Still in regular clothes?

Pinksundrops · February 2014

I've bought three maternity shirts, all form fitting, and have been in a belly band and my regular size 0 jeans or regular shorts since week 10. I tried maternity pants early on and they were pants from hell - too tight on the belly and huge on the legs. Not to brag on the size 0 at ALL because what I really think happened is they have stretched with me. I tried putting on a pair of regular capris I haven't worn with my belly band yet the other day and couldn't get them past my thighs. That quickly burst my bubble of still being in my regular pants. Sooo I still get to say I'm in a 0 but really it's probably closer to a 6 or 8. That said, these jeans are getting a little tight right above the pubic bone around the baby area and I'm starting to think I need to move out of stretched out size 0s. Anybody have any luck buying slightly larger clothes and going that route instead of the maternity tent or potato sack route? I did try on some surf brand clothes - a maxi dress and black elastic waistband nice pants, both in size large, that both gave me room to grow- in California on vacation and fell in LOVE. Unfortunately, I was an idiot and didn't buy them immediately and ran out of time to go back to the store and get them before we left. Surf brands are expensive back here in Texas, plus the choice is super limited. Anybody have any tips on buying a larger size in non maternity clothes to fit a growing belly? Specifically pants, shorts, or dresses. I've had zero luck with regular size shirts - they're either not long enough or too flowy. I like form fitting around the belly to actually look like I'm pregnant instead of looking like I ate too much so I've stuck with my three form fitting shirts.

ETA: words are hard and my novel is long. I echo curlygirls yawning kitty gif.

2ETA: I'm crossing fingers any of this makes sense. I feel like I'm making zero sense these days.

Soon2BMrsN · February 2014

Just buy some maternity clothes. You'll thank yourself later. I squeezed myself into my normal size twos for about half of my first pregnancy before I realized that maternity pants were so much more comfortable.

pantherRN · February 2014

Just buy some maternity clothes, seriously. Don't fight it.

I've had luck with Old Navy, Gap, and Loft.

Also, I just want to say that I don't ever think I've been a size 0. Maybe my left leg was at one point.

JMCB09 · February 2014

Yep. Still fitting into regular clothes here; yoga pants, tshirts, cardigans, underwear....

I shall eat a cheeseburger now.

cookieinva · February 2014

I know it isn't quite what you are asking for but I would try different maternity pants until you find some that work. You could do larger size non-maternity pants, sure, but you might not really be happy with how they fit (the butt will probably be big and saggy for example) plus you might not like how they look with your more form fitting shirts since they will still cut in some and give you a more visible waistline under your shirts. Ultimately they would only be a short-term fix, but if you think that will work no reason not to try. I have one pair of pre-pregnancy jeans I can still wear but i know it is because they are a bit stretchy; for warm weather I have non-maternity, drawstring linen pants but obviously they work because of the drawstring.

Big+Lil · February 2014

I hate maternity clothes and just bought empire waist maxi dresses with my daughter. I bought a size up. Some surf brands don't provide a lot of coverage up top, so just something to think about. It's awesome to wear pp for nursing too, because I hated lifting a shirt with my gross belly.

Where in CA were you? Huntington Surf&Sport has an online shop. You can find lots of brands (Lucy Love, Volcom, Billabong, etc.) on Zappos.com

keshupe29 · February 2014

I tried to find regular clothes in a bigger size. But realized I was being silly as they also wouldn't fit for long. Got some maternity pants and they are super comfy!! Just do it!

ichamommy · February 2014

I must admit, I stopped reading at size 0.... No comprende.

hgtvmom · February 2014

I'm so not a size 0, but am still in most of my regular clothes. I have some maternity pants and wear them sometimes, but I get so sick and tired of pulling the damn things up! I like some that are sized (rather than S,M,L) as they fit better. But, one is a crop jean that I can't pull off with the running shoes I wear to work and one pair is the stupid under belly deal that just folds down.

