Any seasoned mother will tell you that maternity shapewear is a pregnant woman’s best friend. The inevitable change brought about by a pregnancy requires intensive prior preparation and a literal village of support to withstand. Maternity belts, shapewear, and belly bands are utterly wieldy through any pregnancy chapter.
This article brings you the best maternity shapewear backed with a bunch of useful tips to help you make the best possible maternal garment purchase. It is, after all, a matter of grave consequence.
Image | Maternity shapewear | Type of System | Support | |
![]() | $19.90 at Amazon | Mid-Thigh | It offers total coverage and support from your mid-thighs all the way up to your waist. | See on Amazon |
![]() | $24.99 at Amazon | Underwear/Panty | It supports the abdominal muscles while simultaneously toning down the tummy swell. | See on Amazon |
![]() | $21.95 at Amazon | Postpartum/Recovery Belly/Waist/Pelvis Belt | The three belts, waist, belly and pelvic are strategically placed to offer full-on support to the most vital parts of your body. Its support promotes a rapid recovery by reducing abdominal stress. | See on Amazon |
![]() | $17.90 at Amazon | Belt/Band | Support for prenatal back pain with a gentle lift. | See on Amazon |
Table of Contents
- Thighs
- Our Pick: Belevation Womens Maternity Shapewear
- Also Great: Belly Bandit Thighs Disguise Pregnancy Shapewear
- Budget: Franato Womens Seamless Maternity Shapewear
- Underwear
- Our Pick: Upspring Post Baby High Waist Postpartum Underwear And Shaper
- Also Great: NBB Lingerie Maternity Panties
- Budget: KUCI Bamboo Fiber Maternity Underwear – Panties
- Postpartum Shapewear
- Our Pick: 3 In 1 Postpartum Support – Recovery Belly/Waist/Pelvis Belt Shapewear
- Also Great: Upspring Shrinkx Belly Postpartum Belly Wrap
- Budget: Shinymod Compression Belt For Postpartum Recovery
- Belts/Bands
- Our Pick: Belevation Support Belly Band
- Also Great: Larosa Medical Maternity Belt
- Budget: LEWARD Maternity Belt
- Best Maternity Shapewear Shopping Guide
- Conclusion
Thighs
Our Pick: Belevation Womens Maternity Shapewear
When you’re pregnant, dresses and skirts are not exactly the most comfortable outfits to keep on.
But some ladies simply cannot give up their love for them. If you fall into this category, I’ve got great news for you. The Belevation thighs are the maternal shapewear made specifically to deal with that kind of predicament.
It offers total coverage and support from your mid-thighs all the way up to your waist. The best part? It phases out chaffing; that’s right, it keeps your legs from rubbing together under your skirt (quite the relief).
Unlike most other pregnancy shapewear, this one gets the job done without notorious roll-ups at both your waist and thigh areas.
This shapewear for pregnant women is made from a nylon-spandex combo; a blend that offers ultimate support without feeling confining or overly tight. It further adopts a breathable mesh design that makes it surprisingly comfy to keep on even through extremely hot summer days.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this shapewear is its stretchy nature that provides continuous support to your bump even as it grows. And if your back’s killing you, it works like a spell in eliminating those muscle throes.
Ultimately, it grants firm support, hugs your body just right and keeps a smooth silhouette under skirts and dresses.
- Total coverage from the waist all the way down to the mid-thighs
- Perfect wear during the summer and under the extremely hot weather
- It is a perfect way to curb redundant chaffing
- Unfortunately, this shapewear may not work for everyone or under every outfit
Also Great: Belly Bandit Thighs Disguise Pregnancy Shapewear
Another great pregnancy shapewear is the Belly Bandit Thighs Disguise.
It does exactly what you’d expect it to and easily pushes past those expectations. Here’s how.
First and foremost, the belly bandit disguise shapewear is made from the unique WonderWeave material that not only gives your body a comfy snug but also sobs up moisture accordingly.
It keeps you pleasantly dry through any weather. Down on the thigh area, it subtly hugs your legs to prevent consistent rubbing. This makes them remarkably comfy to have under your favorite dresses and skirts.
Now, stretchmarks are always the elephant in the room during any pregnancy. The good people over at Belly Bandit took that into consideration and engineered this shapewear in a manner that lets you wear lotions and creams beneath it.
Besides that, the slight support it offers to your bump and tush helps keep the formation of stretch marks well at bay.
All in all, this thighs is a magnificent way to smooth out your shape under any outfit. And what’s even better is that it works for women of all shapes and sizes.
- Let’s you maintain that smooth silhouette
- Designed to wick up moisture
- Prevents chaffing
- Limited support for the back and bump; it may not be adequate for some expectant moms
- A bit too pricey
Budget: Franato Womens Seamless Maternity Shapewear
Shopping on a budget can get undeniably daunting.
