“Maternity leggings should feel strictly flexible and supportive—never be too tight or restrictive,” said Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS/MBA, FACOG, an OB/GYN, maternal fetal medicine specialist, and director of Perinatal Services and Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health and Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx. “A legging that is too tight may be irritating to the lower extremities, particularly if you have varicosities.” Whether you need dressy maternity leggings or a pair to wear while running errands, look for stretchy, breathable, and versatile fabric that will suit your various activities. Additionally, you’ll want maternity leggings that fit you properly and are supportive without constricting or rolling down and that will hold up well after washing. We took into account these criteria when testing maternity leggings in the real world before narrowing down our list to 16 winners. Silicone grips prevent the waistband from rolling down over the belly. “You can move all around, and these leggings will stay on,” our tester said, adding that the maternity leggings were never see-through. The deep side pockets are a welcome addition for storing a phone, too.  This does come at a slightly higher price than some budgets might allow. If you have the money, it is worth what you gain in return: firm support, ultimate comfort, cozy warmth, breathable fabric, and solid durability. Price at time of publication: $89
A belly band helps the leggings feel supportive without constricting, sagging, or slipping down. “They moved flawlessly during every activity of my day,” said our tester, who wore the leggings during a 45-minute yoga class and while doing chores at home. The belly band folds down so you can wear it over or under a bump, postpartum, and beyond. Plus, each hip has a generous side pocket for cards, cash, phones, and other necessities.  These are the most expensive pair of maternity leggings on our list, yet the buttery, easy-to-wash fabric is worth splurging on at least once. The leggings are great for exercising, but they’re also comfortable enough for those who are less active during pregnancy. Price at time of publication: $110 Following multiple washes, the maternity leggings had zero changes in quality and or opaqueness. It’s important to note that while we found the leggings were “very opaque," the company says they won’t be opaque for everyone. It wasn’t until our tester reached the third trimester that she noticed her bump showing through the fabric slightly. The simple design, great fit, and opaque fabric earned the Storq maternity leggings an overall value of 5 out of 5 stars.  Price at time of publication: $68 Though the elasticized foldover waistband didn’t cover our tester’s belly entirely, it didn’t roll down or sag while she wore these leggings. Of the three color options currently available, we tried the heather gray leggings, which failed to be completely opaque. “If I have colored underwear on, you can see them slightly through the pants in the butt area in the right light without bending or stretching,” she said, adding she wore skin-tone matching underwear to solve that problem.  These leggings come in XX-Small to XX-Large, and we recommend purchasing one size up from a pre-pregnancy size (which she did), especially if you’re carrying baby weight in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. These leggings are $60, but Gap is notorious for holding great sales, so you’ll likely see a sale soon, if you don’t want to splurge now.  Price at time of publication: $60 One great advantage to the thick fabric is their opaqueness. “Even once the fabric is stretched out and on, I wasn’t able to see my underwear through it, which is the real test,” our tester noted. “I felt perfectly comfortable wearing these outside.”   Around the waist, these leggings feature a double-layered fabric that allows the band to fold over for underbelly or over-belly wearing. In both configurations, the waistband stays put without rolling down, drooping, or moving around.  The $18 price tag was a shock to us, considering the durable fabric, earning the leggings a perfect score for overall value. “They are inexpensive, but it seems like the fabric is really thick and has good quality,” our tester said. Price at time of publication: $18 The company claims the leggings are “totally opaque,” and they’re right. “These leggings are completely opaque and felt very high quality in terms of material,” our tester said. “There isn’t a chance you could see through these leggings.” A flexible waistband allowed for a mid-belly or underbelly-wearing experience. Still, our tester noted some slippage in the second and third trimesters, resulting in several attempts to pull them up.  The $75 cost of the Seraphine Bump to Postpartum Active Leggings isn’t ideal for every family’s budget, but they are incredibly soft, hold up well after washing, and last through pregnancy and postpartum, doing the work of more than one pair.  Price at time of publication: $75 These leggings performed beautifully for durability, with zero changes after being washed. They kept their softness and remained fully opaque. “There isn’t a chance you could see through these leggings,” our tester noted after wearing the leggings at home and while running errands.  We docked a point for the leggings’ overall value due to the $88 price tag. While many would prefer to buy them on sale, we believe they’re worth the full price for the high-quality materials, comfortable and flattering fit, and a low crossover back detail that’s stylish and supportive.  Price at time of publication: $88 Partly because these leggings aren’t for maternity wear, we found a downside to wearing them while pregnant: They rolled down easily with a growing baby bump. As a result, they often needed to be pulled up when worn all day. Otherwise, the Lulumemon leggings performed well with a comfortable fit, no sagging, and soft materials. They’re available in nearly 30 different colors and patterns and range in sizes from 0 to 20.  Bonus: A hidden pocket in the waistband securely holds a key or card. Price at time of publication: $98+ Aside from some hiccups, the leggings proved opaque and gave full coverage, earning 5 out of 5 stars for overall value. The $40 cost is just the cherry on top.  Price at time of publication: $40 There are six available color options, like black or forest green, so you don’t have to give up your style, even while growing a human. The $74 gets you a lot in return—the ultimate support with just the right amount of compression. Price at time of publication: $74 The polyamide and spandex blend feels soft against the skin and causes zero chafing issues. However, our tester did note some pilling near the ankles after multiple washes. “Other than that, the color remained the same and stretch remained intact,” said the tester, adding that they happily wore the leggings consistently and didn’t mind the small amount of pilling.  Given how well the leggings fit, the $50 price tag easily earned the overall value of 5 out of 5 stars.  Price at time of publication: $50 “They were very comfortable for everyday activities,” said our tester, who wore these maternity leggings while lounging at home and running errands. Though there was minor sagging in the back area, the leggings provided excellent belly coverage (no rolling down), thanks to the single-layer fitted waistband. Plus, there was minimal difference in quality after our tester washed the leggings, and the fit and look didn’t change.  These maternity leggings work beyond lounging at home, but the soft material takes your binge-watching days up a notch. Though they’re very fairly price at $38, the slight hiccup with minor sagging took the overall value score of these down to 4 out of 5 stars. Price at time of publication: $38 While not ideal for heavy exercising and sweating, these are great for lounging and light errands. “If you’re looking for a comfy pair of leggings you can wear for pretty much any routine activity, you’d be satisfied with these, especially in the post-wash quality,” according to our tester. But since they’re not quite as multipurpose as advertised and cost $98, they earned only a 3.5 out of 5 for overall value. Price at time of publication: $98 While these maternity leggings were mostly comfortable, the elastic waistband across the full-panel top was snug and started to feel restrictive after a few hours during testing. Additionally, our 5’5” tester said the leggings were too long and had to be rolled up once to pair with sneakers. They also sagged a little but not enough that it was bothersome.  Overall, the leggings are easy to move around in, have a great amount of stretch, and don’t require you to take out a second mortgage to afford them.  Price at time of publication: $24 Price at time of publication: $48 For this reason, the leggings are not exactly ideal for a night out on the town, but they’re great for sleeping and lounging. Our tester slept in these leggings and spent a lot of time at home relaxing in them. They fit well, provided plenty of stretch, and didn’t sag or roll down.  These leggings are more like glorified pajama pants than leggings to wear out of the house. You’ll get plenty of use out of these at home, so if that’s where you spend most of your time, they may be worth the steep price.  Price at time of publication: $96

