By
princessperky
So your pregnant, your broke, and you really don't want to spend a lot for 9 months before the real costs of parenting get started.
Never fear, no cost of pregnancy has to be that high. Buying a whole new wardrobe might seem like a daunting task but you don’t have to do it all at once, you have 9 months! Whatever you do, though, keep in mind you will not be able to wear the same clothing for those 9 months, so there is no need for top quality brand new clothing, you just need something serviceable presentable, and most importantly comfortable.
First stop, your own closet, pull out those pants you save for ‘bloated days’ or when you don’t want to be noticed, bring out any large shirts and large skirts, anything with elastic will work for several months. I have one of the ‘crinkle’ skirts that has a rope waistband and in the style of the time about 10 yards of fabric around; I could wear it all 9 months if I needed!
Next stop by all other reports is your husbands closet, sprucing them up with accessories can supposedly turn his pants and shirt into a runway worthy outfit. I on the other hand always hated that advice, I am not a small nor short woman, and my husband wears the same size I do! (Non-pregnant that is) Not to mention I am accessory challenged. However, I could move out to extended male family for some things, and men are never insulted by being a larger size than a woman. For female friends and relatives try phrasing your request as a love of a particular shirt or pants rather than need for size. (As a courtesy though, refrain from exclaiming in public how you avoided maternity wear by using the friends larger size). If you happen to be reading this in the process of losing weight, save two or three pairs of pants for the future.
For the later months ask any friends with children for loaners, most of us would gladly get our maternity stack out of the house for a few months. However never feel obligated to wear what you are given/loaned, every woman carries differently, and every woman has their own sensitivities when pregnant, wear what you like, hand back the rest (at the end of the 9 months). Also keep in mind for the future if you know a pregnant woman and you trust her to return the items (or don’t care) offer, many are afraid to ask a not so best friend for loaners.
For things you can’t beg or borrow, scour your local goodwill, garage sales, consignment shops and clearance racks for a few pieces from the minute you get your positive test. While looking keep in mind a few things.
Look for lightweight fabrics, the whole 'bun in the oven' is referring to how overheated pregnant women can get! We often hear how black is wonderfully slimming and many use it liberally when pregnant, but keep in mind black is heat absorbent, the last thing you need is more heat!
Also consider your own personal feelings toward style, Day one you may be all gung ho on changing from ‘grunge’ to a new ‘little woman’ style pregnancy, but buying all out may leave you feeling stuck in a role for 9 long months (and they are long enough without the added trouble!). With few exceptions, how you dress non-pregnant should be how you dress pregnant. Though where possible look for timeless classics in your range so for your next pregnancy you wont feel locked in a time warp (or for your friends next pregnancy)
Whatever you buy, consider you will be in and out of it 10-20 times a day to use a potty. Make sure it is easy on and off, keep all the things you learn in mind for next year when you potty train your new one! (Though a full-grown pregnant woman can get in and out of overalls much faster and easier than a toddler)
Pants: Do not buy maternity pants! Sorry, but I have to say it, if you are less than 6 months along for your first you will not fit them at all and you will be left grabbing them as they drift down in the middle of meetings, dinners, paying bills, and worst of all when your hands are full of other kids! (Ok that would only be for your second and later)
Do not believe the pants that say they grow with you, they don't, what they mean is kinda-sorta-don't-really-fit-now and kinda-sorta-won't-really-fit-then either. But then in all truth Maternity pants come in one of two styles, doesn't-fit-at-all, and kinda-sorta-but-not-really-fits.
Maternity pants that button or tie is VERY hard to get out of when you are desperate to find a clean restroom on an 8-hour car trip. They are also difficult to get into when you have a kid in your arms because the kid took their shoes off in the car, and you don’t want your little princesses bare feet on the not so clean restroom floor that you finally found. (Yes this happened to me)
And my number one reason for avoiding the whole maternity pant experience, you will not want to wear them after delivery, even though no amount of pregnancy exercise will allow you back into less than 6 month size within 48 hours. You will still want real clothes. You may drop as much as 25lbs during delivery, but your stomach will still be stretched to 9-month capacity. One or two days after delivery you will want to wear some ‘real’ pants and you will grab those ‘early days pants’ and they will still be much to small, you will try anyway, or else suffer the maternity pair with a sad look on your face. (As a medical warning it is unsafe to shove yourself into a top small pair of pants for vanity, yeah I did it). Even if you find and love a pair of maternity pants, I recommend buying a pair of large jeans for the week after, nothing makes a new mom look more radiant than the self-satisfied smile of ‘I fit in real pants’!
