Maternity clothes: the good, the bad, the ugly

coldlife

I saw a few posts in randoms about ordering maternity clothes, so I thought I'd go ahead and start a discussion. Most of us probably won't need them for a little bit yet, but it's never too early to plan. 

Brands you like? Brands you hate? Brands you want to try? Where to buy? Best websites? Best stores? Professional clothing? Dressy clothing? Adapting current clothing for longer? How many pants and shirts do you need anyway? Is the hair tie trick to wear pants longer legit? Are maternity underwear a scam? And how stupid is this boss? (the comments are worth it) - https://www.askamanager.org/2017/06/my-boss-doesnt-like-my-maternity-clothes-employee-wears-a-blanket-for-sun-protection-and-more.html Plus a followup - https://www.askamanager.org/2017/12/updates-the-maternity-clothes-the-nude-snapchats-and-more.html

tyrion_

What in the world?! That poor woman. I’m glad it turned out ok for her but what a dick.

I love side ruching 😂 

I really enjoy Gap maternity. They always have crazy sales and the clothes are so soft. But I also am a SAHM so my attire can be whatever I feel like. Which is a bonus. 

coldlife

Probably my favorite brand is Liz Lange, which, sadly, Target stopped carrying. And I really don't like any of Target's current Isabel offerings. I have several Oh Baby by Motherhood Maternity tops I really like, and one I don't. My favorite maternity pants were by Motherhood. I really like Jessica Simpson tops. I have one top by Two Hearts by Destination Maternity I really like. I have one Gap fitted t that I love. Super nice material. I have one shirt by Times Maternity, and it does not fit throughout pregnancy. Also, Old Navy maternity jeans weren't great. They were very gappy where the band attached to the pant and would not stay up. 

I shop mostly at thrift stores. So great to not spend tons on a temporary wardrobe!  

I totally think maternity underwear are a scam. Just buy a pack of bikini cut if you don't already wear low-rise underwear. I do, so I've never worn anything different. The hair tie trick isn't great, I don't think. It's not super comfortable and your shirt has to be long enough to hide it and the unzipped zipper. 

Also, hold off on buying shoes if you can. My feet grew about 1/4 sizeish with my first pregnancy (not with my second). So annoying! I do still wear all my old shoes, but ... they're noticeably a touch tight. I wear thin socks and just deal with it. Since that pregnancy, I buy all my shoes a half size bigger. 

scgirl6113

Side note... I gave away all of my maternity stuff when my last child was born! I could cry!!!

I really do love the motherhood stuff. Most of the items I’ve gotten from there have held up super well and I like their pants. I’ve gotten things from target in the past too. 

I agree with @co@coldlife that the rubber band trick stinks. 

gomillis

This time around I’m planning to buy from ThredUP. They’re an online consignment shop that has a ton of cute used maternity clothes at great prices. 

Totally love the side rouching too!

Last time around I was able to wear some of my looser dresses until well into my second trimester. Hoping I can pull that off again.

coldlife

gomillis said:

This time around I’m planning to buy from ThredUP. They’re an online consignment shop that has a ton of cute used maternity clothes at great prices. 

I've never used ThredUp, but my sister bought tons of her maternity clothes off Poshmark. 

starlight8323

@coldlife thank you for making this thread! As a first time mom, I’m excited to read everyone’s suggestions, and the answers to all of these questions! 

***Sorry this is so long. No need to keep read the whole thing, unless you just want to! 😂 ***

In my time zone, it’s after midnight, so can I do a “Flame-Free Friday Confession?” Because I bought maternity pants this past Tuesday (at 6w3d), and I’m not even sorry! They’re soooo comfy, even life-changing for me! 

I was already overweight before I got pregnant, so my pants were always too tight around the tummy. If I went up a size in order to fit my stomach better, then they would be too baggy around my hips and legs. So I always just stuck with ones that were too tight around the stomach, that fit okay around the legs. 