That is why we had to include a budget-friendly choice to help ease your search. The Franato maternity shapewear keeps everything well in place ultimately giving you trimmed down silhouette even when heavily pregnant.
Its price tag is surprisingly pleasant and affordable; which is why it is our ‘on a budget’ preference under this category.
Made from a combination of nylon and spandex, it is engineered to adopt a seamless design that uplifts and support both the belly and hips. Its length covers the thighs alleviating chaffing; if your legs keep rubbing against each other, this is the shapewear for you.
Its waist features an elastic band that effortlessly accommodated your growing tummy during pregnancy. To top it all up, it’s super comfy and offers no restrictions whatsoever.
- Machine washable
- For ladies who experience a lot of chaffing, it helps prevent your thighs from rubbing on one another
- Comfortable and fits tight enough without pushing on the tummy
- Some may find its leg section a bit too long
- It gets pretty heated up in hot environs
Underwear
Our Pick: Upspring Post Baby High Waist Postpartum Underwear And Shaper
Now that your bundle of joy is here, it’s time you took up arms and got your body back in shape.
The UpSpring Post Baby High Waist Underwear brings you one step closer to reclaiming your physique’s former glory.
The postpartum recovery process is often obstructive; this shaper works to hasten your body’s resumption by providing copious compression where it’s needed the most.
It supports the abdominal muscles while simultaneously toning down the tummy swell. Within no time, it brings your waist back in shape and competently relieves you of agonizing postpartum cramps.
Once worn, it creates zero bulges and offers absolute abdominal coverage. Breathability comes easy thanks to its nylon – spandex seamless make fabric.
Last but not least, its efficacy managed to win a Gym recommendation. That speaks volumes in regards to this shaper’s reliability.
- Easy to wear; its no velcro design makes it awfully -stressfree throw on
- Complete coverage featuring a no-curl up delineation
- Results in a profound cutback on abdominal stress experienced
- This shaper may not fit as snuggly as most mums would prefer
- There are several customers complains over the price; its overall results are not worth its price tag
Also Great: NBB Lingerie Maternity Panties
Authentic cotton undergarments are hard to come by; more so when you’re pregnant.
Honestly, nothing feels quite as good as cotton maternity panties; the NBB Lingerie adjustable maternity panties are a palpable testimony to that. These 100% cotton pregnancy briefs have been referred to as lifesavers and I couldn’t agree more.
As you would expect, its make fabric gives it a mushy feel that makes you want to wear it on the daily. Besides that, it gives the tummy a mild bolster that remains gentle all through.
They’re also incredibly flexible given the tummy section is adjustable; this aspect allows its users to keep wearing them postpartum. It also means these panties maintain a snug fit through all stages of the pregnancy.
Like most other cotton based clothes, these maternity panties are adequately absorbent and breathable; like I said, no fabric does it like cotton does.
- Adjustable tummy section
- Super durable and pliable; can be worn through the postpartum phase
- 100% cotton (definitely worth a mention)
- As supportive as these undies may be, they offer very limited back coverage and support
- These are all about efficiency; the style didn’t give much consideration during their conception
Budget: KUCI Bamboo Fiber Maternity Underwear – Panties
Expectant mothers are faced with a dull inability to work as hard as their unpregnant selves would; and with a baby on the way, Lord knows you have to save up as much as possible.
Nevertheless, there’s a standing need to cozy up your journey through the pregnancy. KUCI pregnant panties bring mums to be everywhere an affordable way to cushion up and support their vivaciously growing bellies.
Made from a bamboo, nylon, and spandex blend fabric, these briefs have all it takes to keep your bump safely tucked away while offering up zero vexations.
The breathable fabric is superelastic and designed to cogently soak up moisture. On that same line, its engineered for an all-around fit backed with a super high waist appeal that ensures total embodiment.
Additionally, it features an abdominal underwear knitting that maintains its position at all times. It retains its versatility all through your belly’s growth proving to be a reliable tummy pillar.
- Doesn’t fall off easily
- Offers a 360-degree wrap effect; hugs the body perfectly
- Super high-waisted
- These are pretty thick pregnancy briefs; girls within their early and mid-pregnancy phases may find them a bit too bulky
Postpartum Shapewear
Our Pick: 3 In 1 Postpartum Support – Recovery Belly/Waist/Pelvis Belt Shapewear
Even as incredible as the female body may be, it needs solid support to regain its clout after giving birth.
I am pleased to introduce you to our favorite postpartum shapewear because, well, it works like a spell. The 3 in 1 postpartum support recovery shapewear is made to help your body make a full recovery within an incredulous time span. It essentially works miracles.
Its engineering is fascinating as it is efficient; it brings you an ingenious trio belt feature to which its rapid efficacy can be attributed.
