Maternity Underwear & Why You Need It (2024)

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Maternity underwear is a pregnancy necessity

In a hurry? Check out these top-rated maternity underwear on Amazon!

Until I got pregnant, I had no idea that there was such a thing as underwear for pregnant women.

When it came to maternity clothing, I didn’t put much thought into the underwear department. I was far more focused on shirts to cover the belly, pants that wouldn’t fall down (and actually button).

But pretty early into my pregnancy, my normal underwear got uncomfortable and that’s when I started researching maternity underwear.

**Should I buy maternity underwear? Do I need special underwear for pregnancy?**

Technically, you don’t need to purchase maternity underwear. If you’re comfortable throughout your pregnancy with non-maternity underwear, that’s fantastic!

Basically, what it all comes down to is your comfort level. As your body changes and grows during pregnancy, you may find that your pre-pregnancy undies just aren’t cutting it. They may fall down more, get too tight or just be all-around uncomfortable.

Since maternity underwear are designed for a pregnant body, they can alleviate a lot of these discomforts.

So what makes maternity underwear different?

The main difference between maternity underwear and normal underwear comes down to the way the underwear fits alongside your pregnant belly.

There are two main types of underwear that are available for pregnant women. And the ones that you choose really come down to personal preference.

Under-the-bump and over-the-bump underwear are the two main categories of maternity underwear, and we’ll go into more detail about each below!

Under-the-bump maternity underwear

As the name suggests, under-the-bump maternity underwear go under your pregnant belly. They are specially made to accompany the bump and stay up, despite the roundness of your belly.

Many of the under-the-bump maternity underwear options out there have some sort of criss-cross happening in the front in order to really hug your belly area. This is the main thing that makes them different from traditional underwear.

During my first pregnancy, I opted for only under-the-bump underwear. I was already intimidated by the extra pant fabric going over my belly and the extra long shirts.

These under-the-bump underwear looked the most like my pre-pregnancy underwear and I was comforted by that thought.

It is worth mentioning here that you may find under-the-bump maternity underwear to be the most comfortable option during postpartum recovery if you have a cesarean section.

Options available on Amazon for under-the-bump maternity undies:

I bought this 5 pack of underwear a during my pregnancy and they held up really well. In fact, I still wear them sometimes because they are still comfortable.

A couple of things to note about these particular pairs:

I’d size up as they run small.
The way that these criss-cross in the front may mean that they are a little lower cut in the front than you may be used to.

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Over-the-bump maternity underwear

Over-the-bump maternity underwear are underwear that are going to cover your entire baby bump.

These are a lot like the maternity pants you see with the pouch for your tummy.

While I have never tried this variety myself, I do imagine that they are pretty comfortable and provide more coverage.

Options available on Amazon for over-the-bump maternity undies:

While researching this post, I found the ones below from Amazon! They look like they would be really comfortable!

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What is the best underwear for pregnancy?

Choosing the best maternity underwear is a really personal decision, but for me, I wanted to choose maternity underwear that were as close to my “normal” underwear as possible.

That said, here are some of the popular maternity panties available on Amazon in different categories – including briefs, shape wear, bikini

Does your underwear size change when pregnant? What Size Should I Buy?

You should go ahead and buy the size you were prior to being pregnant. One of the best perks of pregnancy underwear is that they are made to fit you throughout your pregnancy.

During my pregnancy, I never found that I needed to size up my underwear, however, if you are concerned about how a pair may fit, I suggest ordering online and reading other people’s reviews of the specific brand you are looking into purchasing.

When should I start wearing maternity underwear?

You can absolutely start wearing maternity underwear as soon as you want! That said, you may not feel uncomfortable in your typical underwear until you start to get a baby bump.

There are no rules for when you should start wearing maternity underwear, as they are for your comfort only!

How do you buy underwear when pregnant?

Finding maternity underwear in brick and mortar stores can be quite difficult. If you are really interested in finding maternity underwear without going online, I would highly suggest looking to see if you have a Motherhood Maternity store or another maternity clothing store nearby.

Otherwise, I highly suggest checking out the selection of maternity underwear available on Amazon and check out the super helpful reviews before placing your order!