Moms-to-be shouldn't have to sacrifice their sense of style just because they have a baby on board. Some of the most stylish looks out there have been worn by expecting mothers. Maternity fashion has become a way for pregnant women to express themselves. In fact, many big names in the fashion world have started designing clothing lines with pregnant bellies in mind.
This has made it possible for ladies with buns in their ovens to strut around town in catwalk-worthy attire, their blossoming bumps being their main accessory. Red carpet events have become places where pregnant celebs prove that having a baby on the way does not have impede a woman's ability to look ravishing. It only makes sense that when pregnant women are decked out in stylish digs, they may want their shoe of choice to be...elevated.
Many different experts have weighed in on whether or not it's safe for a pregnant woman to wear heels. More than a few doctors advise expecting women to steer clear of sky high footwear until after their babies arrive. According to some medical professionals, not only can heels be extremely uncomfortable, especially once an expecting mom's feet begin to swell, high heels present a variety of other risks to a prego mother and her unborn children. They include calf cramps, back pain, impaired balance, stretched muscles and possibly even miscarriage.
Some moms-to-be aren't willing to give up their fancy footwear despite the negative side effects wearing heels can present. Read on for 10 expecting women rocking their bumps in heels, and 5 who should probably stick to flats.
15 Hot: Bey's Balancing Act
Beyonce is a sensational singer with an exceptional sense of style. She's got three beautiful children with her rapper hubby, Jay Z. Queen B is one mama who has learned the art of pairing heels with the perfect maternity duds. The outfit she's rocking above is just one of the many stylish, classy and ultra-sexy ensembles she's worn while expecting.
It has been recommended by experts that if women do choose to don heels during pregnancy, they should stick to lower ones. Bey isn't heeding their advice, but she may be more fit than some other women to pair heels with a growing bump.
Beyoncé dances regularly while performing, often while wearing stilettos, which gives her a naturally strong core and a good center of balance. Experts have admitted that women who are used to wearing heels before becoming pregnant are more likely to be able to safely wear them while pregnant than women who throw on six-inch heels for the first time when 8 months pregnant.
14 Hot: Victoria's Va Va Voom Moment
Victoria Beckham is another celeb known for her killer style. She's a mother of four, who, throughout her multiple pregnancies, has never allowed her ultra-cool fashion sense to suffer in any way.
According to Hilda Hutcherson, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, “Early in pregnancy, heels aren’t a problem. They’re really sexy and all of that, but by the third trimester wearing super-high heels can cause back strain and pain. And yes, there’s a risk that you could trip and hurt the baby.”
Despite this advice, many women, especially celebs, ignore the counsel given by experts, and continue rocking their fabulous footwear right up until the time they give birth. Victoria is one of those women. In the picture above, she's more than eight months pregnant, but she's an old hat when it comes to walking in heels. Now that's posh.
13 Hot: Mama's Steamy Selfie
The woman pictured above heated up her Instagram feed when she posed for the camera in black stilettos and a come-hither light pink cocktail dress. She's rocking heels like a boss, but is all of her fabulousness worth the possible consequences?
Calf cramps are caused by heels due to the fact that they put calf muscles in a contracted position. Muscle cramps are already a discomfort that many women deal with during pregnancy, and wearing heels has been proven to exacerbate said cramps. Some women don't mind putting themselves through a little pain every now and again. It's a gamble they are willing to take in order to look fabulous, and no one can really blame them.
Pregnancy is rough. Sharing your body is a pretty big commitment. If wearing hot shoes helps a woman feel like a million bucks, and she's aware of the possible complications of slipping them on for a night out, all we can say is, to each their own.
12 Hot: Heidi Heats Up The Red Carpet
Heidi Klum is one hot mama. She has managed to keep her figure lean and mean through four pregnancies. The Project Runway host has wowed on the red carpet while expecting on more than one occasion. She also hosted her hit show while rocking a bump, impressing contestants as she strode out onto the runway week after week with her fashion forward maternity looks.
If the heels Heidi chooses to rock while a bun is in her oven give her any sort of discomfort, she never shows it. She's one of those celebs who seems to be unaffected by unwanted pregnancy symptoms, and glows like a goddess every time she has a baby on the way.
It's true that heels can present a variety of different unsavory side effects, but they affect some women more than others. The ailments associated with wearing heels while pregnant don't seem to have plagued Klum in any way, shape or form.
