When You’re Pregnant, Skip the High Heels

Obie Editorial Team

For many women, becoming pregnant means giving up a lot of things that they’re used to. While worth it, giving up everyday routines such as drinking coffee and wine can prove difficult. If you plan on becoming pregnant, you’ll also have to give up many of your favorite clothes. Achieving style is not easy when you’re pregnant. There are countless high-end, stylish maternity clothing stores, but you might not want to spend hundreds on an item you’ll only be wearing for a few months. If you consider your style your own personal statement, you just might have to put that statement on hold until you have your baby. In fact, studies show that wearing heels in particular can be detrimental to your body during your pregnancy.

When the rest of your body is expanding out of control, wearing heels might feel like the only way to regain some semblance of attractiveness. However, doing so could seriously hurt your body. The results of a recent study indicate that women in their third trimester especially should only wear heels that are between 1.5 and 3 centimeters tall. Your center of gravity changes when your baby starts growing, and trying to wear high heels could throw you off balance unexpectedly. If you fall later in your pregnancy, you could cause your growing baby irreversible harm. In addition to the risk of falling, wearing heels late in your pregnancy can have a negative effect on your bones and ligaments. When you become pregnant, there is a high level of relaxin in your system and your ligaments are more malleable than usual. If you wear high heels that put a strain on your hips, you’ll be stretching these ligaments too much and it will take a long time for the aches and pains to subside.

As you approach your third trimester in your pregnancy, or even as you notice significant growth in your belly, you should switch over to lower heel heights. You will be a lot more comfortable, and you will avoid putting your body and your baby in harm’s way. Besides, shopping for new shoes is always fun, even when they’re low flats that you will need specifically for the duration of your pregnancy. After three months of wearing flat, comfortable shoes, you can switch back over to your beloved heels after your baby is born.

Source: Walid El-Sherbiny et al: Footwear and Postural Changes in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy. Anatolian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Volume 2 2010