Product Spotlight: Maternity Clothes

inthewoods23

Share your favorite maternity clothes and brands!

Seems like there might be some good maternity clothes sales going on now that Christmas is over. Share any great deals you're aware of!

katy5787

During my first pregnancy my favorites were from Gap and Old Navy! I had a few nice H&M items too. Excited to get them all back out again soon!

inthewoods23

General question for anyone that has had summer due dates before and lives in colder climates - would you say you can get through most of the winter and early spring without needing winter maternity clothes like long sleeves and sweaters? I just don't want to go wild right now buying all the cute long sleeve maternity shirts if I'm barely going to wear them because my bump won't be that big (I believe I hit 24 weeks entering April).

As far as some sales that I'm aware of, I think Old Navy has 50% off right now but I don't think it's exclusive to maternity styles!

zinnia19

Does anyone have suggestions for good (and somewhat inexpensive) maternity bras? I only have one bra that I can fit in at this point. 😆 I usually wear sports bras cause I don't like underwire or padding. So I'm looking for something simple. 

tuxielove93

@inthewoods23 I would not go crazy. But I also wouldn’t bank on getting to 24 weeks without needing at least a working maternity wardrobe. It totally depends on the woman and her own body shape, but I didn’t get past 18 weeks in my first pregnancy without needing all maternity clothes. Forget the next two pregnancies. I should be wearing them now, I just haven’t gotten to our storage unit. 

ETA: that said, you could get a bunch of shirts and tank tops and wear a bigger sweater over it that isn’t a maternity one. As long as it opens in the front you shouldn’t have an issue with that. 

inthewoods23

@zinnia19 I know Target is pretty good for cheap bras. I don't know about their maternity bra selection though. Kohls is probably a good option if you have one of those stores near you. They have sales all the time.

@tuxielove93 that's not a bad idea with the shirts and tanks paired with the oversized sweaters. Am I correct that you tend to switch to maternity pants sooner than maternity shirts? I plan on wearing leggings most of the time.

LJMoon6

I’m team “start wearing maternity clothes early” because I want to get my moneys worth out of them lol. I also wore a lot of maternity clothes PP too as my body transitioned back to “normal.” So that’s what I’m looking for right now, more flowy shirts that don’t scream maternity.

Last time I bought most of my clothes from motherhood maternity because there was a shop close by. But they closed most of their shops now and their prices are just too high. I also got a lot of maternity clothes from garage sales (although we’ll be well into needing them before garage sale season starts). I’m going to try to find some on the FB buy nothing groups or garage sale groups maybe.

I got a couple pairs of pants from Old Navy already. I’m thinking of trying some of their shirts, but their non-maternity shirts always run short on me. Kohl’s was another good store to shop at for sales. I just hate that there aren’t a lot of selections in-store. I would rather see an item and feel it before purchasing. But I guess I might be old-fashioned that way in hating on-line shopping lol.

rubyrose_0919

@zinnia19 I really love the Bravado bras. I have two of their non-nursing bras and they are so comfortable. I moved to this style at the beginning of the pandemic and I'm never going back. I've basically only worn these two bras for nearly 2 years now and they are still in really great shape. I'm 13.5 weeks now and these bras have managed all the swelling and discomfort without issue. ❤

elmann1

Love this thread. I’ve been struggling because with this second pregnancy, I find myself needed maternity clothes waaaay sooner than to first. At 10 weeks none of my jeans fit and when I wore one size up, they made me cramp when I drove for long periods of time. 

SO- I just bought some amazing fleece lined, high rise leggings (not maternity but the high rise is incredible) from Old navy. I went to the thrift store and found two pairs of Gap maternity jeans and 1 pair of black work pants. Poshmark is where I found my maternity coat used shoes that I need 1 size up. I live in a cold city so need pants, coats and new shoes due to my sizes already fluctuating for cold weather. I went to Kohls and found a ton of maternity shirts on clearance. Target nursing bras are great too, I bought some from Amazon last pregnancy and still have them. For fancy splurges (graduation last pregnancy) I shopped on asos maternity. But I recently got some great nursing tops on sale from asos too. And last but not least, H&M maternity. Their stuff is always on clearance.  I also got more high rise fleece leggings from Amazon that I really like since I won’t be back in the office until the 24th. Yay!

elmann1

P.s. for me personally, idk why I waited so long for maternity clothes with DD. Perhaps I couldn’t afford it, but I was so uncomfortable in regular women sizes. Large sizes fit my tummy but I’m short so I felt frumpy everywhere else. I recommend at least 1 maternity item to try out. Some mat jeans are uncomfortable but others are great (over the tummy vs. under), find what works for you. Thrifts stores really help with trial and errors wears. 

zwink1

@inthewoods23, in my opinion, you're right about the pants coming in sooner.  I've already switched to maternity pants.  My regular pants still fit (last time I checked over a week ago, lol), but the maternity pants are just so much more comfortable.  That said, I remember making it well into 2nd tri before needing to switch to shirts with DS, so you may be able to get away with very few long sleeve maternity shirts. Layering like @tuxielove93 suggested is always good.  I'd also say, depending on what you're looking for, if you go with long sleeve options that are transitional into summer (for cooler nights for example) that might be helpful.  

