Top 5 Maternity Underwear Styles for Pregnant Women

While you know that your abdomen is eventually going to expand now that you are pregnant, you probably haven't given a lot of thought to the type of maternity underwear that you're going to need. You're probably attached to your underwear style, be it briefs, bikinis, or thongs. But what should you keep in mind when your pre-pregnancy underwear just isn't going to provide you with the support you need? To avoid cheeky mishaps or underwear that rolls down uncomfortably, you've got to plan ahead.

Your personal style preference will be one factor, while comfort is going to be more important as your pregnant belly grows. You may want to make a switch. Learn about five different styles of underwear and which may be right for you:

Simply buying a size or two up in your usual bikini style of underwear may be just fine for some women, versus buying maternity underwear like the Motherhood Maternity Bikini Underwear label. Although some women have an issue with this style rolling down uncomfortably, bikini styles usually sit low, so you don't have to worry about it peeking out from most pants. Depending on the shape of your belly, look for a bikini style that doesn't settle into your hip crease or dig into your skin.

Maternity briefs are often called grandma panties, because yes, they look like something your grandma might wear. And while they are not stylish, many moms rave about how comfortable they are despite the looks because of the coverage they provide in the back. They don't tend to roll or bunch in uncomfortable places, though some high-cut thigh styles can leave you with a covered belly but too little coverage for full cheeks.

While many women say that they wouldn't wear thongs, pregnant or not, the thong is fashionably popular for pregnancy underwear. Many women find this style of underwear very comfortable, saying if they aren't getting the coverage from their other underwear they might as well wear something designed to "be in there." There are also styles such as the carer maternity thong, which provides full belly coverage while sporting a thin thong style between the cheeks.

The boxer style of underwear looks a lot like cute boy shorts. Many expectant moms enjoy the full coverage in the bottom, while the waist sits comfortably under the belly. Maternity boxer panties come in comfortable cotton/spandex blends that stretch and move with you, though some women don't like that the shorts seem to sit in the crease of the hip, requiring frequent digging out and pulling down.

A growing number of women say that pregnancy styled panties just don't work for them. They enjoy the freedom of wearing no underwear at all. If going commando is your thing, either before or during pregnancy, there is no reason to believe you can't do it now.