@smallbutmighty77 I know H&M and Gap have some very neutral colors for things, IMO a little too grey based, but if you are looking for less floral they might be good places to look. Unfortunately I have no idea on fit for either place, because around me, neither store sells in store. I have found a few good staples on Old Navy as well, but I have bought mostly online with them as well. Motherhood is super girly!
**TW Loss/pregnancy mentioned** Married: 7/21/12
BFP: 5/30/16 and MC on 7/6/16 BFP: 12/4/16 Due 8/8/17 -- Its a boy! Born 8/14/17 BFP: 5/19/19 and MC on 5/27/19 BFP: 6/24/19, MC on 7/24/19 BFP: 10/24, no heartbeat on 11/27, D&C 12/2 Officially diagnosed with Secondary infertility and recurrent miscarriage IVF started Feb 2020 retrieval and PGT testing: 18 retrieved, 17 mature, 16 fertilized, 9 to blast, 8 PGT normal. Transfer #1: June 14, 2020
Mommy to a super cute havanesse puppy and baby boy!
@smallbutmighty77 totally agree! I actually even like some lace (although not floral) and it all seems so over the top to me. Gap and Old Navy have good basics but I agree - for something a bit nicer, it's so tough to find good selection. I think others have been doing this already but i just went to white house black market and they had a ton of looser fitting items that looked really cute with the bump and (bonus!) can be worn postpartum since they aren't maternity specific. I have an issue spending too much money on any one maternity item but feel a little better semi-splurging on regular clothes that work for maternity.
@smallbutmighty77 I just bought six very inexpensive, non-frilly tops from Old Navy online (the sale and clearance section, whew). All plain colors. I figure I can dress them up with statement necklaces for cute weekend wear and, being plain, they're super casual otherwise.
Just wanted to update on the maternity leggings I purchased from Ingrid and Isabel. The entire inseam is falling apart. These were $80 workout leggings and the quality is just not there. They are also starting to pill after one wear. I am currently arguing with customer service trying to get my money back but they have been dragging their feet. Here is a photo. Don't waste your money!
The first day May 2007 The yes day April 2012 The best day Nov 2013
I am doing an overnight relay race on May 12th along the Massachusetts coast where I need 3 separate running outfits. The temperature could be anywhere from 30-80 degrees over the course of the 36 hours. All winter I've been rotating two pairs of maternity running pants, but I have zero maternity running shorts and I am not buying 3 maternity outfits for the last 3 months of my last pregnancy.
After doing a lot of research on maternity running options I decided to suck up the price of Lululemon and purchased a pair of "Run Times" shorts, "Tracker IV" shorts, two "Cool Racerback" tanks, one "Swiftly Tech" t-shirt and one "Invigorate" sports bra. They are really comfy and I recommend the investment if you are in the market for workout clothes. My usual size fit, but the next size up was okay too so I bought some of each just in case my hips/rib cage etc expand in the months on either side of August. I know these will all be great postpartum as well, but I still feel more than a little bit guilty about the price tag!
@donehue running a relay of any kind, let alone overnight at 6+mos pregnant means you can buy whatever outfits you need...I barely get off the couch at night, and I am not making it awake much past 10pm, so you get everything and anything-NO guilt!
TW: 1 infant loss 8/17: Our daughter was born 8/18: Our daughter kicked open heart surgery ass 2/19: We lost our son to Prader-Willi/Paradoxical Vocal Cord/ Noonans at 6wks old 4/26/2020: EDD for baby #3!!!
Ha, thanks! I wish it worked like that! I think I might be doubly guilty because DH would rather I didn't do the run and therefore didn't need to buy the clothes! I am also fast asleep by 10, but I am counting on adrenaline that day/night.
Now if I only I could find the Lululemon equivalent for non-maternity maternity business clothes. Bummer about those Isabel Oliver pants, @BlackNYellow - one of my favorite blogs just highly recommended their stuff, but now I'm not interested! And the tote I received last night is all getting shipped back tomorrow - do they even use real pregnant women as fit models when they design this stuff? One shirt I got had a stripe/seam change at the peak of both my boobs and bump. The other shirt didn't really dip in at all at the rib cage and created like a uni-bump of my torso.
So Wren & Ivory ads follow me everywhere on the internet, and I finally decided to order a couple dresses from them. I thought I'd give you guys a review in case you're wondering about them, too. The sizing seems to be accurate (I guessed my boobs were about a size 8 right now and ordered a medium). The Daya dress fits really well and is flattering (I think it's still available in a different color). The Riparian fit well once I ripped the elastic out of the waist line (fitting it over my boobs did half of the damage since you have to pull it over your head to get the dress on)--so maybe not the best choice for anyone busty, although without the elastic it looks pretty good and you would never know.
Overall, I'm pleased with the dresses. Less than $40 a piece, and the dresses arrived within a week of ordering. They are also made out of a thick fabric and have POCKETS! I should also be able to wear these even when I'm not pregnant--bonus!
@SpotConlon great review! I had never heard of them before, but now definitely want to check them out.
What kind of underwear are people buying for the first few weeks postpartum when you have to wear a pad? I don't want to spend too much so I can throw away if necessary, but I want to be comfortable and have as few VPLs as possible.
@SpotConlon thank you for your Wren and Ivory review! I love the daya dress!! I may have to place an order since I already don't want to wear any clothes. it is too darn hot!