Lately I’ve noticed that when I bed over, it hurts my stomach more than usual. I haven’t gained any weight since getting pregnant. In fact I’ve lost some, because I’ve been eating only healthy foods for the baby! But maybe some things are still getting bigger, so everything is squished more than usual?

This past weekend I watched a video on YouTube, where a lady recommended switching to maternity pants as soon as you think you might want them rather than waiting until you have to. “As long as you’ll most likely have to buy them at some point anyway, you might as well get lots of use out of them,” she said.

So while at the mall doing some Christmas shopping on Tuesday, I went ahead and poked my head into Motherhood Maternity. It was the first time I had ever been in one, so I was nervous because I didn’t know if they would carry my size. Luckily no one else was in there except one sales lady. So I sheepishly asked her, “What is the biggest size you carry in maternity jeans?” 

She showed me the plus size section, which literally consisted of one pair of 1X size and one pair of 3X size. I thought probably the 3X would work best, but like I said, I have recently lost some weight, so I took the 1X into the dressing room with me, just in case. To my surprise the 1X fit perfectly!

I was surprised to see the Motherhood Maternity pants were about half the price of the ones I had seen on the Gap website earlier in the day (which did not come in my size anyway), so I went ahead and bought them! I’ve already worn them, and like I said, they’re life-changing. Now that I know my size, I’m going to try to get more pairs in different styles on their website. And I may just keep wearing them, even after I have the baby. 😂 Sorry, not sorry! 

Question: Does anyone have any favorite brands for plus-size maternity clothing, they would be willing to share? 

psychobutthead

@starlight_7 best bet is motherhood maternity. Just stick with basics is my suggestion. And I agree with the buy them before you need them. Theres no reason to not be comfy and get your moneys worth. Targets maternity clothes are nice too. The only issue with them is they don't always offer alot of plus size selection in stores but their website has a lot more.

coldlife

Ugh, trying to decide whether or not to order some maternity tops. Motherhood has an extra 30% off their sale items, which are already up to 50% off! But I don't really need more maternity clothes. And we're trying not to spend tons of money right now. I can probably get by fine with what I have. But they're cute! And it would be nice to have another couple dressy tops. 

babytimeagain

For any other petite ladies out there, Loft, Old Navy, and Gap petite maternity saved me when I was pregnant with DD. Especially if you need desk job appropriate clothes. Downside is it’s only sold online, not in stores.

l4nier

My pants are already getting tight from the bloating! The sale at Motherhood inspired me to buy a few things in preparation. Until then I am doing the good old rubber band around the pants loop trick. I agree it is not ideal but it works since I am wearing mostly thick sweaters right now. 

RedBaramid

MAN I am so salty about the idea of maternity clothes right now.  We moved from Illinois to Georgia this summer and my stubborn butt held on to a handful of maternity clothes for almost 5 years, until we moved this summer. Then, because by the time we were moving I had already lost 40 pounds I purged my wardrobe of a lot of my "fat" clothes.  Then, about a month ago I did it again because I've continued to lose weight. 

I'm going to have to brave the GA summer, so I figure maybe I can live in maxi dresses and maxi skirts. I did save a few fat girl t-shirts and sweatpants that I've been wearing while I work out or to sleep in, those I guess will serve as a jumping off point for a lot of things.  Mostly I'm mad that I just let go of the most comfortable leggings i have ever owned, they were maternity leggings, and I still had them as recently as June.  I had picked them up at a Gordmans and they were my best friends for longer than they should have been. I hope they are resting in peace wherever they are. 

roo_baby

Old Navy and Target have been good for staples. I do a lot of flowy non-mat clothes that I can wear again post-baby. Pink blush is great for dresses. Rent the runway has bump-friendly options if you have to go to a wedding or other event (or even just for work). Stitch Fix, Le Tote, etc also do maternity if you want someone to pick for you. I have yet to find a pair of mat pants I love, so hoping to find that somewhere this time.

riatortillaxo

For my last pregnancy, I bought a pack of large men's white t-shirts and I would wear those with leggings and a cardigan over it. In the winter months I would add a big scarf and it did the trick and was much cheaper than maternity clothes! 
The maternity clothes that I did have were mostly solid colored t shirts that I could layer well. I spent the maternity clothes portion of my pregnancy in the winter though..  so I need some summer maternity clothes inspiration! 

tyrion_

I plan to walk around in underwear and not leave my house between May and birth. 

