Product Spotlight: Maternity Clothes and Pillows

cato99 · January 2019

Hello all! We're not all quite there yet but the second trimester is visible on the horizon, so it's a great time to share some of those 2nd tri essentials: maternity clothes, and maternity pillows to help us sleep as our bodies and bellies grow.

Brands you love? Shopping hacks? Tips for strategizing different outfit coordinations? Questions about timing your maternity clothes purchases? How about questions or advice to accommodate different body types? Work-wear vs. formal-wear vs. workout clothes? As for pillows, J-shaped vs. U-shaped? Tips on avoiding maternity pillow purchase and instead constructing elaborate forts with regular pillows? Please share!

Prior and Upcoming Product Spotlights

hey_clever_girl · January 2019

Maternity clothes: I LOVE full-panel pregnancy jeans/shorts. The half-panel/belly bands just do not work for me. Target and Old Navy are my go-to budget-friendly brands, but this pregnancy I'm thinking seriously of checking out ThredUp.com. Seems like some pretty good stuff at really reasonable prices. I was due in September for my last pregnancy, so I lived in tank tops, shorts, and dresses. PSA: if you wear dresses in late summer and are bigger like me, coconut oil or Aquaphor will be your BFF for preventing thigh chub rub.

I have zero pillow suggestions; I have always just used normal pillows.

BigBadWolf12 · January 2019

maternity clothes: full panel all the way. The only thing better than full panel is dresses. I live in dresses. I got a full panel shaping short (like spanx for pregnancy....it doesn't suck you in, it supports and smooths though) and I got way more use from them than I thought I would. Definitely worth my money. Solved thigh rub and gave support/helped me feel more comfortable bc my bump looked great in them!

Pillow: I got a cheap U pillow and loved it. BUT I shifted it down so the U part was under my rib cage so the tails were long enough to go all the way to my ankles. One tail supported my back while the other went between my legs while side sleeping. I used regular pillows under my head.it was a great set up. Didn't even have to change orientation of pillows at any of the 967x a night I switched sides lol.

Fun fact: that pregnancy pillow came with me on our road trip around Norway at 32 weeks. No regrets.

olivemomma · January 2019

I’m going to third the full panel on pants and shorts, so much more comfortable!

To be fair, I’ve never been uber pregnant during the summer months (closest would have been about 6 months along). However, I found maxi dresses to be where the money is at because I didn’t even have to buy maternity. If the waist is at the right height and not too tight there or in the boobs you can just get through in your normal maxis and then you don’t have a ton of maternity clothes that won’t fit into your every day wardrobe afterwards. Extra long T-shirt’s and tanks a size up can also be a good option in avoiding overbuying maternity clothes. Finally stitch fix does maternity and does a fabulous job!

i would love some pillow suggestions - I had a huge one with my first 2 but I never found it super comfortable. It was almost a full oval and I loved that is supported my back, belly, and legs all at once but it wasn’t comfortable for my head and neck. Suggestions?!

BigBadWolf12 · January 2019

Also instead of a maternity swim suit ($$$) I got a bikini with decent coverage but still tied up so it was adjustable to grow with me and shrink with me. If I was self conscious with who I was with at the time i just put a maternity tank over it. But really, having a bump is the only time id ever wear a bikini lol I'm normally a one-piece girl.

mrosek91 · January 2019

For maternity stuff I would stalk motherhood.com for sales and stock up. I have also had success with StitchFix, they send really cute stuff but it tends to be pricey. Old Navy was good for some of my casual stuff, but since I need to dress business professional most of the time, I didn't find there was a lot that would work for me.

As for body pillow I splurged and got the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow. It is amazing. For my second pregnancy I got the navy cover to replace the white one it came with because that one was looking gross, but otherwise it was still great. The one downside is that it is annoying if you want to turn over in the middle of the night, but since it was painful for me to lie on my right side it wasn't that big a deal. I'm trying to decide if it's too early to pull it out now...

catpants · January 2019

I second @olivemomma on the maxi dress suggestion! I refuse to buy maternity clothes and live in stuff I can wear after the kids are born. Free People has a lot of great dresses.
I also wore a lot of leotards, bodysuits, and spandex. Stretchy!

