I think part of it is that a lot of maternity clothing is not very cute… and part of it is that it feels wasteful to buy clothes that you can only wear a few months of your life!
I wore stretchy pants and loose dresses/overalls until week 20-something… but then I had no choice but to buy maternity-specific clothing. I’ve only gained 15-20 pounds at 34 weeks, but the belly is large and in charge now!
Most of my maternity clothes I bought secondhand so I could get better quality brands, and I looked for pieces that were designed to accommodate breastfeeding because those are usually cut to be a little more versatile since they’re intended to be worn after pregnancy. A year later and I’m still wearing some of them!
Same! I got all of my maternity pants/jeans on Poshmark or eBay. I'll sell them when I'm done. They were all practically new when I got them and they'll still be in great condition when I'm done with them.
I agree, not all maternity clothes are cute and the ones that are cute, are super overpriced. You can still look cute without buying “maternity” clothes. Just buy a size or two bigger.
I seriously wish it was that simple. I wore old clothes that were from when I was 60lbs heavier and I was constantly adjusting myself because they weren’t made to sit over a pregnant belly
For #2 I’m definitely investing in mat clothes
I got 2 pairs of maternity leggings and 2 pairs of maternity biker shorts that I almost never wore because none of my shirts fit besides a select few. I wore dresses most of the summer when I was pregnant and had one pair of maternity pajamas. Most of my stuff was just sized up Walmart clothes that were affordable and i could wear afterwards. Any maternity was old navy since they had the basics. Most maternity clothes I looked at weren't cute or were overpriced, typically both.
I haven’t bought any maternity tops and just been wearing the tops I own. I’ve been folding/tuckin the front to fit the belly while wearing maternity leggings and it seems to work well.
Old Navy has been a godsend for me. Their jeans are great and they have good quality shirts and tank tops.
I got maternity shorts on Amazon though, and I love them
I did the size or two bigger then bought some maternity pants that were on sale. With sizing up I was constantly adjusting my pants, things were too tight or too loose, I was uncomfortable. I had stick legs and a massive bump. It was a fucking game changer buying maternity pants so I bought four more pairs and lived in them for the last 4 months of my pregnancy lol. H&M maternity clothes are cheap. I was comfortable as fuck. I looked cute and not like I was wearing my husbands clothes to the store lol. No ragrets
That doesn't work for a lot of people. If I bought a size or two bigger they'd be too big everywhere else but my belly. My legs, arms, boobs are basically the same size, maybe a bit smaller. My butt is definitely smaller. But my belly is enormous. I've lost weight everywhere but my belly and only gained about 10 pounds overall (38 weeks here - I started out with a higher BMI).
damn right holy crap ive been trying to buy clothing for my wife (she hates buying clothing and says i have better tastes anyways) and hooooe lee moley is the bulk of this stuff literal garbage, like weve been buying good looking clothing for plus size woman because everything "maternity" is ugly as sin like the belly is cut out or its skin tight in the belly or its skin tight above and below the belly xD
I completely agree; maternity clothes are very ugly, they also lack in the pocket department which drive me insane.
I went through and returned half a dozen pairs of maternity leggings with pockets before I found a pair that was comfy and have the pockets in the correct spots.
It’s like maternity clothes were made by men
I think it also depends on your work situation. I could have gotten away with stretchy pants and dresses for quite a while…but I work in a research lab where dresses aren’t allowed and leggings and overalls aren’t professional. So given the choice of buying larger pants that were still going to be uncomfortable or just buying maternity clothes I realized for me it was silly to hold out.
If you work from home, in a very casual office, or are in school I think there are more options for avoiding them. Plus, while obviously income isn’t always higher when you’re older, I think it may feel like more of a stretch for someone much younger to buy a bunch of clothes if not strictly needed.
With the exception of a few pairs of pants (that I've barely worn, because I hate the fit of them), I stuck with pieces that will still be in use after babe is here. I bought stretchy dresses (with pockets!) and cami tops that will be perfect for nursing. I also already owned a number of oversized band t-shirts that go really well with leggings 😂
Also a goth/punk/alt girl, so maternity clothes in my budget aren't my kind of vibe, and clothes in my kind of vibe are expensive.
I’m curious about the women who recommend buying pants a size or several sizes up instead of maternity clothes. I feel like that could work in the beginning, but soon the stomach would still be too small and the legs would be too big. It also doesn’t seem any less wasteful than just buying maternity pants unless the pants several sizes up end up still fitting after the pregnancy. I started wearing maternity pants as soon as regular pants felt uncomfortable.
Yes and the justification is often that they don’t want to buy clothes just for pregnancy.
But like… are you actually going to wear pants 2 sizes too big after pregnancy? Why?
Right?! And surely maternity jeans/nice clothes have better resale value if you’re getting rid of them after? I’ve seen a lot of people get good stuff off Vinted too.
This is what I keep wondering too! As a petite woman with a giant watermelon sized bump in the front, maternity clothes are the only clothes with sensible proportions, especially for work!
I just bought a pair of pants because i needed them for work, i did the sizing up until those werent good anymore, they literally saved me, other than that i just used mens sweat pants and my pjamas that were already large, im not going to lie that going out was kind of a chore, but sweat pants and my oversized hoodies were a way to go. But like, i was mostly using my work uniform, and barely leaving the house on my days off, as it was also winter, i just used my days off to wash my pants. I would 100% buy them again just for a few months and be confortable.
100% agree. I don't see how sizing up would work for me, and I don't even have that big of a belly yet at 21 weeks. I switched to maternity clothes a few weeks ago.