Because Florida summer 😭😭😭

wildrainbow

@tyrion_ I live in Alabama. I feel you on summer. 

I found some cute stuff at Ross that was super comfortable and fit amazingly. I got my leggings there and they are still the bestest thing. I cant wait to fit back in them. 

duck_duck_goose

@starlight_7 there is no shame in how early one wears their maternity clothes... my pants are washed and ready to go. 

@tyrion_ and @wildrainbow I can’t imagine how awful being so pregnant in the middle of a summer in the South. May the force be with you. 

Motherhood clothes seem to be the most worth it as far as pants go. Shirts I’m not super picky with. I like the target ones. I wear scrubs 85% of the time, and I don’t really do anything differently there, except go up a size or two in the tops as my belly grows. Pregnancy underwear is worth it. I drank the Kool-aid and have never regretted it. No elastic waist bands to dig in. It’s glorious. 

psychobutthead

@duck_duck_goose you know I never bought maternity underwear but I think I will this time around.

duck_duck_goose

@psychobutthead you should. Everyone should. I wasn’t going to, but with DS1 I was so incredibly uncomfortable with The way regular underwear was fitting because it kept digging into my groin and my belly. It was a last ditch effort and it paid off. And, even though they were maternity, I could still wear them after I gave birth so it didn’t feel like a total waste of money. 

mamabee20

I did the hair tie thing with my pants for WAY too long when I was pregnant with my first. It does work, but it isn’t as comfortable as maternity pants. Maternity dress pants for work feel like pajamas! And they are amazing for those “fat” days when you aren’t pregnant 😂

My #1 tip that I learned from experience is go ahead and buy the comfy maternity clothes! You will need to buy them eventually, dont suffer thru being uncomfortable in regular clothes when you can be comfortable in maternity clothes. Also you might as well get 6 months use out of the clothes instead of just 4 months! I didn’t buy maternity clothes until 5 months with my first, and what a difference it made when I finally felt comfortable again! I really should have bought maternity 2 months sooner! Also buy things that are flexible in sizing, like peplum tops and flowy dresses because you will still be wearing maternity clothes for a while after birth.

i personally really liked maternity underwear. But i also have friends who never bought any. I felt like regular underwear even in a size up just never fit right. When i finally bought some maternity underwear around 7.5 months pregnant, i was wishing i bought them a lot sooner!

I mainly shopped at destination maternity. For work i liked A Pea in the Pod or Seraphine. For weekends/casual usually the motherhood brand or jessica simpson. I also liked Pink Blush online and they always have sales and free shipping, but some of their stuff can be cheap feeling or a little see thru, but they also have free return shipping.

Luckily I still have all of my clothes from last pregnancy, but i was pregnant in cooler weather so i dont have a lot of summer stuff. At least it will be a while until I need to buy new stuff to wear in the summer.

blackgirlmagic

So I’ve never heard of maternity underwear. I may get some for after birth. But with my last pregnancy I just wore my VS thongs. They were super comfortable to me. And I agree with the ladies that said don’t wait to buy/wear maternity clothes, especially pants. I’m already in mine and I feel so much kore comfortable and confident compared to wearing my normal pants. This is the time to embrace our changing bodies and love ourselves a little bit more than usual. 

