When I found out
I was pregnant with my daughter Stella, I was immediately overtaken by the urge
to buy some real maternity clothes. Ok…let me be honest. I had actually been
overtaken by that urge before I had even conceived. I had been looking at blogs
and online stores just to get a glimpse of what awaited me when I joined the
pregnancy club. When you live and breathe all things fashion, style, and
shopping, it just happens. But throughout the course of my pregnancy, I learned
some valuable lessons about what you really need to purchase when you are
expecting. There are a lot of things marketed to pregnant women that you simply
don’t need, or at very least, can find a suitable non-“maternity” replacement
at a fraction of the price. So I thought I would compile a list of tips and
tricks from what I have learned on this long and sometimes less-than-glamorous
journey.
First thing you
must know: if something has maternity anywhere in its name, you will be paying
much more for it. This includes special maternity boutiques, maternity
clothing, accessories, and bras. Some of these items you really have no choice
but to purchase; but for others there are workarounds. I will clue you in on
what worked for me. But just prepare yourself in advance for some serious
sticker shock the first time you enter the maternity zone.
Here is my list
of true must-have essentials that you should consider using your maternity
style budget to procure. Follow the links to shop:
Black Maternity
Leggings:
Buy them. Buy 2
pairs. I only had 1 and by the time I realized I was wearing them to death, I
was already 8 months pregnant and it was too late to invest in another pair (it
didn’t start getting cold until I was around 7 months pregnant and just
starting to get big). A Pea in the Pod makes a very comfy pair, which I own.
More budget-friendly options can b located at H&M, Old Navy, and Target.
Trust me, it’s a great investment! You will eventually dread putting on even
maternity jeans. I would also advise to buy ones with a full belly panel – they
are the comfiest and even felt like they offered me more support!
A Pea in the Pod Luxe Essentials Leggings, $38
Long Tank Tops:
Life. Saver. I
purchased a few (read: not enough) long tanks from H&M and they rocked. At
$6 apiece, they are the cheapest maternity-friendly tops I could find. Buying a
“maternity” top immediately ups the price (like $40 for a basic shirt), so your
best bet is to buy as much non-maternity as you can. Just size up! I was a
small pre-preggo, and was able to wear my Medium long tanks all the way up to
delivery with no problem.
H&M Long Tank, $5.95
Maxi Dresses:
Especially if you
are pregnant in the summer! I became pregnant in mid-June, so I wore my maxi
dresses a lot, though I was barely showing during the summer and didn’t really
need maternity clothes yet. The great thing about maxis is you don’t have to
buy maternity sizes – just buy a dress you love with an empire waist and you’re
good! You may not even need to size up (just watch the boobs!) This is a big
budget saver, and they’re super comfy for summer pregnancies. If any portion of
your pregnancy falls in the summer, buy them (if you don’t already own them!).
Bonus: if you’re having pregnancy hot flashes they work great in the fall and
winter too with a nice wrap or cardigan.
Scarves:
They’re cheap and
easy outfit upgrades. Plus, investing in a lot of necklaces right before you
have a baby seems counter-intuitive…after all, you have to be very careful
wearing jewelry a baby could grab, chew, or choke on! But scarves are soft and
light, or can be warm and snuggly. Wrap-style and blanket scarves also serve as
pretty nursing covers. If you need an instant outfit upgrade, buy some pretty
scarves and throw them on with anything from a maxi dress to leggings and a
tank, and voila! Immediately more put together.
Shoes you can
slip into:
This became
important to me around 8 months…because I could no longer bend over without
running into my growing daughter! Make sure you have at least a few pairs you
can get in and out of easily near the end of your pregnancy (whatever season
that may be). Summer is easy because, sandals. For winter, try lined loafers or
ankle boots with a wider/slouchy opening.
Maternity/Nursing
Bras:
The latter of
course depends on if you plan to breastfeed or not. But regardless, you will
reach a point during pregnancy where you brand size has increased due to your
fast-encroaching uterus, and that underwire is digging into it painfully. For
me, this didn’t happen until closer to 6 months, but I will admit things felt a
bit squeezed before that. It’s not always the increase in cup size that’s most
uncomfortable, it’s the belly rubbing against your underwire every time you
move. A supportive, soft, and stretchy maternity bra (sans underwire) will make
you feel much more comfortable. A word of advice: wait as long as you can to
purchase since you want to get a size you can try to wear to the end of
pregnancy if possible. My favorite is by Bravado. It is convertible so you can use the non-nursing straps while pregnant or if you do not plan to breastfeed! Great money saver!
Bravado! Designs Seamless Silk Nursing Bra, $44
Maternity Jeans:
If you are a
person who wears pants at all, I am telling you right now you will eventually
have to buy at least 1 pair of maternity jeans. I gained minimal weight and
carried “small”, but by 5 months pregnant even I had figured out the BellaBand
had reached its limit…and my growing uterus met even the unzipped fly of my
jeans with painful resistance. I could no longer bend over without pain. So I
bought a few pairs of maternity jeans,
Here is what I
learned:
- If you are trying to buy the minimal
amount of pants (which I recommend), buy full panel. I thought the designer
side panel jeans were so cute. I got 2 pairs, one designer and 1 from Target.
But they really only worked until I was about 6 months pregnant. I carried low
the entire pregnancy, and by that point the front part not having elastic was a
big issue when I tried to sit down. It just wasn’t comfy. If you can afford to
splurge, though, side panel is great for early pregnancy because they look more
like “regular” jeans and you don’t need a big bump to hold them in place.
- If the top of the belly panel seems a
little snug, or itchy, then pass. If you are jeans shopping at 6 months
pregnant and you’re on the fence, I can tell you that you wont be able to
stomach (no pun intended) the thought of putting on those jeans by month 8.
Your skin gets stretched to its absolutely limit, making it incredibly
sensitive. ANY type of itchy fabric or seams will send you running to your jar
of coconut oil and some leggings. Any sort of tightness in the band will only
get worse with time (I know, it sucks) so if it barely feels comfortable now,
expect it to be pure hell by the end. The idea with jeans is to get the most of
them – so try to buy what you can wear to the end of pregnancy.
- For those of us who do not gain pregnancy
weight in our butt/hips, maternity jeans are a real pain. They will constantly
bag out or slide down. The best remedy for this is just to buy a pair that fits
you as well as possible and hope for the best. For me, the most flattering pair
was by An Taylor LOFT, in petite sizing. They were still baggy in the butt/legs
after a few wears, but WAY better than the majority of maternity jeans, which
seem to be designed assuming every women will gain weight in her
thighs/hips/calves. Many women do of course, but some others tend to gain in
the belly/boobs only so I do want to warn you if you fall into that category
like I did. NOT all maternity jeans are created equal.
LOFT full panel maternity jeans, similar for $79.50
James Jeans under-belly maternity jeans, similar $142 (clearance)
I hope this post may prove helpful for some Mamas-to-be! Of course every woman and every pregnancy is different, so you will have your own unique perspective on essentials. What items could you not live without during your pregnancies? Comment below to share!
