New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Hello Ladies,

I am only 7w, but I read on my pregnancy calendar that my pants will start to get tight in the next two weeks. Do I start to wear maternity pants? Will those pants last throughout the whole pregnancy?

Where is the best place to buy maternity clothes? I heard maternity clothes can be really expensive.

I am clueless about maternity clothes.
How do the sizes run etc.

Thanks for your help!

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

I found some great stuff at H&M maternity. Some stores have better selection than others. I went to the the one in Americana Manhasset mall, it was organized and well stocked. H&M jeans fit me best, and the maternity jeans where no different. at 36 weeks they still fit, but wearing jeans tight and fitted is not ideal at 36 weeks, I should have probably sized up.

I had horrible impressions, and horrible luck with Pea in a Pod, and motherhood. The only thing I bought was a 200 pair of black pants worth $20. I really needed a pair of plain pants for work, I sucked it up and bought them.

Target for t-shirts and basics, non-maternity yoga pants in couple sizes larger than you are. I had no luck at Khols, but I hear others have.

And I have a couple of favorite shops for more dressy evening, or work clothes:

Pretty Mommy in Great Neck
Mylo Dweck Maternity in Brooklyn (very good quality things, very affordable)

You can get away with wearing tops that are babydoll, or empire, in regular sizes, I'd just size up in case your breasts grow too.

Don't go crazy all at once, buy things as you need them.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Im 7 1/2 months and only bought the bella band. It lets me leave my pants unzipped and it covers the zipper and holds them up. Greatest invention ever. No maternity clothes for me:)

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

From my experience, you can start with a belly band - they have them at motherhood maternity - and then just go with your regular pants for a good long while. I didn't even get a real belly until 5 months or so. And I would try not to buy maternity pants until you see how you gain weight. I bought them too early because I was all excited but I got them in my regular size. They fit for awhile but I've needed to get a few bigger pairs of pants as I'm reaching the last 2 months.

Motherhood Maternity is not too bad with the prices and Target has a few things. Old Navy at the Westbury Source Mall is good too. And get jeans you love, especially if you wear them a lot. I definitely went more for price than fit and I totally regret it. Splurge for a pair (or two) that fit well - 5 months is a LOOONG time in uncomfortable jeans.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

I think you'll probably find that your pants will get tight from being bloated, then you'll feel normal again for a while. It happened for me both pregnancies.
Around 14 weeks I started wearing those "starter" style maternity pants that have zippers, but elastic backs or some even have adjustable buttons in them. I bought all those in my regular size. At 23 weeks, I'm finally starting to bust out of those and move to the regular maternity pants, but they're still really big on me.
It'll depend on your body, though, and even just the pregnancy. With my first, I was busting out of my clothes so much sooner than with this pregnancy and they claim you get bigger faster with your second. So go figure.
I'd get some of those starter styles. They really are great!

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

I'm 12 weeks with twins and still wearing regular ants. Sometimes y the end of the day i have to open the button. I am not a fan of the belly band. Instead, I loop a hair rubberband around the button, through the hole, and back around the button. The maternity pants are more comfy but a little too loose in the butt and things still for me.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

I am 24 weeks and can still use the belly band with most pants. I bought maternity pants early on (11 weeks?) and they fell down all day. Some of them STILL fall down, depending on the pants. I would go to target or destination maternity and invest in a band or two for now. It is way cheaper and you can still wear all of your regular pants! Once that becomes uncomfortable go back for some maternity pants.

Oh, the hairband trick is great. I did that for a while before I even bought the band :)

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Posted by RegalBeagle

Thanks for the advice. Sorry to sound dumb, but what is a belly band?

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Congratulations!
In the beginning I wore the Bella Band with most of my pants or pants that were a little big on me to begin with (I had a few that were a size up). I found alot of my stuff online (mostly gap and oldnavy maternity). I did buy some stuff from Destination Maternity but I found that the quality wasnt that great and the stuff shrank up in the wash. I'm a little taller also, and found that the pants there were too short on me. Start slowly, don't buy too much in the beginning. Start with some wardrobe basics and as you grow buy more from there. Not all the pants run true to your "before pregnancy" size.

HTH

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

In the beginning its a lot of bloat that goes away a bit...I wore regular pants until about 17 weeks iwth my first, and now I'm 18 weeks with #2 and have been wearing maternity for 5 weeks.
Regular pants a size up or putting a rubberband around the button and looping it through the hole also really helped me!

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Thanks ladies so much!!!!

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

My advice is play it by ear. You could need them sooner or you could need them later. I just started wearing maternity at almost 20 weeks.

I have bought most of my clothes at Destination Maternity, Mimi Maternity, and some things from Target.

Buy whatever size you are normally in regular clothes.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

With both my pregnancies I didn't have to wear maternity pants until around week 20. I don't find maternity clothes to me more expensive than regular clothes. I actually find Motherhood Maternity clothes rather inexpensive. My pants have lasted me entire pregnancies but some shirts got a little tight.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

I am 16 weeks and can wear my regular jeans with the bella band or a hair elastic. . . my work pants and other pants are fine.

My advice is make sure you buy these items BEFORE you need them! LOL

One morning I woke up and couldn't wear my jeans so I had to wear leggings until I got the band.

And then again one morning I woke up with this crazy belly and I had to run out yesterday to buy something that I could wear out last night!

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

You may fit in your regular clothes for a while. Most women bloat in the first few weeks so you may feel uncomfortable but that usually is short-lived and you'll find your regular things will fit again.. for a little while anyway.

With this pregnancy (18w with DC#2), I bought two maternity camis in white and black to wear over my unbuttoned/ & hair-bindered pants. The length covers up the fly. I also bought a bella band to cover the gap if I'm wearing a shorter shirt. Many of my regular shirts fit just fine yet, the real issue has just been my lower abdomen. I just succumbed to solely maternity pants about 3 days ago.

Like the others said, I would buy your normal size but in maternity.

As far as stores, I favor Gap Maternity for everyday things. Sign up for the email mailing list online and they send you coupon codes every once in a while.

Re: New to pregnancy need advice about maternity clothes.

Don't listen to a pregnancy calendar-not everyone is built the same-KWIM? You can get a bella band if your pants are tight and many girls find they can get away with it for awhile.

As for maternity, seriously don't buy unless you need. I wish I did that, because I noticed a lot of stuff looked horrible on me with the belly and some things I thought I would love I hate. Also, buy a little at a time-you might find what works for you at 4 months doesn't at 7. This way, you don't spend a fortune.

As for least expensive, shop sales-Old Navy Maternity, Motherhood Maternity, Target, even Gap Maternity.

I had the most luck with Gap Maternity and with jeans, I only did Pea in a Pod, as I had a hard time finding ones I didn't detest.

As to size-they say order your pre-PG size. I liked to try things on, because I was a size up in Motherhood and a size down in Gap.