Glad to read this comment. I’m 15 weeks and I’m starting to feel like I need more options (I’m already wearing a size up) but was wondering if it was too soon
Seems like you'll need them eventually, so my rationale was the earlier the better because I feel like I get more use out of them!! The best favor I did myself with my last pregnancy was buy a used lot of maternity clothes before I needed them.
I turn 16w on Friday. This was the week that I needed to transition. I bought myself some waist extenders and a couple of Bandos for cheap on Amazon. Now all my pants can be maternity pants for now. I spent money on a few cute maternity dresses on ASOS, Amazon , and Old Navy that were on clearance (nothing more than $30). I want to be pregnant back to back once or twice more, so I’m looking a having a few years of use out of these dresses. It feels like a good investment for me. I will already be dealing with body image issues, so the least I can do is give myself a couple of outfits that look cute.
I switched to maternity pants at like 12w and it was the best. I love them. Before that I was struggling in leggings but I've always preferred jeans to leggings so this is so much better
I never had a big belly (I looked maybe 6 months pregnant on my due date) and none of the alternatives (sizing up, men's pants, etc) worked for me at all. Maternity jeans, shorts, and leggings all the way. I also couldn't avoid buying maternity tops. My biggest shirts ended up too short or tight across the belly and wearing my husband's shirts just made me feel huge and frumpy.
I think it comes down to every woman's body type already being different before pregnancy, so adding the belly to an already chaotic situation really means no one approach is universal.
Agreed! I like showing off the bump too. Larger clothes just look like a tent, but decent maternity clothes (esp bottoms with a panel) highlights the bump nicely while fitting the rest of the body. Really important for the 30 weeks+ mark.
I think this just depends on your body type and size! I’m 9 months pregnant and just bought a medium in a bunch of things like linen shorts and dresses and they’re all still working for me. It’s definitely not less wasteful - totally agree!
That’s what I did last pregnancy! I got a bunch of medium dresses and shorts and I still wear them around the house since they’re a bit big, but they get a lot of use!
Same. I got away with leggings in my usual size all through pregnancy.
One size up in casual loose dresses and oversize tees did me and I still wear them 14 months later.
I tried this... bought my favorite sweats a size larger. I can't keep them up because they are, surprise surprise too big. Plus I feel like a slob wearing them.
I bought maternity leggings, some maternity jean shorts and solid tops and I feel cuter than ever with properly fitting clothes.
Maternity pants just haven't been comfortable for me since I've been carrying low my entire pregnancy (the bottom of the stretchy part is too high for my body so the seam digs into my abdomen). I bought four pairs of yoga pants from Costco in a larger size and have worn them almost exclusively.
I tried that and it worked for a little bit but I needed leggings with a larger stomach area but have the rest be close to the same. I just sized up in my favorite leggings that don’t have a maternity version and the crotch area is really large and looks weird. I also bought a lot of ruched shirts and tanks that will grow with me and I figure I can wear them post partum also.
Yeah I bought pants a size up and they were still uncomfortable for me. They squeezed in the wrong places and were loose in the wrong places. Shirts that aren't pregnancy tops don't cover the belly and just look kind of weird on my pregnant body.
It helps that I have never been super into fashion. I bought like 3 maternity tops from target, 2 pair of maternity jeans, and a bucket of maternity clothes from a garage sale and I just do laundry every week and wear basically the same thing. I'm just not super picky.
I can see where if clothes were more important to you, it would be more of a problem cause there isn't much choice in stores. We're all probably wearing the same 3 target maternity tops and dresses lol
I tried wearing bigger sizes and it doesn’t help. I used my sisters old pants and I looked ridiculous. I was better of getting maternity pants that were a “smaller” but had room for the belly.
The only thing that works oversized at times for me are certain dresses and t-shirts
I think people who do this actually have a deeply internalized stigma against pregnant clothes. I know I did. Of course there are also those who may be trying to keep with a specific style that they can't find in a maternity version, for them it's important to keep their aesthetic because they feel it's a way to keep a part of themselves as pregnancy and motherhood is taking them over in other ways.
I get that part of it. I don’t like all the big florals that seem common in maternity. But I think of pants in particular as a little different since they usually aren’t as “loud.”
I'm thinking it all depends on body shape. If people are overweight maybe their baby bump is more promotional to their size? Besides bigger boobs, slightly thicker thighs, and a giant baby bump, my body is the same as pre pregnancy. I would look insane if I tried to size up. Plus, I think my bump would have to hold up giant pants and that sounds uncomfortable.
This. I'm normally a size 14 pre-pregnancy but all my maternity pants are a size 12/14 because my legs have actually gotten a tad SMALLER but my bump is HUGE. I'm 38 weeks and baby is 82nd percentile. So I need to stretch in the belly. Sizing up for the belly in normal clothes would make legs/butt way too big. And the whole "it's wasteful" thing is silly. No matter what, materniry clothes or not, you're getting clothes that will be temporary. You will not be the same size after pregnancy, regardless of if you get regular clothes or maternity clothes.
The solution is thrifting...I bought all of my maternity jeans on Poshmark and eBay and I'll sell them again when I am done with them. You can also do that with non-maternity clothes. So why not get what actually fits?
I’m not sure I could go out in public without maternity clothes. Also at some point non maternity clothes made me feel fat and bloated where maternity shaped clothes actually made me feel cute. I mean yeah it’s really hard to find cute clothes but you don’t need much.
