8 Best Maternity Belly Bands to Support Your Bump and Relieve Pregnancy Pain

No pregnancy belly band gets name-dropped in the What to Expect community quite as often as theAzmed Maternity Belly Band. Moms-to-be say this is a classic wraparound belly band (available in both beige and black) offers superior all-day support for lower back and hip pain.

"It provided instant relief — it’s actually kind of amazing how well it works," says Christine Mattheis, mom of two and What to Expect's VP of Content & Brand Solutions.

The beauty of the Azmed belt is how easy it is to use. I appreciated there is just one closure, making it easy to take off when it’s time to sit. And that the Velcro straps fasten at your lower back — not the belly, which means less fabric against your more sensitive bump.

Doctor’s Note:Fix the issue before it worsens. “Start using a belly band when you start noticing symptoms so things don't get more and more irritated. And don't be surprised if you need that support a little earlier for subsequent pregnancies,” Katie Ruebush, P.T., D.P.T., specializing in pelvic floor and obstetric physical therapy. 

Speaking of the fabric, it’s a soft, breathable elastic, and surprisingly lightweight. Not only is that crucial when dealing with pregnancy sweats, but it makes it a little less bulky under clothing. 

Tested by Kathleen Felton, mom of two and What to Expect Contributing Writer:

“Even the best pregnancy belly bands aren’t super comfortable to wear when sitting down. But because the Azmed belt is so uncomplicated to get on and off, it’s excellent for daily use — you won’t be overly annoyed to have to put it back on again later.” 

The Belly Bandit Upsie receives rave reviews among What to Expect community members for its adjustability, efficiency of relieving lower back pain, and high-quality materials (it’s made from super soft bamboo viscose with a little Spandex for stretch). The latter makes it pricier than most maternity belts, but moms-to-be say it’s worth every penny. 

Liz Buxton, mom of two and What to Expect's Director of Commerce Content Strategy, says this option came up a lot when researching belly bands for back pain relief. But she was sold when her physical therapist recommended it. 

There are a few key features that make it ideal for relieving back pain. First, it’s not a straight piece of fabric like most bands. This allows it to better mold to your body, which helps redistribute your belly’s weight and reduce strain. There's also more structured fabric in the back for additional support. Oh, and did I mention it has a back pocket where you can insert a hot/cold pack?

Bonus: The Belly Bandit Upsie is better looking (and more discreet) than most other options, especially when worn under clothing.

Tested by Liz Buxton, mom of two and What to Expect's Director of Commerce Content Strategy:

"I had serious lower back pain throughout my pregnancy and saw a pelvic PT who actually recommended this band for whenever I went on my daily walks. It really made a huge difference in the distance I was able to cover before feeling fatigued and sore!"

Leah Rocketto, mom of two and What to Expect's Associate Commerce Director, also saw a pelvic floor therapist to help with round ligament pain. In addition to pelvic floor exercises, her PT also prescribed her the Serola Belt. 

“Game-changer,” Leah says of the easy-to-use belly band. “I couldn’t walk some days because of the pain, and the Serola provided almost instant relief.” 

Designed by a medical professional, this belt works overtime to relieve round ligament pain. As Leah’s PT explained, the belt puts welcomed pressure on your sacroiliac joints (SI joints), which are located where the spine and pelvis connect. This extra pressure stabilizes your pelvis, which better distributes the weight, provides more support, and reduces the swelling that leads to round ligament pain. 

How does one belt do all of that? The secret is in the dual layers. The bottom layer ensures the belt is properly seated and fitted on your hips. The second layer allows you to adjust the pressure. 

This extra layer and pressure does add a little more weight to the belt, but Leah only found that to be an issue as she moved further into her summer pregnancy. It also makes it slightly more annoying to put on and take off, but it's worth it for the relief.  

Tested by Leah Rocketto, mom of two and What to Expect's Associate Commerce Director:

“Even though the dual layers add a little extra weight, the added pressure helped stabilize my hips and made walking a lot less painful.” 

If pregnancy pains are keeping you from your fave workout, you may want to consider trying the Gabrialla belly band. Designed specifically for active moms-to-be, this maternity belt sits securely around your hips and lower back to cradle your growing bump.

“It’s light enough that it doesn’t add extra weight or heat during workouts, but has a lot of structure that I felt supported during my HIIT classes,” says Leah, who used the Gabrialla before her round ligament pain set in. 

Doctor Recommended: “I recommend this to patients and even wore it myself.  this one. It's affordable, compresses the SIJ a little, and also lifts belly, taking pressure off the round ligaments,” says Katie Ruebush, P.T., D.P.T. specializing in pelvic floor and obstetric physical therapy. 

There’s a higher-than-average back panel (6 inches) and two bands that can be adjusted to regulate the amount of tension. What to Expect moms, including Leah, also appreciate that it features a pocket that can hold a hot/cold gel pack — ideal for soothing back pain.

This belly band is available in sizes small to XXL, but make sure to measure yourself and reference Gabrialla’s sizing chart: The brand notes that your pre-pregnancy size doesn’t always correspond exactly.