@donehue I have the same question as you! I have a pair of these and will be picking up more- they have plenty of coverage and are super comfy!
I wanted to share a tip with you ladies- I have been shopping at J. Jill because a ton of their clothes have significant belly room. It makes me happy to know I can wear all these clothes after birth as well. Some of my favorite finds are: Knit Dress (made of the softest fabric!) Tab Sleeve Shirt Swing Tunic They always offer 30-40% off sales, so I was able to score most of these well below $50.
@donehue these were what I got. They were super comfy and I honestly still wear them. I'm getting more this time. I had a c section and I liked that the band was higher than my incision
I found the comfiest shoes ever! Fitflops! My massage therapist told me about them last week and I went out and bought them. They aren't the prettiest things ever, but I'm refusing to take them off. https://m.fitflop.com/en/womens/womens-sandals/
@donehue I like the Gap maternity underwear, either the bikini or hipster. They remind me of the VS cotton ones from ~10 years ago that had really thin elastic around the waist. VPL wise, they are not perfect, but better than others. I'm a ftm, so can't comment how they will work post baby, but I have used them as period underwear with liners (and *TW* with thin overnight pads during my mc).
Not sure if this link will work, but you have to go to the maternity section on Gap.com, then go under intimates.
i just bought the below "CAKYE" Nursing Bra's the other day off amazon.. $20 for a 2 pack... sports bra style that easily fold open in the front to nurse. you can buy in single, double, or three pack -- and they have a bunch of color options too! fingers crossed they will be as super comfy as i'm imagining...
Re: Clothing and Accessories
Married: 7/21/12
BFP: 12/4/16 Due 8/8/17 -- Its a boy! Born 8/14/17
BFP: 5/19/19 and MC on 5/27/19
BFP: 6/24/19, MC on 7/24/19
BFP: 10/24, no heartbeat on 11/27, D&C 12/2
Officially diagnosed with Secondary infertility and recurrent miscarriage
IVF started Feb 2020
retrieval and PGT testing: 18 retrieved, 17 mature, 16 fertilized, 9 to blast, 8 PGT normal.
Transfer #1: June 14, 2020
ETA - TB cut me off.
I just bought six very inexpensive, non-frilly tops from Old Navy online (the sale and clearance section, whew). All plain colors. I figure I can dress them up with statement necklaces for cute weekend wear and, being plain, they're super casual otherwise.
After doing a lot of research on maternity running options I decided to suck up the price of Lululemon and purchased a pair of "Run Times" shorts, "Tracker IV" shorts, two "Cool Racerback" tanks, one "Swiftly Tech" t-shirt and one "Invigorate" sports bra. They are really comfy and I recommend the investment if you are in the market for workout clothes. My usual size fit, but the next size up was okay too so I bought some of each just in case my hips/rib cage etc expand in the months on either side of August. I know these will all be great postpartum as well, but I still feel more than a little bit guilty about the price tag!
DD#1: 5/29/12
DD#2: 1/14/15
Baby #3 on the way due 8/19/17
1 infant loss
8/17: Our daughter was born
8/18: Our daughter kicked open heart surgery ass
2/19: We lost our son to Prader-Willi/Paradoxical Vocal Cord/ Noonans at 6wks old
4/26/2020: EDD for baby #3!!!
Now if I only I could find the Lululemon equivalent for non-maternity maternity business clothes. Bummer about those Isabel Oliver pants, @BlackNYellow - one of my favorite blogs just highly recommended their stuff, but now I'm not interested! And the tote I received last night is all getting shipped back tomorrow - do they even use real pregnant women as fit models when they design this stuff? One shirt I got had a stripe/seam change at the peak of both my boobs and bump. The other shirt didn't really dip in at all at the rib cage and created like a uni-bump of my torso.
DD#1: 5/29/12
DD#2: 1/14/15
Baby #3 on the way due 8/19/17
Overall, I'm pleased with the dresses. Less than $40 a piece, and the dresses arrived within a week of ordering. They are also made out of a thick fabric and have POCKETS! I should also be able to wear these even when I'm not pregnant--bonus!
What kind of underwear are people buying for the first few weeks postpartum when you have to wear a pad? I don't want to spend too much so I can throw away if necessary, but I want to be comfortable and have as few VPLs as possible.
DD#1: 5/29/12
DD#2: 1/14/15
Baby #3 on the way due 8/19/17
@donehue I have the same question as you! I have a pair of these and will be picking up more- they have plenty of coverage and are super comfy!
I wanted to share a tip with you ladies-
I have been shopping at J. Jill because a ton of their clothes have significant belly room. It makes me happy to know I can wear all these clothes after birth as well.
Some of my favorite finds are:
Knit Dress (made of the softest fabric!)
Tab Sleeve Shirt
Swing Tunic
They always offer 30-40% off sales, so I was able to score most of these well below $50.
https://m.fitflop.com/en/womens/womens-sandals/
Not sure if this link will work, but you have to go to the maternity section on Gap.com, then go under intimates.
https://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=758125002&vid=1&locale=en_US&kwid=1&sem=false&sdkw=maternity-stretch-cotton-bikini-P758125&sdReferer=http://www.gap.com/products/maternity-clothing.jsp?ak_t=C43FF1FEC1490765D3799ABC1DE1C5234198CAA5C21E0000B4B31C59ECF0B427
Edit- I'm a July mom, lurking, and just realized that this is the August board... Oops! Enjoy the rec anyway!