Are Maternity clothes essential?

tsstss7

I bought maternity clothes in the end because I needed to look smart for work and bigger clothes just weren't cutting it. My advice would be to buy a few items and wash often. Go for natural fabrics as they are generally cooler and as you are going to be pregnant through summer you will notice the difference.

Maternity tops aren't so essential especially as longer tops are in at the mo. However if you are planning on breastfeeding you could always invest in a few breastfeeding tops now as they usually have a bit of growing room (probably because not many new mums go back to their old shape very quickly).

I had a white belly band which I hated as it looked like underwear - I think black is probably better!

dobbie82

I am on my 3rd pregnancy and only bought one piece of maternity clothing, a long black cardigan for work (only worked p/t anyway)

Hipster? Jeans are great as they seem to fit me up until the 9th month of pregnancy when I resort to the hideously unfashionable trakkie bottoms! (not working by then anyway)

I was lucky when I had my 2nd in 2007 as tunic tops (long t-shirts) were all the rage and asda had loads of cheap ones.

oh and M+S have cheap maternity stuff, I saw black trousers there (ideal for office workers etc) for £15

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Maternity-Womenswear/b/43063030/280-3466866-2691607?intid=gnav_shopall_Maternity

Nicki

I think this is something only you can answer as it will completely depend on the size and shape you become in your pregnancy! I know people who have hardly put on any weight during their pregnancies (usually because they were quite big to start off with though) and have been able to stay in their own clothes throughout. I am usually quite slim and get huge when pregnant and there is no way I could wear non-maternity clothes. In fact, I've been in maternity clothes since I was 7 weeks pregnant this time round and my pre-pregnancy clothes including tops are all far too small.

What works for you will also depend on the shape you become when pregnant. I can't wear hipster jeans (even maternity ones) because with my bump pushing everything forward, they gape too much at the small of my back and feel uncomfortable. I bought belly bands too as others had raved about them, but even with these, and a hair band round the button, my pre-pregnancy jeans were too tight and uncomfortable around my pelvis and waist from around 8 weeks, so they were a false economy for me.

I personally haven't found maternity clothes to be more expensive than non-maternity though. I've used places like Dorothy Perkins, H and M and Peacocks and nothing has been more expensive than non-maternity clothes. I also bought a few bits online from ebay and from Asos.

As others have said, if you try and wear your pre-pregnancy clothes all the way through you will ruin them and they will be stretched and torn by the end of the pregnancy, when you will probably have even less money to replace them. Buying non-maternity clothes in bigger sizes is also a false economy as they won't grow with you, as maternity clothes do, so may well also be too small by the end of the pregnancy. They are also not cut in a flattering way for pregnant ladies so you'll just end up looking fat and shapeless rather than pregnant and gorgeous!

fernliebee

Danni1979 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies

I have asked on freecycle but had no replies..

Do any of you think as i have some babydoll style tops that i could wear them for quite a while??

D

I used to wear my baby doll tops and pretty vests over a long line vest or I guess with a belly band would be similiar but it meant you had a bit more variety, and didn't have your belly showing.

JoJoB

It makes a difference being heavily pregnant in spring and summer as you want something nice to wear when you are out and about and don't have the opportunity to sling on a big coat. I was pregnant over winter so just wore any old thing and stuck my parka on.

I was still in pre-pregnancy jeans up till 7 months, just fastened them below the bump. Then I expanded rapidly and mostly wore stretchy black velveteen trousers with tunic-type/kaftany tops. New Look have nice maternity stuff. Didn't like Peacocks maternity jeans/trousers as they kept falling down, could only wear them round the house. I only bought a couple of tops and one pair of jeans the whole time I was pregnant (and I was huge!)

mwa

Hiya

Are you a member of your local Freecycle group? I got a lot of maternity clothes on there for free. I am in my 2nd pregnancy and I vowed that this time I will get some nice maternity clothes as last time I made do and only bought a few bits, I felt like a tramp by the end and looking back at pics you can so tell when I've made do with normal clothes in bigger sizes as I just look very fat!

skintchick

I also asked on Freecycle and din;t get a response. And I also found I was out of my normal jeans by the time I was 6 weeks PG!

i have bought two pairs of PG trsouers from H&M, one in a 12 and one in a 14 so I can hopefully go all the wya through my pregnancy with them. H&M have some lovely stuff that's not too expensive.

I don;t like bump bands as I hate them showing under tops, so I've tried to buy longer tops but not necessarily maternity ones. I noticed that Dorothy Perkins have a lot of empire-line clothes right now that would be great for going over a bump.

Maternity clothes are cut different to big sizes so I think you will need some, but try and buy cleverly and get things you can mix and match to minimise costs, plus don;t have a big wardrobe! I am coping with a small amount of clothes and although I feel I'm wearing the same things all the time I am using accessories like scarves, belts (worn under the bust) and jewellery to ring the changes.

Lemoncurd

I got through my first pregnancy without any. 2nd and 3rd times I bought lots from NCT nearly new sales (see http://www.nct.org.uk for details), each item was only a couple of pounds!

lisahobden

If you buy maternity vest tops, you can wear them as a base layer under "normal" cardigans and button up-tops (only don't button them up) - then you can wear all of your clothes unfastened right till the end!! And no stretching out of shape either

mumhug

lol i was so big with all mine i had to have maternity clothes from about 18 weeks