My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

to think of course you can hide a pregnancy with Spanx?

91 replies

Zezet · 27/04/2021 20:47

Genuine question.

When I was pregnant with my first child I showed very late. And no-one was worried about the baby growing properly, doctors and women just (correctly, I suppose) assumed stomach muscles are still strong en keeping the baby in place. Only in the sixth month or so could people tell.

If the baby won't be harmed by stomach muscles constricting him, how could a second/third/... child be harmed by Spanx doing the same level of constricting for the same length of time? (I wouldn't wear them in the third trimester of course.)

I agree women shouldn't have to feel like they have to hide and so on... but what medical reason could there actually be not to wear Spanx for baby three if first time mum stomach muscles were fine?

OP posts:
Report
HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 27/04/2021 20:50

This sounds crazy.

My body wouldn't have physically kept baby 'in' that long anyway. I was very much showing at 4.5 months and no amount of spanx would be hiding it.

Report
Timper · 27/04/2021 20:51

I didn’t wear Spanx in pregnancy as I find them uncomfortable at the best of times but I found my trusty John Lewis control pants by far and away the most comfortable underwear to wear in pregnancy. Wore them the whole way through.

Report
DenisetheMenace · 27/04/2021 20:52

Just, why? Every pregnancy is different. There’s no way I would constrict a growing baby. If anything went wrong I would blame myself.

Report
VodkaSlimline · 27/04/2021 20:52

Second and subsequent baby bumps tend to be more apparent earlier as well as bigger than first ones.

Why do you need to hide your pregnancy?

Report
SmidgenofaPigeon · 27/04/2021 20:54

What for though? I’m pregnant. I don’t need to nip it in with Spanx Confused

Report
PinkCookie11 · 27/04/2021 20:55

Why would you need to wear Spanx when preg? I’m confused 🙈 do you want to hide the bump/slim it down?
I find it abit mad tbh

Report
BabyofMine · 27/04/2021 20:56

Are you ok? I’m just worried about what has led you to be pondering this. It’s quite a worrying question, why would you need to hide your pregnancy, regardless of whether it’s harmful or not, why is it something you want to do??

Report
AllTheCakes · 27/04/2021 20:57

Eh? Why would you need to? I’m pregnant with my second and was showing from the first few weeks due to extreme bloating. There’s no hiding it second time round unless you’re already obese.

Report
Sceptre86 · 27/04/2021 20:57

I wear tubigrip to give my bump support and lift it which eases the pain in my hips and back. I'm not sure if spanx would do the same? My objective though is not to hide my pregnancy. I find the tubigrip just accentuates rather than hides. Not sure why anyone would want to hide it?

Report
SquirtleSquad · 27/04/2021 20:57

In theory very restrictive or tight fitting clothing can cause poor blood circulation which could in turn pose a risk to baby. They make maternity shape wear that supports a bump or which holds in other areas (legs / bum) but non that aim to reduce or restrict the bump.
Your baby is cushioned by a lot of fluid..etc though so I would think unless extremely tight it wouldn't be a huge risk factor but definitely not worth the unnecessary risk.

Report
Beseigedbykillersquirrels · 27/04/2021 20:57

Why, though?

Report
Zezet · 27/04/2021 20:58

I would prefer to keep it fairly low-key at work because I am a fairly private person, but at this point I mostly would just love to understand why people presume it's dangerous for the baby to have stretchy fabric around it, when no-one worries about strong abs.

I wouldn't really mind if I ended up showing earlier than previous pregnancies (month 6 with first, month 4 with next), I am just baffled what science could be behind the dont-spanx-your-pregnany-belly... but dont-worry-about-abs. It seemed incongruous to me?

OP posts:
Report
DanielODonkey · 27/04/2021 20:59

I can't hide an extra serving of cake in Spanx without feeling sick, so the idea of hiding a pregnancy makes me feel horribly constricted and that's just thinking about it.

Report
SquirtleSquad · 27/04/2021 20:59

I don't think you can compare it to abs or muscles OP because your body is designed to respond and adapt to the needs of the mother and baby. Fabric doesn't have an inbuilt ability to adapt to protect a baby.

Report
Suzi888 · 27/04/2021 20:59

I wore a belly band for some support, helps prevent stretch marks too. I don’t think Spanx would harm the baby, but they’re (I think) uncomfortably tight and I can’t imagine wearing them whilst pregnant.

Report
MrsTerryPratchett · 27/04/2021 20:59

I agree women shouldn't have to feel like they have to hide and so on...

To misquote Seinfeld, you yaddayadded through the most important part.

Why on earth would you squash your pregnant belly?

Report
Itsokthanks · 27/04/2021 21:00

What's made you even think about this? My first pregnancy I didn't really show until 6 MTHS and 2nd I was clearly pregnant at 3 MTHS. The thought of holding it in with spanx sounds very uncomfortably and unnecessary.

Report
TiptopJ · 27/04/2021 21:00

I'm sure I saw pregnancy spanx when I was shopping for maternity clothes. It actually made me quite sad that they're even a thing tbh. God forbid our hips and thighs expand a bit when preparing to birth another human.

Report
Zezet · 27/04/2021 21:00

BabyOfMine, thank you for the very kind reaction, I am fine :-).

Thus is coming across as me insisting on hiding the belly, which isn't really the point... I'm just stuck a bit on trying to understand what would be so harmful.

Wouldn't poor circulation impact your toes and fingers and lips instead of your belly?

OP posts:
Report
HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 27/04/2021 21:00

Spanx usually squish the fat round, abs don't. They're muscles under the fat. You'd be squishing the fat to places it has nowhere to do and therfore it would be vv uncomfortable.

Report
DPotter · 27/04/2021 21:01

Don't know about others, but I felt much warmer when pregnant and wouldn't have wanted to wear tight fitting clothing for that reason alone.

Piece of fashion advice given to me - to disguise a thicker waist line - wear a belt to give thinner impression.

I was proud to show my bump !!

Report
DanielODonkey · 27/04/2021 21:01

Because your abs move with you amd can support your body in a natural way whereas Spanx are an external force made from the tightest elastic known to mankind.

Report

Newsletters you might like

Discover Exclusive Savings!

Sign up to our Money Saver newsletter now and receive exclusive deals and hot tips on where to find the biggest online bargains, tailored just for Mumsnetters.

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Parent-Approved Gems Await!

Subscribe to our weekly Swears By newsletter and receive handpicked recommendations for parents, by parents, every Sunday.

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

PinkCookie11 · 27/04/2021 21:01

Just wear a loose fit top.
Let your baby grow freely.

Report
Suzi888 · 27/04/2021 21:01

Saw your update, can’t you wear longer flowing tops /tunics to conceal your bump instead...

Report
Megan2018 · 27/04/2021 21:02

Strong abs don’t limit circulation, they also don’t apply pressure. How on earth can you equate the 2 things?! Batshit.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.