As far as where to shop.  Most of my stuff last time around came from motherhood, target, old navy, and pink blush.  ThreadUp also has a huge maternity selection if you're cool with 2nd hand stuff.  I've found really nice stuff for reasonable prices there.  

For bras, honestly, if you can catch a sale, Zulily has the best selection at the best price points that I've ever been able to find.  I'm an out of the ordinary size, so most retail options are out for me and I've had great luck finding a wide range of sizes and brands for affordable prices there (including a great Wacoal nursing/maternity bra for under $20).

runnergirl2018

I came here to see if this thread was started yet!
I would love suggestions for maternity leggings - nothing super spendy since this is last baby but something I can wear at home and also like wear to run to the store and stuff. If anyone has seen great sales let me know

I like tops and dresses from Pink Blush and they always have sales and coupon codes - although I have noticed with pants they have had very limited sizes. I just got some jeans a week ago from Gap for 50% off

As far as winter stuff goes - my last pregnancy was in FL and mostly during summer/fall months so I have a lot of summer clothes, but not realy cool weather stuff. Now that i'm in IL and its winter, I did grab 3 sweaters that I can wear to work from Pink Blush - I got things that are looser and not obviously maternity since i'm not sure when i'll tell my patients and I think I can get away with wearing them longer term since they just loook like loose tunic kind of sweaters.  Then I got a couple long sleeve shirts from Target, and i figure any other time I can wear my short sleeve shirts from last pregnancy with a sweater cardigan over it.  I've sadly gone up a size in clothes from my last pregnancy, so only half of my pants fit but thankfully pretty much all the shirts and dresses fit still!

I have some workout capris from Old Navy from last pregnancy that I like and Senita is also great for maternity workout wear (and their nursing sports bras!)


I saw someone ask about Bras - I think i'm going to get an extender for now but last pregnancy I went a size up and pretty much stayed there for most of breast feeding - I grabbed a few on sale from Aerie last time (i need to dig them out and hope they still fit!) If i need to get any more right now, i'm honestly thinkikng of just getting nursing bras.  Last time  I got ones from Motherhood Maternity and Kindred Bravely.  Also if anyone needs new undies - kindred bravely ones are amazing and so soft, and they have awesome high waisted ones if you have had or think you may have a c-section

sunshineandlemons

I should maybe save this for a FFFC but I kept a pair of maternity jeans out and would wear them between pregnancies. I bloat really bad during my period and they saved me from uncomfortable muffin tops a lot. Also, great on days when you know you’re going to stuff your face like Thanksgiving or the Super Bowl! 🤣 And, not that it’s as necessary for me now, but I kept maternity work pants out too for bloated days or days where I felt like being super comfy at work. 

@runnergirl2018 I don’t have a ton of recommendations on maternity leggings, but I liked the pair I got from Kohl’s better than the two I got from Motherhood. The motherhood maternity ones pilled terribly.

runnergirl2018

@sunshineandlemons thanks for the recommendation.  a friend recommended a pair from Kohls too - I need to keep an eye out on them because last time I looked they did not have my size

tuxielove93

@LJMoon6 I hate online shopping. I hate it even more for maternity clothes. I have sensory things with clothes, so just being a weird fabric can be enough for me to not wear it. And I’m terrible at getting returns returned. SIGH.

@inthewoods23 You can get away with shirts longer than pants. You can also use the rubber band trick to make pants last longer, but I’ve never found that to be comfortable personally. Honestly, the shirts start fitting weird but they at least are on 😂 

LJMoon6

@sunshineandlemons Omg, yes! I love maternity clothes! I kept wearing my maternity pants PP until I wore them out and had to throw them away lol. I still wear maternity short every summer. They’re just so much more comfortable!

inthewoods23

@tuxielove93 that's pretty much how I feel at the idea of the rubber band! I would feel like everyone can see my underwear if my pants were unbuttoned and secured by a rubber band or hair tie. I'm probably going to immediately switch to maternity leggings because jeans have gotten so uncomfortable for me since covid started (yay for wearing sweats and leggings every day back then!).

sjb2215

Agreed about pulling out the maternity pants before shirts. The rubber band thing works but definitely isn't the most comfortable. 

