Battle of the Bands: We Try out Maternity Bands for the Frugal Mom-to-Be!

I'm 4 months pregnant, and I haven't a thing to wear. After 4 kiddos, I'm showing.. really showing, and I don't have any maternity clothes for the winter season. I did a little research, and found that maternity bands (or "belly bands") could be an affordable way to wear my regular jeans a bit longer, and possibly avoid buying maternity jeans altogether if I get a size larger. Also, being a c-section Mom, I find the thought of not having to zip up my pinchy denim pants soon after surgery to be a comforting thought.

I purchased two comparable brands of light-weight maternity bands to test during my pregnancy. (There is also a well-known Bella Band that is made of a heavier material, but for my tests, I wanted to go lighter.) Here are my findings!


Walmart's Maternity Belly Band
Cost: $14.98

Colors: Black and White

Sizes: One


Pros: This was an affordable addition to my wardrobe. It covered a large area, making it great for covering the top of my unbuttoned pants, while smoothing out my belly.

Cons: The material was a bit silkier than I had expected (in fact, it felt like a slimming undergarment rather than the top of a pair of maternity pants.) It had a tendency to roll down a bit on top as my stomach got larger, and it didn't seem to let my skin breathe as much. (I sweated while wearing it.) It came only in one size, which means that for a smaller gal like me (I wear a size 4/6 normally), it should contain my belly throughout pregnancy. For someone larger, however, I don't know if it will work.


BeBand
Cost: $16.99

Colors: Black, White, Natural
Sizes: Small/Medium, Medium/Large, Large/XLarge


Pros: The material for this band was a bit less shiny, making it stay in place well and allowing my skin to breathe. It also came in three colors for all occassions, and was available in sizes for a variety of body types. I also loved that this looked a bit more like a long T-shirt over my jeans, since they tend to peek out a bit. This makes it ideal for those who don't want to wear super-long shirts over their bands!!

Cons: Hard to find in stores, I did find one at my local Target. I would suggest ordering online for the best selection.

(Note: The two bands were of the same size. The BeBand appears smaller because it is folded in half. Both bands can be worn folded or not -- the pictures are not representative of this.)

The verdict? For just a couple bucks more the BeBand rules! Made by the makers of the original BellaBand, I'm not surprised. If you're looking for a light-weight band, need variety, and want something that doesn't look like a girdle underneath your shirt, go for it!

*Yes! This post contains an affiliate links. Rest assured, it doesn't affect our findings, but it does help support our blog!

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