WishesSheCouldCook

Our motherhood maternity is closing at the end of the month this makes me want to stop by and browse but that makes me nervous too!

blackgirlmagic

I’ve been getting emails from motherhood maternity about their 12 days of Christmas deals. This one is for today. https://www.motherhood.com/days-of-deals-9/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=20191219_MHUS_Internet_Web_PrePost_12Days#dd=1899/12/31&bxid=32766480

newmama46

I just purchased a pair of over the belly maternity jeans from Madewell (they have a sale!) and a bella band. The maternity jeans are so comfy and will be perfect for that bloat that makes my regular jeans so uncomfortable by the end of the day. I’m hoping the Bella band will help extend how long I can wear more of my non-maternity jeans. The only thing that was surprising to me about maternity jeans is how low the crotch is front. I definitely will need to wear extra long tops to not have the spandex section show.

starlight8323

@Knottie1472053435 I had the same problem looking for tops in my closet that were long enough to cover the spandex section! What I ended up doing was finding a couple of long tank tops in there (one black and one white), which will cover the spandex, then I layer my normal-length tops over them! I really like the way it looks, except when the regular top is much shorter, then a LOT of the tank top shows at the bottom. I also plan to pick up a couple more long tank tops after Christmas to get me through until I start buying actual maternity shirts.

busymom247

Love Old Navy  aand I'm looking at JCP time for couple things super cute. Last time I was pregnant in fall winter and early spring. I'll need tanks this time and I'd been eyeing some on clearance but I wasnt super confident on my pregnancy yet.

If you have a Clothes Mentor consignment store in your city check there. I've been to two in diff states with huge selection of maternity clothes. It helped me when I was working! I'm now 1 hour from one but I  plan to check it out.

riatortillaxo

@busymom247 Clothes mentor is where I got my maternity clothes for my last pregnancy. I second her suggestion! 

lachnessmomster

@blackgirlmagic After trying to squeeze my bloated belly into my normal jeans today and feeling super down about myself, this hit me right in the feels. You are so right. ❤️

Luckily, I was pregnant through summer with my last babe as well, so I have plenty of maternity shorts, dresses, and cute tops to reuse. All of them either came from Target or Old Navy. I also have a Bellaband, but truly love actual maternity clothes versus fussing/adjusting the band all the time. 

kcadonau

my friend is a store manager at Motherhood/Destination, and they’re actually closing ALL of their stores. They were bought by a company that does online only, so I’m planning on watching the sales as they get closer to the spring!

starlight8323

@kcadonau No wonder Motherhood Maternity had such a small selection of plus size jeans, if they’re closing all their stores!

I just looked at their website, and they’re having a SITE-WIDE 30% off sale! (Today is the last day!) 

cornichonmam

As a STM I'm 100% for buying maternity clothes early and getting your monies worth. 

Also if your planning on breastfeeding get maternity and nursing clothes when you can. I acctualy need to replace a few bits of my maternity wardrobe because I've worn them out. If you only have 7-10 outfits they're going to get worn and washed a lot.

Finally over the bump maternity panties all the way!

emiliadkay

@newmama46 I never had a lot of luck using the Bella band to extend the wear of my regular pants, but they did cover up the spandex section of my maternity pants beautifully and just made elastic waists feel a little more secure. I had 3 and would’ve welcomed a 4th.

I swore to myself that this pregnancy I would splurge on nice maternity jeans I actually felt confident in, but with a late August due date (I’m another one in the south) I wonder how much I’ll actually wear them. Anyone have a pair/brand they love?

5unflowr22

@coldlife yes the hair tie trick is legit. Then you can get away with flipping the BellaBand down over the open fly when it's too far for a hair tie.
I 100% need compression stockings to not feel tired from dragging my legs around in third trimester. I was scoping out some cute ones to get immediately because I will be on more airplanes this time around...they have so many more kinds to choose from now!
I also loved wearing a belly support. It made all the difference in the world and allowed me to stay active.
And finally, to keep my belly from itching I needed a soft base layer under all of it. Those were pretty much my must-haves.
For pants this time around, I will probably wear more leggings.:) I hate maternity pants. I'm psyched about wearing dresses this time around. Except that I also need to wear the knee high stockings, lol.

rubyrose_0919

I also echo the advice to make the move to mat-pants early! I held out way too long in my last pregnancy.

