Best Maternity Shoes for a Comfortable Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the changes to your body often warrant new maternity clothing to maintain both style and comfort and now you can even get shoes to help ease some of the strain!

Weight gain and altered proportions are a natural part of pregnancy, but there’s no doubt that your feet can really start to feel the strain. The right type of footwear can help provide additional support when you are carrying an additional load and can offer relief for sore, swollen feet.

With these common concerns in mind, we have selected some of the most popular maternity footwear for women with different and diverse fashion sense and style preferences.

Best Maternity Shoes Compared

Skechers Sport Empire Sneakers

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These sporty sneakers are the perfect shoes for pregnancy and look great paired with any casual outfit. The front lace design may look like it’s a lot of effort, but they are actually slip-on, so there’s no time wasted attempting to tie up shoelaces and we all know how much of a struggle that can be with a bump! You can just slip into them and go straight out.

Sports shoes like this are often ideal as they are designed with maximum comfort in mind. Take the shock absorbers built into the sole for instance, this will offer great support for tired and stressed-out feet, while the upper portion provides adequate room to slip the most swollen fit into them with ease.

Reassuring to moms-to-be are the non-slip soles that will help feet maintain an excellent grip on the ground, helping to reduce the risk of slipping, inside and out.

Vionic Women’s Agile Kea Slip-on

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Slip-on shoes are a definite advantage during pregnancy. Carrying additional weight and having a bump in your way can make putting shoes on a little like a balancing act. These slip-on sneaker style shoes are ideal for your entire pregnancy, not only are they easy to slip into, but they also have an orthotic insert to help make your feet feel comfortable and well supported.

The upper portion of the shoe is entirely fabric making them extremely flexible and easy to put on, this also ensures they will expand with your feet and maintain a comfortable fit.

The sole of these shoes is made of rubber which is the best material for optimum grip and reducing the risk of slips. The thick sole also helps create a great barrier between your feet and the ground, helping to relieve any stress to your feet and legs.

Labato Style Floral Loafers


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Maternity shoes don’t need to be boring! These leather loafers will help make any outfit look great and are available in multiple different colors. The genuine leather material is extremely comfortable and will easily expand to house hot and swollen feet, while the punched out the floral design on the upper leather will provide maximum breathability.

The sole of these flat loafers are made from rubber, which is extremely durable and the pad design provides a good amount of support, so it doesn’t feel uncomfortable walking on hard surfaces.

Perhaps the best feature of these maternity shoes is the ability to wear them in two ways – with the backup or down, allowing you to slip them on with ease for convenience around the house, or wear the backs up to secure your feet if you are heading out.

Vionic Lizbeth Orthotic Sandal

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In the summer the last thing you want to be wearing is a sneaker or an enclosed shoe that will make your swollen feet even more uncomfortable. When it gets a hot a sandal with a good amount of foot support is the best solution, these will allow your feet to breathe and stay cool and help reduce any discomfort.

This stylish pair of sandals by Vionic features a leather T-strap design with beautiful detailing, which will look great paired with a flowing Maxi dress of pair of maternity shorts. The buckled ankle strap and T-strap also ensure they are secure on your foot, essential when your center of balance has been shifted.

Lastly, the sole is thick and made from a lightweight cork material which makes it able to absorb any shocks well and so light that it almost feels like you are walking barefoot. The bottom of the sole is rubber and has a good amount of traction, which is essential for any type of maternity footwear.

Cambridge Select Slouchy Flat Boot

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Equally, in winter, you need suitable footwear that is weatherproof and warm – boots being the preferred option for many women and fashionistas. Yet, finding boots to fit during pregnancy can be a difficult task, but that’s where slouchy, loose-fit boots come in and save the day.

These boots are practically built for pregnancy. The loose slouch design means they are very easy to fit, onto your legs, even as you gain more weight, these will easily provide enough room and be easy to slip your feet into.

Another common battle with boots is the dreaded zipper that won’t pull up! Thankfully, these boots are zipper free, so there’s no need to face the dread of bending over and battling to get the zipper all the way up. The sole of these boots is made from rubber too, so will help you maintain a good amount of grip and since they are flat, there are no worries about feeling unsteady.

Propet TravelFit Slide Walking Shoe

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Sneakers are built for comfort and support, so it goes without saying that they are an excellent footwear option for pregnant women. Now combine that with a slip-on design and you have the perfect maternity shoe – easy and convenient to slip on with zero effort involved.