Tested by Leah Rocketto, mom of two and What to Expect's Associate Commerce Director:

"It's light and easy to put on, like the Azmed, but applies the right amount of pressure to your body so you feel supported and stable while exercising."

For more intense exercises — particularly cardio — you might need a little extra support. For that, Caroline Picard, mom of one and What to Expect's Deputy Editor, swears by the Fit Splint.

Caroline, a seasoned marathoner, wanted to continue running as long as possible during her pregnancy. She turned to her friend — a running coach and mom — who recommended this two-strap neoprene nylon band. The Fit Splint can be worn in three different ways: under the belly to lift and relieve bladder pressure, low on the hips for added pelvic support to ease sciatica pain, or with one strap above and one below the belly for greater stability. Caroline, who has also used the band during HIIT-style workouts, says it checks all the boxes.

First, it stays in place without feeling too tight. Second, it doesn’t add much extra weight, which not only improves running performance but also minimizes additional sweating. Although she’s only used it in winter so far, Caroline notes she hasn’t overheated while running indoors on a treadmill. ("And when I’m running outside in the winter, the extra layer is much appreciated," she adds.)

Finally, the Fit Splint is super easy to clean, which is a big plus after long runs. Simply toss it in the washing machine on a cool, regular cycle, and tumble dry on low.

Tested by Caroline Picard, mom of one and What to Expect's Deputy Editor:

"I’ve run 6-plus miles with the Fit Splint and haven’t had an issue. It’s also easy to quickly adjust the tightness or positioning if I want the support a little lower or higher."

What to Expect’s Plus-Size Moms and Moms-to-Be group frequently recommends the Belevation Maternity Band for a little extra support. Not only does this pregnancy belly band offer a better size range than most on the market (from small to XXL, up to size 26), but the stretchy fabric and pull-up design means it also offers more coverage, so it’s less likely to pinch in an uncomfortable place. Moms-to-be describe the support as gentle to medium, and say it helps to relieve abdominal, lower back and hip pressure all at once.

Doctor’s Note: “There are bands that have a strap going over each shoulder and it is used to purely lift the belly up and support it. It looks cumbersome, but maybe something for people having twins, etc, or really needing something to just give support. A quick test is to just slightly lift your own belly and see if the pain goes away,” says Katie Ruebush, P.T., D.P.T., specializing in pelvic floor and obstetric physical therapy. 

And unlike wrap-around styles, which tend to have overlapping straps and Velcro, the Belevation band delivers a smooth look under clothes, which many moms appreciate. The fabric is a seamless, breathable mesh to help you stay cool.

The downside to this style is that you don’t have as many adjustability options. If you’d prefer an adjustable belly band, the Gabrialla and NeoTech belts are also both solid options for plus-size moms-to-be (and were close runner-ups for this title).

Moms-to-be love the NeoTech Care Maternity Belt, and it’s easy to see why. The customizable abdominal pad attaches to a lower back support band, which helps ease strain on your lower back. Because this style wraps around the belly and waist, it’s a great choice for anyone suffering from both lower back and abdominal pressure, as the design helps to gently redistribute weight.

The band can accommodate bumps up to 60.5 inches, which is more than many of the other products on the market, making this another great option for plus-size moms-to-be. Bonus points go to the super-stretchy fabric (a polyester, elastodiene and nylon blend), which hugs your body with just the right amount of compression.

While many moms-to-be are thrilled with the additional abdominal support the NeoTech belt offers, this style isn’t for everyone. If you don’t love the feeling of lots of fabric and straps on your bump, this may not be the best pregnancy belly band for you.

Pregnancy belly bands are the most popular option, but some moms prefer to use kinesiology tape to gently lift and support their bumps. This method involves applying “K tape,” as it’s often called — flexible, water-resistant elastic bands — facing upward on your belly. (There are a number of tutorials on how to do this online, but always consult your practitioner for guidance.)

The benefit of using K tape instead of belly bands is that it offers endless adjustment options, it’s completely seamless under clothing and it’s blissfully lightweight (many moms-to-be note that K tape feels amazing in the summer, while even the most most minimalist belly bands can feel bulky and restricting under clothing on a hot day).

In a small 2017 study, researchers applied K tape to pregnant women and found that low back pain decreased significantly compared to placebo. While K tape tends to be pretty similar from brand to brand, the researchers in that study used Kinesio Taping Kinesiology Tape Tex Gold on study participants.

But while kinesiology tape can help ensure a perfect fit, it’s definitely not as intuitive to use as belly bands and requires some trial and error to get the hang of. Some moms note that it can be a little painful to remove the tape, too. And while one box of tape is relatively affordable at $15, you’re likely to go through quite a lot of it, so it may become more expensive than a pregnancy belly band over time.

Postpartum belly bands are similar to pregnancy belts, but they usually come up higher on your belly and offer a greater level of compression than would be safe or comfortable during pregnancy.

New moms love that the Belly Bandit B.F.F. Belly Wrap offers tons of versatility. It has six support panels — including two customizable compression panels — and the wrap hugs you with firm but gentle compression. It also has up to 9 inches of adjustable fabric so you can continue to adjust the fit as your body changes postpartum. Also good: It’s comfortable even if you’ve had a C-section, and won’t irritate your incision area.