NeoTech Care Pregnancy Support Maternity Belt, Waist/Back/Abdomen Band, Belly Brace, Beige, Size S

I ordered this on July 21st.. was sure to measure my belly and order according to their recommended size chart. I was going to order a size up since I am only 5 months pregnant, but after I measured I was still 2” LESS than even making the chart for their minimum band circumference range (size small). I also measured at an angle from the middle of my back to under my belly to be sure I gave a little extra “wiggle room” on the growth chart. So I thought, ‘ok - I have a 9” range within this size before I could outgrow this. Perfect! I won’t need more than that.’ I am very petite, (5’2” and 115lbs at 23 weeks pregnant) and I carry small - so small that usually no one even knows I am pregnant til I hit 7 1/2 months or so. My babies are 6lbs by 40 weeks. I don’t even have stretch marks. No Mommy badges of honor here. :’( This is my fourth pregnancy, and I know my body well. So far it’s been just the same growth rate as the other three pregnancies. So - all that background to say.. the splint came quickly and it fit perfectly. That was around July 30th. Exactly where I needed support without being too tight or uncomfortable. Unfortunately, by the first week of Sempember, it was getting way too small. I needed a lot of side to belly support (where you see the band hitting in the model photo or even a tad more towards the belly would be brilliant), and while I can still strap it on, the the elastic strap (for the belly piece) is at the very edge of the pad and too tight on my kidney area. The elastic is able to be stretched a little further but gets rigid and just way too tight if I try.. to the point where it is digging in to my back. The larger sides that wrap from the back barely catch the edge of the tummy piece now. They stay attached even on that little edge (the Velcro is soft but so strong) but I feel more squeezed than supported. By evening my sides feel bruised and I can’t wait to pop it off. (It literally ‘pops’ off and my belly jumps forward). I have not grown much in the belly outwards, and have only gained 4lbs, since the splint was ordered. Of course, by the time I realized the band was not going to last the remaining months of pregnancy.. my August 26th return order deadline was passed (and I had been wearing it every other day for a month.. can’t exactly return something already worn either!) . I am really bummed that I didn’t just order a size up like I had planned.. I am still within the sizing guide for the Small but I don’t know how. This does not fit with the amount of support it first did unless I pull it so tight that my kidneys hurt. My advice, if you are small anyway (not sure how the bigger sizes fit) and especially if you have a few months left in your pregnancy - give yourself the extra support and bigger growth range with ordering a size up. Seems good logic but the sizing chart talked me out of it. So stick with your “gut reaction” ;). The size Small fits great when you are at the very bottom end of their growth chart. Maybe some women’s aches or support areas are still covered all the way through that sizing range, but for me (diastasis recti and weak spinal column) the support was needed like a “hug” all the way around my back and sides onto my tummy and this only offers lumbar support after you hit the middle measurement on their range. I don’t think I measured wrong, especially since the angled measurement was bigger than my straight out (spine to belly button) measurement. But I suppose user error is always possible especially with pregnancy brain. I don’t know if I will reorder a bigger size.. depends on how desperate I get. At least I still have the AZMED and will need to grow another 15” to outgrow that one. ;) That one is just not as supportive on the big needs as this NEOtech was. The price is great for the quality and amount of relief it provides but money has been tight and I hate spending it on the same thing I just bought and thought I was good to go on. $25 for 4 months of use is great! $25 for a month and a half might as well be a steep rental charge. :P :( Aside from size, here are my other thoughts... I also ordered the AZMED band because I have a 3 finger diastasis recti and need tummy support. I wasn’t sure which splint would help more. They arrived on the same day and I wore AZMED first because it was so easy to put on. I didn’t really feel like “ahhhhhh” when I put it on.. no Instant relief. But I wore it for the next three days and my belly pain was gone. The trick was putting it on first thing in the morning and wearing it like it was my own skin (not taking it on and off). Then my back was aching and I knew I needed to either return this NEO Tech splint or try it out. So I put it on around 5pm. Instantly I felt the “ahhhhhhh” as the back supported my lower lumbar area and the front pulled up my belly just enough to get the pressure off my hips and bladder. It felt amazing. I would wear the AZMED in the mornings and switch to this in the afternoons.. some days just wearing one or the other all day and some days wearing BOTH at the same time. I have split wood in the double splint combo (AZMED plus NEOTech) and I work outside on our homestead... I would wear the AZMED with the NEOtech strapped over it. I have brilliant posture with those both on and my belly and back feel so good at the end of the day. Why it took my until my fourth baby to get a splint at all is beyond me. I had to wear a tank top under both splints.. the fabric is soft (well made, no itchy or sharp seams) but still not a natural fiber so my skin would itch once the splint warmed up. Sweat makes them chafe like crazy. Also, I don’t have issues with needing to take it off when I go to the bathroom like some reviews said.. But I only wear skirts or elastic waisted linen pants so maybe that is why. Both I wear over the splint. It is a little bulky under clothes but not bad at all. The only place you can see it is where the sides Velcro to the tummy piece. When you are pregnant, everything is bulky under your clothes, so it doesn’t seem any worse to me than an extra tank top or fabric nursing bra.

I been having really bad back pain. I wear this when I plan on walking or being active around the house. It helps belly and back feel really supported, but can be a little uncomfortable after a while. But overall it was a good purchase

As soon as I put it on, the back ache went away along with the tension in my belly. I am 27 weeks & should have bought sooner.

This support band has been a life saver for my last few weeks at work, as well as when we go on longer walks near the end of my pregnancy. I’ve tried others but this one has more support than I ever expected!

This band definitely takes the strain off my eight-months-pregnant belly, which is great. *However,* I wish that it had some light plastic vertical reinforcement where the ribbing is around the back, because as soon as I start moving around, the top wants to roll down. It gets annoying having to stop every few steps and readjust. I’ve tried loosening and tightening it, but that doesn’t make any difference. The back braces from home improvement stores have the plastic supports built in, but they aren’t great for wrapping *under* the belly. When I saw the vertical bands on the photos of this, I was hoping they were stiff enough to prevent the rolling issue in the back while still actually supporting the belly in the front. Could be a five star product if the structure were improved.

This is a great band for support. My back felt so much better and my lower stomach and my baby loved to sit on my bladder and hips it felt like. Haha

A nurse in the ER told me about this. It works wonders. I was experiencing “round ligament pain” and when I put this band on it relieved the pain instantly! I highly recommend!

Excelente

I went to the emergency room after spending three days in pain. I assumed the worse and was worried for my baby (Im 28 weeks) but turned out it was simply ligament pain from my growing uterus giving me issues. I wasnt using a belly band or anything and working near 40 hours a week (Im a barista for sbux) it was taking a toll on me. So my doctor said to order one of these to help with my pain and give me the support I need. I ordered when I got home, it said I would need a large and although I generally always went with medium (Im 170 and 57 1/2 tall) I decided to follow the instructions. two days later and after following the directions again, I was met with so much relief! the ache went a way and I felt like I could function on my feet without coming across any sort of discomfort. I take off when I sleep and wear it over a tank top and not right on my skin. its a game changer and fits like a glove (but still feels like it will grow with me) and holding my belly up, lifiting that weight to give relief (amazing!) and it even helps with posture (which I notice my posture was starting to go down). I highly suggest this belt to any other mommas out there, you wont be disappointed

Really great product for what it does. But the velcro and the stitching is not durable. After continued use the velcro does adhere very well. And the stitching is coming apart.