The one exception to maternity clothes I’ve made for the past three kids is a nice pair of leggings I can work out in/run errands in. I really love Blanqui and wore them postpartum for a bit too.

Also yes @BigBadWolf12 on the bikini! No need to buy an unflattering maternity swimsuit, just wear a bikini. 👙

No advice on pillows, I have always just used my unnecessarily large collection of pillows on my bed and shove them where I need support. Usually between my legs, next to my belly,

WinchesterGirl · January 2019

I'm pretty much already in maternity gear around the house. My regular stuff doesn't fit, and I don't want to stretch out all my smaller clothes!

Tanks are the best. Get 7-10 of them, wear them with everything. I'm a jeans girl over dresses personally, and I'm currently rocking some side panel jeans. They work well until you have enough belly to hold up a panel, and frankly I'm in the south and the panel is HOT. So, if anyone has tips on summer wear for pregnancy in 100 degree heat... I'm all ears! My first was a February baby, which was perfect for me. I was hot when it was cool out. So this time will be an adjustment.

Last time I had a snoogle, and loved that thing. We donated it because our house was too small to store it (regrets), so I'm trying out a cheapo U pillow from amazon this time. I'll update here if it ever arrives.

mkrel · January 2019

I completely agree with the full panel pants/shorts over the side panel. Side panel look like they'd be great, but they are not comfortable and don't stay up. Full panel is the best. Maxis are great, but depending on where you live (I'm in TX) I found that they were too hot on a lot of summer days so I wore shorts and t-shirts or tank tops a lot. Old navy, target, gap. I also bought a few things second hand.

As far as a pregnancy pillow, I never needed one. Maybe this time will be different because I know people swear by them.

cato99 · January 2019

I have a number of thoughts that I'll share as they come to me, but a few things off the top of my head:

-Maternity sections at big department stores like Macy's often have "buy X get Y free" sales, so last time I did a big basic wardrobe purchase early in the 2nd tri to maximize those savings, but then throughout the 2nd and 3rd tri I bought items here and there to fill out my needs.

-I hate pants normally and especially during pregnancy. I wear dresses, and most of all leggings with long tops, or leggings + maternity tank + cardigan (+ optional decorative scarf). I prefer the type of leggings with a designated belly panel, as opposed to leggings that just get kind of vaguely bigger at the top.

-My sister got me this 4-piece essential kit and I loved it.

-A lot of products try to be 2-in1, but I personally didn't find most clothing interchangeable at the pregnancy and nursing stage, with the exception of some loose dresses. For pregnancy I didn't want to deal with the extra boob-fabric that some nursing dresses have, and for post-partum/nursing I didn't like clothing that accentuate the bump because now it's just loose flab haha. Roolee dresses are an example of something that worked for both pregnancy and nursing stage.

-This isn't for everyone but for me it was important to have a handful of nicer dresses that were chic and I felt really put together in, for parties and dates and nice work events. Isabella Oliver was my favorite brand for that.

-For working out I wore maternity leggings and sized up in workout tops as long as they were long--I didn't get any specific maternity gym clothes. Athleta was my go-to since they have thigh-length sweatshirts/hoodies and loose yoga tops.

-For swimming, I also avoided maternity swimsuits. I sized up in a couple of flow-y tankinis for the top (much easier to get on sale), and at the bottom I just used maternity capri leggings! I looked very 1920s lol.

suzycupcake · January 2019

@cato99 Those Roolee dresses are adorable!

Thank you ladies. It's nice to see a range of budgets being represented too. These are all great and so so helpful! Do the Snoogles keep you from rolling on your back?

ash0625 · January 2019

@suzycupcake I used a snoogle for my first pregnancy and I can remember learning at the very end of my pregnancy that I was absolutely using it wrong. I woke up on my back regularly.

That being said, I loved it because it went between my legs AND under my belly.

