I found the Motherhood stuff really unflattering, but I still wound up with at least half my wardrobe from there somehow. Most of the items I liked best came from Amazon. Unfortunately, my last was due in January, so ill be starting from scratch again.
I didn't really have any swelling, but my coworker who was due just 5 weeks before me did - we both wore flip flops most of the time but I occasionally wore flats when I was feeling fancy, lol
Engaged 12/2013 Married 5/2015 BFP 11/27/2015 - EDD 8/4/2016 Baby Boy born 8/13/2016 ~ 8lbs 7oz BFP 1/6/2018 - EDD 9/19/2018
I got most of my clothes at Motherhood Maternity. o really liked the Jessica Simpson Line amd they were reaoanbly proceed when on sale. I have some basic T-shirts from Target, but didn't really love them. I found them to be thin and just not as nice as the ones I got at Motherhood. I wanted to like Old Navy's clothes, but I found their shirts to be huge! I do have 3 pairs of their pixie pants which I really loved for work. They are below the bump with side panels, so I know that won't fit for everyone all the way to the end, but I was lucky and didn't get that big last time around. I can't wear dresses for work, but at my last job I could get away with leggings and a long top. I also didn't buy maternity leggings and just wore regular cheap Old Navy leggings below my bump, but did go up a size for comfort.
I did have 1 pair of lularo leggings that I bought a size up and they were perfect for me as I got bigger. I'm on the the shorter side, so a tall and curvy came up over my bump like a full panel pant would.
As for bras, I'm very small (34 AA before pregnancy 34A at my biggest) so I switched to my bralettes that stretched (in my normal size) and found them most comfortable and cost effective. I didn't nurse so I don't have any recommendations on nursing bras. Also, didn't buy maternity underwear and just wore low rise without a problem.
Does anyone know where to buy professional maternity clothes?? As in suit/dress skirt/dress pants? I am in Court basically every day and have to wear business professional, including a jacket in front of most judges. Last time around I was in a little bit less formal environment so I got away with lots of dresses and jackets/sweaters. Hopefully I have a little while before I have to worry it, but while we're on the subject, I thought it would be a good time to ask.
Does anyone know where to buy professional maternity clothes?? As in suit/dress skirt/dress pants? I am in Court basically every day and have to wear business professional, including a jacket in front of most judges. Last time around I was in a little bit less formal environment so I got away with lots of dresses and jackets/sweaters. Hopefully I have a little while before I have to worry it, but while we're on the subject, I thought it would be a good time to ask.
I love Target/GAP for everyday stuff.
I really struggled with that when I was pregnant last time. Its like they think once you're KU all you need are leggings and skinny pants. I mostly had to wear maternity skirts or dresses and paired them with suit jackets I already owned (that I obviously couldn't button anymore). It wasnt perfect by any means, but no one complained about it.
Motherhood Maternity had a suiting pant I was looking at buying a few pairs of last night with the sale, but decided to wait... right now I'm still wearing my stretchy work pants from Macy's - their Charter Club Cambridge slim leg I think (no closure). Not sure how long they will work, but I'm thinking they may even go under the bump? I would just want a good cami under whatever blouse to ensure everyone's modesty. I agree with jackets, no reason to worry about buttoning them, but some of mine are already feeling tight acroos the arms/shoulders... :# @chelfish79
Hmmmm. That might just have to be my go to. I have a pair of stretchy work pants from Macy's that have been a lifesaver. And the rest of my pants still fit for now, but who knows for how long. Maybe just a size up in jackets without buttoning will get me through.
Does anyone know where to buy professional maternity clothes?? As in suit/dress skirt/dress pants? I am in Court basically every day and have to wear business professional, including a jacket in front of most judges. Last time around I was in a little bit less formal environment so I got away with lots of dresses and jackets/sweaters. Hopefully I have a little while before I have to worry it, but while we're on the subject, I thought it would be a good time to ask.
