13 Best Shoes for Pregnancy, According to Parents

Now that you’re pregnant, you’ve probably started to expect more from your footwear—as you should. Your shoes aren’t just carrying you, they’re carrying baby too! It’s no wonder you’ve lost all patience for pinchy toes, blister-provoking heels and hard, flat soles. Miguel Cunha, DPM, a surgical podiatrist certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM), based in Manhattan, New York, reiterates the importance of comfortable shoes, as “pregnancy places a tremendous amount of stress on the foot, which can clearly lead to aches, pains and fatigue.” Your swollen feet deserve more, Mama! That’s why we’re calling out the best shoes for pregnancy that provide support and comfort, and look good doing it. Below, we’ve shared some of our favorite places to shop for the best pregnancy shoes, as well as a few top picks. Plus, you’ll find in-depth advice from Cunha regarding how your feet may change, and what to look for (and what to avoid) as you browse. Let’s get to it!

Now that you’re pregnant, you’ve probably started to expect more from your footwear—as you should. Your shoes aren’t just carrying you, they’re carrying baby too! It’s no wonder you’ve lost all patience for pinchy toes, blister-provoking heels and hard, flat soles. Miguel Cunha, DPM, a surgical podiatrist certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM), based in Manhattan, New York, reiterates the importance of comfortable shoes, as “pregnancy places a tremendous amount of stress on the foot, which can clearly lead to aches, pains and fatigue.” Your swollen feet deserve more, Mama! That’s why we’re calling out the best shoes for pregnancy that provide support and comfort, and look good doing it. Below, we’ve shared some of our favorite places to shop for the best pregnancy shoes, as well as a few top picks. Plus, you’ll find in-depth advice from Cunha regarding how your feet may change, and what to look for (and what to avoid) as you browse. Let’s get to it!

How We Chose the Best Shoes for Pregnancy

We took the following steps to help us determine the best shoes for pregnancy:

• We checked what was being said about toddler raincoats in The Bump forums to learn what parents liked (and disliked) about certain brands and styles.
• We interviewed a podiatrist to understand essential features and safety considerations to keep top of mind as you shop.
• To understand how these toddler rain jackets worked for families nationwide, we conducted exhaustive market research, scouring external forums and message boards and reading user reviews.
• When sourcing products, we considered a list of criteria, such as shoe type, arch support, cushioning, price point, sizing options and, of course, style. We also read user reviews to get the low-down on how these products have worked for real moms-to-be, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.
• We also prioritised shoes with the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) seal of acceptance and seal of approval.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.

Best Shoes for Pregnancy

How Does Pregnancy Affect Your Feet?

During pregnancy, the weight of a whole other little person inside you puts extra stress on your entire body, including your feet. This causes swelling that can make your trotters and your legs feel heavy and achy. In addition to general discomfort, other foot-related issues you may experience throughout your pregnancy include:

• Decreased arch height. You may notice that your feet are flatter. “The plantar fascia is a bow-string-like ligament, on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the ball of the foot,” explains Cunha. When we stand, our arch flattens due our body weight imposing down on our feet, he continues. As a result, the weight gain that comes part and parcel with pregnancy can contribute to an increase in this pressure, causing flatter arches.

• Increased foot length and width. Pregnancy can also cause your foot size to grow a half or whole shoe size. How? Cunha explains: “Hormones that are released during pregnancy in preparation for labor, increase the relaxation and laxity of ligaments. This can impact not only the joints in the hips, but also cause stretching in the joints of the feet.”

• Varicose veins. Varicose veins are a common side effect of pregnancy, and it’s normal for them to appear in your feet and ankles. Some moms-to-be may experience an “accumulation of fluid retention in the feet and ankles due to the increased pressure and stress placed onto the veins of the feet as they work against gravity to push blood back to the heart,” states Cunha.

• Progression of existing foot deformities. If you already suffer from bunions, hammer toes and other foot deformities, these existing conditions may grow worse. According to Cunha, this is due to hormonal changes and decreased arch height. What’s more, our feet naturally pronate (aka collapse) as we stand and walk, explains Cunha; however, pregnant women’s feet can pronate for abnormally long periods of time, due to changes in their bodies. All in all, “overpronation can alter the biomechanics and distribution of pressure and weight across the foot and ultimately lead to the progression of underlying foot deformities,” Cunha concludes.

What To Look For in Pregnancy Shoes

We know it can be hard to know exactly what you should be looking for as you shoe shop while pregnant. To ease your search, Cunha suggests keeping an eye out for shoes with spacious toe boxes, arch support, well-cushioned footbeds and deep heel cups. Together, these features will work to minimize aches and pains you may be experiencing in your feet.

Another tip: You’ll want to make sure your maternity footwear is rigid to offer optimal support. To test this, Cunha advises moms-to-be to take the shoe in question and bend it in half. “You shouldn’t be able to,” he says, “because the shank is the actual structure of the shoe and should be rigid to hold up and support the arch.” Last but not least, the best shoes for pregnancy also should have sturdy heel counters. To see if your footwear does, squeeze the heel to see how firm it is. “You shouldn’t be able to compress it,” explains Cunha, this way, it will support the heel and prevent ankle sprains in those with high arches.

What Shoe Types To Avoid While Pregnant

While there are a lot of great maternity footwear options out there, there are also some shoes you should avoid while pregnant. Here, Cunha explains what features and styles you should steer clear of:

• Backless shoes. “I rarely recommend that people wear backless shoes for an extended period of time,” says Cunha. Why? With these styles, your feet tend to hold onto the shoe with every step, which can accelerate the risk of hammer toe and general discomfort. Cunha explains that while backless slippers are totally fine short term, for extended periods, he suggests a sturdier option with arch support.

• High heels. You’ll want to temporarily retire your heels, no matter how well you’ve mastered strutting in them. The farther along you get, the more your balance is compromised, so skip the stilettos to avoid taking a tumble. If you do choose to wear a pair while pregnant, Cunha recommends looking for shoes that have a one-inch heel (or smaller).

• Flat shoes. Conversely, moms-to-be should also avoid super-flat shoes. As per Cunha, “they will contribute to pronation (collapsing of the arch), which may contribute to plantar and posterior heel pain, shin splints, knee pain and back pain. Looking for pregnancy footwear that will give you a little lift? Cunha suggests opting for a one-inch wedge or platform, or shoes with an arch incorporated into its design. Any of these options will place less tension on the Achilles tendon, reducing potential discomfort.

• Flip flops and flat sandals. Flip flops may be convenient, but according to Cunha “they can be worse than walking barefoot if they don’t have arch support incorporated into its design and are worn for prolonged periods of time.” The same goes for flat sandals. Instead, Cunha advises moms-to-be to choose sandals that have “a slight heel less than 3/4-inches.” Likewise, to avoid injury, make sure the shoe is sturdy, wide enough in the forefoot and that the straps aren’t too loose.

About the writer:
Martina Garvey is an editor at The Bump, where she writes and edits e-commerce content covering pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. As a staff member on The Bump for over four years, she leverages an in-depth knowledge of must-have baby gear alongside a passion for the latest fashion trends to create informative and shoppable content parents can trust.