I also really liked having a couple pairs of over the bump maternity leggings for walking, prenatal yoga, sleeping, even for work with the right top. They were my go-to for post-birth too.

My other hot tip from my last pregnancy is that the cheap 'divided' line at H&M has some basic tops (mostly tanks, tshirts, and sweaters) that are cut extremely long in the torso and made perfect maternity wear for me for a really low price. By grabbing most of my basic tops there, I was able to spend a bit more on bottoms and bras.

[Deleted User]

@emiliadkay I would hold off on the jeans.  I bought them on a sale before I was even pregnant and the few times I tried to wear them, they just weren't all that comfortable.  I still felt like I was trying to squeeze myself into tight pants because the material was not all that stretchy / forgiving.  If I get anything like that this pregnancy they will be denim leggings bc let's be real. :) 

I have four pairs of cropped motherhood yoga / lounge pants from last time I Loooved.  This time I will get some full length because I found I wanted to keep wearing them PP, and the crops weren't great for Oct/Nov/Dec. (My first was a September baby, so luckily mostly the seasons will be the same.)

I have five pairs of basic black motherhood work pants which were great, except the material was not super high quality, and after one pregnancy, there's a lot of pilling and scratchiness that make them not look great anymore.  Fit wise, they were amazing tho, so it's disappointing.  I'm hoping I can shave a lot of the pilling and get another round out of them, tho.

A lot of my work blouses were basic motherhood ones with a little lace on top, but sadly two or three of the handful I bought (loved the fit, drape, ruching, softness) the button or loop in the back came undone and of course it's a simple fix, but it's a pita so there's two tops I barely wore because they didn't last past the first wash practically, and I still need to get around to mending them. :/

I would love to try more thrift type options for work blouses, because you wear them so briefly!  The pea in the pod stuff is nice, but I <i>can't</i> justify spending $80 on one blouse. Plus the material for a couple of those I did have had no stretch, so they looked nice, but were not as comfy as I might like.

I did eventually get under the bump maternity panties, which were fine and I needed the under bump at the time, but what were real gold to me, were the gigantic cotton over-bump ones I got from Amazon.  I am totally getting a second 4-pack of those this time. They are still my favorite to sleep in!

I also wish someone had mentioned sooner about getting wrap style / nursing friendly maternity blouses whenever possible to do double duty.  The maternity stuff that's like all boat and scoop necks is not great for pumping/ nursing, but I think I still made it work just by lifting the shirt straight up out of the way. 🤷 You figure it out.

theveetree

Thanks I'm all belly and I really struggle 😫 I knew I should've tried old Navy!

starlight8323

@BusinessWife I hope this doesn’t come across as weird, but would you mind sharing a link to the over-the-bump underwear 4-pack you got on Amazon last time? (If you can find it again.)
I’m finding lots of search results, but it’s so hard to know if they will be comfy or not. So I’d rather just get some that come recommended from a friend!

[Deleted User]

@starlight_7 The sizing is crazy.  They are huge.  Just go with it.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07K1QGM75/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ANIILZIQFL91&psc=1

roo_baby

I found some nice maternity leggings (and some non maternity leggings in a size up for the first trimester bloat) at Nordstrom rack. Their maternity stuff is mixed in with the regular stuff, but I got lucky and found exactly what I needed. 

sarah0985

Old navy is currently having a sale on a good amount of maternity items. Some have 30% extra coming off at checkout. Good through tomorrow. 

laurenaward

Hahahaha! this is the most magical answer ever! I literally told my husband that I planned to wear nothing but a bathing suit and oversized coverups from April till birth! No maternity clothes needed this way and I'll survive the NC humidity and heat (also I'm daydreaming that I'll look super cute at 6 months... fingers crossed)