We all know the best shoes for pregnancy are no shoes. Those feet of yours are carrying an extra load now and need to be comfortable at all times, or you will be in a bad mood before you can say “here comes baby”! But it isn’t, of course, practical or socially acceptable to be walking around out and about with no shoes on.
Yes, sure, but I don’t want to look like a pauper or frumpy mummy either, you say. No one type of shoe will suit all pregnant women. In addition, we need to look at the various occasions that require a certain type of shoe. Let us first take a look at what are not the best shoes for pregnancy, so you know what to avoid.
| Shoes for Pregnancy | Competency | Price | Our Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skechers Women's Slip-On Walking Shoe | A+ | $$$ | |
| Hush Puppies Alter Pump | A | $$ | |
| Arche Women's (38 EU (US Women's 7 M)) | B | $$$$ | |
| Twisted Knee-High Faux Leather Slouchy Boot | A+ | $ | |
| Soda Womens Round Toe Wedge Pump | A | $ |
The No-No’s Of Pregnancy Shoes
Heels
We know heels are sexy and we don’t, for one minute, want you to feel not sexy, even during pregnancy. But heels, even when you are not pregnant, are bad news for you. Very simply, heels put a strain on your ankles and calves as well as your knees. Further, they affect the way you stand and walk, putting pressure on your lower back.
With all the aches and pains you will experience just being pregnant, this is just not worth it. But don’t stress, we will explore a shoe that has some height to it but doesn’t do damage like a traditional heeled shoe.
Flip-Flops or Thong Shoes
While normally a relaxed shoe, there isn’t much support in this type of footwear.
T
raditionally, flip-flop type shoes or thongs, have very thin basis, meaning you are practically walking on the hard ground. While walking bare feet is good, having this false sense of naked feet does have its drawbacks.
Firstly, your toes need to do a lot of gripping in order to keep the flip-flop on your foot, when walking. This can cause serious overuse of the muscles in your foot and bring on tendonitis. Think about the noise a flip-flop makes as you work. That’s the base of the shoe hitting your heel and invariably making you walk completely differently, to how you normally do.
With the added weight you have now as well as impaired balance, you don’t want to add to your already unstable body. Unless the thong shoe has supported all along the base of your foot as well as around your ankle, then they are a definite no-no. Off our list of the best shoes for pregnancy, for sure.
Gum Boots
Gum Boots became quite trendy a few winters ago and women were dressing them up with their jeans, leggings, and other winter gear. But again, for the pure reason of stability and support, gumboots can be hell on your feet.
True, they provide a little room for swollen feet, and we all know your feet are going to swell at some point, but they just don’t have the right comfort zones. You are basically wearing a piece of plastic that isn’t molded to your natural arch or shape at all. Let us move on to what you actually can wear in our best shoes for pregnancy list.
| Shoes for Pregnancy | Competency | Price | Our Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skechers Women's Slip-On Walking Shoe | A+ | $$$ | |
| Hush Puppies Alter Pump | A | $$ | |
| Arche Women's (38 EU (US Women's 7 M)) | B | $$$$ | |
| Twisted Knee-High Faux Leather Slouchy Boot | A+ | $ | |
| Soda Womens Round Toe Wedge Pump | A | $ |
Where and What Works?
Let us take a walk down the shoe aisle to explore the best shoes for pregnancy. We have conveniently segmented the shoes into occasions, so you know what type works where.
Skechers Women’s Slip-On Walking Shoe
Walk About
Whether just a stroll down to the park or a brisk walk through the mall, a good walking shoe is a must.
The Skechers range of shoes are all built for comfort but when it comes to walking, nothing beat their Slip-On Walking Shoe. Available in many colors, you cannot go wrong here. Just slip your feet into these expandable, synthetic walking shoes. With a memory fit design, rubber sole and soft lining your feet are in for a treat!
We particularly like the little grab hole at the back, which allows easy on and off. Price perfectly at $34.94 so why not get a few colors?
Hush Puppies Alter Pump
Casual but Classy
You can move from your everyday lifestyle into a low-key evening do with these flat pump options.
Hush Puppies have been bringing us quality shoes for many years and with this pump, you are assured of not only quality but also comfort.
With the leather upper, available in some really stunning colors, as well as the rubber sole and contoured arch support inner foot bed, Hush Puppies have covered all our best shoes for pregnancy bases.On top of this impressive list, the pump has a built-in shock absorbing ZeroG outsole, so that you are assured of a soft landing at all times. Take a few at the nice price of $30.45 and you won’t regret it.
Arche Women’s (Black) Nubuck Pump (38 EU (US Women’s 7 M))
Sophisticated, stylish and to boot, comfortable, this French-made pump will have your friends jealous in no time. Again, perfect to move into an elegant evening, you only need to slip your feet into this leather wrapped dream shoe to understand the quality.
With a latex, padded sole and supple finish you could stand for hours with these on your feet. Not that you want to be standing for hours! We also quite like the V-Cut design to add to the feminine touch.
Have a look for other trendy colors and designs in the Arche range but be sure to buy this black versatile number at $324.95. Yes, a little on the pricey side, but is there really a price for style and comfort?
Twisted Knee-High Faux Leather Slouchy Boot
We particularly like this knee-high boot for its flexibility around the calf. When you have put on a few during your pregnancy, you will be glad of this wider calf design.
This winter boot is made from faux leather with a man-made durable rubber sole and sells at a super price of $34.99.
Grab a few pairs in their cool colors like Cognac, Grey, Navy and all wearing Black.
Soda Womens Faux Suede Round Toe Wedge Pump
Wedge-It
If you really feel that your outfit needs a heel, wedges are the safest bet when pregnant. Here are our firm faves. We certainly don’t promote heels at all whilst walking with your big belly, but certain wedge shoes will work.
Soda has given us a sophisticated faux suede pump with an added wedge heel. The heel isn’t too high and the platform supports the contour of your foot with its cushioned footbed. The actual heel height is 4,5 inches but the platform height is only 1 inch, so you are not going to kill your feet. We do suggest, though, that you consider just sitting or standing in these and not for long periods of time.
Walking around may not be a good option, purely of a comfort factor. When you walk or even stand for long your feet will swell whilst pregnant, and these shoes are not expandable. We are super stoked with the price of $17.99 so why not buy a lovely beige to go with all your outfits or splash out with their bright red just to stand out.
In ending, you can see that our main aim with recommending the best shoes for pregnancy was a comfort, but not escaping the fashion police’s approval. Look forward to this special time but do it in style and do not compromise your feet. You are going to need them for a long time!
