I started having premature labor at 29 weeks. Every time I stood up my uterus would get hard (contractions), and it would get worse and worse the longer I stood. I would pretty much have contractions anytime I did anything. I started wearing this at about 31 weeks after being on bed rest for 2 weeks. This helped prevent contractions significantly. The first day I wore it, I noticed I was able to stand for significantly longer without having contractions.
This can be worn under any of my regular clothes. I would recommend a thin cotton shirt underneath if it is really hot outside, but other than that it is comfortable.
For others out there having the same issue, things that I have found to be helpful: drink water ( Im drinking about 3L/day +other things), laying on my left side, acupuncture, hot herbal tea, hot liquids in general, and coconut water. The hot liquids have been super helpful in making the contractions stop- wait until it is just hot enough to not burn and then drink the whole drink fast. Coconut water helped because it replenishes some of the electrolytes your muscles (uterus) needs after drinking so much water. Acupuncture helps for about 3 days, so I would suggest getting it right before a more active day. Hope this helps someone out there!
I had horribly debilitating pelvic pain that started in my second trimester. It wasn't just soreness, but a burning right at front where everything connects (pubic symphysis). I had tried all of the home methods of managing that pain including wearing supportive shoes, trying to keep knees together when changing positions, keeping a pillow in between knees when sleeping, etc.
After putting this on the first time, I felt relief within 2 minutes. I wear it outside in the heat and it is still very breathable. I also keep it on to sleep.
Life Pro Tip: Bring it to an OB/Gyn appointment and talk to your doctor about how you are wearing it to be sure you are using it correctly. You don't want to have it tight, and you want to make sure you wear it low around your hips, not high on your bump like the picture shows.
This belt is has been an absolute life saver for me over the past two years and is the one item I don't think I could have easily lived through while carrying twins.
While having my first daughter, I worked as a full time teacher at a preschool with one and two year olds. I was on my feet for 8 hours a day in a very busy classroom, lifting and carrying toddlers and spending a good deal of time getting up and down out of the floor. I did this from before the time I became pregnant until 37 weeks, which is when our beautiful little girl arrived.
During that pregnancy, this maternity belt provided me with a great deal of relief. I often felt that my ab muscles needed more support with all of the lifting and frequently suffered from low back pain as the day (and my pregnancy) progressed. This band gave me that much needed support and allowed me to feel much safer lifting 25 pound babies all day.
I credit the extra support provided by this band for preventing diastasis recti, as I feel that it aided holding everything together, but I have no proof of that.
Prior to purchasing this belt, I was using the Shrinkx Hips belt (because I had it) and wearing it slightly higher on my hips (but lower in the front) to give my belly a slight boost. Although that did work temporarily, it did not provide me with all day comfort and it's lack of flexion concerned me in regards to my baby's safety. At around 4.5 months, I opted to try this band based on reviews and what I felt was a very reasonable price.
The AzMed band's wide, curved, mesh-like front is highly conducive to a pregnant woman's growing belly and flexes easily to allow room for growth while also supplying gentle (but tangible) support. Basically, I could breathe and move very easily in this belt without feeling pressure against my belly. The long Velcro band made it quick and easy to adjust the support level throughout the day as well. Washing and drying this band with my regular laundry did not appear to impair its durability in any way. It was a good purchase.
Fast forward 13 months. I am now days away from expecting twins, and my appreciation for this band has grown exponentially (like my belly). I began wearing it again at around 4.5-5 months (like last time) where I used it basically the same as before... low on my belly, higher on my hips, sometimes folding the front in half to provide double support and lift to boost my lower belly, which tends to endure the most strain. Once again, the belt allowed me to feel safe moving and lifting my own baby while also feeling supported. My second pregnancy, however, was nothing like my first and this band went from being nice to necessary very quickly.
At 20 weeks, I was diagnosed with a (very) short cervix and put on bedrest.
At the time, my daughter was 8 months old and there was no way around picking her up or carrying her while my husband was at work. I wore this band very snugly around my lower belly, hoping to raise it enough to take even the tiniest bit off pressure off to avoid further shortening. My doctors (a team of wonderfully Maternal Fetal Medicine experts) assured me that it would not prevent further shortening but did encourage me to use it for comfort or support. In all of my weekly ultrasounds to measure cervical length, I was asked to take the band off, so I have absolutely no way of knowing the impact of wearing this band, and whether it took pressure off from helping lift my belly or added pressure from squeezing enough to cause some downward pressure, but I often wondered. More than anything, I believe this belt provided me with a little psychological support in addition to abdominal support. It made me "feel" safer, despite that I have no proof that I was.
