Clothing and Accessories

NYTino24 · December 2016

Question for all ladies: What maternity clothing and accessories do you recommend for first trimester? We're talking bras, bra hook extenders, underwear, pants button extenders, support braces, maternity coats, compression socks, etc...whatever you recommend to combat the bloat! Tell us what brand, give links, prices, etc. if you want / remember!

britvahok · December 2016

With my first I wasn't in maternity clothes until around 26ish weeks. When it comes time for maternity clothes I recommended Gap and Old Navy. I would only shop at Motherhood Maternity when I had a coupon.

I've heard great reviews about the bella band. There is a section of the website that you can search by trimester. https://www.ingridandisabel.com/shop/maternity-best-sellers/

Kudlica27 · December 2016

I bought new bras several times throughout my first pregnancy, so don't buy too many in each size!

As as for everything else, I tried really hard to make things I had work. I bought a belly extender and wore big sweaters. Be careful of wearing fitted things that stretch, they may not bounce back (ruined a skirt I loved that way)

when youre ready to get maternity clothes, try buying used. I bought a lot of used jeans and tees and spent money on pieces I loved. Also, Old Navy and Gap have awesome sales and clearance. I bought an old navy black maternity dress for $3 and just changed my accessories constantly. (I am pretty sure I wore that dress once a week till birth)

bumpybump · December 2016

I agree with @britvahok. I wasn't in maternity clothes during my first tri at all. I was also well into my 20+ weeks before I needed them.

90% of my maternity clothes is from LOFT (maternity items are online only), 5% from Gap, and 5% from Target. I prefer the full panel belly pants. I wore the Vanishing Back bras from Soma that have a band that can expand a bit as you grow too. I had no desire to buy new strapless bras so I got band extenders for those and survived. I had a ton of water retention and wore compression socks in the third trimester a lot. We are lucky to have summer babies as I was in flip flops a ton at the end because my feet were huge. Panties wise, I switched from things to bikinis that I found comfortable.

britvahok · December 2016

@bumpybump Yes! So happy for summer babies! With my first I wore dresses from May until I delivered in August. I never even got maternity jeans. I had 2 pair of work pants and the rest summer dresses with flip flops.

molly1108-2 · December 2016

I wasn't in maternity with my first for a while either but I should've just switched! The belly band is cool and all but maternity pants are so comfortable haha. I would try to look for stretchy/elastic waist type of things that you can also wear post partum(especially if you plan to return to work because you probably won't be back in your regular stuff). I agree with buying used, I see so much in local Facebook groups for maternity clothes. Look for a local moms Facebook group and put out an ISO post?

Related- anyone planning to do stitch fix maternity? I did it with my last when it was brand new and I was disappointed but my friend had some luck. There is apparently a stitch fix maternity BST group too!

bumpybump · December 2016

And also, I wore DHs sweat pants around the house and his tshirts too. Save money and who cares what you look like at home as long as you're comfortable.

Kudlica27 · December 2016

@bumpybump my first pregnancy was almost all winter. I have dreaded having to buy new pregnancy clothes, but summer dresses sound great!

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f · December 2016

@bumpybump Ahh good point! So many cute maternity outfits/easy dresses for 3rd trimester

JakeFromStateFarm · December 2016

I think I plan to live in leggings for the remainder of the winter. Come spring/summer, I'm going to utilize maxi dresses as much as possible. Luckily, my office has a very relaxed dress code so as long as my boobs aren't hanging out, I'm good.

Has anyone used the Bella Band for jeans? So far, I can still fit into mine but I've heard mixed reviews on the band.

bumpybump · December 2016

@JakeFromStateFarm I tried out the Bella Bands and thought they were annoying. The ones I had (two colors) would roll and not stay put. I felt like I was always adjusting it. I was more likely to do the hair tie trick with pants when I could. https://diymaternity.com/pants-skirts/the-rubberband-maternity-trick/

gipfish · December 2016

Like others have said, I didn't need maternity clothes until at least halfway through second tri with my first. And for me, the bloat isn't any worse than a period, so right now I'm just wearing my one-size-up pants that I wear during that time of month. I bought most of my maternity clothes at Ross. $4 maternity jeans? Can't beat it! Unfortunately, I've moved and the Ross near me doesn't have a maternity section.

and_peggy · December 2016

Wouldn't spend money until you have to. And even then, borrow, or shop cheap. Target was great. Like many of others have said, I wasn't in maternity until 25 weeks. I bought 2 good pair of jeans that will last for all future pregnancies. That was my big splurge. But save your money...baby will eat it up

laryk123 · December 2016

I didn't have any maternity clothes with my last pregnancy.
Did need to size up towards the end (I delivered at 33w), and always wore stretchy clothes, (no jeans) but nothing was needed in the first tri.