I have a couple of maternity shirts that I wear, as they are longer and cover more. But, in reality, I work on a farm and it's cold in our offices, so a hoody works just as well. :-)

loulou1212 · February 2014

I did have some luck with some stretchy skinny pants from Zara. I couldn't find a link for them online. They are nice enough that I can wear them to work. I'm also wearing some maternity pants, but the stretchy regular pants were kind of a bridge while maternity doesn't fit that well. I've also found dresses and skirts to be a little easier to fit during this stage instead of pants and tops. I'm still mostly wearing regular shirts or layers.

abchittam · February 2014

I have seen several people say that they have issues with their maternity pants falling down. I just wear a tight tank top and it prevents the. From rolling or falling. Don't know what I would do without my maternity!

hgtvmom · February 2014

abchittam said:
I have seen several people say that they have issues with their maternity pants falling down. I just wear a tight tank top and it prevents the. From rolling or falling. Don't know what I would do without my maternity!

My issue is more from the butt down. Like all that over stomach stuff doesn't keep the rest up well, so I end up looking like I have a loaded diaper on.

michellexm · February 2014

I've only bought maternity pants and new bras so far. As far as pants, a nice comfy, cute pair of maternity jeans (what a difference!) and a pair of dress pants (completely necessary for those occasions I need to look professional) make a world of difference for me. Check out J Crew; their maternity stuff doesn't look all that maternity-like. I don't know what you'd do about shorts though. I think if you had a pair of lowriding boardshorts, you may be able to get away with them. One thing I have found: surf brands are always more expensive outside California as they're actually seasonal everywhere else. In CA, you can get winter swimwear, and the fall swimwear/etc gets discounted! That doesn't happen where I've lived. California is amazing that way.

I'm wearing stretchy Lululemon tank tops in dark colors under all my shirts. It's not very obvious, and they fit in my regular size as they're so stretchy (and I expect I'll just be able to wear them later, too). My fave of these are the Cool Racerbacks; they're well made and are long.

I can still wear most of my normal shirts that were big to begin with over my tank top. Some of the larger ones that didn't previously fit that well actually fit better now, so I think sizing up is doable!

Pinksundrops · February 2014

@Bit+Lil I just spent the last forty minutes filling my shopping cart at zappos. No idea they had clothes!! And surf brands at that. Thought they only had shoes. The dresses are still twice the price as what I found in Cali, but the pants are decent. Now to convince my husband to let me order my whole cart so I can try them all on. I'm hoping Zappo's return policy will help. We were visiting Santa Cruz where my parents live, but we live in Austin, Texas.

@pup4gdb *snicker* loaded diaper. EXACTLY what I felt like!

Agreed, @michellexm , that surf brands are more expensive elsewhere, only I didn't realize why. I'm kicking myself for not spending my entire time shopping for clothes while I could in Cali!! Almost feeling crazy enough to make a quick weekend trip back home, but that would be crazy, right? I'm kinda convincing myself that wouldn't be too crazy if I found a sweet airline deal.

I think I'm going to go the maxi dress route and see if I have any luck with Zappos. I won't *entirely* give up on maternity clothes, meaning I'll still try them on as I pass by them, thanks to you ladies. Reminds me of trying on bathing suits in the dressing room nightmare, though.

jamboree jess · February 2014

I've been wearing maternity pants since 12 weeks, lol. Give in, it is wonderful. I've had good luck at Kohl's.

*LrCg* · February 2014

FWIW this is my 4th baby in 5 years and I've never been in maternity pants prior to 24 weeks and I'm petite. After that I can wear some of my cotton cargo pants my entire pregnancy but for jeans I do buy maternity because its not just your belly that grows. Your thighs will get bigger a bit to help stabilize your belly plus you gain from increase of blood volume. My point being dont rule out maternity pants yet, it maybe too early for you. I rarely buy maternity shirts, I go to the junior section where they have very long shirts. Since I'm a 34f sometimes its a problem so I stay in misses but do talls. Around 20 weeks I went to a second hand shop and bought a pair of jeans that fit perfect and those jeans I wore right after birth until I could wear my own.

Myanswer true · February 2014

Leggings! I live in leggings and long shirts... a lot of the ones I had before getting pregnant. But I loves me some comfy maternity khakis for work.

