Best Maternity Leggings 2026 | Tested By A Pregnant Mom

I’ve learned from my two pregnancies that a few good pairs of maternity leggings are a must-have. They can do double duty as an alternative to pants and as a warm layer to wear with skirts and dresses. During my recent second pregnancy—with twins—I tested a dozen highly rated pairs to find the best maternity leggings to wear through all three trimesters and beyond. My top recommendation for 2026 is the Spacedye Love The Bump Midi Maternity Legging from Beyond Yoga, thanks to its excellent thickness, quality and comfort.

However, every pregnant body is different—and there are some other great pairs I also recommend.

During my initial research, Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye Love The Bump Midi Maternity Leggings came up a lot as a mom favorite. After testing them for myself, I can see why—and they’re my top pick for maternity leggings on the market right now. These leggings are exceptionally comfortable, with light compression that felt supportive around my belly, while staying opaque and durable.

They worked well for me throughout my second and third trimesters with an extra-big baby bump, and I’ve worn them regularly postpartum, too. With the waist band up, they continued to be comfortable as I recovered from a c-section; even now, 12 months postpartum, I still reach for them because the waistband folds down nicely around my hips and looks like any other pair of leggings. Although my main forms of physical activity while pregnant with twins were long walks and chasing my 3-year-old, other moms told me these leggings work well in Pilates class and on the elliptical.

The fabric is thick and soft (not at all sheer), and these leggings have shown no signs of wear after many wears and washes. Another plus is that Beyond Yoga’s maternity leggings come in more color options than most (new colors and fabrics are introduced seasonally) and also have a version with pockets. However, the size options are more limited than other brands.

These Ultra-Form Maternity Pocket leggings from Quince were another of my favorites when pregnant. Although there are certainly cheaper leggings on the market, I think these offer most expecting moms the best value all around.

I love the pockets, soft fabric and general comfort of these leggings. However, the tag, which is sewn into the leg just above one of the pockets, did irritate me enough that I ended up cutting it off. That said, I wanted to wear these leggings day after day, and they haven’t shown any signs of wear after many cycles through the washing machine. The fabric is quite thick, and although I don’t find them particularly compressive, they are thoroughly opaque.

Quince’s maternity leggings aren’t the most size-inclusive for bigger bodies, but the brand does offer two inseam lengths—so you have some options there. I’m 5 foot 3, so I picked the 25-inch inseam in a size medium, which fit my big twin bump but was a little looser in the leg than I prefer in terms of looks (but they felt great).

Another pregnant mom-to-be (who is taller than me) praises the 28-inch inseam version of these leggings. “They stay in place during my workouts and long walks, and I wore them happily on two four-hour flights,” she says. “The belly is snug but not uncomfortably so.”

These maternity leggings from Shapermint deserve a place among the winners because they provide more compression and support. The Shapermint Essentials Embrace Maternity Belly Support Leggings have an almost ribbed quality to their weave, and the thick fabric is mildly compressive without getting too restrictive. The front of the bump area has a unique seamless weave that’s slightly more stretchy across the front of your bump and more supported around the perimeter (you can actually see the oval for the bump when the leggings are laid flat).

These Shapermint maternity leggings are totally opaque when I wear them. There’s no seam to connect the bump panel to the legs of the garment, creating a smoother look that’s nice on its own and also under dresses.

To keep them from slipping down the bump, there are two wiggly bands of an elastic-like material along the inner edge of the waist. Before trying them on, I worried this material might irritate my skin, but it hasn’t been a problem. They’ve held up well in the wash and, although I’m not usually a fan of shapewear or compression garments (I hate anything that’s tight on my stomach even when I’m not pregnant), these leggings have proved to be quite comfortable.

I want to point out that I don’t typically wear a plus size, so you should evaluate the brand’s size guide to ensure it fits your individual body well. But it’s worth noting that I was pregnant with twins while testing these, and was carrying a much larger bump than during my first pregnancy.

Other Maternity Leggings I Tested

In addition to my top three recommendations, I tested seven other popular maternity leggings. Below, I included my rating of each (from 1 through 5 stars) based on their comfort, style, fit, stretch and durability.

