Pregnancy Shapewear: Is It Really Safe To Wear Spanx When You Are Pregnant?
Help, I Wore Normal Spanx And I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant!
I've had several emails recently where women have been going about their business, wearing normal Spanx and not knowing they were pregnant. These lovely ladies have been panicking and asking is Spanx safe to wear when pregnant or could it have caused some harm to the baby?
Is Shapewear Safe To Wear When Pregnant?
When you use a constrictive garment like normal Spanx shapewear in the first three months of your pregnancy, it DOES NOT cause any harm to the baby. Your uterus is still placed much lower than the pubic bone and so will not be affected in any way. Your body is an amazing thing and it would take a lot more than a pair of pants to cause any problems!
We have all heard about certain celebrities who have said they wore Spanx during filming to hide they were pregnant. We don't advocate this - it feels so wrong to need to hide your bump - but it should not do your baby any harm.
On a side note, my bump showed very early on in my pregnancies. It would have taken A LOT more than a pair of Spanx to hide the fact I was pregnant. Maybe it works on teeny tiny celebs, but on a size 12 "normal" lass, I just don't see how it could be hidden away!
Let It All Out!
So we have established that Spanx is all fine and dandy for your little unborn baby, growing away happily. However, there are two people involved in a pregnancy. How will wearing Spanx make you feel? In a word: UNCOMFORTABLE!
When I was newly pregnant, the thought of having something pressing on my stomach and being in any way constrictive almost beyond the pale. My knickers annoyed me, my waistbands on jeans bugged me - I did not feel good at this stage. The morning sickness probably didn't help this, but there was also something a little bit psychological going on. Spanx would just have felt very wrong. I wanted my belly to grow out, not be pressed in.
Introducing Pregnancy Spanx!
A few years ago, Spanx launched their Mama Spanx Pregnancy Shapewear range. It was around the time that Sara Blakely herself (the Spanx founder) was pregnant. A bit like her original footless tights idea, she found there was not pregnancy shapewear out there that worked and that was comfortable. So she made her own!
Mind The Bump!
Unsurprisingly, the media and press had a bit of a field day with the news of Pregnancy Spanx! There were cries of outrage - shapewear during pregnancy, what an appalling thing. How could you possibly want to slim and hide your bump? Shame on you Spanx!
Unsurprisingly, the media had got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Spanx weren't trying to hide your bump, they were trying to make things a whole lot more comfortable.
Pregnancy Spanx is all about cradling your bump, supporting it, growing with it and making a pregnant ladies life a little bit more comfortable. Yes, they do give some slimming control, but only on your thighs, hips and bum - and (breaking news) you don't have babies growing in these bits!
My Pregnancy Experience!
I wore a Mama Spanx maternity shaper all throughout both of my pregnancies. I found it a bit of a godsend, especially after the 5 month mark when my bump started growing lots (I grow BIG babies). I used to find that my big bump felt sort of pulled down by gravity. This in turn made my lower back really ache. My natural instinct was to hold my bump in my hands and ease the weight and pressure this way.
The relief I felt when I put on a pair of Mama Spanx was..well LOTS! It was almost the equivalent of me holding my bump. The Spanx reached right round, over and underneath my stomach, really cradling it and supporting it. It took the weight off, the pressure off and it really eased up the pain in my lower back.
Chunky Monkey
During my pregnancies, especially the second one, I found my hips and thighs went a bit crazy. And my bum seemed to take on a whole new life of it's own! Everything really chunked up and went very wobbly.
This is where the shaping and slimming bit of the Mama Spanx really helped - actually both physically and mentally. I felt that when I was wearing them I looked more like the normal me and less like a pregnant blob. My body confidence when pregnant wasn't very high and that little bit of help from the Spanx really did make a difference!
Funny Looking Things
Now I do need to warn you, the Mama Spanx (both the tights and the shaper) look a bit odd when they are not stretched out on your body. They have a sort of "bump bag" where your lovely bump sits. When it is not filled out it looks a bit like a deflated sack! However, stick it on and even tiny bumps will make it look fine. This bag grows with your pregnancy and so (provided you don't put on too much extra weight) the Mama Spanx should fit you all the way through until you have given birth.
Your Choice Of Mama Spanx
Spanx have designed two maternity shapewear styles. You can choose from either the mid thigh shaper - this is mid thigh in length and comes over your bump, ending somewhere near your bra line; or the maternity tights. These are the same as the mid thigh shaper but with 20 denier full length legs attached.
I personally liked the mid thigh shaper as I don't wear tights very often. When I did want to wear tights I bought some maternity tights and wore them under my Mama Spanx shaper.
What Mama Spanx Size To Choose?
To find the right size Mama Spanx for you, you need know your weight and height. Please use the weight you were booked in with when your first visited your midwife. Providing you gain a normal amount of pregnancy weight, one pair should fit you all throughout your pregnancy. However, if you gain more weight than normal (and believe me your midwife will be nagging you about this so you will know), you may have to move up a size at some point.
Mama Spanx Highlights
- they cradle and support your bump!
- they slim and firm up your hips, thighs and bottom
- they provide a nice amount of lower back support
- they have a really good non-opening, thick cotton gusset - if you are pregnant you will know how important this is!
- they are made from a very soft, hosiery type material that is breathable, lightweight and really comfy to wear for long periods of time
- they grow with your pregnancy, so you shouldn't need to get a bigger pair later on
- the legs on the tights are really sheer and lovely - 20 denier
- the toes on the tights are reinforced to stop your nails splitting them (important later on in pregnancy when you can't reach your toe nails to cut them!)
- they DO NOT compress, slim or hide your bump
- the bump bag cradles your bump all over, including underneath - this really helps to ease the weight and pressure
- Mama Spanx shapewear is perfectly safe to wear all throughout your pregnancy
Our Full Range Of Mama Spanx Maternity Shapewear
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View All Mama Spanx Maternity Shapewear >>
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Have you tried any Mama Spanx or maternity shapewear? Let us know how you got on with it...