Artistmom30 · February 2014

I'm living in yoga pants and leggings right now. I did buy a few maternity things and my mom helped purchase a few things. Also, if you know someone around your size who has maternity clothes lying around from previous pregnancies, see if you can borrow them. I did that as well and it has saved me money.

cakebatter27 · February 2014

Size 0...last time I saw that was never. I'm pretty sure I was wearing size 7 Mudds or L.E.Is in 6th grade.

That being said, I'm only wearing maternity dress pants. Still in my regular jeans with a belly band. My shirts are getting a but short so I think within the next month it'll be inevitable. I'm hoping to squeeze by with buying a size larger in tunics for awhile.

AnotherPreggo · February 2014

I didn't buy any maternity clothes during my last pregnancy, and plan to stick with it. Mainly because I cannot justify spending the money. I rocked yoga pants for the last few months, and everyday for the rest of my life since then...

I have a lot of loose-fitting tops that look cute with leggings, so I did that a lot. I had a pair of A&E jeans that totally suck normally, but they were awesome while pregnant. They are the stretch material, so when I had tried them on in the store years ago, they looked phenomenal, but after 10 minutes of wear, they were all saggy. I was able to wear those right up to delivery! So... it's possible!

Photos are week 22, 26, and 38.

pantherRN · February 2014

I just wanted to add that I'm rather envious of you guys that can still wear regular clothes.

sparks2987 · February 2014

I am wearing unbuttoned regular jeans and maternity shirts.

Neighner20 · February 2014

cakebatter27 said:

Size 0...last time I saw that was never. I'm pretty sure I was wearing size 7 Mudds or L.E.Is in 6th grade. That being said, I'm only wearing maternity dress pants. Still in my regular jeans with a belly band. My shirts are getting a but short so I think within the next month it'll be inevitable. I'm hoping to squeeze by with buying a size larger in tunics for awhile.

Are L.E.I.s even made anymore? They were the shit when I was growing up!

JMSbaby2014 · February 2014

I didn't start wearing maternity pants until 16/17 weeks and I thought I had really held out! Now at 19 weeks I think it's entirely possible I may never wear normal pants again, like in my whole life- it's like I can wear sweatpants to work- it's amazing so I vote to just cave and jump right into maternity pants!

Pinksundrops · February 2014

I just ordered a bunch of beach pants in size large from Zappos, thanks to @Bit+Lil . We'll see how those work. Crossing fingers!

I'll try Gap for the maternity pants to see if they are better fitting @jolson29 .

Also @artistmom30 thanks for reminding me a friend had mentioned she has maternity clothes to give me. Will have to hit her up for them before I go buy anything else maternity.

Love the pictures @Anotherpreggo ! May have to go look at A&E for those stretch jeans. Actually I just checked the dryer to be sure, but my favorite size 0 jeans I bought just before I found out I was pregnant are A&E. There might be something to these A&R stretch jeans. Maybe I'll go back and get a size or two up. The others I've been wearing are F21 but one of those sag a bit in the back even under the belly band.

honeybee434 · February 2014

I broke down and went maternity clothes shopping last weekend. Best. Decision. Ever. I had been trying to make everything in my closet work without switching to maternity and getting dressed in the mornings was turning into a hot emotional mess. I now think that ALL dress pants should have stretchy waist bands after wearing these pants this week! I'm in the process of boxing up all tops & bottoms in my closet that I can't wear right now (dresses I'm not messing with.) It was depressing trying to find things to wear amongst a closet where 75% of my clothes didn't fit.