Both my boys are winter babies so might need to update a fair amount. Most of my clothes so far have come from Target, old navy (online only which sucks), pink blush, Kohl's. Got a couple nice pieces from stitch fix and also found some things on FB marketplace

zinnia19

Just needed to comment on here that I started wearing maternity pants this week and WOW, what a difference! I can breathe again! 😁

runnergirl2018

@zinnia19 my top advice for all new moms is to just embrace the maternity pants. they're amazing!

stardustskies

I got a pair of maternity overalls from Old Navy during their black friday sale and just wore them for the first time today. So comfy. 

melanier26

I got a pair of these maternity leggings on sale and am wearing them for the first time today. They are so soft! I’m not sure if they’ll hold up well given how cheap they are but I got them just to wear around the house so I’m really only concerned with comfort. If they hold up well after a couple of washes I’ll definitely be buying more. 

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0842C19P5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YW7BA3EZCNXFRK80BM39?psc=1

runnergirl2018

Kindred Bravely is having a sale on their workout stuff including leggings - i just got a pair to wear for daily stuff. I have loved their jammies and undies (i just bought more of those in a recent sale) and can't wait to check out the leggings!

twentythree19

Lots of good suggestions here that I could echo. Also, I use stitch fix and they have sent me some really cute options while pregnant. Their nursing attire leaves a bit to be desired though. 

bumblebee0210

These brands are a bit pricier than Old Navy/Target, but if you need nice work clothes, I recommend Seraphine, Isabella Oliver, and Envie de Fraise. If you can, I would think about pieces you can use for maternity and nursing (many more places are doing this now), and clothes that can be worn in any season (think short-sleeve or sleeveless tops/dresses that you wear a cardigan over in the winter) to get the most out of your clothes (especially if you are getting pricier things). 

For the basics, particularly maternity tanks and tee shirts, I think target does pretty well. 

For *very* comfortable leggings and basics, Storq is amazing (but pricey). 

I also love Blanqi leggings and shorts (for under dresses), and their jeans. They are the only maternity jeans I have found that don't require hitching up every 10 seconds. 

Lastly, thredup and ebay have great deals on gently used clothing, and you can get really nice dresses for a lot cheaper. In my last pregnancy I got several Seraphine dresses that retail for $100-120 for around $30. I'm guessing this is also a good place to get designer maternity jeans for a lot cheaper, too. 

inthewoods23

@bumblebee0210 I'll have to remember ThredUp for a maternity dress to wear to my cousin's wedding in early June. I've been checking out Zulily for some sleeveless dresses that could be dressed up for the wedding. There's one I like that's $16 so wearing it once wouldn't be a waste of money. It's floor length so maybe that's going to be a bad idea, but we'll see. It seems to vary around that time of year if it's extra warm or more comfortable. Cousin is getting married in a castle but I think it has AC?

I can tell I need to start getting myself some maternity leggings. Does anyone know if they make maternity long underwear? The one pair I was wearing this week was really cutting into my stomach right around the belly button area and we're getting into the super cold times of winter and don't need that discomfort in addition to being freezing!

rubyrose_0919

I have quite a long torso and so I typically go for longer shirts and tanks in general for my wardrobe... and I found lots of these items worked really well for pregnancy. H&M has a good (and cheap) selection of longer tanks, tees and sweaters that you can get more use out of post-pregnancy than items with the bump-specific ruching/cuts. Same idea with maxi/t-shirt dresses. There are lots of styles that will accommodate a bump without being 'maternity' that are significantly cheaper and you will get much more use out of in the long term! 

I don't know exactly why, but I truly hate spending money on maternity clothes. But if I have to, I'd much rather spend money on tights/pants/cute maternity overalls (and give the rest of the budget baby clothes!!) than on tops/dresses! 

tuxielove93

I went to two goodwills today to see if they had anything and they did! It was a small section, but I was able to get two pants and a shirt for $18. And one of those pants is a nice gap pair of thick leggings. 

I just couldn’t buy anything online between the shipping and the lack of return policies. And of course no stores have anything. So goodwill it is! I’m gonna hit up a couple more (we have dozens thanks to being in a city metro). 

runnergirl2018

Also, i just learned that if you sign up for a target baby registry and get the bag from the store (or online) and get coupons - they have 20% off maternity clothes.  they have sales with good prices sometimes and paired with that you can get some good things.  i find i just mostly need maternity pants but some other pieces can be nice if you are planning on having multiple pregnancies

sunshineandlemons

@tuxielove93 my Goodwill is hit or miss on maternity but when it’s good, it’s really good! I got a bunch of new motherhood maternity tops and work pants there with my first!

@runnergirl2018 I will have to pay closer attention to the coupons! I usually just recycle them but will definitely keep an eye out for those!