However, this time, at only 6w, im sure my boobs have already grown. So may need to retire the nice bras and go back to comfy ones soon! Maybe it's just the fact that they feel like huge heavy lumps of pain right now.

I already live in sweat pants and tights so I have a fair bit of growth room

NYTino24 · December 2016

I have GERD and people were even asking if I was pregnant before I actually was (at 125 lb.). The bloat is real on top of that and I was just hanging in there with the pants I had. I've added some Pink Blush dresses and leggings to my wardrobe since school started again in September just cause they were comfy and I figured it would be less noticeable if I was wearing the same (maternity) clothes later. I'm just tired of unbuttoning and unzipping my pants and the underwire in my bra isn't helping. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

Kathryn0903 · December 2016

My boobs definitely have grown already. Going bra shopping already.

tripledaggerWed95976 · December 2016

I really only wore actual maternity clothes in my third tri. But, during my first and second trimester I LIVED in fold-over leggings! I have a rectangular shaped body, so pants already fit me tighter around the waist than they do on the legs... so during my first trimester, the added bloat made wearing pants unbearably uncomfortable. With the fold over leggings you don't get that tightness around the stomach/muffin top area. My favorite are made by hard tail
ETA: I love Free People, and so much of their stuff is so loose and flowy that it almost doubles as maternity wear!! I wore a free people dress for my baby shower!

Peedy · December 2016

I never went back to real pants after my last baby. My job has no dress code, and I work out a lot.. so I am in leggings, sports bras, and flows tops full time... and won't break out my maternity jean shorts until it gets warm out.

CaseyO2015 · December 2016

Being a nanny I can get by with wearing whatever I want as long as it's appropriate. I wear either sweat pants or leggings everyday to work. I made the switch to the full panel and Demi panel maternity pants for when I need something nicer. The bloat is real and my jeans already don't fit. I've had to loosen my bra for the day time and wear either a bigger nursing sleep bra (bought big so hopefully it'll fit later) or a sports bra to sleep in.

mborn24 · December 2016

My friends and I pass around our maternity clothes. We are mostly the same size. I buy off season and look for clearance sales. Target usually has markdowns.

I thought the belly bands were annoying. I did use them but never felt like my pants were secure.
I loved the Jessica Simpson jeans at Motherhood Maternity. So cozy!

i don't have a ton of shorts or whatever so I am looking at consignment shops for those. I plan to wear dresses and non slip flip flops all summer.

PS old navy flops are incredibly slick and when the time comes everyone needs to wear flops that won't make you flop! I had to promise my husband I wouldn't wear them after slipping around in our garage in the spring carrying our son.

JakeFromStateFarm · December 2016

So I'm a bit of a consignment-store-whore and I love thredup.com. I just browsed their maternity section and there are some awesome deals so I plan to shop there as much as possible.

We also have a few thrift stores close to home so I plan to hit those up as well. I don't mind buying gently used clothing, seeing as how I'm only going to be wearing them for a short amount of time.

TheNewMrsLee · December 2016

I loved targets nursing tanks and nursing bras when my breast size changed and needed some flexibility and softness vs an underwire. I also loved old navy and H&M for pants but loved leggings and dresses while pregnant. I sell LuLaRoe now and it's been literally the best through maternity, postpartum and beyond. If anyone wants to talk about it I actually did a video at one point for pregnant and nursing moms on my Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/lularoekendralee

SPurp13 · December 2016

The pants extenders weren't super great for me, but I didn't really need them first time around. I really didn't look pregnant until at least 20 weeks. I just sort of got thick everywhere.

