Maternity Clothes

Charla1224 · December 2015

I know we've talked about maternity clothes quite a bit but I still have questions and I'm assuming others do too. So here ya go. What are your struggles, questions, and suggestions for maternity wear?

I'll start.... Maybe I'm carrying high but I always have saggy crotch. I love the full panel pants. They're comfy but I never feel like I look good wearing them. Does this change? Will it get better?
Should I check out side panel or other styles of maternity pants?

Unicorn522 · December 2015

Charla1224 said:

I'll start.... Maybe I'm carrying high but I always have saggy crotch. I love the full panel pants. They're comfy but I never feel like I look good wearing them. Does this change? Will it get better?
Should I check out side panel or other styles of maternity pants?

The problem with maternity pants is that they rely on the elastic in the panel or band to hold them up. I prefer pants with the low band because it seemed like the full panel was constantly making me itch. I feel like the low band do the best job staying up better when your bump is smaller, or at least that's my experience. Pants should start to fit better as you get bigger. Toward the end when spring arrives though, I'll be wearing more leggings and dresses than anything. Eff pants.

doozer1345 · December 2015

Do you have a belly band? I love the full panel but use the belly band on pants I still like to wear.

Kurrant · December 2015

For a while I was constantly pulling my pants up. The butt seemed to always be sagging and they slipped down a lot. I found folding the top down helped during that stage as well as wearing a tight shirt over the waist. Now that I am bigger I find that those same high waist, full panel fits fine with no slippage.

BabyL52716 · December 2015

How about the side panel jeans. I got some cute skinny jeans from target with the side panel..Has anyone tried the side panel ones and do they stay up? I am not about to wear a belt.

finnybooboo · December 2015

My issue is finding them in petite/short!! One store here has them in petite but it's hard finding them in stock. Old Navy has them online so that what I have to go with. I have a side panel pair from ON that I have to send back because I ordered them too big.

kbrands7 · December 2015

BabyL52716 said:
How about the side panel jeans. I got some cute skinny jeans from target with the side panel..Has anyone tried the side panel ones and do they stay up? I am not about to wear a belt.

I have a pair of side panel jeans and because I carry on the low side, they don't stay up. They were great for me during the first trimester and probably post delivery. If you have a normal or high carty, they should be fine.

kbrands7 · December 2015

In general, I'm loving full panel pants this time which is a complete change. The low panels aren't staying up well, and dig into my cs scar. I've also been more conscious this time around to buy things that can work post-partum/for breastfeeding.

lionstigersbears · December 2015

I'm in the full panel club with a tank top as a top base layer, it holds them up! I got some black skinny pants at Motherhood Maternity. They are awesome fabric and feel the least ridiculous of all my pants

I want some more sweaters that are warm, but not too warm and bulky. Any good finds?

PSA time!!!! The fleece lined leggings being sold at Walgreens are maternity friendly (top band basically non existent and are one-size) and pretty awesome! 6.99 or 2 for 12. I wore these under snow pants all last week and I was plenty warm skiing. Now i grabbed a few more colors and they are my home wardrobe. Check them out!

kbrands7 · December 2015

@lionstigersbears I've had luck with Old Navy's tunic sweaters.

amscape · December 2015

@finnybooboo try Macys- they had more petite options than I expected! They were mostly Motherhood Maternity pants & on sale. Gap also has some pants in short.

Anyone have suggestions on leggings that are not see through but are full panel?

Charla1224 · December 2015

doozer1345 said:
Do you have a belly band? I love the full panel but use the belly band on pants I still like to wear.

I wish I could but I lost a lot of weight those first months and using a belly band I had a lot of bagginess.

@lionstigersbears thanks for that. Living in cold climate I'm struggling to figure out how to stay warm. I've got some great maternity clothes but their quality is a little shotty

js8812 · December 2015

I have a hard time finding nice maternity dress pants in tall. I have one pair I like from J.Crew and two pairs from Gap that are ok. Any other suggestions for tall mamas?

alea1108 · December 2015

I'm just a lurker...
But, since these clothes aren't really going to be worn much in the long run, Wal-Mart online has a ton of options that aren't costly at all. I've found that they are cheap enough to order more than one size in the pants to make sure they fit, and I just return the size I don't need in store. I've been pleased with what I have ordered so far.

ETA: Some of the dressier/work style pants are hit or miss as far as quality, but the skinny pants and jeans are all ok. The tops and sweaters have all been fine.

mmemartinez · December 2015

Leggings and tunics/dresses all the way!!! I still can wear my blazers and have some nicer leggings that look more like pants for work. So I do that or leggings with dresses. I have some less fitted dresses I would belt pre-preg that currently still fit.

