I can't button most of my work pants anymore and I bought some maternity pants this weekend but then DH questioned the sizing. I bought stuff that fits perfectly now (but if I gain too much weight in the thighs, it will definitely be too tight). My old pants all fit fine except in the waist area but it's not the most comfortable with the belly band. DH thinks I should wait and just wear a belly band with my old pants until I really need maternity pants to get a better idea of size but a lot of other ladies on this board seem to be wearing them. I hated how the next size up looked, just hanging off of me. How much more do the thighs/butt grow during pregnancy after the 1st tri? He thinks I should be able to use whatever maternity pants I buy during my entire pregnancy...
Re: how much more do thighs/butt grow?
It just depends on the person. I actually lost fat during my pregnancy (I had gestational diabetes, on a strict diet) But I don't generally gain weight in my butt/thighs, I gain in my stomach, so I didn't put on a whole lot in that area. So depends on where you normally gain weight. But your hips will widen and stay that way. So even if you lose all your pregnancy weight after you give birth, you may still wear a different size afterwards.
There's really no way to tell how you are going to carry your weight. Your hips will spread and that will change the way your clothes sit permanently. I carried all of DD's weight (and it was A LOT of weight) in the belly- straight out. Nothing else gained! But my GF carried everything in her top half (face, arms, boobs) and it got progressively worse as the pregnancy progressed.
I would make it a point to invest in a few pieces now and then judge in a few more weeks.
With my first baby (DD), I started with a size small maternity pant and ended up with a medium by the end when my hips had started to spread a bit. I didn't increase in leg size or butt size... but my hips were so much wider that I had a tough time feeling comfortable in the pants when seated
I don't suspect that will happen again this time as I'm pretty much already jacked up but we'll see.
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