Maternity Leggings Also Worth Considering

These three pairs are still worth an honorable mention due to various favorable aspects. Though two have since been discontinued, three are still solid options, depending on your needs:

• Ingrid + Isabel The All-Stage Performance Support Legging (4/5 stars): These are quite nice leggings that are very similar to the Ingrid + Isabel Everyday Ankle Zip Legging that has since been discontinued (see below). They didn’t make the list of very best because other leggings have slightly more features and/or sizes. But if you really like the idea of a nice basic legging that’s higher in front and lower in the back, it might work great for you.
• Old Navy Maternity Full Panel PowerSoft Rib Leggings (3.8/5 stars): These leggings are thick, held up to a couple of washes and have nice pockets. However, by the time I got to the beginning of my third trimester, they were rolling down my bump and became uncomfortable. These might work better for people who have smaller-than-average bumps or who are pregnant for the first time.
• Lululemon Align High-Rise Pant (3.5/5 stars): Although not strictly a maternity style, plenty of pregnant moms and maternity experts swear by the Lululemon Align. In addition to being our fashion editors favorite leggings for women, they were a top pick in an earlier version of this story. However, when I tried them at the beginning of my 2nd trimester, they didn’t work at all with my bump, rolling down uncomfortably. I think these probably do fit some moms during the earlier parts of pregnancy (particularly those expecting for the first time) and they did work for me postpartum.

Everything Else

• Belly Bandit Leggings (3/5 stars): Initially, I found these leggings soft and comfortable, and I wore them a lot. However, they had substantial pilling after just the second wash.
• Motherhood Maternity Essential Stretch Pregnancy Legging (3/5 stars): These affordable leggings come in several colors and were pretty comfortable. However, they’re so thin that they’re more like footless tights than proper leggings. They also stretch out quite a bit over the course of the day—more than any other pair I tested.
• Lululemon Wunder Under Nulu High-Rise Tight (Discontinued): I tried this second style from Lululemon with no better success than the Align High-Rise Pant. This style also seems to have been discontinued.
• Blanqi Active Maternity Pocket Leggings (Discontinued): I found these leggings to be slightly too compressive. Moreover, the brand appears to have shut down during our testing, and the website no longer functions.
• Storq Signature Leggings (Discontinued): These maternity leggings were my former top pick overall for their soft, stretchy feel and breathability, which made them feel comfortable to wear all day. However, they’ve been discontinued since Kindred Bravely acquired the brand earlier this year.
• Ingrid & Isabel Everyday Ankle Zip Maternity Legging (Discontinued): This pair lived up to its name as my former pick for best everyday maternity leggings. The thicker fabric and zipper at the ankle gave this legging a slightly more polished vibe than your average workout pair—functioning a little more like slim-fit slacks. However, the brand appears to have discontinued them.

What We’re Testing Next

We plan to test a new batch of maternity leggings with a panel of expecting moms. Here are four promising contenders we plan to put through their paces:

• Bumpsuit The Perfect Movement Maternity Legging: Designed for a variety of activities, from gym sessions to daily errands, these leggings feature a high-rise, double-lined waistband. The ultra-stretch, moisture-wicking fabric claims to support changing bodies through all trimesters and beyond.
• Kindred Bravely Louisa Maternity & Postpartum Legging: With their extra-high, stretchy waist panel that can be worn up or folded down, these light-compression maternity leggings are made to both support your curves and give you tailored coverage. You can choose between the classic style or the pocket version.
• Ingrid & Isabel The Luxe Rib Maternity + Postpartum Legging: With their stylish ribbed fabric and soft interior, these leggings are designed for comfortable movement (the brand claims they’re completely squat-proof).
• Quince Ultra-Soft Maternity Legging: Made with moisture-wicking four-way stretch fabric, this pair is made for low-impact activities like yoga or daily errands. They feature a high-rise design with an under-belly seam that claims to gently supports your bump as it grows.

How I Tested The Best Maternity Leggings

Forbes Vetted previously tested maternity leggings in 2023, but because so many of our top picks are no longer available and many new styles have hit the market, I decided to start fresh in 2025. I retested any winners that were still available and also added leggings to the testing lineup based on recommendations from other pregnant or recently pregnant moms, as well as my own market research.

I began testing during my second trimester and continued evaluating top winners through the end of my pregnancy and postpartum. Because it was a twin pregnancy, it’s worth noting that my baby bump was somewhat larger than average. The majority of my testing was based on going about my regular life as a pregnant mom, from daycare drop-offs to press events to, yes, the occasional prenatal yoga session.