The three belts, waist, belly and pelvic are strategically placed to offer full-on support to the most vital parts of your body. Its support promotes a rapid recovery by reducing abdominal stress.
Further, it wards off back and pelvic pains offering almost instant relief to new mums.
Fabric builds or breaks maternity shapewear; in this case, it’s material is sturdy, breathable and adequately stretchy. More amazingly, it retains a comfy feel and offers up no trouble during cleaning.
- It makes adjustment pie easy; it doesn’t require taking off to achieve snuggly alterations
- Suitable for C-section recovery
- It doesn’t role up once worn
- Super breathable and lightweight make fabrics
- It is inadvisable to sleep in
- Available in restrictive size ranges
- Noticeable under tight clothing
Also Great: Upspring Shrinkx Belly Postpartum Belly Wrap
Frankly, this is one of the most versatile postpartum belly wraps within its price class.
The UpSpring Shrinkx Belly Wrap is OB/GYN recommended, and it’s easy to see why.
Armed with a triple compression feature, it reduces swelling and gives your abdomen the boost it needs for rapid healing.
This belly wrap comes with inbuilt flaps and a back boning for maximum reinforcement while it works to restore your body to its former trim. The boning on the back also helps improve posture during nursing.
This wrap is one of the few ones that remain reasonably cozy even in extreme heat; Its breathable mesh fabric makes that easily possible.
The best part is that you can wear it pretty much anywhere for hours days on end. No matter the nature of your activities, discomfort is an almost impossibility with this one.
- Lightweight mesh fabric that prevents accumulation of heat
- A back boning support for nursing postures
- Recommended by professionals
- May bulge out under clothing
- Complains of its velcro incapability to hold up for long enough
Budget: Shinymod Compression Belt For Postpartum Recovery
You may not always be in a position to go for the most expensive products out there, but that doesn’t mean you should compromise quality.
Postpartum belts need to be as brawny as possible and that is exactly what the Shinymod Compression belt is. And guess what, you can rest easy because it is as budget-friendly as they come.
This girdle is great when it comes to reducing belly fat during the postpartum period. It does so while giving your back that solid footing necessary for a proper recovery.
This belt gets its strength from four steel bones that not only keep you in shape but also back its durability by preventing curl-ups.
Notably, it adopts an ergonomic structure that features a seamless, lightweight and unbelievably breathable lycra fabric. In addition to that, an adjustment is a no-brainer with this girdle thanks to its three rowed eye-hook enclosure.
You can have it as tight as you deem comfortable. Finally, it does a great job of keeping your vital organs protected for as long as you intend for it to (super durable).
- Made from lightweight breathable material
- Easily washable by hand
- Works fast to restore your body shape without major restrictions
- Size may run small for some body types
Belts/Bands
Our Pick: Belevation Support Belly Band
Belevation is well known for their world-class quality maternity garnets.
And for this particular one, it’s unwavering opulence is undeniable.
This maternity support band’s fabric is in the form of the seamless mesh that is designed for maximum aeration and support. The band is amiably assistant, especially to the abdominal section.
Fortunately, it smoothes out anything that tends to sag or prick (bellybutton). The best part is that the belt doesn’t roll or cut into skin; it remains put for as long as you have it on.
This makes unsullied layering super easy to achieve with this one.
It works great in hot environs as it hardly gets hot. When it’s clean up time, all you have to do is through it into a washing machine. The best part? It’s wearable both pre and posts pregnancy.
- Machine washable
- Available in practically all sizes
- Comfortable to keep on for hours on end
- You don’t get much back support with this one
- Being considerably thin, it can only manage a rather mild lift
Also Great: Larosa Medical Maternity Belt
Larosa Medical’s belly band is one of the top soaring few in a market.
This belly band does it job while giving your sense of style a swanky kick given its more fashionable than most.
Above all else, this belt is cotton made; its soft to the touch and offers a very tame support to a growing bump.
Cotton is extremely breathable and often doesn’t get hot easy.
Besides that, the band is fully adjustable giving it that flexible appeal that pregnant mums desperately require. As for your posture, it corrects that too.
This maternity band is made with one thing in mind; back and abdominal comfort. It takes on a considerable amount of the belly weight relieving the back, abdomen, and pelvis of any unnecessary stresses.
This girdle is both washable and sturdy enough for long-term use. Whatever clothes you choose to put it on, it keeps things smooth eliminating possible underlines.
- Eliminates pain and cramps associated with pregnancy
- Easily stretchy and pliable
- Made from cotton
- In some instances, this belly band may not offer up adequate support
Budget: LEWARD Maternity Belt
During pregnancy, there’s always that lingering feasibility of experiencing consistent back throes.
Leward brings to the table a belly brace made particularly to conquer back cramps and discomfort. If you feel the pain creeping in, go on and get yourself one of these; it comes at a great price too.
