Pregnant Woman Outdoors

10 Hot Tips For Choosing The Best Maternity Clothes For Your Growing Baby Bump

Having a baby and starting a family means not only additional costs and a strain on finances, it also means that you will be having loads more to do and plan. In addition to planning your birth and packing your hospital bags you will need to plan and shop for your growing baby bump!

While you may want to go out and spend loads of money and time shopping for cute maternity clothes many moms to be are wanting to save money and shop sparingly. Let’s face it, spending a fortune on special maternity clothing that you may never wear again might not be the best idea. That said there are plenty of ways to ensure that you get the best deals and have a great maternity wardrobe to show off your baby bump.

10 Hot Tips For Choosing The Best Maternity Clothes For Your Growing Baby Bump

  1. Start Buying Early

If you see a lovely looking maternity item in the shops but you are not big enough yet for maternity clothing then buy it anyway – you may pick up some stunning bargains this way. It will save you money plus it will mean that you have some maternity clothing stockpiled for when you need it.

Trust me you will be big before you know it. You don’t want to wake up one morning and find you suddenly have nothing to wear. Shopping under pressure is never fun, chances are you won’t find exactly what are looking for and have to settle for things that are not very flattering or comfortable.

Buying over a period of time will ensure that you buy things you love and your expenses are spread over a longer period of time.

  1. Choosing The Right Size

If you are pregnant with multiples you will probably need to buy a few sizes up to accommodate for the extra weight. If you are pregnant with one baby then you should be able to buy your current size. Most of your weight will be in your tummy area.

If you are pregnant with multiples you will need to start wearing maternity clothing much earlier than if you are pregnant with one baby.

  1. Wear Layers

Buying clothes that you can layer means that you can wear comfortable and stretchy items underneath and dress up your outfit for work or going out with other clothing items. This may also come in handy if you are out for the day and the day starts cool but warms up. You will be getting quite warm with your big tummy and fluctuating hormones – it is nice to be able to take layers of clothing off as needed.

  1. Adapt Clothing For Pregnancy

There are plenty of items of clothing that can be worn during pregnancy and when you are not pregnant too – think cardigans, baby doll dresses and stretch pants.

You can also get an stretchy maternity pants extender for your normal pants that expand them to accommodate for your big tummy.

Pregnancy-dress

  1. Try Different looks

For clothing ideas for pregnancy check out DressLikeMe Maternity. You can also find loads of fun ideas on Pinterest. Let’s face it, your body shape is going to be completely different and you may have no idea what may look flattering for your new shape.

Spending some time searching for ideas will be well worth it – when you are out shopping you will be able to recognize a great garment immediately.

  1. Choose Stretchy, Breathable Fabrics

Since you are pregnant you will be feeling hotter than ever, so make sure that the clothing you choose is light, stretchy and made with breathable fabrics. Remember that while cotton is breathable and can be very stretchy, it can sometimes lose its stretch and start to look and feel worn out. Consider looking for a fabric that has a little spandex in it so that your clothing keeps its shape and keeps its stretch.

Leggings are great to wear when you are pregnant, they are comfortable and look great with most outfits – you can wear them under a dress or top in winter to keep warm. You may even be able to get away without buying maternity leggings if you wear them under your belly.

  1. Maternity Underwear

It is not just your tummy that will be larger, chances are high that your bra size will be going up considerably too. Your body will be preparing for breastfeeding and you will most likely find that your breasts are larger, fuller and even a different shape.

When you buy maternity bras make sure to only buy a few at a time. The shape and size of your breasts will change as your pregnancy progresses which means you will probably need to buy some more bras before the end of your pregnancy.

You can also buy maternity panties if you don’t feel comfortable in your non-maternity panties. There are some lovely maternity panties that support your belly too, which will give you added comfort and support.

  1. Plus Size Works Too

Very often the maternity section in a store doesn’t offer a very wide range and you may find that you are just not finding what you want or need. If this is the case remember to check out the plus size section of the store too, there may be some great affordable items of clothing there that will suit your new figure and accommodate your growing belly.

There may even be more of a range available in the plus size section of the store than the maternity section, so don’t overlook it!

Cream Maternity Dress

  1. Don’t Forget Shoes

You may have loads of shoes already but you need to keep in mind that it is very common for pregnant women to have larger feet – this means that you could find your shoes don’t fit you anymore! This increase in shoe size could be permanent.

If you do need to buy new shoes when you are pregnant look for a sturdy shoe that has no heel or a very low heel. Avoid shoes that are restrictive, leaving room for your feet to swell a bit.

  1. After Birth

It may seem like buying maternity clothing is a waste since you will only be wearing them for a month or two while pregnant but keep in mind that your body will not go back to its pre-pregnancy state immediately. Your tummy will be swollen for a while after birth and it will take a while for you to lose that extra weight. You will most likely find that you need to still wear maternity for at least a few weeks after giving birth, perhaps even a few months more.

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14 comments

  1. When I was pregnant I lost weight in the beginning.

    I was fortunate enough not having to buy special maternity clothes. I just wore my same clothes and could spend the money for maternity clothes on nappies and other baby essentials.

