Whew, it is so crazy to be going through this whole pregnancy thing a second time but also kind of nice because this time I at least have a decent idea of what to expect (at least when it comes to maternity clothing...not having two kids under the age of 2...which will be my fate come November).
As someone who loves style and fashion, I started thinking about all the things that I wish I had known about maternity clothing the first time I was pregnant - all the hacks and money saving tips that would have probably saved me a lot of trouble and discomfort (we will get to my opinion on rompers shortly). So, I thought...why not get all of this down into a blog post so that hopefully others can benefit from--whether you are hoping to become pregnant, are helping someone else through a pregnancy or are on your 5th child and still feel like you have no idea how to style that cute lil' bump.
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Wearing Non-Maternity Clothing While Pregnant
Utilize What's Already in Your Closet
During the first few months of my last pregnancy, I remember almost immediately jumping online to start shopping for maternity clothes, which is fine-- I get it, it's exciting. But in retrospect, I ended up wearing a ton of my regular clothes during most of my pregnancy anyway. Before you decide to drop your next paycheck on a ton of maternity wear that you'll realistically only be wearing for a few months, take some time to go through your closet and think about what items you can still wear throughout your pregnancy. Bodycon dresses, skirts or anything with stretchy, forgiving material, flowy shirts, maxi or high-waisted dresses, oversized tees and big comfy cardigans are all maternity approved.
...But Rompers are Not a Good Idea
To be fair, not everyone may share this opinion, but during my first pregnancy I bought a few non-maternity rompers and sized up to fit the bump thinking it would be so adorable and fun. This was incorrect. An actual maternity romper may be a different story, but the ones I was trying to wear were just one untied shoelace away from some unfortunate cameltoe. The bump makes the romper pull everything in all the wrong places so you suddenly have too much cleavage out and your bum cheeks are on full display. In addition to this, even a maternity romper cannot prevent the biggest problem here which is that rompers are not bathroom friendly. Stripping down to your skivvys in a public restroom with a questionably large space between the stall door and the lock is already unpleasant, let alone when you're carrying a baby who thinks your bladder is his own personal trampoline and frequent pee trips are unavoidable.
Non-Maternity Swimsuits Are Best as Bikinis
In the same vein as rompers, I can't really suggest trying to make a non-maternity one-piece swimsuit fit your bump. Even though sizing up will probably work in the early stages, by late 2nd trimester it will be once again pulling in all the wrong places unless it's a style with a lot of rouching or extra material in the waist. If you're brave enough to bare that belly (I was self-conscious at first but being pregnant and uncomfortable in the heat of summer quickly makes you care a lot less about what people think) size up in a non-maternity bikini instead. And yes, even though they are cute and trendy don't go for a high-waisted bikini because that won't fly either...just get bottoms that will fit under the bump and you'll be fine.
Long Dresses Become Midi Dresses & Short Dresses Become Mini Dresses
If you're a short girl like myself (I don't want to hear anyone who's 5'5" and up calling yourself short...until you are 5'0" and under you don't know the struggle, so stop) you might also have a closet full of maxi dresses and skirts that you can only wear with your highest platform wedges and are too cheap to get hemmed. My petite friends, this is where your bump will become your best friend. Once your belly has really "popped," all of a sudden you'll find that all those dresses and skirts that were way too long before suddenly work great with a pair of flat sandals, thanks to the bump that takes up about 4" of extra fabric. Also worth mentioning is the fact that just as maxis become midis, short dresses become "mini" dresses and unless you want everyone seeing the nice comfy granny panties that you're probably wearing at this stage of the game, don't risk it.
Leggings and Bike Shorts are Your Friends
During my first pregnancy I was still working in an casual office setting, which for me meant wearing a lot of dresses and cardigans. However, with this pregnancy I am not only working from home but also in the midst of a unwinding pandemic which means my outings are mostly limited to grocery store trips and Target runs. My daily uniform has become a big graphic tee shirt and leggings or bike shorts for warmer days. So far I haven't even pulled out my maternity leggings since at this early stage, a high-waisted regular size, stretchy pant still works perfectly.
Since I was already in the market for new leggings I purchased this set of three (non-maternity) high-waisted leggings on Amazon and let me tell you - these are hands down my FAVORITE leggings EVER. They are super soft, not see-through and fit over this lil' bump perfectly. Not to mention I'll be able to wear them post pregnancy too. They are also not too long on me which is great (ordered a size small, I am 5''0", 110 lbs and purchased when I was about 10 weeks along):
Amazon 3-Pack Women's Leggings
I also love these bike shorts from Rue21. Again, super soft and not see-through!