At 20 weeks, they weren't sure we would reach 24, then 28, then 32.... we are now 36 weeks and the doctors are discussing inducing us at 38 (for the well being of the babies - this is routine with twin pregnancies due to rising risk factors).
At 32 weeks, my abdomen was as big as it ever got with my daughter and at 35, it became very uncomfortable to move. Unlike with my first pregnancy, I have developed diastasis recti at the navel and a few fingertips below. My umbilical area is trying to herniate. I have developed hydronephrosis (basically I have a swollen kidney caused by internal pressure), and my pelvis pops with the slightest movement. Rolling over in the bed has gone from slightly uncomfortable to near impossible (without ab strength) and takes me a minimum of 10 minutes. The pain of having 40ish pounds of weight shift from one side of my uterus to the other is quite striking. Getting out of bed at all shifts the pressure so intensely that it often triggers contractions that leave me doubled over for several minutes before loosening enough to walk. But, the bottom line is, I am still pregnant after 16 weeks of cervical shortening, and that is something to celebrate. It is also something I would have been much more uncomfortable doing without this band.
This band supports my abdominal muscles, especially the ones that separated between my navel and pubic bone (which stay the most sore), and decreases the pain of walking and rolling over. I still have difficulty and pain rolling over at night, but the band holds things together well enough that I can roll over in a reasonable amount of time compared with before, and without as much strain. Walking to my doctor's appointments (located way inside of a busy hospital) is much easier, as the pressure from gravity feels much less. The contractions triggered by shifting movements are practically nonexistent with this band, since it holds things in place, and I believe that alone has helped us reach 36 weeks.
For women worried about these bands restricting their growth... I am no doctor, but was reassured by a team of MFM doctors in a teaching hospital that it was safe. I also had weekly BPPs and tri-weekly growth scans and despite the tendency of twins to drop centiles after 28 weeks (and my first daughter being born under 10 percent), the twins have remained 50th percentile and above throughout this pregnancy despite continuous wear. I realize this is anecdotal, so please always ask your own doctor first.
One last note... this band is not for postpartum use and would be absolutely ineffective for use as a belly binder. It is not a flat band that sits flush against a non-pregnant woman's body, but is curved outward at the mesh-like area to allow space for pregnant bellies. After birth, despite swelling and normal postpartum... stuff... the curvature is too much to provide any support, even when worn tightly. Hospital binders, the Belly Bandit, the Squeem... etc. are much stronger and provide the compression needed to hold things in place. (I used the Belly Bandit immediately postpartum, later moved into the Squeem and Shrinkx Hips, which is another story, but having used all of these, I can assure you that the AzMed will not help with these postpartum issues if that is what you are looking for).
I had mixed emotions about this based on how scattered the reviews are. But, it is WORTH BUYING! It is soft, and fits perfectly. Some people said it rides up but if you fit it on properly it wont. It offers amazing support and eased the pain in my back from scoliosis and my belly pulling my spine forward more. It is also not visible at all under clothing. I am only 20 weeks but this will be helpful my entire pregnancy.
I started having middle back pain and some sciatica around week 18. I'm not that big yet - not "obviously" pregnant - but still I was having pain. I felt a little silly getting a pregnancy belt, but now I am SO glad that I got it. This one is not too thick, and it's a light color, so I can wear it under clothes and it's not hugely noticeable. It's very easy to adjust the size, and since I started wearing it, my back pain and sciatica have decreased significantly. I just wear it for 3-4 hours during the day when I'm on my feet at work. Also, if I am going to be sitting at my desk for a long time or sitting on the ground for a long time (like at a picnic or something), then I wear it, and it helps a lot. It just gives the belly some lift and the back some nice compression to prevent pain.
Feature Product
- Helps ease the discomfort of pregnancy by supporting your baby bump and providing gentle compression in the abdominal area.
- This elastic maternity belt gives support for pregnant women who seek relief from hip and pelvic pains and other common stretching pains during pregnancy.
- A belly wrap that supports the excess pregnancy weight to prevent straining your back by lessening spinal pressure effectively.
- Ideal for correcting poor posture and supporting weak abdominal muscles during pregnancy and even post-pregnancy.
- Soft and breathable pregnancy belt binder that acts as a mini cradle for your little one. One size fits waists 35-46 inches. Orders yours today!