I love Target/GAP for everyday stuff.
Seraphine might have some nice stuff, or Isabella Oliver. I don’t know what your budget is like, but don’t be afraid to wear things over and over.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I am really just loving my maternity / nursing tanks right now. I got a few on sale from Macy's a while back, as well as a pair from h&m, and even a pre-loved pair on ebay!
Favourite cozy pj/lounge pants, plus the maternity tank over top, throw a fave pj shirt on and you're aces. Already now, I just need the nice stretchy length to cover the waist of the yoga pants, because without it, most of my pj shirts are leaving a decidedly uncozy gap.
These plus the bra extenders are my new best friends!!!
@Redpuma119 I just wore all my usual bottoms with the waistband tucked under my belly because they stretched and wore DH’s old tee shirts on top. It saved so much money that way. Maternity athletic stuff is so expensive. I do believe target carries some stuff.
Athleta, plus resale shops. I got away with my normal tops until it was warm enough for sports bra only last time (I hate wearing shirts when I work out), I wore some of my regular bottoms just pushed down under belly, and picked up one pair each of workout pants, capris, and shorts that were expensive, but I used them 4-5 days per week for months, and just washed once a week because I'm gross.
Eta spelling
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Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
@redpuma119 Gap has some maternity athletic pants as well. I haven't tried them yet. I'm super sad that neither Alo nor Lululemon have maternity yoga pants.
The Gap ones are OK, but almost never have pockets, jerks! That's why I splurged on a couple of athleta. They might not have had shorts though, I may have been stuck with cotton Gap shorts without pockets...oh, and a pair of two sizes up Kohl's booty shorts (non-maternity) that naturally sat scandalously low under belly.
_______________________________________________
Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
@Redpuma119 I also found some very stretchy tops from Athleta that worked throughout my pregnancy. Pants wise I got a pair of Heidi Klum leggings that I’m still obsessed with and some gap pants. Make sure you invest in a bigger, supportive sports bra!
@SkilledSailor come March I’ll have been in 3 weddings where I was pregnant between this pregnancy and my last.
If youre getting a maternity specific dress, where it’s an umpire waist and free flowing you should be able to order it now. You usually order the dress based off of pre-pregnancy size. One wedding I was in I was 7 months pregnant. The dress I choose wasn’t maternity specific and was more form fitting but stretchy with no seam around the waistline. For that dress I just went up 1 size compared to what I would typically wear.
The biggest issue with dresses and appropriate fit it being aware of aware of the waist and making sure there aren’t seems there (unless it’s umpire) otherwise they will not give.
Hopefully that was helpful. It really is a tough call.
*edit March not May
Me (29) + DH (30) | Dating 2003 | Married 2008 DS - 02/21/2016
@xxkberxx Thank you! That was very helpful! Would you say the one size up thing also applies to brands that only do S/M/L/XL? Both the dresses I'm interested in only do sizing that way.
@SkilledSailor yeah, I would think so but admittedly don’t have first hand experience with that as the dresses I got all were numbered instead of s,m,l.
Me (29) + DH (30) | Dating 2003 | Married 2008 DS - 02/21/2016
@SkilledSailor the first dress and the dress for this March were from Bhldn; one by Jenny yoo which does have a maternity style (so it would be based off of pre pregnancy size). Second was David’s bridal and was non maternity but I was also only 3 months pregnant. The dress for when I was 7 months pregnant was from Nordstrom’s (they have the best return policy!) and was a non maternity dress but indicated the fabric was stretchy. I’ve attached a pic of that one since it’s probably the most relavent to how pregnant you will be when you need the dress (it was a New Year’s Eve wedding).
Me (29) + DH (30) | Dating 2003 | Married 2008 DS - 02/21/2016
@xxkberxx Thank you! You're a rockstar for helping so much! Also, love the sparkly dress. I kinda wanna get one even though I have no where to wear it at the moment.
