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Women Love Shoes!
Women love shoes and if you poll women in a shopping mall about how many pairs of shoes they have you will probably hear a ballpark figure of around 12 to 19 pairs of shoes. The shoes will be a combination of flip-flops, pumps for work, sports shoes for exercising, sandals and several pairs of formal wear shoes. In fact, a post in Slaves to Fashion a daily style blog mentions a recent study that said “women spend $25,000 on stilettos and sneakers in our lifetime”. What is a woman to do about this stylish footwear habit once her pregnancy is confirmed?
Stylish Maternity Footwear Exists
She has nothing to fear of course, because stylish maternity footwear can be found in specialty shoe stores, in malls all across the U.S. and around the world and in many online shoe stores including Amazon.com. There are some important facts about pregnancy and footwear that a woman should be made aware of before she goes out and buys more shoes. Richey & Co. states that a woman’s foot can grow as much as ½ to one full shoe size during her pregnancy as a result of many factors including the increase in the hormone relaxin and the extra weight that is a natural occurrence during pregnancy. It is important to choose shoe styles that support the foot, can provide additional room as the foot may expand when the woman experiences edema, and will give her comfort with each step. They suggest that the best footwear for the pregnant mom-to-be is the footbed sandal, a supportive slipper that provides adjustability, comfort, support and style for feet during pregnancy.
The Shoes are Stylish so all is Well
Despite the fact that a pregnant woman in her last trimester is probably not going to see what shoes are on her feet, she will feel better just knowing that she is wearing stylish maternity footwear. While it is true that pregnant women must also think about safety when it comes to footwear there is nothing wrong with wearing shoes that are comfortable, safe and stylish. The reason pregnant women are told to NOT wear high heeled shoes is because pregnancy hormones cause the ligaments in the body to relax creating situations where a pregnant woman may become “clumsy” and prone to become off-balance. When in high heels this tendency can be especially alarming and lead to a higher risk for falls. A fall while pregnant can cause injury to the woman and to her unborn baby. Another consideration is that wearing high heels can lead to back pain and a woman in her third trimester is already going to experience back discomfort from the added weight up front from an expanding uterus. She will want to minimize discomfort by avoiding shoes that pinch or contribute to back pain.
What style of shoe was your favorite while pregnant?
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