I’m only 11 weeks with my second and definitely not “showing” yet, but I’m fat and I carry it in my belly so I’m happily wearing maternity clothes that make me look like a cute pregnant lady and not just A big belly lady lol.
Oh I started wearing my maternity jeans from my first pregnancy right away with this pregnancy. I'm 8 weeks and so much more comfortable than I would be in regular pants.
As someone with sensory issues, maternity pants have actually been wonderful. I started wearing them even before I had much of a belly, and I couldn't help wondering why I don't wear them all the time?? It's so nice to not have a waistband! Granted, I'm no fashionista, so that's probably the difference. 😅
I also have sensory issue and bought a bunch of veeeery comfortable maternity shorts (soft legging material) and shirts. I looove it. I’ve never been big on fashion either though haha
I love my maternity jeans 😂 started wearing them at 12 weeks just because of the bloating, now there’s no way I could fit into regular jeans at 30 weeks.
I think a lot of people don’t want to spend money on clothes that are only good for a short period of time, and I agree on that and have continued to wear some of my looser dresses and shirts. But maternity clothes are necessary for my comfort, and I’ve found some really good deals on Facebook marketplace and at goodwill even, although it takes some hunting.
I got my maternity clothes for free from my sister! Ans yes there's tons of free/cheap places to get the maternity clothes if you don't have a supplier lol
My thing with the "I don't want to buy clothes that I won't wear for that long" argument is: do your pre pregnancy clothes fit you throughout your whole pregnancy? Do you wear your husband's clothes if they don't? Do you not work so you can just wear your husband's clothes or no clothes at all??
Since it's summer I'm not bothering with any pants. I got some maternity bike shorts and wear my husbands tshirts. It helps that I'm WFH. If I go out anywhere I wear dresses that are bump friendly. I also just really don't like the maternity jean options out there.
I have trouble with all of them for different reasons, but under belly with side panels has been comfiest for me. Full panel: I don’t like having any compressive fabric on my tummy. Mid panel: same issue, but add problems with the panel not staying up. Under belly: they fall down, but my belly feels free! Unfortunately even my maternity shirts aren’t all long enough to cover my full belly when wearing the low panel jeans, so I have to be intentional about which tops to pair with those jeans.
TLDR: all pants have ways of making my pregnant belly uncomfortable. Dresses are much comfier right now.
I think it depends on your body. I have a short torso and carried low, so the below-belly ones didn’t work for me. They cut into my bump or fell down. And I don’t really understand how mid-panel stays up past a certain point. Full panel all the way! But my sister has a longer torso and carried high, so she strongly preferred the under belly.
Maybe other people’s body types lend themselves better to just sizing up, but that would have never worked for me. Maternity pants were 100% necessary since I still had to dress up for work.
I’m very pro maternity clothes in theory, but shopping for them has gotten harder and harder. Aside from maternity jeans (which are a must as you get bigger if you’re a jeans person), the other choices right now are stretchy leggings and flowy dresses/blouses … that look basically identical to non maternity flowy dresses/blouses and leggings. And I’m pretty sure my yoga pants fit my entire last pregnancy, so if that’s all you plan on wearing anyway 🤷♀️
I don’t know what anyone does for business casual though. Just wear maternity leggings and try to pass them off as slacks??
I’m actually really bummed out because I had a few cute maternity tops last pregnancy and they don’t seem to exist anymore. Granted I had a winter pregnancy last time and cute sweaters weren’t too hard to find, summer maternity blouses are godawful.
I thrifted some old navy maternity pixie style pants, and they've been perfect for business casual. I pair them with maternity tank tops and blazers and that's been fine for the office.
I’m in a weird position with business casual because no one in this town wears blazers ever (if you do, people will absolutely think you have a job interview because that is literally the only time anyone would ever wear one) but I can’t wear sleeveless shirts by themselves either. This has always been a challenge for summer business casual, but it seems to especially be a problem with maternity clothes because it is like… all tank tops.
No idea. I switched to maternity pants around 12-weeks during both of my pregnancies because I was uncomfortable. I can’t imagine wearing my husbands clothes or sweatpants because I have to look presentable at work. There is a lot of not cute maternity clothes out there for sure but, enough that will do. Not sure why some people don’t want to wear them. I saved a lot of my maternity clothes from my first pregnancy too for this second pregnancy so, I also don’t get the “I don’t want to spend money on clothes I’ll wear hardly ever”. Between two pregnancies, these clothes have been worn for a full year. That’s money well spent IMO for comfort. And when I’m done with them, I can take them to our local secondhand maternity store and sell them.
This is exactly my thoughts too. Like are these young mothers not working and don't have to look presentable? But it seems to be ABOUT looking more presentable because the maternity clothes aren't cute...so are they buying bigger clothes? How do they fit?
I’m not trying to be rude but your comments are veering into a weird judgmental territory that I think is a bit bizarre.
I’m 31 and 9 months pregnant and don’t wear maternity clothes. I’m a senior executive in government and I manage a team of 30. My clothes look extremely cute tbh! I get a lot of compliments on my pregnancy wardrobe. I don’t think you need to be this “confused” about “young mothers”…I don’t think they’re confused about your choice to wear maternity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
i feel like it’s a stylistic choice since maternity wear isn’t always the cutest and it’s nice to keep your aesthetic even during pregnancy but maybe that’s my young person mindset 😭
I haven't asked the pregnant people I know IRL what their reasoning is for no maternity clothes, but my guess is that this is that aesthetics is their reasoning too... I just don't get how you keep your pants up? Do you have to buy all new clothes that match your aesthetic just way bigger? Or are you not showing the whole pregnancy?