11 Hot: Blake Steps It Up
Blake Lively is an actress and mother-of-two known for her sensational sense of style. Blake's looks during both of her pregnancies have been nothing short of perfection. Her on point maternity outfits were always classy, sophisticated and smoking hot. They also usually included some sort of heels.
Another danger experts warn of when pregnant ladies don heels is the risk that balance is impaired as a baby bump grows. They argue that adding heels to the mix throws a mom-to-be's balance off even more.
Excess weight and weakened ankles due to the hormonal changes that take place in the body during pregnancy impair balance even further. Wearing heels ups the risk that an expecting mother will lose her balance, and possibly cause harm to herself or her unborn child. Blake is as sure-footed as they come, especially while expecting. She proves that some women are simply born to wear heels, baby on the way or not.
10 Hot: Sidewalk Stunner
The mom-to-be above posted this stunning shot on Instagram. She's posing while pregnant on an ordinary sidewalk, but nothing about this shot is ordinary. Understandably, her followers gushed about how glam she looks from head to toe. That trench. Those wrap-around heels. The clutch and stunner shades. Let's face it: this expecting mama's look is everything.
This seriously on-fire mom-to-be is Diana Madison. She's the host of Style Lab and The Lowdown, and an Executive Producer of Glam Masters Lifetime. She already has one little one named Collette, and is about to become the proud mother of two.
This mom, who knows a thing or two about rocking heels while expecting, currently has over 145 thousand followers on Instagram, all of whom are most likely waiting with baited breath to see the adorable outfits she'll select for her impending arrival after the little darling enters the world.
9 Hot: Angie's A-list Style
Angelina Jolie is considered by many to be the ultimate super mom. She has a thriving acting career, directs and produces award-winning films and is an activist who fights for what she believes in. She brings her beautiful brood with her nearly everywhere she goes, which means her lucky little ones get to jet set with their stunning mama all over the globe.
Angie has a signature style all her own. She's a big fan of black, but changes her look up every now and then with a gorgeous pops of color. She's another celeb who seemed to be nothing but cool, collected and comfortable throughout her pregnancies: even when she was carrying twins.
The photo above is just one example of Jolie's effortlessly cool style while expecting. We'd have no idea she was balancing on heels if we were looking at the above photo of the star from the shoulders up. That's how put-together this mother-of-six appears at all times.
8 Hot: No Doubt About It
Gwen Stefani is yet another celeb who didn't seem to be the least bit affected in a negative way while expecting. What nausea? What swelling? Pregnancy is difficult? No way! Gwen's rock star style was as hip as can be every time she had a baby in her belly. Her sleek, chic looks were usually accentuated by the singer's signature sky high heels. Hey, she pulled it off, so more power to her.
The selfie above is just one of a long line of photographs showcasing how fabulous and fierce Stefani looks every time she's preggers. Some fans undoubtedly secretly harbor the hope that she'll have another, just so they have an excuse to gush over her flawless fashion choices.
Gwen's little ones must have learned a thing or two while on the inside, because they are some of the coolest kids around, always dressed to the nines and looking fly just like their mama.
7 Hot: Kerry Kills It At The Oscars
Kerry Washington showed up at the 2014 Academy Awards looking simply breathtaking. She wowed fans and fellow celebs in her lavender Jason Wu gown. Her getup was only enhanced by the bedazzled Christian Louboutin high-heeled shoes that adorned her feet.
Washington presented an award that night to a lucky recipient, but she may have upstaged the winner just a bit, all because she looked so darn spectacular. She never bobbled, never wavered and reminded the world that being pregnant and sexy is definitely a possibility.
Washington is now the mother of two precious little ones. The star is always fashionable, and while her alter-ego Olivia Pope may have style to spare, Kerry is just as put-together in real life. She's another woman who has proven that rocking heels while expecting is in no way a scandal.
6 Hot: Platform Perfection
The jury is still out on whether or not platforms are considered heels, but this mom-to-be looks so on fleek we can't help but add her to the list of pregnant women rocking heels. Her pose is impressive, her shoes are bomb and her baby-to-be is one lucky little one to have such a cool mama. If anyone is rocking elevated footwear while expecting, it's her. In fact, she may just take the cake.