    I enjoyed dressing up when I was pregnant. I wish my hair and skin could be like it was during my pregnancy.

    Pregnancy really made these two features stand out.

  2. I lived in leggings from my second trimester and just mixed and matched my tops, great tips for new parents or those who haven’t been pregnant in a while.

  3. With baby number 1 I barely had a bump got away with regular clothes mostly until 6 months.Now with baby number 2 and the weight that was already there I look 6 months pregnant at 4 months.had to go out and get some plus size tops and leggings.Kaftans just to survive this heat really do help alot.Spending on specialised maternity wear would definitely be a waste of money for me.Family wedding coming up next month and stumped as to what to wear.

  4. I am not fond of wearing dresses, but I found it to be more comfortable during pregnancy. Anything that was loose sitting and a light material. I also only wore flip flop kinds of shoes.

  5. I think that the simple thing I learned when pregnant was while being sensible also add some items that make you feel pretty. At times you feel big snd awkward or tired or or or … but if you have some go-to items that perk your spirit you can ace the hard days! 🙂

  6. Being a tall lady I was fortunate enough not to have a bump for very long in my pregnancy, but when the bump was there I got comfortable in leggings and lightweight tops. Some of my dresses were very comfortable but mostly I did not enjoy wearing dresses as much. I went up about 2 sizes in my shirts and my bra’s were maternity bra’s also about 2 cup sizes bigger. Our baby girl is now born and 12 days old, and I am still wearing my maternity clothes as they are so much more comfortable being bigger that I need to wear, I have some extra weight I still need to loose but I feel beautiful even like this, I am not so moody and irritated as it is still extremely hot some days and breastfeeding heats your body as well, I bought all my maternity clothes in the plus size section as specialized shops are extremely expensive for no good reason, it is a great feeling if you can afford it to go to a specialized shop but I found by saving money I had more to give towards what my child will need and now I can just have the clothes made to size as they have beautiful prints on and I still want to wear them even though they were only for the pregnancy. Be wise and let yourself enjoy what you wear, there is no need to impress other people by the clothes you wear while you are pregnant, the most important part is that you feel comfortable and you are not stressed.

  7. I really loved Cherry Melon Maternity wear during my pregnancy. Very affordable and comfy!

    • Hi Doreen,

      I was very fortunate in that I mostly managed with a some of my normal clothes worn under the bump and a few items purchased a couple of sizes larger than normaol. However I did treat myself to a couple of Cherry Melon items and even though I am now back to my pre-pregnancy weight I still wear them! They are so comfortable and also well made. I also found that I could even wear them over my c-section scar early on!

  8. Having a baby brings its own financial pressures, but that is soon forgotten when you have that little bundle of joy in your arms. The best advice I got, was to not get caught in the euphoria of being pregnant and wanting to be the “blossoming mommy-to-be” all the time. I work in a highly demanding corporate environment, client facing and needed to remain professionally dressed all the time. Best decision was to opt for simple, neutral colours and to mix and match accessories. Items which could be reused for the post-birth bulge days were my best buys. Have a look at some of the value for money outlets like Mr Price and Ackermans (SA based) and buy the plus sizes if you need to. The China Mall type outlets were also great to buy bits and pieces to mix and match! Enjoy the growing bump, it goes so quickly!

  9. When buying maternity wear wisely it can actually form part of your everyday, usual, wardrobe.

    I usually, even when not pregnant, wear loose fitted clothes. You get so many nice things! I especially love wearing maternity dresses, where there is no pressure on one’s abdomen at all.

    After my first pregnancy, I gave away all my maternity wear. When I fell pregnant again (currently 19 weeks)
    I dreaded shopping for clothes. Not a huge shopper. And maternity wear is rather expensive. Then someone else blessed me with her whole maternity wardrobe without me even having to say anything!

    It all works out in the end.

  10. I bought most of my maternity tops on the Mr. Price website. My daughter is almost 4 and I still wear most of the tops. They weren’t baggy or frumpy, just a little looser around the waist. They don’t look like the typical maternity outfits that some people wear. I also got some Cherry Melon hand-me-downs from a cousin, and they were super comfy.

    I also cut some of my jeans’ waistbands off and made a broad band from a spandex type of fabric, and sewed it to me jeans. I also made some preggy-leggings this way. It is much cheaper, because the moment something says “maternity” on the tag, it also has an extra R100 added to the price.

  11. In our circle of friends we all pass the maternity clothes around. I am currently wearing a friend’s navy smock dress. Which is one of my favorites during this pregnancy. We have all kept our maternity things and we just pass it along to who ever falls pregnant next. Yes, I do have a whole bag of items which is the wrong size or not my style but I will keep it to pass to the next pregnant fairy. This saves a lot of money and its fun to send pictures to friends with a little message. I sent a friend a picture on Valentines day which read ;”thank you for making me feel pretty in red today.” I was wearing her red maternity dress the first time.

    There has been instances where I have wanted a specific item that I wore during my previous pregnancy but I gave it to someone and now I can’t recall whom or that friend again passed it onto someone else who never kept it. But these are rare and not the norm.

    The result, being 35 weeks pregnant without buying a single maternity item. Yet I feel pretty nearly every day.

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