Do look for several sizes of pants, I am most comfortable with 3 pregnancy sizes, One to wear early on, when I actually don’t want to give away the secret yet, one to wear in the ‘cute’ phase and one to wear when I am as large as a barn, and about as flexible to. (The cute and early pants I also wear on the way back down to non-pregnant size)
Shirts: This is where you will want to buy something nice, look hard for a top that you feel good in (or 6 if you can). You can get away with wearing one or two pairs of the same jeans (or skirts) all the time if you add some variety to your tops, I recommend the tops that tie in the back, they really do ‘grow with you’ you can tie them up all snug in the first month and pretend to have a bump (ok for your second kid you probably do have one) and tie it a bit looser as you go on, for most of the pregnancy you will look adorable. The only caution is you may look a bit odd with the front of the shirt way lower than the back for a few months till your belly holds the shirt out enough, and conversely if you are tall like me, you will have the bottom of your belly showing in the 9th month no matter what you wear.
Form-fitting shirts are often flattering, they give an adorable profile, accenting a cute bump and the growing chest, but they also tend to turn from form-fitting to restricting in less than a month. Aim for stretchy soft fabrics to keep the form, not the restrictions.
If you currently wear cool t-shirts out and about, you can continue wearing them and possibly not even need a larger size, depending on how you wear a t-shirt. On the other hand if you never wear them except to sleep, don’t try to turn into a woman that does. You will regret it by month 9. While some maternity companies make adorable t-shirts with cute signs (‘baby on board’, or ‘bun in the oven’) you will not ever wear them after delivery so buy cautiously.
skirts: I found a great skirt with my first pregnancy, it had a big old bulging space for a big belly but the elastic top kept the skirt up no matter what month I was in, I simply needed to wear a shirts long enough to cover up the loose fabric till I grew, and oddly the fabric didn’t bother me. I thought all maternity skirts were made that way, and boy was I wrong! Test out any skirt before you buy.
Skirts are where the ‘grow with you’ may work, I say may because there are many manufacturers of maternity wear, and many styles of skirts, generally form fitting skirts will be risky, while lose and flowing styles more flexible (and more likely to last more than a month!)
Dresses: I do not like to buy Dresses because they offer no flexibility; you cannot trade tops to fake a larger wardrobe. But if you are used to them, look for the same tie contraptions as in shirts to help make the fit last longer.
Other:
- Coats: If you live in a mild climate you can honestly skip the coat, and have more fun with a pretty shawl or sweater, because you will be, in general, hotter than the locals. If you live in a colder area, you may want to get one, anything roomy will service fine. Borrow or buy cheap.
- Stockings: They vary so greatly from maker to maker, that you may want to skip it and just paint the legs, or assume anyone looking at a pregnant woman’s legs wont be expecting much and enjoy the excuse to do what you want.
- Shoes: Well they don’t make maternity shoes, but you will find your feet swell, you may consider buying a new pair, if you have to go ahead, they may still fit after delivery, many woman’s feet expand and stay that way. Mine on the other hand shrank. You just can’t be sure! But whatever you tend to wear, realize that by month 9 reaching your foot to tie a shoe will require some interesting contortions! Slip-ons are your friend.
- Swimsuits: They are not a must, but if you plan on swimming during the last half of your pregnancy you will most likely find the fit of a maternity suit or a large sized one piece more comfortable and flattering than a two piece. Not many are built like models and enjoy the whole 9-month belly hanging out while waddling down the beach.
- Underwear: You probably wont like maternity underwear as it is granny fanny to the extreme, unless you normally wear that style buy your own in a larger size.
- Bras: You will be a size or two larger for later 9 months and shortly after delivery, so for comfort and support you need something that fits. I recommend a nursing bra, you do want to go the cheap breastfed route right? Buy one that fits and has room to expand. You may need two sizes one for now and one for the later months. Get help fitting, and buy the best, this is where your saved cash will need to go, your skin will be stretched enough from the extra milk, don’t risk them any further on a lousy bra!
Clothes & Pregnancy: What You Need To Know