Platforms are the best of both worlds for moms who want to keep their style on point while expecting, but worry they may not be able to keep their balance while teetering on skinny appendages attached to their fabulous shoes.
Shout out to the mom-to-be above for giving all the pregnant women out there looking for middle ground when it comes to maternity footwear a simply fabulous alternative. We love everything about the above look. Time to purchase some platform shoes!
5 Not: Snooki Almos Takes A Spill
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has two children with her main man Jionni LaValle. The shot above of the former Jersey Shore star nearly taking a spill while expecting proves that not everyone can keep their balance when wearing heels.
Part of Snooki's problem in this instance may be that she's attempting to walk down what appears to be an inclined driveway in crazy high heels while she's got a baby bump. Expecting moms who choose to wear heels should be aware that certain situations put them at a greater risk of falling. If pregnant, wearing high heels and walking down a steep incline, it may be a good idea to find a friend to give you support until you are once again on a flat surface.
MomJunction.com states, "A pregnant woman wearing high heels is always at a higher risk of having a miscarriage. The pregnancy is threatened due to the risk of falling or twisting." Of course, this is a worst case scenario that will most likely not happen, but when women choose to wear heels while expecting, there is no question that the chances they'll lose their balance go up.
4 Not: Kim's Tight Fit
Poor Kim. Her pregnancy style has been picked apart time and time again. The clothing store owner is known for being fashion forward and flawless, and the media has not taken kindly to her maternity style, especially during her first pregnancy with daughter, North.
The shot above is a now infamous look at one of the reasons people gave Kim a hard time while she was pregnant. She seemed to go to extremes and sacrifice her comfort and well-being all for a stylish outfit.
Edema is a medical condition that many women suffer from during pregnancy. It causes swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. It is very common, and there is often little an expecting mom can do to prevent it. It can be quite painful, and wearing heels does not help the situation, especially sky high shoes that are waaaaay too tight. Sorry, Kim, but, we've gotta say, in the instance above, it may have been worth it to stick to flats.
3 Not: Blac Chyna Bares Her Bump
Blac Chyna is the mother of two little ones: Dream Renee and King Cairo. The star is known for her wacky fashion choices, and her extravagant footwear. In the pic above, Chyna is rocking a body suit over which she has placed a black semi-see-through number.
While her outfit choice is certainly unique, it does look a little less-than comfortable. Her toes look smashed up inside of her shoes, a phenomenon that cannot be comfy.
Another downside to wearing heels while pregnant, according to experts, is the number the stylish shoes can do on a woman's back. During pregnancy, a woman's posture changes as a baby grows and more and more weight is added in the front. Additionally, ligaments in the lower back and legs loosen during pregnancy, causing the pelvic and back joints to get excess pressure when a woman is wearing shoes that don't support her posture properly.
2 Not: Kourtney's Kerfuffle
Kourtney Kardashian is the flawless mother of three little ones. Her kids, who she shares with her ex Scott Disick, are showered with love and affection. She's a protective, loving mama who likes to bed share and feed her kids uber healthy foods.
Kourt is another celeb who chose to rock heels while expecting. One day, this choice almost cost the star her footing. The petite reality diva was doing well balancing in her heels, but a misstep nearly caused her to take a tumble when she encountered some uneven terrain on a city sidewalk.
The photo above is yet another reminder that when moms are planning to be in places where the walking conditions may be treacherous, it might be best for them to stick to flats. Luckily, knights in shining armor dashed to Kourtney's rescue and prevented any harm from coming to her or her unborn baby. Good thing they were keeping up with her!
1 Not: Jess's Precarious Platforms
Jessica Simpson is the mother of two beautiful babies. She is another celeb who took heat while she was expecting. Many speculated that her weight gain during pregnancy was well above the recommended amount.
Jess has since shed the baby weight, and is enjoying a thriving career as a shoe and clothing designer. The shot above is not under scrutiny because of Jess's burgeoning belly, but because of the height of her platform footwear. Even women who are practiced in the art of high heel wearing should be careful what shoes they select while expecting.
Adding a platform to an already high heel increases the likelihood of a fall. Additionally, when a woman's weight goes up due to pregnancy, balance is made even more of a challenge. Add all of this to Jess's choice to wear a flowing maxi dress that is easy to trip on, and the above ensemble may have been a recipe for disaster.
Sources: MomJunction.com, Parents.com, BabyCenter.com, TheBump.com