Other than alleviating back pains, it also creates a support fortress around your belly as you take on your daily routine.
This cotton-nylon belly brace is smoothly adjustable and includes an elastic side panel for extended compression. It retains its elasticity down to the very moment you give birth; reliability is a cinch with this one.
Its built-in support comes with a cotton lining that keeps the belt steady in place without unexpected rolling. To top things up, it’s adjustable design makes it a piece of cake to secure on clothes of all sorts.
Leeward’s maternity belt comes in a whole range of sizes making it extremely convenient.
Best Maternity Shapewear Shopping Guide
The beauty of a pregnancy is only fully comprehensible to those who’ve felt it, and the same can be said about the inevitable change that comes along with it. There’s nothing quite like the lingering elation that fills up a woman when motherhood creeps in.
But in all honesty, the human gestation period can get rather daunting. The body undergoes drastic transformations that make it almost impossible for normalcy to prevail. Needless to say, expectant mothers need all the help they can get to successfully get through it.
This is where maternity shapewear comes in. If you intend to maintain your daily routine or keep battling your normal turmoils without much strain, then you definitely need to get one of these.
Types Of Maternity Shapewear
There are several types of maternity shapewear available today. Each type is devised to serve a particular function through all or during specific phases of a pregnancy.
Now, this is especially beneficial because it provides moms to be with essential sustenance tools to help maintain their sanity through what is often one heck of a storm.
On the downside, however, a market full of option may very much be an aggravating source of confusion. This is why a crash lesson is necessary to verse interested parties on the distinct natures of maternity wear and their functions. Without further ado…
Maternity Belts And Belly Bands
These are often worn all through the pregnancy and sometimes well after giving birth. They are designed to take on most of the bump weight for instant pressure relief on the back.
Even though maternity belts are usually worn over clothes, they have incredible compression powers and often wrap the body with absolute adequacy. When used postpartum, they help shape up the body to its initial frame while speeding up the recovery process.
Postpartum Shapewear
Giving birth is incredulously delightful but the fact remains; it leaves the body in quite a mess. Exhaustion, nightmare fashion flops and redundant muscle throes; all these are changes bound to come your way after childbirth.
Postpartum shapewear is meant to restore your body muscles strength while simultaneously relieving you of an inevitable back, abdominal and pelvic tinges of pain.
A good majority of them are designed for maximum compression; ideally to push everything back in place. Lastly, some postpartum shapewear pieces come with the bonus advantage of nursing posture supports.
Maternity Underwear
These often come in the form of high waisted panties and briefs. Usually, they come in handy all through pregnancy by smoothening the silhouette under most outfits.
In addition to that, maternal panties feature reinforced, stretchy fabrics that give baby bumps a plausible lift and offer back support.
Factors To Consider When Shopping For Maternal Shapewear
Ladies, I cannot stress the importance of assertive culling enough when it comes to buying pregnancy shapewear. Keep in mind that your physical health as a pregnant girl almost entirely lies on the support offered by this nature of garments.
Needless to say, this means your preferred picks need to fit right into your needs as well as the surrounding prerequisites. Here’s a brief list of what to consider.
Comfort
Above all else, maternal shapewear wear should offer relief not add to the already existing stress. Comfort is a no-compromise factor through pregnancies; cradling another human being inside you is no joke.
From the made fabric to adjustability, make sure your pick serves you as earnestly as possible.
Type
As you learned earlier in this write-up, maternal shapewear are of distinct types. Depending on your current pregnancy stage, settle for the type best suited for the job. And as you progress, you may choose to switch to different a type of utmost support.
Size
Here’s the thing, if something doesn’t fit right, it doesn’t feel or work right. And with that, I am sure the importance of snuggly fitting shapewear is rather palpable. Properly fitting maternity undergarments serve best for obvious reasons.
Ease Of Use
Let’s face it, a pregnant woman is not exactly flexible. A simple bend is usually nothing short of a nightmare especially during the final phase of a pregnancy.
With that said, complicated shapewear is out-out of the question to evade further complexities. Ferrying a baby inside you is enough complication for a single serving; period.
Moving on to the next section, we’ve put together a list of some of the best maternity shapewear in the market. Hopefully, a keen scan through the following will ease your shapewear shopping endeavor and maybe lead you to a congenial choice.
Conclusion
As a wrap-up to this guide, it’s only fair to acknowledge the wonder that childbirth is. Babies are indeed blessings that change lives for the better.
Taking good care of yourself during and after a pregnancy is physically rewarding and significantly eases your transition back to normalcy.
Any of the above maternity shapewear will prove to be worth ways of keeping your body intact and restful through our this life-altering episode of your life.
Photo by Bellybandit.com, Modified by Author.