My full panel jeans are still too big but I'm sure by 30 weeks they will be fine. Agree with others that now low-panel is starting to be awkward feeling.

mmemartinez · December 2015

amscape said:
@finnybooboo try Macys- they had more petite options than I expected! They were mostly Motherhood Maternity pants & on sale. Gap also has some pants in short.

Anyone have suggestions on leggings that are not see through but are full panel?

Target has these : BeMaternity® by Ingrid & Isabel® Yoga Black Legging with Crossover Panel

They are like yoga pants but for me function like leggings. A bit warmer but now that it's finally getting cold they are great.

Also these at target: Maternity Over the Belly Legging Black Legging Pants-Liz Lange® for Target®

A little long for me but not see through. Motherhood leggings are my favorite but a little sheer. So sad.

Bltbear82 · December 2015

Kind of random, but any other STM notice that the quality of Old Navy stuff is different the second time around? I feel like the tank tops and shirts were great last time for layering even post-partum, but the ones I just bought already look really worn this time.

Eta: post-partum autocorrect, not post-part in

PYLWhammy · December 2015

Bltbear82 said:

Kind of random, but any other STM notice that the quality of Old Navy stuff is different the second time around? I feel like the tank tops and shirts were great last time for layering even post-part in, but the ones I just bought already look really worn this time.

I'm a FTM, but I think the quality of Old Navy clothes have gone downhill in general over the past few years. That being said, I still stocked up on their maternity clothes because I couldn't resist their sales!

bookelf221 · December 2015

finnybooboo said:

My issue is finding them in petite/short!! One store here has them in petite but it's hard finding them in stock. Old Navy has them online so that what I have to go with. I have a side panel pair from ON that I have to send back because I ordered them too big.

I just got a bunch of petite pants at Motherhood Maternity- they are currently on sale buy one get one 50% off.

cdnrunning · December 2015

I tried on a pair of maternity jeans from the gap - they were super comfortable but made my butt look totally flat. Ugh. I know I'm not walking down a runway but I want to look at least semi presentable in public.

TunieBee · December 2015

BabyL52716 said:
How about the side panel jeans. I got some cute skinny jeans from target with the side panel..Has anyone tried the side panel ones and do they stay up? I am not about to wear a belt.

Not for me. Total plumber's crack situation.

TunieBee · December 2015

finnybooboo said:
My issue is finding them in petite/short!! One store here has them in petite but it's hard finding them in stock. Old Navy has them online so that what I have to go with. I have a side panel pair from ON that I have to send back because I ordered them too big.

Gap has short sizes but I don't love he styles. I just get everything hemmed.

missnc77 · January 2016

I know, why am I thinking about this already?!

I have a question for the STMs and beyond. I didn't have to buy maternity clothes until it turned colder this fall. I figured most are in the same boat, where for most of this pregnancy, we're going to be in maternity jeans and sweaters. But then I think immediately post-baby, it'll be the end of May going into summer. Should I find some summer maternity clothes for the post-baby body? I know you immediately drop some baby and water weight, but the rest takes a while. How prominent is a post-baby belly - is it as hard? Does it deflate? Were you wearing your maternity clothes post baby while your body adjusted and settled out in the next several months?

js8812 · January 2016

missnc77 said:

I know, why am I thinking about this already?!

I have a question for the STMs and beyond. I didn't have to buy maternity clothes until it turned colder this fall. I figured most are in the same boat, where for most of this pregnancy, we're going to be in maternity jeans and sweaters. But then I think immediately post-baby, it'll be the end of May going into summer. Should I find some summer maternity clothes for the post-baby body? I know you immediately drop some baby and water weight, but the rest takes a while. How prominent is a post-baby belly - is it as hard? Does it deflate? Were you wearing your maternity clothes post baby while your body adjusted and settled out in the next several months?

I think maxi skirts and dresses will be my best friend post-baby.

GoatSnakeMouse · January 2016

Right now I'm trying to figure out what to wear to speak at a conference in Vegas next month. My office is pretty casual, so I don't have any dressed-up maternity clothes, and it seems silly to buy something that is going to be wrong for my regular climate (DC) anyway. Maybe some kind of silky tunic + leggings + blazer?

countrygrl5533 · January 2016

missnc77 said:

I know, why am I thinking about this already?!