@SkilledSailor of course! With Nordstrom they will let you return it whenever. So if you did get a dress and realized it’s too small/big later you could always return it. Or buy 2 and return one once you know for certain which will fit better.
The dress was fun but I’ve never worn it again. It’s quite bold lol.
Me (29) + DH (30) | Dating 2003 | Married 2008 DS - 02/21/2016
@xxkberxx That dress is fabulous and you definitely pulled it off. I love me some sparkles!
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
I bought maternity and nursing basics from Motherhood Maternity. MM is reasonably priced if there are bogo deals. My favorite nursing bra was Gilligan & O’Malley from Target. I loved ASOS for dresses. They are adorable!
Side note...My son was born in the month of June, so I missed majority of the summer heat. Curious to hear anyone else’s experience with pregnancy during summer ! I anticipate wearing a lot of dresses, even though that’s not my usual wardrobe. Just trying to stay cool and comfortable.
I can attest to Nordstroms return policy. For my own wedding, I changed size so much I needed to exchange my evening dress TWICE! no prob ;) @xxkberxx @SkilledSailor
@SkilledSailor have you tried Rent The Runway? I haven't used it for maternity, but I've used them before and you get to choose two sizes to rent. There are quite a few maternity options, and lots of photos and reviews. It might be a little on the pricier size, but I loved my dress, and it was designer. Just a thought
As far as tanks, or undertanks, my favorite brand was A Pea in the Pod, ribbed tanks. They were so comfy and stretchy. They didn't stretch out or ever feel boxy. I wore them far past birth and plan to stock up again this time around.
Thanks for the tip! @ElBellesMom. I ha e a few I got from Macy's - not ribbed tho - maybe pea in the pod brand, I can't remember. But I just wore one of my h&m ones the other day, and was so in love.... until i washed the other one in the pack, hung it dry, just tumbled to fluff, and now im afraid the shape totally changed. I will have to try it on now to see what happened, but that will make me sad if they get boxy in the drier. Thats the whole point is the <i>LENGTH</i>! :s
I’ve had really good luck finding dresses and jeans at kids consignment stores. They often have a small maternity section and there can be some good finds for cheap (especially if they are out of season - plan ahead!).
I like Gap and Mothehood tanks the most (with gap being more flattering) and the Gap’s maternity camisoles are the only ones that work for my large breasts, even while nursing (36 G-I depending on milk), I just stretch the shelf down for nursing.
H&M had my favorite leggings, and the Motherhood ones were flattering but cheap and got holes quickly.
I had such a frustrating shopping experience on Sunday! I’ve been too tired to go shopping but I really need pants that fit my bump, which is so far mostly just made of carbs bc that’s all I can eat. I didn’t want to go all the way to the big stressful mall, so DH offered to take my to Kohl’s. Their maternity section is only online! Tried Target and they had almost nothing, just leggings and ripped jeans. No nice work pants. I gave up and came home in tears. Ordered a few different sizes and options from amazon so we’ll see what works!
@ashh2018 last time around I discovered that almost all the stores around here only had online maternity departments. It was really frustrating. Not looking forward to having to go back to online shopping.
@nackie right? Like I understand that it’s whatever your regular size was, but in maternity. But I’ve gained so much weight I don’t know what my regular size is anymore, so I need to try things on! I ordered multiple sizes and I’ll just return what doesn’t fit. I give up haha.
@ashh2018 when I pregnant with ds i found some nice maternity work pants on kohls website(They have a very nice return policy). I also got things from Old Navy. Wal-mart has a huge maternity section online.
I have personally, completely sworn off Kohl's based on some recent bad customer service experiences I had. So there's one more reason not to bother, imho! :D @ashh2018. I saw a Destination Maternity at the mall I plan to check out, cos I feel you on not having any idea what is going to fit or flatter my body right now. Tees, tops, okay maybe we can just guess a smlxl size, but beyond that? Definitely looking forward to trying things on at a brick and mortar store.