How We Tested the Maternity Leggings

Our pregnant testers evaluated 25 maternity leggings in the comfort of their homes, assessing each on durability, fit, comfort, opaqueness, hold, and overall value. We also followed guidance from the American Pregnancy Association. Moreover, we spoke with OB-GYN and maternal fetal medicine specialist Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS/MBA, FACOG and retired OB-GYN Kimberly Langdon, MD.  First, we unboxed the maternity leggings and tried them on. We noted how the leggings felt when pulling them on and if the fabric was soft and breathable. Next, we wore the leggings during usual activities, like running errands, working from home, or watching TV, for at least seven days during a four-week testing period. Additionally, we documented whether the leggings were stretchy for various ranges of motion, sagged at any point, cut into the skin, had a loose waistband, or felt too tight or loose in places.  The test included a light walk of approximately 15 to 20 minutes, at a brisk pace when possible, to see how the leggings performed when moving around. We paid attention to whether the leggings stayed put, started to sag, or felt uncomfortable. We also took note of whether the fabric felt soft against the skin or caused chafing. We set a timer for 60 seconds and moved around to determine if the waistband shifted. Lastly, we washed the leggings as instructed by the manufacturer to verify quality and durability. We wanted to know if the leggings’ color faded, fit changed, or if there was any pilling. Finally, we carefully considered all attributes compared to the price of each pair of maternity leggings to assess their overall value.

Maternity Leggings We Also Tested

Kindred Bravely Louisa Maternity & Postpartum Support Leggings: We loved how they fit comfortably postpartum but thought they were too restrictive at nine months pregnant.  Nike Maternity Performance Leggings: These Nike maternity leggings were soft and comfortable to move in but slightly faded after washing and sagged a bit during yoga. Girlfriend Collective Seamless Maternity Legging: While these leggings were opaque and downright comfortable, they pilled easily and lost color after a few washes.

What to Look for in Maternity Leggings

Belly Comfort

There are two types of maternity belly support: over the belly and under the belly. Overbelly maternity leggings offer a waistband that covers the bump entirely, while the underbelly style fits directly under the bump. In addition, some maternity leggings offer a foldover waistband, like the Storq Signature Maternity Leggings and BeyondYoga Spacedye Love the Bump Maternity Pocket Midi Legging, so you can choose how to wear the belly panel. Regardless of which style you prefer, it’s all about support. “The support is for the abdomen primarily; [it] also can minimize lower back pain,” Dr. Gaither explained.

Material

Material may come as a second thought, but it’s more important than you think. If you’re pregnant during warm weather, stay away from overly thick fabrics, such as polyester or nylon, to avoid overheating or additional sweating that can lead to chafing. Your best bet is to look for breathable and stretchy fabrics like cotton blends, spandex, and elastane. Maternity leggings should feel comfortable regardless of activity.

Compression

As a pregnant body works for two (or more) for nine months, it produces more blood and retains extra fluid to meet the needs of the fetus. This often results in swelling in joints, which can be painful and uncomfortable. Compression leggings can combat swelling and help you feel more at ease. “During pregnancy, compression garments such as leggings and shorts can help reduce pelvic and low back pain,” Dr. Langdon says. “Pelvic and low back pain are two of the most commonly reported discomforts among pregnant [people] that interfere with their daily activities.” When you’re pregnant, your body goes through an immense transformation, such as hormones loosening your ligaments and increasing the capacity of your belly and breasts. Wearing tight-fitting clothing, like tight leggings, can interfere with these expansions.

Why Trust Verywell Family

Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer for Verywell Family with nearly eight years of writing experience. Katrina’s background in journalism began at an Emmy Award-winning news station in Oklahoma before she obtained her B.A. in professional media. Her love for service journalism, helping others, and becoming a parent led to her commerce writing role, which allows her to research and recommend the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. While you’ll want some compression to help with the swelling, you don’t want too much restriction. “Too much pressure/compression, i.e., greater than 40mmHg, can obstruct blood circulation, so carefully read product labels,” adds Dr. Langdon.