5 Best Compression Stockings for Pregnancy
If you are currently pregnant, or have been previously, you will know just how painful pregnancy swelling can be. So what is the solution to this painful problem? For many pregnant women, the solution is to wear compression socks.
The benefits of the socks are hard to believe. How can a sock relieve all pain? More and more people are waking up to the unbelievable benefits that compression wear provides. Pregnant women all across the world are taking full advantage of these benefits.
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With a huge amount of compression companies currently on the market, it can be hard to know who to trust. It is worth doing your homework and investing into a brand that will really help to relieve your pain. You really want to reap the benefits of compression wear, but perhaps you don’t know where to start.
We have compiled a list of best compression socks for pregnancy, so your journey can be as pleasant as possible.
Review of Best Maternity Compression Stockings
Firm Embrace
Firm Embrace is a brand that offers compression socks that carry a core focus of relieving varicose veins and Edema. This makes them ideal for pregnant women; people who frequently suffer from these conditions.
The key feature of these compression socks is the fitted zip that is positioned on the side of the sock.
Compression socks are difficult to get on, especially if you are pregnant; the YKK zipper is there to make the life of all pregnant women that little bit easier.
The Firm Embrace socks also feature an ‘open-toe’ design. Essentially, this means that your toes are not compressed inside of the sock. Firm Embrace has done this to provide increased comfort to your toes, although it is debatable if an open toe design does actually increase toe comfort.
Available in Medium, large and XL; you can view them on Amazon.com.
Pros
- Features an ‘open-toe’ – Improved comfort and breathability
- Features YKK zipper – Socks are easier to get on and off
- Range of sizes
- Gradient compression of 20-30mmHG
Cons
- Not as cheap as alternative products
- Zipper difficult to do up
MadeMother
MadeMother offer premium compression socks for women that are feeling the pain of pregnancy. Medical grade graduated compression ensures increased blood flow, this helps to relieve swelling and varicose veins.
The MadeMother compression socks are known for their excellent comfort. They feature soft foot padding and extra comfortable cuffs. This ensures all-around lower leg comfort, no matter how tall you are.
The socks come in a pleasant gray color, meaning they look more like a fashionable garment than a medical piece of clothing. A stylish design and incredibly comfortable materials mean that this sock is perfect for all pregnant ladies.
One issue that I must touch on is that the socks can become itchy, mainly after extensive wear. This isn’t the case for everyone. BUT if you are someone that suffers from itchy materials then it may be wise to look elsewhere.
Available in 2 sizes, medium and large. You can take a closer look on Amazon.com.
Pros
- Medical grade graduated compression
- Easy to get on
- Soft foot padding
- Stylish
- Cuff ensures the socks stay up
Cons
- Can cause itchiness in some people
Fytto
Fytto are a compression brand that offer socks in a huge range of different colors. Coming in 3 sizes, small, medium and large; these socks are ideal for all pregnant women.
Made out of 75% Spandex and 25% nylon, the Fytto compression socks are latex free.
At half the price as other compression socks on the market, these are pretty cheap. 15-20mmHg compression means that these socks offer a light to medium compression, making them ideal for those who dislike the brands with high compression.
However, the socks barely feel like 15-20mmHg and they are actually extremely light/ thin. Pregnant women usually need a sock with a high amount of compression; these feel more like regular tights and therefore may not be ideal for pregnancy symptoms.
Fytto socks are currently available on Amazon.com.
Pros
- Low price
- Therapeutic graduated compression
- Closed toe with plenty of room
- Additional thickness on heel
- Latex-free
Cons
- Compression is very light
- Thin material – more like a pair of tight
BeVisibleSports
The BeVisibleSports socks carry compression fabric made from 76.6% Nylon and 23.4% Spandex. True graduated compression of 20-30mmHg means that they easily take care of swelling pains during pregnancy.
BeVisibleSports offer these compression socks in 3 different sizes, small/medium, large and XL.
These socks are packed full of features to make your pregnancy life that little bit easier. As we have already mentioned, compression wear can be easy to get on and take off.
Buy this pair of compression socks and you will receive a ‘free sock aid’; this makes the application process a darn sight easier and is a great bonus gift.