As for maternity clothes, I bought lots of stuff off of zulilly that I liked. Just have to buy it in advance because it can take FOREVER to get to you.

mrosek91 · January 2019

@suzycupcake since it's a C it goes under your head and between your legs, and then you can choose whether it supports your back or stomach. Typically I needed the back support more so I had it go around back, and I never had an issue with rolling in my sleep. The few nights I felt I needed stomach support I used the throw pillow that came with our sheet set.

Twinkiedoll · January 2019

If you need to get a bigger bra, consider getting nursing bras so you don't have to buy new bras twice. Also, wireless nursing bras are recommended because the wire inhibits milk production for some women.

Babylovecali · January 2019

My favorite place to buy maternity clothes is Pink Blush Maternity. Don’t ever pay full price. Get on their mailing list and they will notify you when they have sales and clearances online throughout the week. I bought so many dresses, shirts, leggings, and cardigans from them even when I was postpartum. They always have free shipping.

I bought a bunch of nursing tank tops from H&M online that I lived in when my son was first born. Not sure if they still have them but they had cute styles and designs.

As far as pillows, my DH got me this huge double pillow which I never cared for but I like hearing all your ideas!

@WinchesterGirl I looked up a Snoogle and that looks amazing! I never heard of that before. I may have to buy one now! 😁

MamaK225 · January 2019

@hey_clever_girl - I LOVE ThredUp and their maternity offerings are always expanding!

I've already spent a shitload on new Maternity gear because I was expecting twins and was already "showing," but have since lost one and gone back to "normal" size ... but at least that means the only things I have to worry about it bras. I was a 34DDD before I was preggo with DD and - even though I went back to pre-preggo weight - am now a 36H. I'm terrified of what is going to happen now, so I'm just keeping watch and going to buy when I need to size up. My *favorite* nursing bras (they work FABULOUSLY as normal bras, too, btw) are on Amazon and they're a smidge pricey, but not too bad, considering they last about 2-3 years each (with every other day wear and weekly wash). It's got just enough padding to keep the crazy preggo nips hidden, but not so much that you're overcome by it ... and it's got great support without being suffocating. (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8P276/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1)

A wonderful bra deal (3 for $28) that I found on Amazon that I still wear (sometimes it is nice to have light support at night) is this set of seamless, wireless nursing bras: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YGSELHK/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Again, I'm somewhere near a 36H and X-Large fit me just fine. They have a lot of give, but are still comfy enough to wear as/with pajamas ... and you won't run the risk of a wayward boob.

peachy0709 · January 2019

I've always used this pillow for my bump: https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Pregnancy-Slipcover-Scalloped-Trellis/dp/B01N06ZFIX/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1547564462&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=pregnancy+wedge+pillow&th=1 and post pregnancy I put it between my knees (side sleeper) for posture support.

ElcaB · January 2019

@Babylovecali I've never ordered from Pink Blush Maternity before. I'm tempted to because they have great dresses and I have two weddings during my pregnancy, but I've heard they're clothes tend to run small. Is this true for you?

Also I agree with @hey_clever_girl: full panel all the way! The halfers or lows always roll down on me.

EmilyA724 · January 2019

Has anyone ordered from Wren and Ivory? Their ads are always on my FB feed and some of their stuff looks cute

MamaK225 · January 2019

I usually forget about Pink Blush because they tend to be more pricey, but would be cute if you do have special occasions like you do @ElcaB.

Btw - my splurge was on the Motherhood Maternity site. My SIL told me that they had $5 tanks and $25 jeans (which I'm desperately needing) a couple of weeks ago. I - too - am a full-panel only kinda gal, so I got 5 tanks and 3 pairs of jeans for $100 (they have free shipping after $70 or something). Then I also bought some cute summer dresses for work (because SC summers - Lord help me) and a few tops and bottoms. But I'll be in the clothing for most of all of 2019, so I'm not too upset about the $300 hormonally-fueled decision.

Amdogger82 · January 2019

+1 for full panel pants! Although last time I was due in April, I'm not sure about the full panel through the summer months.

I never purchased any of their clothes with my previous pregnancy, but I like Asos's maternity clothes and they happen to be having a pretty good sale right now.

