Made of soft, breathable fabric, comfortable compression stockings will help keep your legs healthy all through your pregnancy. Maternity support hose work by promoting circulation and the return of blood back up to your heart through the venous system. They apply gradual amounts of pressure to your leg, with the most compression occurring at your ankle and lessening the further up the leg you go. While compression hose may sound similar to a tensor bandage, it is not the same thing. In fact, using a tensor bandage to relieve swelling or leg pain may actually make the problem worse by cutting off your circulation completely.