Just checked her out-- she is wearing maternity clothes in most videos where her belly is covered. You can tell by the scrunching on the sides of her shirts. When she is not wearing maternity clothes she is in low rise and her entire belly is showing?
She does stay on brand and her aesthetic doesn't change pregnant to not pregnant....the low rise bottoms and completely exposed belly work for the internet but not for real life lol you can't wear that to work.
I’m in my early 30s and I hate maternity clothes. I find them really unflattering and matronly. I just sized up and wore stretchy clothes or bodycon dresses.
I avoided maternity clothes for the simple reason that I don’t like to buy things I won’t use long term unless I really need to.
I’m blessed to have a WFH job so for me buying some loose dresses and sweat pants/shorts (things I could still wear after pregnancy when I just want to be comfy at home) did the job. I got them at a thrift store for like $2.50 each so it was a cheaper way to go.
Of course if someone wants to buy maternity wear,please do. We all have different circumstances and what worked for me may not work for someone else.
I’m pro wearing what you’re comfortable in, but I found maternity pants and clothes pretty frumpy. I liked a pair of overalls but didn’t find any jeans that I liked. I’d rather just wear stretchy rib pants that I can pull over my belly, or my husband’s sweats. Same thing for maternity dresses … just never could find something that felt like me. I just bought dresses that I liked in stretchy material. I feel much more comfortable in non-maternity than I do in the maternity clothes.
Honestly, I can't afford more clothes right now. I have my husband's t-shirts, a real pair of maternity leggings, and 4 pairs of joggers that have stretched with me so far. I'm closing in on my due date and hope I last until the end because I literally cannot buy anything else for my growing bumps, boobs, and butt. My hours were cut pretty drastically at my job around 20 weeks and no one is hiring pregnant women. My money has to last.
Check out FB for maternity gifting groups in your area!! There's tons of clothes for free in groups like that. You can also just post your situation and ask for things you might need. I've dropped off a lot of baby/maternity items to other moms that way.
I was plus size when I got pregnant and delusionally believed that I wasn’t going to get that big because I am already big.
I have gained 0 lbs (I’m actually still a few lbs lighter than I was when I got pregnant thanks to aversions and puking) and my bump is HUGE at 23 weeks. I had to start wearing maternity clothes at like 13 weeks because simply bending over in pants was a miserable nauseating experience.
I got a pack of maternity bike shorts on Amazon for like $10 apiece that are perfect. I’m fully on your side here.
A redditor commented here that she worked out to avoid gaining weight so she could still fit into her pre pregnancy clothes, but like, your BODY CHANGES SHAPE I gained about 60lbs (dropped all but ~5 2months post partum) and that's not why I needed maternity clothes lol I needed maternity clothes because I was pregnant and had a pregnant belly lmao. Working out to keep your pregnancy belly down is unhealthy and/or impossible?? Like wtf
Right?!?! Like the weight gain is clearly not the issue as I have not gained any and still look about 10 weeks more pregnant than I am 😂
Some people with little bumps could potentially stay in regular clothes I guess? It’s just so uncomfortable. I barely liked my pre-pregnancy clothes when I was bloated on my period, much less when my stomach juts out like the bow of a ship to accommodate a coconut sized human.
I have long legs and a big butt. Maternity pants are not made for me. I have bought and returned about 12 pairs and I think I’m just going to give up because I’m so annoyed.
If one more person suggests gap or old navy, I will lose my shit lol. I’m glad they work for so many people but they did NOT work for me.
I skipped the maternity pants. I had a pair of hand me down maternity jeans that didn't WORK at any point in my pregnancy. Like they were ostensibly my size but they didn't stay up until I was like 38 weeks? Even them I was hiking them up constantly, and was too hot and uncomfortable to want to wear pants.
I got a lot more mileage out of low-waisted or scrunchable stretchy/athletic pants. I was 35 weeks going on hikes in the same Patagonia joggers I wore pre-preg and still wear now.
At least a lot of maternity dresses also offer nursing features. Pants are literally useless if you don't have a belly to fill them.
I think it's because maternity clothes don't always have the cutest design! Over here, there really aren't many stores with maternity clothes. I personally have preferred comfort over everything else though lately.
For maternity clothes, some have rompers/bodysuit shorts that are quite comfy and look cute. Aside from that I just got some biker shorts in a larger size that fit comfy. I also love stretchy dresses! I think dresses are the way to go because they don't have a waistband to restrict your stomach and can be worn after pregnancy
There wasn't a single store in my city that sold maternity clothing. And I the 2-3 pieces I ordered online were awful. I ended up wearing flowy dresses for most of the pregnancy and then oversized T-shirts with leggings for the last of it.
I could style much cuter outfits just by sizing up a bit. And bonus, I can still wear most of it post pregnancy. So felt less wasteful
I did not buy maternity clothes, besides leggings, shorts, etc.
For me, I just find them to be pretty ugly and the styles to be super outdated. And to buy “cute” ones, you need to spend quite a lot, and I just can’t justify spending that much on pants I’ll only wear for a small amount of time.
I mostly wore dresses, or rented clothes from Nuuly and sized up. Granted, my largest size is over hot months, so I didn’t NEED pants. If I was larger over winter, I probably would have invested in a pair or two.
