Due to the physical changes we experience in pregnancy, the garments that we regularly use are no longer comfortable and we must resort to others that are more useful and provide two things that are very necessary in pregnancy: comfort and practicality.
New items in Kim Kardashian’s maternity line include maternity girdles, which have created controversy and received much criticism . We share what the scientific evidence says about this type of garment in pregnancy.
Kim Kardashian’s maternity shapewear
Among the novelties for the first anniversary of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s underwear and shapewear brand, the businesswoman announced the launch of her new maternity line .
In addition to having nursing bras, the new special collection for pregnant women has various models of maternity girdles, garments that are the cause of the controversy that occurred this weekend on social networks.
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The commotion has arisen because some people have interpreted these maternity girdles as garments to “hide” or stylize the belly , since their brand in general tends to focus on defining the figure, which has raised many divided and critical opinions.
To this, she has responded through her Instagram and Twitter accounts, explaining that these garments are made specifically to provide support and reduce some discomfort caused by the weight of the belly during pregnancy:
and the compression on the leggings helps with pain relief caused by swelling. It is also worn after you have given birth and provides the comfort and support that most women need after delivery especially if you are recovering from a cesarean.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 13, 2020
” The belly part does not make your tummy slimmer, it is actually more transparent and layered with a thinner material, compared to the rest of the garment. Provides support to help with the uncomfortable weight carried on the stomach and that it affects the lumbar area, and the compression of the tights helps to alleviate the pain caused by the swelling, “he explains on both social networks.
The mother of four also says that they created this new line in response to multiple requests from pregnant women, as well as her own experience with the terrible discomfort she experienced in the pregnancies of her first two children.
But not only has she come out to defend her product. So has Chrissy Teigen, who is in her third pregnancy, through her Instagram stories, where she shows that she already wears them and they are great, as she says they are very comfortable garments and they give her support .
Are maternity girdles recommended?
Now, we move on to the questions behind all this controversy: what is the point of maternity girdles? Is it recommended for use in pregnancy? Can they really help to alleviate some discomfort caused by the physical changes that occur in this stage?
We have resorted to looking for scientific or academic evidence that can answer these questions, and precisely in a study carried out last year the effect of support garments for the relief of pain and discomfort in pregnancy was analyzed and reviewed.
This research consisted of a systematic review of six previous studies . According to the conclusions of the study, only these six studies were considered as they were the only ones that analyzed the intervention of this type of garment for the relief of pain and discomfort at this stage, since many others analyzed them, but accompanied by other therapies such as exercise, massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, or yoga, to name a few.
Because there are few studies, the analysis is somewhat limited , in addition to the fact that in five of them it is not mentioned why the different types of support garments were chosen nor does it speak in depth about the materials with which they were manufactured.
However, they found strong evidence to conclude that the use of support garments during pregnancy could have beneficial effects when used, such as: reducing pain (such as low back pain, dysfunction of the pubic symphysis and pain in the sacroiliac joint ), improve functionality and mobility, as well as reduce the risk of falls during pregnancy.
On the other hand, a few years ago the World Health Organization (WHO) in its recommendations for prenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience, recommended the practice of regular exercise during pregnancy, as well as the use of support girdles as a therapeutic option. to prevent low back pain and pelvic pain .
In conclusion, pregnant women can wear garments such as maternity or support girdles to help alleviate discomfort caused by belly weight and other physical changes in pregnancy.
What is not advisable is the use of girdles after childbirth, since it has not been proven that they work to regain the figure and prolonged use could replace the support function that the woman’s own abdominal and lumbar muscles should do.
Photos | SKIMS
Via | 20 minutes
In Babies and more | The discomforts of pregnancy, trimester by trimester (and how you can alleviate them), How to prevent back pain during pregnancy?