Pinksundrops · February 2014

@honeybee434 man, the boxing up. I did that in the beginning and just did a whole other huge container tub tonight. So much better than going depressingly through that 75% that doesn't fit in the mornings. I've gotten to the point where if I know it's going to be a rushed morning I lay out my clothes the night before so I don't end up in tears. I had no idea maternity dress pants had elastic waistbands! I'm so going to look for some of those. I could actually wear them to work too. Where did you get yours?

honeybee434 · February 2014

@pinksundrops. I went with the full panel style and picked up a pair from Motherhood and a pair from Kohls (which is the Motherhood brand). The full panel part is stretchy and since the material of dress pants doesn't have as much structure as jeans, I seriously feel like I'm wearing lounge pants all day at work.

cookieinva · February 2014

I definitely think whether you go maternity or not, boxing up stuff you can't currently wear is great for your self esteem as well as easing getting dressed. Feels so much better when everything you can see or consider is a real, viable option and not stuff that just doesn't fit or work any more.

lovely2999 · February 2014

I'm still wearing my regular clothes. I was annoyed my last pregnancy when I bought a few maternity items but ended up having to give them away because they were big on me because I didn't put on weight. I said I wasn't going to do that again unless I need to, so far my jeans still fit (I actually have some extra room) and my tops are fine because I always like wearing roomy tops anyway.

KatEsteban · February 2014

I'm still wearing my regular clothes comfortably at 16 weeks.. other than my boobs spilling out of my tank tops (which are officially out of the wardrobe until they're replaced, haha), everything else still fits. I keep seeing all these beautiful bumps (and early on too!!) I don't know whether I'm happy about still having an almost flat tummy, or jealous because people keep asking if I'm sure I'm really pregnant..

hgtvmom · February 2014

I put on a pair of sized maternity jeans this morning, thinking they were the right choice for a/s day. That lasted about 20 minutes. I got pissed at them, yanked them off and threw them across the room. Then I put on regular jeans, a belly band and happily left the house.

sheacox · February 2014

I am still in my regular clothes but i will be switching over any day now.

LenaLove · February 2014

I switched early (12 weeks ish) because any pressure from the waistband really intensified my nausea and made me miserable. And I couldn't get away with yoga pants/leggings because I have to dress "business professional" for work. With my first I think I was in regular clothes until at least week 24.

I also enjoy that the panel makes my baby bump appear nice and smooth and round, and not somewhat flabby, which is how it looks in sweats at home.

argonne · February 2014

I tried to find regular clothes in a bigger size. But realized I was being silly as they also wouldn't fit for long. Got some maternity pants and they are super comfy!! Just do it!

------------------------------------------------------------

The problem with buying clothes in a bigger size is that they're not tailored for a pregnant body and eventually it just looks like you're wearing big, baggy, unflattering clothes.

Also, I hate it when my post goes in the quote box.

Lgrant0714 · February 2014

I tried to wear regular clothes for as long as possible with my first two pregnancies, but it isn't working out for me this time around. I am also a size 0 and will say size 0 maternity clothes fit far better than going up a couple sizes. I have had great luck with pants from Gap. Whether you go Demi panel or full is personal preference (I like the Demi) but they are form fitting everywhere they should be but give your belly room to breath! A few good pairs of pants will be worth the investment. Target also has some cute tops...

Pinksundrops · February 2014

Lgrant0714 said:
I tried to wear regular clothes for as long as possible with my first two pregnancies, but it isn't working out for me this time around. I am also a size 0 and will say size 0 maternity clothes fit far better than going up a couple sizes. I have had great luck with pants from Gap. Whether you go Demi panel or full is personal preference (I like the Demi) but they are form fitting everywhere they should be but give your belly room to breath! A few good pairs of pants will be worth the investment. Target also has some cute tops...

I had no idea anybody carried size 0 maternity wear! Now I'll have to make a point to stop by Gap sooner than I would've otherwise. Also, my mom is a sweetheart and went to the store in Cali with my niece and picked up the dress I fell in love with. And she found three other colors of the same dress!!! I am a happy camper

. I didn't have her buy the pants since I ordered similar kinds off Zappos last night that I'm hoping will be a little less scratchy than those were. You ladies are the best!! Thank you!!!

lauralynn710 · February 2014

I haven't bought any maternity clothes yet because there not one store in the small town that I live in that even sales the stuff. The closest place to buy good clothes is about 2 1/2 hours away and with all this crazy weather we have been having, we haven't been able to make the trip. Thankful I had just lost 15 pounds before getting pregnant and have bigger scrubs and shirts. I have also been wear loose black yoga pants that look like they could be dress pants, to work.

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