When it comes to buying maternity clothes, take the following information to heart in order to ensure you get the best look, feel and value for your pregnancy and postpartum needs.
Whether you're buying
maternity clothes online or in stores -- or simply going through the
closets of formerly pregnant friends -- knowing what to look for, why to
look for it, and considering your changing needs will enable you to
create the right wardrobe for flattering you throughout pregnancy.
TIP 1: Size Matters
Women are often told to choose maternity clothes in the same size
they wore pre-pregnancy, but it's not as simple as that. First, not all
maternity clothes are designed for pre-pregnancy sizes. Most, but not
all, of them are, so it pays to do a little research on the brand or to
try on the items. If you can, read the labels on maternity clothes to
find out if they’re pre-shrunk and how they base their sizing.
Keep in mind that as your pregnancy progresses, your weight may, too. Consider the following three women:
My friend’s wife, let's call her Girlfriend #1, went through her
whole pregnancy without gaining any weight but she was 30 pounds
overweight to begin with.
Another girlfriend, let's say Girlfriend #2, who was at her ideal
weight when she got pregnant, had already gained 20 pounds in her first
trimester. She's in her second trimester now and not gaining weight as
rapidly.
During my pregnancy, on the other hand, I put on over 50 pounds.
Each of us women will have different needs for buying maternity clothes.
Girlfriend #1, for example, was able to buy maternity clothes based
on her pre-pregnancy size, and didn't have to make any maternity
purchases until later in her pregnancy when her belly "popped."
Girlfriend #2, on the other hand, had to find maternity pants and
bottoms in her first trimester. She's also able to buy maternity clothes
based on her pre-pregnancy size, because her weight gain is mostly in
her belly.
I was a size 8 when I got pregnant, but went up to a 10 and then a 12
by the time my daughter was born. I have an hourglass body type, so I
have full breasts and wide hips. During pregnancy, they both got much
larger, and I simply couldn't fit into size 8 maternity clothes. Where
my body changed and filled out required me to size up.
TIP 2: The Fit Can Flatter - or Fail
In an effort to minimize buying maternity clothes, and worrying that
what fits them now won't fit them later in pregnancy, many women will
make the mistake of buying sizes that are too large, or buying men's
clothes or plus-size clothing. Avoid this because you'll end up with
maternity clothes that are too loose and baggy and don't have "give" in
the right places. Unless you're buying a maxi dress or A-line sheath,
loose, baggy maternity clothes are unflattering. Even if you're
plus-size before pregnancy, you still want to invest in buying maternity
clothes, as opposed to larger plus-sizes, so you can enjoy the specific
support, comfort and fit of clothing made for pregnancy.
Choose high-quality, well-made maternity clothes with any of the following features that ensure a flexible, stylish fit:
- Ruching (gathers): on the side for maternity tops; on the waist for maternity bottoms
- Patterns or all-solid colors that create a slimming effect
- Extra length in the torso for shirts, tops and dresses
- Adjustable waist bands, such as drawstring
- Extra-long torso to provide complete coverage as your body grows
- Empire waist tops and dresses
TIP 3: Fabric is Important
When buying maternity clothes that you hope will last through several
pregnancy stages, choose high-quality, well-made items. Ideal maternity
clothes will be made with strong, stretchy material that will grow with
you, so they'll stay snug, flattering and supportive as your body
changes.
Look for: Breathability, softness, durability and
stretch are the things to look for in high-quality, comfortable
maternity clothes. Natural fabrics such as cotton, modal, and bamboo
will be soft and breathable -- helping you with those pregnancy hot
flashes and itchiness that are so common. Blended jersey made from those
natural materials together with Spandex or lycra deliver the
stretchiness, support and shape retention you need to accommodate your
body as it changes.
Avoid: Maternity clothes should NOT be "permanent
press" or "wrinkle-free." Recent articles have shown that such fabrics
are treated with chemicals like formaldehyde that are dangerous to
pregnant women and their babies. You should also avoid synthetics like
polyester that hold heat to the skin and any clothing with dyes that rub
off when you hold them. These fabrics can make you very uncomfortable
and what's the use in buying maternity clothes that are too hot or itchy
to wear?