The bra-hook extenders were amazing, though.

mamaowlkirby · December 2016

With my first, I carried high and ended up wearing prepregnancy jeans til the last month (at which point it was summer and I lived in gym shorts anyway). I bragged about not needing maternity clothes. Now I'm 5 weeks tomorrow with #2 and I'm ready to switch to maternity stuff even though I'm not showing yet. Comfort > My Vanity lol

MsR0801 · December 2016

I use a hair tie around my jeans for as long as I can. I hated the bands both times I was pregnant before so I don't plan to even try them again. I bought various bras on the cheap (Target) so I could get through the pregnancy. I love full panel maternity pants so I'll be looking for shorts come summer. I hate my legs while preggo tho so I'll probably try to do capris and skirts. I loved being pregnant in the winter with leggings and sweaters.

bumpybump · December 2016

@Kathryn0903

Kathryn0903 · December 2016

Love that Loft has maternity clothes. Love that store!
Has anyone tried stitch fix for maternity?

chaser61 · December 2016

@Molly1108 I have a stich fix scheduled for Febuary and requested maternity clothing! I have had some great pieces come from there but have also sent back quite a few too. The returns are so easy and I always at least like one piece so I don't lose the $20.

Kathryn0903 · December 2016

I'm seriously thinking of trying at least one box of stitch fix maternity. Love most of my stitch fix pieces I've gotten in the past.

oriole2017 · December 2016

has anyone tried Le Tote maternity? It's like Stitch Fix.
https://www.moneyunder30.com/stich-fix-vs-le-tote

SouthernMama15 · December 2016

I was wondering about Le Tote!

Cryssteen · December 2016

I feel like in the first tri I didn't really need anything. MAybe a belly band? I never changed bras. Well not sizes anyway. In my third tri my underwire was terrible so I got a few without. Leggings, tanks, sweaters

bumpybump · December 2016

@Cryssteen I'm about to go shopping for new bras already this pregnancy. Last pregnancy I was in the 2nd tri before I needed to. Did your size change once your milk came in?

taylormarie923 · December 2016

1st tri all I needed was a hair tie. Ask around your circle of friends, chances are one of them has a box of maternity clothes collecting dust.

MatteaGabrielle · December 2016

I already had to hair tie my pants that I need for work. Luckily I only have to wear those pants once a week. I was in maternity pants at 8 weeks last time and now it's 6 weeks
The rest of the time it's just Lularoe. It stretches enough and still make me feel beautiful and put together. Most of my friends have worn the same size from prepregnacy, the whole way through. I'm excited that I sell and it is available to me now because I was so uncomfortable in maternity clothes. I wore dresses most of the time, but had to buy a larger size which no longer fit.

As for bras, you might as well just buy the strechy nursing bras now. My boobs grew from a D to a G or H or whatever ridiculous state they were and then stayed as DD. The underwire is already hurting me and I'm hunting for my bras from last time.

dinofreak · December 2016

I just bought the bella band from https://www.ingridandisabel.com/ based on several recommendations, and I see it on pinterest all. the. time. Of course, I won't need it to hold up my pants for quite a while, but whenever that happens, I'll be glad to have it on hand. Also, I am so bloated all the time (thanks, Christmas cookies) maybe it will help me smooth out the bulges.

Lularoe has exploded in my town, and my MIL just hosted a party so I got a lot of soft stretchy things for Christmas. Almost all the T-shirts and dresses look maternity on me anyway (BIG butt, narrow torso. I look like a circus tent in anything not fitted through the waist) so I'm looking forward to actually filling them out.

lynkat · January 2017

Yes to LLR @MatteaGabrielle I'm so excited to have cute clothes to wear for pregnancy and postpartum. That was such a challenge last time.

adoo · January 2017

I was the person in my last pregnancy that didn't want maternity clothes and finally broke down and bought them at the end of the second trimester. Here I am barely 6 weeks and I'm ready to make the switch! I'm going to try and wait until we announce to our families before I start wearing them! Really buying them because I wore my maternity clothes till the end last time!

WeddingNotes13 · January 2017

I also didn't care for th Bella band. Maybe it is because my hips and butt are much larger than my waist and that is what caused the bands not to stay in place?

MatteaGabrielle · January 2017

WeddingNotes13 said:

I also didn't care for th Bella band. Maybe it is because my hips and butt are much larger than my waist and that is what caused the bands not to stay in place?

I hated it too and I'm a very straight shaped.

budzynb · January 2017

So what are the best bras to buy? I am 9w tomorrow and already need larger bras. I went to VS yesterday since they have their Semi-Annual sale right now and nothing spoke to me. It was either way too pretty or literally no support. Would love some help with what/where to buy bras since I'm a FTM. Do they keep getting bigger for the next 30 weeks or am I done growing??

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