During my real-world testing, I evaluated the following aspects of each maternity legging:

• Comfort: Perhaps the most important aspect during pregnancy, I took careful notes of how each pair of leggings felt against my skin and on my body as I went about my day-to-day life. I paid particular attention to how the leggings felt at the end of the day when my baby bump tends to feel the heaviest.
• Style and fit: The fit of a garment is a subjective experience, but I did note how each style of legging looks and feels and if the ordered size met my expectations. A couple of styles didn’t work at all with my baby bump after the first try-on, so I didn’t continue testing them (as noted above).
• Stretch: A good pair of leggings should hold their shape while still stretching enough to grow with your bump. To quantitatively evaluate this, I measured each pair at the beginning of the day and again at the end of the day, noting the difference. I also took qualitative notes about how they looked and felt by the end of the day, flagging any saggy fabric or sliding (something that I actually didn’t encounter much). I also recorded if any pairs simply stopped fitting properly as my pregnancy progressed.
• Durability and quality: I wore maternity leggings nearly every day of my pregnancy, rotating through the different pairs and keeping notes as I go. Except for those that didn’t fit right away, I wore every pair for a minimum of five full days, but most much more. I washed each pair of leggings at least three times, following the manufacturer’s instructions. At the end of this process, I evaluated each pair for any pilling, loose threads, stretching out or other signs of wear.

What To Consider When Shopping For Maternity Leggings

Not only is every body unique, but so is every pregnancy. Here are a few key things to think about when selecting the best maternity leggings for you.

Fit/Size

Many maternity brands suggest you select the same size that you wore pre-pregnancy. But in my personal experience during both pregnancies and from what I’ve heard from other moms, there’s a bit more nuance to finding the right fit. If you’ve gained or anticipate gaining a fair amount of weight during pregnancy, you may want to consider sizing up. The same goes if you’re expecting multiple babies. Even during my first pregnancy with one baby, I needed to size up.

However, if you don’t anticipate gaining much weight, then your pre-pregnancy size may work well with many maternity brands. It’s also worth checking the return policy when shopping online so you can figure out how easily you can swap sizes if needed.

Compression

Some pregnant moms discover that a little bit of compression is a helpful feature in leggings and socks. “Compression is a great quality to have in pregnancy leggings,” says certified doula Baillie McArthur. “While you don’t want compression that is so tight it causes discomfort, the right amount of compression can improve circulation and help prevent varicose veins, reduce leg swelling, provide belly and back support, enhance overall comfort and aid in postpartum recovery.”

But be mindful that your leggings aren’t too tight. “Compression should be gentle—avoid leggings that feel overly tight around the belly,” says Dr. Ashley Comfort, an obstetrician and medical director at Oula. “Some people find compression leggings too constricting, especially because skin can become more sensitive during pregnancy.”

(You can read more about light compression therapy from the Cleveland Clinic’s website, but always speak with your doctor or OB about any individual health concerns and therapies when pregnant, including whether compression leggings might be right for you.)

Fabric

In addition to deciding if you want to try leggings with compression or not, there are some other fabric qualities to seek out. “Opt for high-quality, soft, stretchable fabric that adapts to your growing body and holds up well as your body does so,” says McArthur. Thinner fabrics may be more breathable and help you deal with the increased body temperature that may occur during pregnancy, but they can also run the risk of looking see-through when stretched.

Thicker fabrics are more likely to provide a feeling of support and have a lower risk of looking sheer over your baby bump or bum when you squat.

Over Or Under The Bump

This one is really a personal preference, and what you feel more comfortable in may vary depending on the phase of your pregnancy—or even day to day. A few leggings, like Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye Love The Bump Midi Leggings, can be worn either way.

An over-the-bump legging provides full coverage, making it ideal for pregnancy and postpartum recovery, according to McArthur. “A high-waisted design can offer additional support,” adds Dr. Comfort.

But if you don’t like the feeling of any pressure on your pregnant belly, an under-the-bump style may work better for you. You can also consider shopping for low-rise non-maternity leggings with extra stretchy waistbands if this is your preferred style.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

The Forbes Vetted baby and kids gear vertical consists of dozens of thoroughly researched, rigorously tested and expert-backed guides, including many pregnancy and postpartum roundups.

• This story was written by senior baby and kids gear editor Margaret Badore, who oversees a range of testing projects, from the best high chairs to the best crib mattresses. She was recently pregnant for the second time, giving her a chance to capture firsthand insights on maternity products.
• Relatedly, we’ve also covered the best maternity clothes, the best maternity jeans and the best maternity clothing rentals. We keep on top of industry news, trends and recalls, which informs our regular review of this story and our picks.
• This story was reviewed by deputy editor Rose Gordon Sala, a journalist with 20 years of experience including in the kids and baby space. She’s also a mom to three elementary school-aged children.

Our Experts

• Dr. Ashley Comfort, M.D., an obstetrician and medical director at Oula, a clinical practice that combines obstetrics and midwifery care in New York City
• Baillie McArthur, a certified doula and the owner of Hi Baby! Maternity Concierge & Doula Services

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