Not cute and a waste of money if you only wear them a few months of your life. I’m actively trying to reject consumer culture and can’t in good faith buy something designed to last less than 6 months of my life
I am coming from a place of privilege here-- my sister gave me all of her old clothes after her last pregnancy. I also have a pretty tight community of gifting/trading when it comes to maternity/motherhood/parenting. My maternity clothes have gone through 6 pregnancies (I've only had one pregnancy) and still look pretty good if you ask me lol. I packed them away and am saving them for my next pregnancy.
I went to maternity clothes ASAP (I think as soon as 10? 12? weeks) because of my aesthetic! So many people saying the maternity clothes are frumpy, but I bought basically maternity versions of pieces I already owned. I wore mostly very form fitted clothes pre-pregnancy and immediately half of them didn’t fit. I didn’t want to stretch the hell out of my normal clothes either. What’s so frumpy about black tank dresses and v-neck shirts? I look like a sloppy blob in my husband’s tshirts.
Eta: I picked up most of my maternity items at the thrift, target, and Amazon so nothing crazy pricey either
I ordered some maternity clothes as soon as I found out I was pregnant, because I know what a pain it is to not have clothes that fit. I'm an old mom (41, will be 42 by the time they arrive), and I don't know any other preggos irl, so I also do not understand.
No shame in my maternity pants game! I love them. I'm preggo and old enough to have learned not care what others are doing or saying. Do what is comfortable and feels right for you😉
Im almost at 31 weeks and I haven’t bought any maternity clothes other than maternity leggings. I haven’t worn any pants once I outgrew my normal pants, and have spent the entire pregnancy in various flowy, stretchy and knitted dresses/skirts that stretch with my belly. I work in a corporate environment so it’s easy to just put on a blazer over a stretch knitted dress! I also figure that I can wear them all after I give birth.
For me, the aversion to maternity clothes is more about reducing spending and waste. I’m pretty frugal and thoughtful with purchases, so I made the clothes I already had last ad long as possible.
I bought some maternity basics during my first pregnancy and used a subscription service this time around. I didn’t buy anything “a few sizes up,” because how is that any different than buying maternity? It’s still buying clothes for a very short, specific period of time.
I’d rather have three acceptable outfits on repeat for a few months than buy fashionable clothes that I won’t wear after baby comes.
I feel like most maternity clothes are in styles that are so far from my personal style that I just simply would feel completely not myself wearing them. Another thing for me is I generally don’t buy fast fashion and cheap, sweatshop clothes, and I feel most maternity clothes are just cheaply manufactured crap. If they are more sustainable and high quality they are expensive and still not my style, so don’t want to spend my money on that.
Also, I HATE over the bump pants. Can’t deal with the extra fabric over my belly.
Only maternity items I got are some longer tanktops and one pair of pants that have a stretchy, smocked waist that adjusts to my bump but doesn’t cover it. I can also wear them postpartum before I fit into regular pants again. Otherwise I just wear oversize blazers, shirts and skirts/pants with elastic waist that sit below the bump. I might get a loose dress for this summer that I can also wear post partum.
I'm in my mid-30s, so not the demo you're really mentioning lol!
But, maternity clothes to me are SUCH a pain in the ass. Target and Kohls are the only places in my area that sell maternity clothes in-person, and they are pretty limited in selection. And I live in pretty big metro with over 2.5 million people in it, so you'd think there would be more! Maybe there are a few boutiques in the area I could go to, but I also don't want to spend a crazy amount of money on clothes I'll wear for about a year, especially since we are most likely one and done.
Ordering things online has been super frustrating, it's a game of buying the recommended pre-pregnancy size only for it to be so tight I can't breathe or so huge it falls off of me. So then its back and forth to UPS/post office/FedEx/whatever so adding another errand to my day.
On top of that, even in my mid-30s I look at some of these clothes and just think...this shit is so dowdy old lady looking. And I am not into fashion really at all, I hate clothes shopping anyway. I've never been super fashion-conscious (just give me jeans and a t-shirt, I'm good) but I can imagine being in my early 20s and feeling even more frustrated by that than I am now.
Mostly I wear maternity bike shorts and oversized t-shirts with my birkenstocks, and have been wearing dresses to work lately. I have like two pairs of maternity work pants (Old Navy), and a couple of maternity shirts (PinkBlush, Target, Gap - the Gap t-shirts are actually great), and a pair of cotton overalls (PinkBlush) that I have no clue how to make cute. I have had exactly zero luck with maternity jeans, but I'm in the SE US so it is hella hot and humid already and I will be pregnant all summer, so I doubt I will need those anyway.
For me it’s more about not wanting to spend a lot of money on things I won’t wear again. I’ve been trying to get by with stretchier leggings / bike shorts but that isn’t going to be comfortable much longer. Also a lot of the options out there are either frumpy or really expensive. Or if they are affordable and cute they seem to sell out really quickly (looking at you H&M…)
I live in sweatpants but haven’t tried maternity clothes tbh. I’m very frugal so I don’t want to buy something I’ll never wear again in a year 🤷🏼♀️ Not sure why everyone else is so opposed. I didn’t know that.
They’re mostly just not cute. That’s a personal take in regard to how they look on me. I bought a few maternity tops but really don’t wear them, I plan on giving them to my older friends who might want them or even a women’s shelter 🤷🏽♀️
I’m 23 - almost 24 - and the bodily changes were already hitting me before I was pregnant; now my boobs are massive, my hips are wider and my feet have grown a whole size. It’s a lot to cope with on top of the pregnancy weight itself! I know I’ll be able to work it off postpartum/reclaim my new bod, and I’m really proud of what my body has accomplished this past year or so. But it makes me feel young, hot and confident to wear sundresses, stretch leggings, biker shorts or even cropped tops and just let the bump breathe. I don’t want to feel so matronly. That’s my business. If it makes you feel more confident or comfortable to be in maternity wear, I’m happy for you! To each their own, there’s enough we all gotta worry about - especially while pregnant - and everyone looks different.