The Ponytail Pants Trick
The first trimester is so tricky because even if your bump isn't showing yet, you're probably feeling like your waistline is extra large, bloated and just doesn't want to be stuffed into a pair of jeans with a zipper and hard metal button anymore. All of that to say--you're also probably WAY too small to fit into any maternity pants just yet. Here's where the Ponytail Pants Trick comes into play. During my first pregnancy, when I was working in an casual office setting (a.k.a, not wearing leggings 24/7) I was able to pull off wearing my regular jeans with a flowy top for pretty much the entire first trimester by using this simple trick.
Simply pull a ponytail holder through the bottom hole of your pants, loop the other half through, and stretch to fit over the button of your jeans!
Ta-da! If you want something with even more flexibility, you can also use one of these nifty pants extenders (yes, I said nifty):
Options for Maternity & Post-Maternity Wear
Your Typical Style or Aesthetic May Suffer During Pregnancy
When describing my typical style I'd say I generally learn toward a mix of edgy meets chic. Think a floral mini dress paired with a leather jacket and combat boots. When I was pregnant with my first, during the late 2nd through the 3rd trimester I found myself wearing things that weren't exactly my typical style (ie. a stretchy maternity shirt embellished with little pink hearts and cotton khaki shorts). This ensemble is something I would undoubtedly cringe at any other time but lets be honest, folks: most maternity just wear isn't that trendy. And the stuff that is probably isn't that comfortable. And as someone who has often sacrificed comfort for style--comfort wins every time when you're carrying an extra 15+ lbs.
Trendy Maternity Clothing Stores
To bounce off of the last bullet point, though most maternity wear isn't necessarily "high fashion" it has come a long way...even since my last pregnancy in 2019! Here are some stores that offer great and trendy maternity lines that won't leave you feeling frumpy:
Shop Used & New Maternity to Save $$$
Even though all of the maternity stores are GREAT, sometimes it can get a little pricey. Especially knowing you may only use these items for a few months and (depending on your future plans) potentially never again. In addition to this and the fact that I'm a chronic cheapskate who seldom buys anything if it's not on sale or clearance, I found a ton of success shopping for maternity clothing on reseller/consignment websites like Ebay, ThredUp & Poshmark. One of my favorite maternity purchases (some distressed Old Navy maternity shorts with tags still attached) was only $10 on Ebay and would have been $35 if I purchased in-store or online. On websites like ThredUp, I like to filter items by "New with Tags" and "Like New" and then order from price low to high to get the best items at the highest discount.
Bras with Underwire Are of the Devil
Okay, maybe that statement is a little harsh but I'm just being honest...once you venture into the world of nursing bras I'm here to tell you that you probably won't want to go back to underwire. To this day, wearing a bra with underwire with certain tops makes me feel like a caged animal. I can't believe I used to wear them all the time. Like, what?
Post pregnancy I grabbed a bunch of these underwire free bras from Target. They are heaven sent. And under $15.
Also got this 3 pack of nursing bras during my last pregnancy and loved them...even after I stopped nursing. Because…. Comfort.
Your Clothing Size May Change... A Lot
If you are experiencing your first pregnancy or looking to become pregnant...prepare yourself to potentially be a completely different size at the end of things. And PLEASE...be kind to yourself about that fact. Remember, you literally GREW A HUMAN. Your body did that. After having my son, I remained 1-2 sizes larger than I had been previously until 6+ months after when I stopped breast feeding. I really didn't get back to my typical weight until about a year later, which I realize may not happen again the second time around. I know 1-2 sizes isn't a lot, but it was still jarring to me at the time since I couldn't fit into my old clothes anymore and was kind of expecting to "bounce back" in only a couple weeks. You know, like celebs and influencers all do on social media...haha. It is, of course, not like that at all. My advice is not to try and stuff yourself back into your old clothes right away. Stick with your stretchy leggings, your oversized items and even your maternity clothes if they still work for you. If you need to start buying clothes in a few sizes up--just do it. Trying to fit into the size you were pre-pregnancy just isn't going to help your mental state in the months after giving birth. Embrace your current size and remember what your body went through to get there.
Have any other great maternity style tips of your own? Comment them below!
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