I wanted to share about my experience so far with Paige denim's maternity jeans. They're amazing and worth every cent. I had bought Target's maternity jeggings out of desperation last week while waiting for the Paige jeans to arrive. The Target brand started the saggy butt look almost immediately and I felt frumpy while wearing them. Two days into the Paige jeans and I feel a bit more like me again. They fit snuggly but still have give for the blump. They're normally $200 at Nordstrom but I found mine for $89 at Nordstromrack.com.
@SkilledSailor how is the sizing? I tried citizens of humanity skinny jeans (same style I wear non pregnant) last pregancy and even sized up, they didn’t work for me.
@spottedginger It seems pretty true to size. In the waist it’s a bit looser than my other Paiges of the same size but they don’t fall down at all. I figure in a few weeks I’ll be really thankful for the extra give.
I went on an online shopping spree today and can’t wait to see what everything looks like in person. I want stuff for Easter and our April trip to CA and figured I’d pull the trigger now to take advantage of president’s day sales. My haul:
Re: Product Spotlight 1/22: Maternity Clothes
Married 5/2015
BFP 11/27/2015 - EDD 8/4/2016
BFP 1/6/2018 - EDD 9/19/2018
I did have 1 pair of lularo leggings that I bought a size up and they were perfect for me as I got bigger. I'm on the the shorter side, so a tall and curvy came up over my bump like a full panel pant would.
As for bras, I'm very small (34 AA before pregnancy 34A at my biggest) so I switched to my bralettes that stretched (in my normal size) and found them most comfortable and cost effective. I didn't nurse so I don't have any recommendations on nursing bras. Also, didn't buy maternity underwear and just wore low rise without a problem.
I love Target/GAP for everyday stuff.
I really struggled with that when I was pregnant last time. Its like they think once you're KU all you need are leggings and skinny pants. I mostly had to wear maternity skirts or dresses and paired them with suit jackets I already owned (that I obviously couldn't button anymore). It wasnt perfect by any means, but no one complained about it.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
Favourite cozy pj/lounge pants, plus the maternity tank over top, throw a fave pj shirt on and you're aces. Already now, I just need the nice stretchy length to cover the waist of the yoga pants, because without it, most of my pj shirts are leaving a decidedly uncozy gap.
These plus the bra extenders are my new best friends!!!
Eta spelling
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
@wishilivedinflorida I will check target out! Thanks!
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
If youre getting a maternity specific dress, where it’s an umpire waist and free flowing you should be able to order it now. You usually order the dress based off of pre-pregnancy size. One wedding I was in I was 7 months pregnant. The dress I choose wasn’t maternity specific and was more form fitting but stretchy with no seam around the waistline. For that dress I just went up 1 size compared to what I would typically wear.
The biggest issue with dresses and appropriate fit it being aware of aware of the waist and making sure there aren’t seems there (unless it’s umpire) otherwise they will not give.
Hopefully that was helpful. It really is a tough call.
*edit March not May
DS - 02/21/2016
DS - 02/21/2016
DS - 02/21/2016
The dress was fun but I’ve never worn it again. It’s quite bold lol.
DS - 02/21/2016
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
I loved ASOS for dresses. They are adorable!
Side note...My son was born in the month of June, so I missed majority of the summer heat. Curious to hear anyone else’s experience with pregnancy during summer !
As far as tanks, or undertanks, my favorite brand was A Pea in the Pod, ribbed tanks. They were so comfy and stretchy. They didn't stretch out or ever feel boxy. I wore them far past birth and plan to stock up again this time around.
I like Gap and Mothehood tanks the most (with gap being more flattering) and the Gap’s maternity camisoles are the only ones that work for my large breasts, even while nursing (36 G-I depending on milk), I just stretch the shelf down for nursing.
H&M had my favorite leggings, and the Motherhood ones were flattering but cheap and got holes quickly.