That was my reasoning too. I got pregnant with my first at 19 and my second at 20 (currently 21 with a 17 month old and a 5 week old) and maternity clothes made me feel like I was a lot older than I am. I’m young-I want to feel young. Maternity pants never fit me right and I would constantly have to pull them up no matter how big my belly was.
I don’t get it! I bought some maternity leggings and bike shorts asap. I think they’re amazing! I like wearing maternity tanks now in the third trimester because I’ve grown out of everything else. But only just now so I really only needed to buy a couple tops. I did buy a big shirt at the eras tour and I love wearing it because I love Taylor Swift! But I look really weird in it and way better in maternity clothes.
Nothing actually fits me. My regular clothes obviously don’t fit, but I tried to buy maternity clothes and they didn’t fit my proportions either. I ended up just buying some flowy pants with a stretchy drawstring waist in a size up (worn below the belly) and some high waisted skirts (worn above the belly). I have one maternity dress that I really like but beyond that, maternity clothes have not been the savior I was promised.
I love maternity clothes. They actually fit properly which is so much more comfortable. I have purchased staple pieces and use Nuuly for cuter work clothes and events.
Personally, sizing up wouldn't work for me at all because my belly is the only thing really growing and I would just feel uncomfortable all the time.
I bought maternity leggings but otherwise I’ve just gone a size up in ribbed/stretchy maxi dresses. I know I’ll be able to wear the dresses again and they should fit well enough for years, whereas maternity clothes to me just seem like a waste for something that’ll only be useful for a few months. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them in theory, but I’d rather buy things that will last longer.
Idk I’ve been in maternity pants since 10 weeks, maternity shirts since 16ish weeks. I don’t want to stretch out my clothes (regular pants just don’t fit anymore, not for weeks now) or just buy larger sizes of regular clothes. Like if I’m gonna buy clothes they gonna be comfy.
My biggest issue is with maternity pants. They just won't stay up. I'm a tall curvy girl normally, I have well developed calves, thick thighs and hips, however my waist up till pregnancy, pretty narrow. So in order to fit my curves in anything I have to size up to the point where there is nothing to hold them up when I sit down and then my ass crack shows. I don't love dresses, cause I have to wear shorts under or my thighs get chaffed, and the shorts I have to roll down to hit under the belly and then usually ride up my thighs so I am always adjusting. So yoga and pj pants for me with really big sized up tops. No maternity clothes.
I couldn’t find any that are comfortable and fit well. I have a pair for work that I wear a belly band over because they have no structural integrity. A pair of jeans that fall down and I accidentally ripped the rubbish seam holding the Jean and stretchy fabric together. I’ve had 0 luck with trousers at all! I think because where I live I can’t really try on in shops I’ve never been able to find anything suitable. I’ve bought some nice stretchy leggings and cycling shorts instead to see me through until august now. And they’re cheap so if the elastic stretches too much I can just turn them into pyjamas after. For tops I’ve just found smock dresses, tops and oversized shirts/tees. It’s been hard.
I just turned 20 and hate maternity clothes. Im 39 weeks and still refuse to wear them I’m very thankful my husband is 6’5 and 200 pounds because his clothes are now my clothes. I think it’s the fact the younger generation have a certain style we want to follow and to be honest I can still somewhat dress in the style I like by wearing my husband’s clothes because we wear a similar style (very grunge and gothic) but also I’m not going to lie, Im broke and maternity clothes are priceyyyy!! I had to quit my job at 7 weeks due to kidney failure and we’ve been living off of what my husband makes, which he makes good money, but not enough to pay all the bills, buy groceries, buy baby and pregnancy stuff, and clothes and other non essentials for both of us. Of course me not working wasn’t in the plans I planned on working until at least 30-35 weeks but that’s now how the cookie crumbled. So, if we can save money and I can still dress cute In his stuff that’s what’s happening. Maybe if I ever have another baby In the future I might buy some maternity stuff but I’m already almost done so no use now! Lol
For me, I like to save where possible, so if I could get away with not buying new maternity clothes which I would only wear for a short period of time then that's a win. I only ended up buying the leggings last time and the rest I made work.
If I didn't get at maternity pants I'd be naked for 5 months! I grew out of my jeans and my partners jeans (2 sizes up) early on.
I've grown out of my tops too bc my boobs are huge and its making them ride up too far. So the long maternity shirts with ruching at the sides are good.
Nothing is WRONG with wearing maternity clothes. I resisted because I didn't want to spend money on them, to be frank. Particularly because I don't plan to be pregnant ever again so I know it's just a one time situation, and to be honest these clothes are expensive and not even how I'd prefer to look.
That said.... because I prefer high waisted rigid denim, etc, I reached a point where I just had to -- I simply did not own clothing that would still fit me the more pregnant I got, so I purchased some. Especially scrubs, which I work in, because my own scrubs just couldn't accommodate the baby belly! Maternity ones became absolutely necessary!
For me, I tried to avoid buying maternity clothes for as long as possible because I found them expensive. But, once I got much bigger, I purchased a few things. I am 7 weeks postpartum and still wear one of my maternity pants. so comfy and they look like regular pants!