I have a question for the STMs and beyond. I didn't have to buy maternity clothes until it turned colder this fall. I figured most are in the same boat, where for most of this pregnancy, we're going to be in maternity jeans and sweaters. But then I think immediately post-baby, it'll be the end of May going into summer. Should I find some summer maternity clothes for the post-baby body? I know you immediately drop some baby and water weight, but the rest takes a while. How prominent is a post-baby belly - is it as hard? Does it deflate? Were you wearing your maternity clothes post baby while your body adjusted and settled out in the next several months?

This is a hard question as everyone is different. I was able to wear my regular jeans again about 6-7 weeks later. Probably would have been 4-5 weeks but the waistband hurt my c-section scar. I was "all baby" so went back down pretty quickly.

It will not be hard. You will have a soft, odd feeling tummy for awhile. I'm not getting anything for summer as where I live, I won't need summer clothes until I'm back in my regular ones anyway. Just look for elastic waist things and you should be fine.

kbrands7 · January 2016

@missnc77 Maxis are great post-partum. Also, if you are planning to breastfeed, be sure to look for things that pull down easily, or if it's not too hot where you live, tops that you can double layer easily to pull the top layer up and the bottom layer down.

JennyS86 · January 2016

missnc77 I second the advice - I loved the maxi dresses postpartum last time, but totally agree that it didn't make breastfeeding or pumping any easier unless I planned ahead.

Honestly, for a while I wore shorts and tshirts/tanks because I was getting drooled, spit-up and milk all over me. I wore the maternity clothes that I liked and mixed in pre-preg clothes that fit. I didn't buy clothes after delivery but before pre-preg clothes fit. That might have been because I didn't have anywhere important to go...you might have to if you need to dress up. I second finding comfy clothes that didn't hurt my c/s scar.

I did buy a few nursing tanks- Target's were super comfy and I look forward to them again. They run big!

randimt16 · January 2016

For when the belly finally "pops" clothes with built-in support are a life saver! Like @unicorn522 said, the full band that holds that pants up are itchy a lot of the time but if you can find a pair made of great material, there is nothing like it!! I like mumberry.com because all of the clothes have a built-in band that lifts the belly off of the back/pelvis/hips and is super soft

Charla1224 · January 2016

@missnc77 I'm glad you asked because I know I'll need to be at least semi social Memorial Day weekend and I'm afraid I'll still look pretty pregnant. It will mostly be family so hopefully people are kind but I'm already self conscious and it's not even here.

missnc77 · January 2016

Well, I'm not afraid of still looking pregnant...it is what it is. I will have just had a baby, and same goes for you. Don't be so hard on yourself. My concern was only buying maternity clothes to take me through the cold, and then in the summer having nothing I can wear while my body is adjusting post-baby.

folamij · January 2016

So far my favorite jeans I've found to date are the Liz Lange ankle skinny jeans at target. You can wear the panel below your belly or pull it up and they haven't slipped down. I'm also only 5'5 so I had some trouble finding jeans that fit well.

avalentine81 · January 2016

Summer is perfect for maxi skirts and dresses. That's what I'm planning to live in.

Charla1224 · January 2016

I miss spoke (typed) @missnc77 I don't expect to be my old size but I don't want to look like sausage stuffed in unbuttoned pre pregnancy summer clothes. I figured at home yoga pants and tshirts would be fine but Memorial Day I'll want to look a little nicer and had no clue if I'd need to shop separate for it. Totally pregnancy brained and forgot about maxi skirts and dresses.

proudparent2b · January 2016

I'm pretty much giving up on maternity jeans at the moment- side panel give me horrible plumber's crack when I sit and full panel are still too loose on my hips and don't stay up while walking (tried belly band to help but it is very finnicky and any readjustment requires trip to the bathroom to properly secure). I also carry low, so there's not much for the jeans to hold on to. Instead, I'm all about leggings.

Last week there was an online sale for Motherhood Maternity - extra 30% off all clearance items. I was able to find five new bottoms as well as five tops to get my through spring/into summer for just over $100.

Bltbear82 · January 2016

I mostly wore yoga pants/leggings at home and jeggings in my pre-preg size out for the first month. Once it was a little warmer I loved dresses that folded down easily and stretchy skirts with nursing tanks.

AuntieCre5 · January 2016

Anyone wearing panty hose/tights? Do yall get materinty ones or just get a bigger size to go up over the belly?

Bltbear82 · January 2016

AuntieCre5 said:
Anyone wearing panty hose/tights? Do yall get materinty ones or just get a bigger size to go up over the belly?

@AuntieCre5 maternity are more comfortable, otherwise I've always found they're way too long. Old Navy makes them but I prefer Ingrid and Isabel. They're a little pricier but they're more similar to my non-maternity tights than the thickness of the Old Navy ones, so it's just preference.

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