in.

It helps you wear your pre-pregnancy closes longer during your pregnancy, helps you wear pregnancy pants when you are first post-partum and helps you transition into your pre-pregnancy clothes post-partum. Let’s take a look at what all the Ingrid & Isabel Everyday Bellaband can do for you.

If you are just looking for help in holding your pants up, then the Ingrid & Isabel Everyday Bellaband may be exactly what you are looking for. It comes in multiple colors, can be folded or fully extended, and you can even wear it post-partum.

The material is soft and as an extra bonus, you can machine wash and dry the Bellaband. On the flip side, the Bellaband offers no support; so if that is what you are looking for, you are looking at the wrong product.

The Bellaband moves around too much when you do normal activity and getting it on and off can be troublesome as your belly grows.  In addition, sizing may become an issue.

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Belevation Maternity Support Belly Band by Belevation

Do you want the best of both worlds? Do you want to wear your pants a little longer but you also want some light support? Then the Belevation Maternity Support Belly Band may be what you have been looking for.

Not only does this belly band help smooth over unbuttoned pants, but it offers light support over and under the abdominal region. The Belevation is easy to layer with clothing, comes in many sizes, has a breathable fabric that won’t make you too hot, and is machine washable.

As far as belly bands go, the Belevation Maternity Support Belly Band is one of the better ones. It comes in a range of sizes and can camouflage open pants and maybe even a belly button.

It offers light support in the abdominal region and is great for layering with clothing as the breathable material will help you from getting too hot. The seamless construction is comfortable against the bare skin and you can machine wash and dry the belly band.

However, the Belevation offers no back support, the belly support is not near what a maternity belt would offer, and you might have an issue with the band rolling or bunching up.

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Bentibo Maternity Belly Band by Bentibo

Another belly band that says it offers light support is the Bentibo Maternity Belly Band. It comes in a few different colors and a range of sizes.

It has a breathable material that is seamless for comfort and the ease of layering under clothing. These belly bands are great for transitioning from pre-pregnancy clothes when you are first getting your belly and also when you are post-partum.

This belly band has a silicone rubber band to help stay in place.

I have to say that my favorite thing about belly bands is that you can machine wash and dry them. And the Bentibo Maternity Belly Band is no different.

It comes in several colors, has a range of sizes, and is relatively inexpensive. The seamless, breathable material is comfortable against the skin and offers light abdominal support.

The Bentibo does have a silicone rubber band at the bottom that makes holding up unbuttoned pants a lot easier and I think that the main function of this belly band is to hide open pants. You can roll down the band or fully extend it over your abdomen.

However, the support is very light and not near as much as what you would receive from a maternity belt and you have to pull that one piece up your legs, once again. The main issue with this belly band is that it runs large and improper fit with this product will not help at all. Even with a proper fit, this band tends to ride up, roll down and shift with normal activity.

 

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La Reve Maternity Belly Band by La Reve

The La Reve Maternity Belly Band is another belly band whose main job is to keep you in your pre-pregnancy clothes as long as possible while still being as comfortable as possible.

This band comes in two different colors and four different sizes to help you find the one that is right for you. This belly band also has a silicone rubber band at the bottom to help keep your pants, jeans, or skirt in place – even if they are unzipped and unbuttoned.

The La Reve also helps you transition back into your pre-pregnancy clothes post-partum. This will save you money on different size maternity clothes along the way.

Belly Bands are great for extending your pre-pregnancy wardrobe well into your pregnancy. The La Reve is no different. It comes in a couple of colors and a range of sizes for convenience.

It has a silicone rubber band to help keep clothes in place and helps smooth out unzipped zippers and unbuttoned buttons. The La Reve is reasonably priced and the seamless construction is comfortable against the skin.

You can machine wash and dry the La Reve and even wear post-partum. That all being said, the La Reve does not offer the support that a traditional maternity belt does, so it mainly is just covering up clothing. In addition, it tends to ride up, roll down and not stay in place with everyday continued use.

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Leward Maternity Belt by Leward

Are you looking for some added support with thicker band widths for added comfort? Then you may be looking for the Leward Maternity Belt.

This belt is made of a breathable material that is fully adjustable and durable enough to last throughout your pregnancy. The maternity belt has four elastic side panels that add ventilation and compression.

To help reduce lower back pain, this maternity belt has the abdominal belt attachment to lift the belly without any pressure. This is just some of what the Leward Maternity Belt has to offer, let’s look at what else it has going on.