TIP 4: Essentials Are Worth the Investment
A common complaint about buying maternity clothes is price. When you
shop to save, you generally encounter lower quality collections. Poorly
made maternity clothes fall apart quickly in the wash, shrink or don't
retain shape after laundering, pill and fray, slip down over your belly,
ride up, make you too hot, and itch. Instead of shopping for quantity,
shop for quality.
Determine your budget for buying maternity clothes, then set aside at
least 75% of it for acquiring new, high-quality, essential pieces that
will be the foundation of your daily wear. Some everyday favorites worth
your investment are:
- Basic maternity tank tops, camisoles and t-shirts
- Maternity jeans
- At least one maternity dress
- A pair of black, dressy slacks
- Maternity leggings
Combined with items from your regular wardrobe, these maternity
essentials will take you through the seasons and stages of your
pregnancy in comfort. Change layers as needed by simply adding sweaters,
wraps, jackets, scarves and accessories from your regular wardrobe.
TIP 5: Build on a Strong Foundation
Before pregnancy you wouldn't dream of going out of the house with a
poor-fitting bra, so don't do it now! Maternity lingerie is an important
foundation for looking and feeling your best. Without the right bra,
your tops and dresses aren't going to look as great as they could and
you're going to be quite uncomfortable. Because breasts grow and change
throughout pregnancy, women are often confused about how and when to buy
a maternity bra -- sometimes so much so that they skip it or put it off
as long as they can.
Don't.
Instead, get yourself one or two really well-made maternity bras as
soon as you need them -- say a t-shirt bra and a dressier bra, or a
t-shirt bra and sleep bra. High-quality bras can be underwire or
soft-cup (if underwire, look for a really flexible underwire that's been
approved by lactation consultants). They'll be made from a very
stretchy but shape-retaining material that allows for the extra cup-room
you need as your pregnancy progresses. As for your rib cage expanding
and needing a larger band, you can get bra extenders to solve this
problem if it arises for you.
High-quality maternity bras aren't cheap. But these are your breasts,
ladies. Treat them with care throughout pregnancy (and breastfeeding)
and you'll avoid suffering more pain, aching, and problems than are
necessary and you'll be looking and feeling your best.
TIP 6: Experiment with Maternity Accessories
I'm not talking scarves, jewelry and bags, I’m talking about
abdominal support belts, maternity belts, belly wraps, "BellaBands" and
support hose.
After buying maternity clothes and wearing them for a little bit, women complain about:
- Belly panels that fall down
- Maternity pants that fall down
- Maternity pants or panels that irritate their belly buttons
- Maternity tops that don’t provide enough coverage or ride up
Because other women have faced these maternity clothes
challenges, there are now a plethora of mom-invented maternity
accessories to help you. "BellaBands," for example, are supportive,
stretchy abdominal bands that you can wear over your unbuttoned
pre-pregnancy pants to make them last longer, or over maternity pants to
help hold the belly panel in place and provide extra abdominal support.
BellaBands also help cover your abdomen if you're wearing tops that are
too short to cover your pregnant belly.
• The Invisibelt helps keep pants up while retaining a seamless look
(so you can wear t-shirts and snug tops without a belly panel outline
glaring through).
• Abdominal support belts can provide relief for an aching lower abdomen, back or pelvis.
• Maternity support hose helps prevent swelling and hides leg veins that often appear during pregnancy.
• Belly wraps are worn under maternity clothes to help lock in moisture from your belly creams or oils (making their application more effective at preventing stretch marks) and protect your maternity clothes from staining.
• Abdominal support belts can provide relief for an aching lower abdomen, back or pelvis.
• Maternity support hose helps prevent swelling and hides leg veins that often appear during pregnancy.
• Belly wraps are worn under maternity clothes to help lock in moisture from your belly creams or oils (making their application more effective at preventing stretch marks) and protect your maternity clothes from staining.