Avrilmai · January 2019

Okay so I have a FTM question, idk maybe it is a dumb question, but how to you know what size to buy in maternity clothing? if something is sized S/M/L or has a numerical size? do you base it off of your pre-pregnancy size? I should say I hate in-store shopping and prefer to buy online...I may have to suck it up and go to a store.

ElcaB · January 2019

@Avrilmai go by your pre-pregnancy size in most cases. As your bump grows, you may find yourself having to do some slight adjusting. I gained some weight in my thighs last pregnancy and had to go up a size in pants, but for the most part your pre-pregnancy size should do!

mrosek91 · January 2019

@Avrilmai the general rule of thumb is use your pre-pregnancy weight. A lot of online places will have sizing guidelines on them.

Also, I don't know if all stores have this, but the Destination Maternity near me, had a "7 month bump" in the changing room. It was just a shaped pillow with a velcro strap, but it was based on the average woman, and gave you an idea of how things will fit down the road. So if you want to bite the bullet, you can go out once, get an idea, and then go from there with online shopping.

One more tip, I always check stores' online return policy. Sometimes it's easier to order 10 items, and then pick the 5 best that fit, and send the rest back. Amazon has the best return policy, but a lot of other stores have good options too.

zamoraspin · January 2019

I'm not ready to order/buy anything yet but I really liked @cato99's suggestion of a starter kit -- buying even a mini version of an entire wardrobe seems daunting. I found this list that has some other starter kit suggestions too. I also found the Angel Bumper kit cato referenced on Amazon for $20 cheaper than Nordstrom in the select sizes of Medium and XS (sadly not my sizes, maybe they're just temporarily out of stock). I really like the looks of that particular kit because I work in an office and can see a long pencil skirt and black dress getting me through a lot of work days when paired with a jacket or cardigan.

elizabeth_1985 · January 2019

This is my third summer baby... I find Old Navy maternity shirts to be too thin. So, I always wore a camisole underneath which is non-sense in the summer. Target and Destination Maternity are my go-to. Jessica Simpson has a maternity line that's a little pricey, but good for work.

Babylovecali · January 2019

@ElcaB I usually order up one size in Pink Blush. It tends to be too tight in the breast area for me when I go with my usual size especially for dresses. I’m also tall though. I would check out the size chart.

WinchesterGirl · January 2019

Oh, forgot to mention that I do have a maternity bathrobe from pink blush and that thing is true love! It's thin cotton, and worked great for PP recovery/nursing around the house, too. It's starting to lose some of the stitching around the hem now, but it's 2.5 years old & still functional.

laurenmicheley · January 2019

I’ve been doing a bunch of research and like the stuff at ASOS for on trend not too pricey items. Gap seems perfect for basics. I really love the things at Hatch and will likely get a number of nicer items to get me through the later months. My usual style is casual chic. I love skinny jeans and a nice top about 95% of the time. I’m dreading being third trimester in the hot & humid NYC summer, so I know I will need a bunch of flowing airy dresses to stay (somewhat) cool.

aecm · January 2019

@BigBadWolf12 - these dresses that are shaping and prevent thigh rub...do you know what brand they are / where you bought them? My last kiddo was a winter baby and I lived in leggings, but I would LOVE to do more dresses in the summer but I'm definitely going to need to eliminate that thigh rub!

Edit - I just re-read your comment and realized you got the shaping shorts that go UNDER the dresses. Still - brand recommendations?

suzycupcake · January 2019

@laurenmicheley ASOS is pretty good. I ordered a pair of full panel skinny jeans from them and love them. They have a really large selection of fashion forward maternity wear and at H&M like prices. I may not feel cute and pregnant, but I'm damn sure gonna look cute!

wanderlustsoul · January 2019

I like ASOS, Pink Blush, and Boohoo so far.

BigBadWolf12 · January 2019

@Aecm I got a pair from motherhood maternity and they're still as good as new

https://www.motherhood.com/secret-fit-shaping-panty/006-96522-000-001.html

I guess its called a shaping panty, but I wore underwear anyways do I could wear the same shorts again before washing. I recall it being more expensive in Canada...I only got one.

Product Spotlight: Maternity Clothes and Pillows

Re: Product Spotlight: Maternity Clothes and Pillows

Choose Another Board

Search Boards