It’s hard to know where to start with the Leward Maternity Belt. It has a lot going for it. It has supports to prevent it from rolling – which can be a huge problem.

It is fully adjustable and has four elastic side panels for ventilation and compression. This belt also helps reduce back pain, improve posture, and helps support the lumbar and abdominal regions.

But, the belt must be hand washed, is scratchy, bulky and digs into your skin when you sit down. But my biggest problem is that this belt – that should be simple – comes in three pieces.

Then you get instructions with words so small that you have a problem reading the broken English even with a magnifying glass – and there are no illustrations. If you can’t ensure you are putting it together right, how do you know that you are going to be wearing it right to get the proper benefits out of the product?

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Inker Maternity Belt/Band by Inker

The one piece maternity belts/bands are popular because they work and they are convenient. If you are in the market for one, Inker has one that you might be interested in.

It is on the inexpensive side, has a soft, breathable material, and is super easy to get off in just seconds. It fits up to 42 inches and you can adjust it to your desired likeness. Another bonus is that this belt has a 100% money back guarantee.

Overall, the Inker Maternity Belt is a good lightweight maternity belt that would be good for smaller framed women who need light support. This would also be a good belt to use post-partum.

It has many benefits such as helping to prevent uterine prolapse, avoiding varicose veins, and relieving pain and pelvic pain. However, it doesn’t offer a lot of support and it is best for smaller framed women as it only goes up to a maximum of 42 inches. Not to mention that when you sit down the bottom of the belt can roll up.

But the clincher for me is that because the belt is so wide, you would probably need to remove the belt every time you go to the rest room; and we all know that when you are pregnant that this can be a lot – so it’s a very good thing that the Inker Maternity Belt comes off in just seconds. Too bad it doesn’t go back on as fast.

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GABRIALLA Elastic Maternity Belt by GABRIALLA

If you are looking for a little something extra out of a maternity belt, then you may be looking for the Gabrialla Elastic Maternity Belt. This belt has extra features such as a back pocket for cold packs and hot packs, the material of the maternity belt makes it almost invisible under jeans and it’s even made in the United States.

While the Gabrialla has lots of great features – the pocket for the hot and cold packs is a winner in my book – as well as fastening on the side, and made in the United States.

Unfortunately, it is hard to overlook some of the negatives. The fact that the belt is rigid, hot and uncomfortable, and that the belt can ride up are things that are hard to overlook.

Sizing may be difficult depending on your body shape and the Gabrialla is more expensive than most other maternity belts. Not to mention that the material is so stiff that you need to wear something underneath it to keep from irritating your skin.

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It’s You Babe Best Cradle by It’s You Babe

Are you the proud parent to be of multiples or are you carrying large? If so, you need the extra support that a prenatal cradle maternity belt could offer you.

It’s You Babe has one that offers the support you are looking for, without being too bulky, but helping to relieve pressure and pain.

All in all, not a bad choice in maternity cradle. It offers a lot of support and helps to alleviate swollen legs and ankles. In addition, it leaves your belly open so you don’t feel like it is being pushed on and it can be cool and comfortable.

The fact that it has hook and eye closure so there is no Velcro to wear out is a blessing and a curse – who wants to mess with all those hooks. On the flip side, the cradle is expensive compared to other maternity belts and it is visible under clothing.

But the biggest downfall is the straps. I really don’t see much use for them and the fact that they really cross under your neck and you have to be careful what you wear just really turns me away from this model. Even if the straps cross closer to your chest, it looks like they would be uncomfortable if you have a large chest.

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The Winner

After looking at all of these maternity belts and belly bands, I think that the top runner for me is the NEOtech Maternity Belt.

It has a top support strap as well as the lower support band and back brace. The entire belt is made of a breathable material in the U.S. and runs true to size.

The NEOtech Maternity Belt is fully adjustable and will with you during your entire pregnancy which is wonderful. Also wonderful is the fact that this maternity belt has a satisfaction guaranteed warranty for free replacement; not many offer a warranty like this.

You can easily adjust the belt while standing and the belt is constructed of cotton and nylon for stretch, comfort, and durability.

The belt has four elastic side panels that add support and compression. The NEOtech also supports the lower back to help redistribute pressure more evenly. The maternity belt helps alleviate pain in the back, abdominal, hip and pelvic regions.

All of these things add up to a supportive maternity belt that will get you through your pregnancy.