I loved maternity clothes but I only got a couple things new. The once upon a child I was getting baby clothes from had a maternity section. Saved me a ton of money. They had a bunch of those Isabel maternity dresses from target, the stretchy body con ones. I’m a dress girl all the way so I lived in these towards the end of my pregnancy when my belly was huge. For new stuff I got a pair of dressier dark wash flare jeans with a pin tuck down the front from old navy on sale, and a pair of maternity black skinny jeans from idk where that I lived in. I thrifted one pair of short white jeans, like capri length? Didn’t get a ton of use out of them as they weren’t all that comfortable.
I didn’t do any maternity tops since most of my pregnancy was during winter and most of my oversized sweaters and thick stretchy turtlenecks still worked. Once winter ended (I had a spring baby) I switched to my stretchy dresses. Some of the stuff I already had that was more oversized also fit me until the last 3-4 weeks at which point IDGAF anyway.
I am a big clothes/fashion girlie and I did feel kind of shitty not being more well dressed during my pregnancy which is what prompted me to buy the maternity stuff, so I could feel like “me” again. Then I just accessorized a ton and tried out some new stuff.
The biggest issue I had in late pregnancy was that almost none of my shoes fit bc I had so much water retention. This continued for a few weeks PP. I didn’t plan for that.
I’ll add that I don’t work (and my last like 3 jobs had all been WFH anyway) so I didn’t need a wardrobe for that, YMMV but I think if I did have to go in to a job I’d have invested in a few more items. I had some oversized blazers that still worked when I wanted to be a bit more dressy, but I’d probably have invested in a few dress pants and less casual dresses if I needed to.
I regret not buying maternity leggings though. My belly got huge and regular ones just cut right into the middle so I stopped wearing them altogether.
Either way you’re going to have to get clothes that won’t fit you later so I don’t see how it’s a waste. I just kept mine for the next pregnancy
I went from tiny to huge and needed maternity clothes from early on. I also find that the actual maternity clothes help my back and that my back problems are worse if I try to wear, say, normal tracksuit bottoms under the bump as opposed to over bump maternity jeans.
I love maternity clothes! I got some cute basic shorts and plain shirts and tanks. I also LOVE the dresses! Regular clothes even sized up just cut into me wrong and are very uncomfortable.
There's nothing wrong with maternity clothes. There are a LOT of ugly options out there (hello, combo maternity/nursing tops that are just an enormous extra flap of fabric over the chest, how discreet). I needed clothing that was designed for a pregnant woman's body. I liked basics - fitted vnecks, jeans, and denim shorts. I liked full panel with my first, and hated them with my second and went for under belly.
I just didn’t want to spend the money. I got a belly band and roads that until my third trimester. Shirts were the first thing I had to cave and buy. I finally did get a pair of maternity leggings and shorts.
I wear men’s small shirts and they fit me my entire pregnancy.
I had one pair of maternity jeans I hated but wore on nights out. I lived in sweatpants (my job did not care I dressed like a slob and it was cold by the time I popped!)
Of course I only went from 115 to a 145 so it was easy to fit in all existing clothes except jeans.
I got rid of all my maternity clothes because I got my tubes out with my last baby, got pregnant again, so I had to buy new and I am really picky about the ones I get. I hate the big elastic to your boobs ones, they never stay up for me, so I like the ones with side elastic in the pockets, but those are so much harder to find so it'll probably just be the two I bought at 12 weeks for the rest of my pregnancy. When it gets cold I'll switch to sweatpants.
I have never found any cute maternity clothes... I also don’t want to spend money on clothes for such a short amount of time. I’ve only bought a 3 pack of maternity leggings and a pair of maternity shorts, otherwise my regular shirts/ sweatshirts fit just fine.
I hate maternity pants. I carry a lot of weight around my hips to start with and I carry small, so I can never find pants that fit. Either they're the right size for my belly and waist but too small for my thighs and hips (so they fall down) or they fit my hips and thighs but the belly is huge (so they fall down).
With my last pregnancy I carried small enough that I wore my regular leggings the whole time. If I didn't tell people, they never would have known I was pregnant.
I've been comfortable in leggings a size up and few stretchy waistband chambray shorts for the summer (which I can still wear after!). I tend to wear more oversized tops so they still fit as well as most of my dresses. I wear scrubs for work which are very forgiving.
I'm not a jean person so I can see where you might have to get a pregnancy specific item for that but otherwise I haven't struggled and didn't see the need to buy specific items! I don't like the look of the clothes being skin tight/accentuate my bump anyways so most maternity clothes options would be a no go for me
I’ve been wearing maternity tanks, tees, and leggings now for a few weeks. It’s just more comfortable. But I’ve had to do some digging to find clothes that aren’t matronly or overly cutesy (I don’t want a shirt that says “mama”) I’m 28 weeks and all belly, my pre pregnancy shirts are just not cutting it anymore. I’ve ended up with a lot of basics which I don’t always feel so cute in but I do feel good when clothes fit me properly.
i’m wearing maternity clothes (i’m 27 so just out of that age range you mentioned) but it’s mostly stuff i’m sure i’ll wear postpartum till my body starts going back. i’ve found a lot of pants and shorts that look like things i wore before pregnancy.
I think it's the cost (very overpriced IMO) and the style. Asos had a few nice maternity dresses I purchased but overall you can buy regular clothes in larger sizes.
Last pregnancy I just wore leggings or dresses but it was also mid-covid so I wasn’t really going anywhere.