Description
One size fits waists 35-46 inches.
For those of you who have been suffering with pelvic/pubic pain, I would recommend this product. For someone who couldn't even lift up a leg to slide on a pair of pants in the morning, this product has been able to allow me to do My normal daily activities without so much pain! I will say if you've been suffering for weeks of pain prior to using this belt, you may not feel the belt work at first. In fact, I almost thought about returning it, but give it 2 days of consistent use, and you will realize you are no longer in pain while just walking! I also want to mention while this product helps with pelvic support, you may notice your back fat getting pushed up in the back with this belt, it's kinda annoying, but I would rather have a little back fat being squished instead of pelvic/pubic pain any day.
First of all, I wanted to say I didn't get this product as a promotional deal or at any kind of discount. So I have absolutely no emotional or psychological incentive to write a positive review. I was initially a bit skeptical of all the positive reviews, because many of them received the product at a discount in order to write an "unbiased review" later.
However, this product really does deserve 5 stars. I'm really impressed with it and glad I took the dive and purchased it.
I wanted something I could wear during my current 4th pregnancy as support for my belly while I run, that gives me a little back support, and that supports my abdominal muscles in the hopes it will prevent excessive abdominal muscle separation (after four pregnancies, my abdominal muscles are quite stretched out, I'm sure!)
It is extremely comfortable. I have worn plenty of abdominal splints and bands, and this is literally the most comfortable one. It provides just enough compression on my belly that makes me feel secure and supported, but not uncomfortable (and certainly not enough that it would harm baby in any way). It helps my posture when I'm sitting, and does give me a good amount of support while I'm running.
I'm 5'5" and 133 pounds in my second trimester, and it fits me comfortably, with plenty of room for adjusting as I get bigger. Since it's one size, and I'm a bit on the smaller side, there is a bit of extra material left over right now, but it doesn't get in the way or make it uncomfortable to wear.
It does show a little under clothing, but aside from Spanx (which don't really show at all), it probably shows the least of any "belly binders" that I own or have owned in the past.
I've only had it for a short time, but right now I'm extremely impressed and very happy with this purchase.
I absolutely love this maternity band. At 24 weeks, I started having very uncomfortable back and hip pain so I purchased this. It helps so much. I am actually able to be on my feet, taking care of the things I need to without hobbling around. I've gotten bigger as the weeks have gone by and notice a HUGE difference when I wear this band and I don't. If I don't, I'm in pain within an hour of getting out of bed. With the band, I can actually function. As soon as I take the band off at night, I can feel my hips/back stretch into the pain I would have been in if I hadn't worn the band. I love this thing!
A note about sizing: I am a pre-pregnancy size 2 and this band fits me fine. It's near the end of the velcro (so there will be a lot more space as I get bigger). If you're small, this band should fit you just fine.
This belt was helpful during my second and early third trimester. It's lightweight, but provided noticeable support if I had to be on my feet much and seemed to reduce back and ligament pain. As others have commented, it does tend to ride up when sitting, but was fairly comfortable standing. Unfortunately, I outgrew it at about 33 weeks (belly circumference a little less than 40"). It still goes around me now at 36 weeks, but the size of my belly causes it to fold over and ride up too far in the back, so it isn't comfortable or very supportive. I'm trying a larger, more robust support for the duration. I will say that with my first pregnancy I stayed smaller and probably could have worn this the whole time. All in all, it served its purpose while it fit and I would buy it again.
I'm an older mama getting ready for baby number 2 after having my other daughter 10 years ago via c-section. I'm usually in pretty good physical shape as a backpacker and hiker, but I got hit with a couple of nasty infections during my second trimester and then a fibroid degeneration that lasted two weeks, leaving me sidelined for 10 weeks and in a much weakened physical state. I started having tremendous sciatic pain on both sides as I would just walk normally, or when I was just turning and pivoting. I finally decided to try out this maternity belt and I have not been disappointed. It doesn't show under clothes, unless you're wearing a bodycon dress, and even then, if it's ruched, then no one will notice. To put it on, I start out with it backward and make sure it's snug; then I pull it up and turn it so that the excess material doesn't bunch, and pull it down over my bump. If you wear larger panties, I would recommend wearing them over the belt so you don't have to adjust the belt going to the bathroom, but it really doesn't sit very low. Overall I'm very pleased with this product and I would recommend it to any of my friends who need the extra support--it really is a back saver.
0 comments:
Post a Comment