This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... maternity clothes!
Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.
For S+TMs:
For FTMs
Re: Product Spotlight 1/22: Maternity Clothes
One of the things I am still struggling with is undertanks. I used the old navy ones last time, but again, they're destroyed. Has anyone used the Duluth Trading no-yank tanks through pregnancy? They seem generously cut and extra long, so I think they'd be okay if I buy a size up. I don't think I'd get to use them after the pregnancy, but could use them for subsequent pregnancies.
Secondly, I have a specific question. I'm in a wedding this summer. Luckily, we're able to pick our own dresses but I don't know when would be a good time to order. I've found a few on Pink Blush Maternity that look good but they only have a 30 day return policy and that seems to be cutting it close since our belly's will get bigger every week.
I guess my questions are, have any of you ordered formal maternity wear before? Where from? How far in advance should I get it? How soon to the even should I have it tailored?
I used Thred Up a lot my last pregnancy since maternity clothes are expensive. I liked Gap dress pants a lot, and also some of the motherhood maternity ones too. I haven't gotten anything out yet, but will update when I get to it.
Anyone have a brand of tights that they like? Usual ones are starting to bother me and I can't size up anymore without having an extra 7 feet (#shortlife).
My last pregnancy I got a few dresses for special events from this site. I thought they were pretty great. It’s called Pink Blush.
Also love Target for tees and old navy!
This time around, I will need a set of maternity scrubs to wear to work. Just curious if anyone else has had to wear maternity scrubs and which brands work the best.
I'm a FTM so I have no experience with wearing maternity clothes but I've been researching them for awhile now. Most of my friends that are mothers in Houston have highly recommended the Pinkblush wrap dresses because they grow with you and they come shorter or maxi in length. They are also light weight. They told me that the site always has some nice dresses on sale. Looking forward to getting about 5 of them. The time of year that I'm due is normally when the heat index is up into the 115's so I'm going to need something very lightweight and breezy.
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
I bought a few things for my last pregnancy from Goodwill since I wasn't sure what I would like. I liked the Motherhood Maternity belted shirts -- they were enough to camouflage me at work when I was starting to show. I need tips on work pants, though. I found my belly band worked well for jeans but not for dress pants.
I think these are the tanks from target I liked but it is hard to tell without seeing them and the fabric in person
https://www.target.com/p/maternity-seamless-ruched-tank-isabel-maternity-153-by-ingrid-isabel-174/-/A-52275692#lnk=sametab&preselect=52230573
I loved my belly band for the majority of my pregnancy (when I wasn't in my maternity leggings).
BFP #1: 9/12/2015
DD: 6/1/2016
BFP #2: 1/16/2018 MC 2/2/2018
I found some decent t-shirts in walmart.com last pregnancy. Target was great too. I didn't really like much when I shopped at Old Navy so don't think I ever got anything from them.
Married 5/2015
BFP 11/27/2015 - EDD 8/4/2016
Baby Boy born 8/13/2016 ~ 8lbs 7oz
BFP 1/6/2018 - EDD 9/19/2018
BFP #1: 9/12/2015
DD: 6/1/2016
BFP #2: 1/16/2018 MC 2/2/2018
Also, Dress Barn carries some really stretchy, flattering “regular” dresses that accommodate a bump well....that’s where I got my Christmas dress from.
@katethemom I wear scrubs to work and just sized up my bottoms one size and wore a plain maternity tee with a scrub jacket over top. All of the maternity scrubs I found were super hideous (super thick over the bump panel and short legs with way too much flare) and way overpriced.
Overall, I’m totally opposite season this pregnancy (was March 17), so it looks like I’ll be buying a mostly new maternity wardrobe!
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
One thing I wish I'd known when I was "planning" my maternity wardrobe (I like to plan, it wasn't anything set in stone) was how horribly my ankles would swell. I wore mostly maxi dresses and skirts and pants. I had all these ideas of cute skirts and cropped pants but I was not into showing off what became of my legs/ankles/feet so they stayed as covered as possible when I was out and about. Oh, and then I could only fit in one pair of my sandals, so I wore them every.single.day. I will buy myself another cheap pair of shoes this time.
I think these (https://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1067929&pcid=1021874&vid=1&pid=730218042) are the same pants I have from Gap - the maternity modal sleep pants. They are super duper comfy and I never put them away. There's nothing specifically maternity about them except the label. These came to the hospital with me.
Make sure your tops are nice and long. They'll work for a while if they aren't, but once you hit 3rd tri you'll probably need that length. I did make a lot of regular tops work until maybe 20 weeks or so with a belly-band thing or a long tank top. I have some nursing camis (these https://www.target.com/p/women-/-/A-14602453#sneakTo=13793418) from Target that I still wear, and they won't work in later pregnancy but they'll be good for a while to cover up the rubber band/hair tie around my pants buttons and the panel on maternity pants.
I didn't have a huge preference on pants. The full-panel can always be folded down if you don't like it up high. Some of the mini-panel ones had a tendency to fold themselves over which was kind of annoying.
I didn't worry about "maternity" bras. I bought bigger bras when I needed them and that was it.
I will probably have more thoughts once I pull out my stuff.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
@treeofcheem I agree about the pants. Full-panel ended up being more comfortable as the mini-panel versions would always fold over and offered no support.
I just realized my favorite tank top is actually a maternity tank from Old Navy. I've been wearing it regularly for the last 3.5 years, and it has held up well.
For S+TMs:
"Side panel" - I had side panel jeggings from Old Navy and they served me great! I actually can't find them/dont remember if I lended them out, and I about cried Friday because I wanted to wear them to work haha. These are much less conspicuous maternity wear, IMO.
"full panel" that be worn all the way up or down, which is great. My full panels are from the Gap and they were great quality. Depending on the day and how itchy or sensitive I was, I wore the panel up or folded down. Depending on the top worn, these were a little more conspicuous. And in the earlier months, the panel would sag down when they weren't as fitted.
No Folic acid/pharmaceuticals/supplements (too many to list- private message me if interested), IVIL infusion
Also, while I love the concept of maxi dresses, I got so much thigh chafing from them, and unless I was literally indoors the entire day they kept me too got last time. For an office job, yeah, OK-I'm in air conditioning and not walking around a ton. But for the time I wasn't working I need actual shorts. Starting in second trimester I get super hot and a long dress or skirt just doesn't keep me cool enough.
I mostly did motherhood brand shorts, they worked fine.
My problem is with jeans/pants. Seriously every pair of maternity pants I own (and am already wearing) just slides down all day. Constantly, and it drives me nuts. Skinny jeans, flare jeans, leggings, yoga pants, they all fall down. Doesn't matter if it's full panel, short under belly panel, or side panel, they just sag more and more. Maybe it's just my shape? Even as I get bigger, it doesn't get better.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
Andrea -- FTM at 39!
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
BFP #1: 9/12/2015
DD: 6/1/2016
BFP #2: 1/16/2018 MC 2/2/2018