Another feature is the ‘anti-slip band’ that is positioned along the top of the sock. The band ensures that the sock always stays up on your leg and doesn’t slip down like other brands.
The ‘open-toe’ design ensures that your toes are not uncomfortably compressed. It may, however, contribute to the one main negative of this product… bunching. Although not a massive issue, the sock can sometimes ‘bunch up’ around the ankle joint.
Full features can be seen on Amazon.com.
Pros
- Graduated compression
- Anti-slip band
- Open toe
Cons
- Can bunch up at the foot
Sockwell
Last, but by no means least, are the compression socks from Sockwell. These socks are made from a unique material-formula; 31% Merino Wool, 31% Bamboo Rayon, 30% Stretch Nylon, 8% Spandex.
Bamboo Rayon provides a high-quality material that remains tight. The added merino wool provides ultimate comfort with the added element of warmth.
In my opinion, these are the most aesthetically pleasing socks on the market. They come in a huge variety of colors and funky patterns. Who said compression socks had to be boring? Sockwell offers these compression socks in 2 sizes, small/medium and medium/large.
Firm graduated compression of 20-30mmHg means they are perfect for providing support and comfort for those that are feeling the negative effects of pregnancy. They aren’t super expensive and well worth it, in my opinion.
The added merino wool means that your feet are kept warm. This really is the perfect sock if you are going through pregnancy during cold conditions. However, these socks will likely be too hot if you live in a hotter climate. Like them? Take a closer look on Amazon.com.
Pros
- Huge range of colors/patterns
- Graduated compression
- Firm compression
- Merino wool content provides warmth
- Cushion on sole
Cons
- Can be too hot if you wear in warm environment
What to look for in pregnancy compression socks?
Okay, so you are feeling the effects of pregnancy and have decided to purchase a pair of compression socks, but what exactly is the perfect sock?
There are so many on the market. What should you look for?
The answer to this will depend on your exact needs, but there are a few features that all great compression socks must have.
Cost
Having a baby is expensive. We want quality, but quality doesn’t always have to mean a higher price. There are low priced socks and also high priced socks. The trick is to find a compression sock that does its job BUT also doesn’t cost the world
Compression tightness
Compression gear is meant to be tight fitting; the compression aids blood flow and increases circulation. This is especially important during pregnancy. You want a sock that will actually do its job and help to relieve pain. We recommend socks with a compression of at least 20-30mmHg.
Materials
During pregnancy it is highly likely that you will be wearing the socks every day. Therefore you need compression wear that will last. A high quality material is essential; you want to feel comfortable and secure. All compression brands featured in this article should serve you well.
Compression wear & maintenance
Always take a look at the care instructions that are fitted to your compression socks.
Most compression wear brands use a different mix of materials; therefore they may have special cleaning instructions.
A general washing guide is: Soak the compression clothing, add soap (make sure it is free from oil, softener, and sulfates), and then carefully rub any dirty areas.
You then want to rinse the clothing and tap down the excess water.
Please see this video that will give you a quick care overview. It also recommends a few products to get the best out of your compression wear.
Verdict
That concludes our article on the top pregnancy stockings. It is clear that socks can provide huge benefits to all pregnant women of the world. Compression socks improve blood flow and reduce the swelling that can make pregnancy life even harder.
We have outlined that the ‘cost’ ‘compression tightness’, and the ‘material’ are all important factors to take into account when deciding on your choice of sock.
It is also worth mentioning that all women go through the pregnancy stage differently.
The best compression stockings for pregnancy for one person may be different from another person. It is important to look at the positives and negatives and weigh up whether they are suited to your needs.
For me, MadeMother offer is the best maternity compression stockings. It is a tight contest with BeVisibleSports, but they just edge it. With many positives and only one slight negative, it is my choice of sock for pregnant women.
All products in this article have their own positives and negatives; it is up to you to decide what best suits your needs.
Before I go I have to give a special mention to the Sockwell compression sock. This is without a doubt my favorite compression sock for colder conditions.
It would be my favorite overall, but the sock isn’t recommended for those who are going through pregnancy in warmer climates.