This sneaker has the sporty styling for a cool casual look, but it is as easy to put on your foot as a slipper. This means you don’t have to crouch or bend over to see what you are doing; you can very easily feel your foot into them with no hands involved. You then have the option to adjust the fit with the laces on the front of the shoe.

These shoes are great for a variety of situations, whether that be in the house, on the school run or a walk to the park. The upper portion is well covered and offers maximum breathability so your foot will never get too hot or sweaty. Lastly, they have a durable rubber sole with great grip, a must for any mothers-to-be.

Why is Shoe Choice Important During Pregnancy?

It’s obvious that you want a pair of shoes that will match your attire, whether that be daytime casual or sandals to match a nice maxi dress at the beach. However, shoes have a much more important function than a mere fashion accessory, in fact, they help protect your feet from external hazards, both physical and infectious.

For example, if you were to go for a walk barefoot, you would soon discover their importance. Hazards you would likely experience include slipping due to feeble grip, as well as cuts and bruises due to rough ground surfaces and sharp objects. In addition, footwear helps to guard your feet against harmful microorganisms including those that are responsible for athlete’s foot, fungal toenail infections and even warts.

What Footwear is Required During Pregnancy? 

There are a variety of reasons why the shoes you wear during your pregnancy is such an important thing to consider. It may seem trivial, but your feet can really suffer if you wear incorrect and poorly fitting footwear.

Throughout your pregnancy, your body changes and that includes your feet. As well as your body increasing in size due to weight gain, your feet are also likely to increase in size too. This may be a gradual process, but it’s likely that as your pregnancy progresses your pre-pregnancy shes will start to cause discomfort.

As well as weight gain, water retention is also a common cause of foot size growth in pregnant women. Therefore, she’s that offer little wiggle room won’t be able to accommodate for your growing feet, which can soon become unbearable.

The additional weight carried during pregnancy doesn’t just impact your size and proportions either. The extra weight also puts additional strain on your joints and feet. This is another reason why opting for shoes that offer support can make all the difference. The best maternity shoes will provide support and help you maintain a healthy posture, which is more important during pregnancy since you don’t want the additional weight to pacing unnecessary strain on your spine or joints.

Stability is another issue. As your proportions altar and weight is unevenly distributed your center of gravity will change, gradually moving higher. This can make it difficult to maintain balance and therefore, increase the risk of slipping over. Therefore, selecting practical pregnancy shoes with a good grip can really help reduce your risk of slipping over, which is a common anxiety for pregnant women.

Different Types of Pregnancy Shoes 

Just like regular footwear, there are many different types of maternity shoes:

Flats – These are very popular as they come in a variety of styles making them suitable for a wide range of fashion tastes. They are great for pregnancy as they can easily be slipped on and off and since they are quite wide-fitting they provide a lot of space for expanding and swollen feet. Their major downfall is that they provide little if any ankle support.

Sneakers – Sports shoes are probably the best type of shoe to wear during pregnancy. Designed for high-intensity exercise and endurance, shoes such as sneakers offer maximum comfort, durability, and optimum grip. The downside of sneakers and other sporty footwear is that they can’t be worn with every outfit so are not very versatile, they are also incredibly hot, so not ideal for those that live in warmer climates.

Sandals – Composed of essentially a few straps and a rubber sole, sandals provide the most in terms of space and breathability, making them ideal for warmer times of the year and swelling feet. However, they won’t look so great paired with compression stockings.

Boots – Offering the most coverage, boots are perfect for colder times of the year and for those who live in colder climates. They also provide superior ankle support. The downside is that they can be difficult to fit into, especially towards the end of pregnancy.

What to Look for in Maternity Shoes 

Here are some of the most important tips to remember when choosing a pair of shoes for your pregnancy:

Grip – One of the most important considerations is the traction and grip of the sole. When you are pregnant you will want to choose a shoe with superior grip as a fall can potentially harm both you and baby. Rubber makes the best sole since it’s extremely durable and offer maximum protection against external stresses and strains.

Slip-on – When you are pregnant, the last thing you will find easy to do is bending over, crouching down and looking over your bump, and these tasks will only get more difficult to do as your pregnancy progresses. Therefore, shoes that don’t need to be zipped or laced will be a better option, as will those you can simply slip into hands-free.

Heel – Since your balance will likely be impacted, it’s a good idea to opt for shoes with a small heel, preferable with no heel at all. This will help reduce the chance of losing your balance as your center of gravity shifts with your changing physique.

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