What is a belly harness and should a woman in her third trimester use one?

Transcripts

Host: What is a belly harness and should a woman in her third trimester use one? Dr. John Schmitt: Well, I don't think you have to use a belly harness. There is in fact, most pregnant patients don't use that. There is really kind of two kinds. One is a band that is basically an elastic wide binder with Velcro that you just wear around your pelvis that provides some low back support and lower abdominal support that will help especially if you are getting a lot of lower abdominal discomfort and pressure from the weight of the baby and also some low back pain. There is a more elaborate harness type thing that goes over your shoulders and supports the baby and it's a very elaborate kind of suit that's you would wear and I really have not used those and don't feel really the need to do that and I would think they would be quite uncomfortable to have this on. A lot of patients can't even wear the belt like in pregnancy because they are hot, they are constricting and if your skin is being stretched it's very sensitive and sometimes very itchy to have that skin contact like that. But they do help for lower abdominal pressure and low back discomfort.