Also unsolicited advice for all- whether or not you plan to share a registry with anyone, I highly recommend making one just for the completion discounts! I’m a TTM and we are having our first boy and he’ll be born in a different season than my girls so I’m making registries. Amazon also has a good box of samples.

inthewoods23

@runnergirl2018 my mom took me maternity clothes shopping yesterday and she was SUPER disappointed in the selection they had in stores. Target only had the Isabel Maternity brand and it was like they made room for 2 racks amongst the kids clothes. And there were a lot of spring/summer clothes and almost no sweaters!! Wtf. When she took my sister shopping (granted this was 3 years ago) stores had so much more on the shelves and racks and there was a Motherhood Maternity store nearby that has since closed! Maybe if we went to a different Target there would be more but we had been out for 3 hours at that point and it was dinnertime.

Ugh

Does anyone know if Old Navy sells their maternity clothes in store? Otherwise I'm going to have to get anything else online and hope it fits.

sunshineandlemons

@inthewoods23 do you have a clothes mentor resale shop near you? They have a good maternity section at my store, so that could be a good place to look too. As for old navy, I only see returns at my store these days. 😕

sjb2215

@inthewoods23 I think old navy switched to all online for maternity, ugh.

tuxielove93

@inthewoods23 Five years ago, they had a small selection in stores. Three years ago, one or two stores had some in store maternity and Motherhood was an open store.  
Now no one has anything and the motherhood store is closed here. Old Navy does not have in store, at least not here. 
I hate online shopping. 

inthewoods23

@sunshineandlemons I actually think we do! I'll have to check that out

@tuxielove93 for real. Anything I've bought online today is the same style and brand of stuff I tried on and bought yesterday. There was a pair of pants I had tried that was sooo baggy in the crotch, and it was my size and it just sucked. I'm sure they would have fit better if I was closer to full term but man, with a fairly small bump it was terrible.

bumblebee0210

@inthewoods23. EVERYTHING maternity is all online now, unless you find a motherhood maternity/pea in the pod store (or target). I buy most of my clothes online, and you just have to order a bunch of stuff and plan on sending a lot back. It's a hassle (and it's stressful when the $$$ is out on your credit card) but for maternity it's so hard to guess how things are going to fit. Heads up: I found that most maternity clothes are vanity sized. I'm a 10/12 in normal life, and often like an 8 in maternity clothes (and I gained 38 lbs with my daughter, so it's not that). So unless the website says otherwise, I would err on the lower end of your typical sizes. Also the stretch-type of maternity clothes are usually so stretchy there are like three sizes that would fit fine. Les wiggle room for jeans, tailored things, etc. 

For those of you looking to pick up some stuff used-- ThredUp has returns too, so you can try those things on as well. 

runnergirl2018

@inthewoods23 one of the Targets near me has an decent selection of maternity but i would call and ask before going.  some of them are super small.  I think the same thing might be true of Old Navy. Motherhood apparrently closed all their stores a few years ago and are now just online only.  I do just buy online and make sure they have free shipping and free returns- which is super annoying.
You can also look for A Pea In The Pod - they are affiliated with Motherhood and their stores are still open, although some of their stuff is on the pricy side (i did get stuff in my first pregnancy from there on sale/clearance and the quality is good)

runnergirl2018

@sunshineandlemons Yes! the ones from target this time are pretty decent - i'd say i'll probably use at least half of them. they all expire in march so i guess keep that in mind for timing of things.  This is our second kiddo so I have a private registry set up at AMazon and Target that can be shared by link only but i really have set up for the completion coupons and planning/organizing for what we need

inthewoods23

@runnergirl2018 per their website, the only A Pea In The Pod stores that are around are in Chicago and New York City. But like you said, their stuff is pricey! I swear I saw blouses for $100+.

Meanwhile I just bought 4 long sleeve and 3 short sleeve maternity shirts at Kohls for less than $80 because I had a 40% off deal from an email.

My favorite part about Kohls is the ridiculous "discounts" you get. Like you'll spend $80 on a good amount of clothes or what not, and then when the cashier hands you your receipt they circle the "You Saved" part and tell you that you saved $263.17. Very rarely have I ever bought something that WASN'T on sale.

zinnia19

Agreed with @inthewoods23 about Kohls! I went there recently to get some new bras and they had a small maternity section. Found a long sleeve shirt and some nice fitting jeans. And the discounts are nice! I actually get surprised when something doesn't have a discount. It was nice to be able to try some things on. It definitely is hard that so much is online these days. 

lilirunning34

What’s everyone’s favorite maternity underwear? I just bought my first 3 pack from motherhood and omg I’ve been missing out. I don’t know why I’ve never bought these for my other kids. I think I just stretched mine out or bought a size larger. But 3 kids later I need to update my stuff. Bras will be next. Mine are all bugging me.