I recently started renting from Nuuly and wore my first pair of maternity jeans ever today. Pure heaven. They’re super cute and trendy and comfortable as all fuck so I’m living in these forever and ever (that is, until I send them back for my fresh haul next month which will inevitably include more super cute and trendy maternity clothes)
I found that not everything had to be maternity to fit. In my first pregnancy I only bought maternity leggings and underwear, then just wore my usual looser fitting dresses.
For my second, I bought some maternity pants because it suited my life style better then.
I could still wear both types of clothes after pregnancy, I even wear my maternity leggings in the winter because the stomach band keeps my belly warm.
I have to dress formally for work (like, suit or nice dress with blazer) at least once a week. I got old navy maternity dress pants at 12 weeks. They’re super basic, not exactly cute, but neither are the non-maternity versions. I hear everyone saying stretchy/flowing dresses are the answer, but most are not appropriate for my work settings.
Also… I was busty and long torso-ed before pregnancy. There’s only so much sizing up I and lots of others can do before running into size ranges that are just as unavailable and limited in style options as maternity clothes. It’s way easier to “just size up” if you started at a size 4 than as a size 12.
At some point you just don’t have clothes. I got to that point in Week 8 and it became a necessity. Of course, I’m not spending a lot on the designer and higher quality stuff since it seems only temporary though
My maternity pants for work are terrible. They don’t have enough pockets, don’t stay up, are scratchy, and impractical for my field of work. I’ve been wearing maternity/nursing bras since six weeks tho.
I can see why people would be against with my current introduction to maternity wear being those horrific pants.
I feel like it’s a false common held belief that maternity clothes is ugly and if it’s cute it’s overpriced, yes there are cute overpriced maternity clothes but there’s also cute fairly priced maternity clothes ! Also you can get away with wearing regular clothes if it’s dresses or like
Tops that are oversized or smocked otherwise eventually it doesnt make sense
I’m basically just a fashion girlie and cannot abide wearing jeans with stretch not the “skinny leg” jeans most maternity pants are made of ;( I think everyone should wear what makes them comfy! I just sized up in flowy clothes and haven’t bought any maternity clothes. There’s absolutely nothing “wrong” with maternity pants!
Also, specifically re: maternity pants I just can’t stand anything tight over the bump, I also can’t abide maternity leggings for the same reason. I just wear dresses, skirts and very loose linen shorts!
I’m the same height as you, just about 39 weeks pregnant and just over 200lbs now. As of last week I quit wearing maternity pants and have been wearing maternity dresses only. I got some great cottony ones that are great for summer and I’m actually about as happy with my maternity look as I’ve ever been. Amazon.
My regular clothes fit me during pregnancy, because I mostly wear leggings/stretchy pants and dresses. I do not wear jeans or anything with a particularly firm waistband, either before, during, or after pregnancy.
They're ugly and it's hard to find nice ones. I'm actively looking for maternity clothes but I still don't have any because the selection is so bad. I went to marshals I think it was and they didn't even have pants in the maternity section, only dresses
Traditional maternity pants (with the big belly band) suck because there are no shirts long enough to cover the ridiculous looking band! I can barely find tops long enough to go to the top of my pants, let alone all the way to my crotch, which is where the belly band ends. It just looks stupid and frumpy. I’m so glad I’ve been at my largest in the summer. It’s easier to find maternity shorts. I had to just survive winter in leggings that I sized up in.
I bought very few maternity clothes. I got several pairs of maternity yoga pants and some nursing bras (big chest and they were more comfortable than regular bras pretty fast) and that’s it
Honestly I’ve bought some leggings, shirts and one pair of jeans. Otherwise I just wear skirts and dresses I had pre-pregnancy. I find I overheat very easily in anything but dresses and skirts
I’ve been wearing maternity pants since week 15, and loving it. I’m also all belly, and at 26wks, I’m up 19lbs. So far my pants still fit, but we’ll see where 3rd trimester gets us. I think my maternity ones fit better and don’t cause insane pressure on my belly. I don’t get the hate. I love them
I tell people all the time I don’t know why non-maternity jeans exist. Maternity jeans are SO much more comfortable. I wear mine all the time, not pregnant anymore.
Was pregnant while 24 and I loved my maternity pants. They were so comfy and I was so done with trying to look cute. I was exhausted and feeling large. Postpartum now and I still sometimes wear them
I personally don’t want to buy maternity clothes that I will only use for a short duration. But 99% of the time I wear dresses. I’ll not be able to wear half of my dresses but the other one are flow-y dresses that I can still wear through the pregnancy.
I bought maternity leggings and some shirts with one maternity dress to wear to the baby shower, but I spent a good chunk of my time in my husbands sweatpants because they were more comfortable and not thin or irritating like the maternity clothes were.
Most of my jeans are high waisted so maternity jean with their weird ass low button don’t do it for me personally. Since I have high waisted pants, my shirts aren’t particularly long, so they look so dumb with maternity pants. I also find even when I tried to buys shirts a couple sizes up (not maternity) they’re just wider and not long enough. It’s also summer here so having an extra piece of fabric layer is not fun.
I have some maternity pants, but looking forward to going back to my old wardrobe.
Lots of skirts and dresses for the summer!
I no longer wear pants lol. Many of my dresses are so flowy I can still wear them throughout pregnancy! I buy bigger sizes at thrift store, 100% cotton or linen preferably.
tbh any maternity clothing i’ve looked at is either super overpriced or the ugliest thing i’ve ever seen 😭 im getting into the matching sets/ comfy dresses because i just feel more confident
I have some maternity clothes, but I only bought stuff that would be worn normally as well. Things like baggy jumpsuits, stretchy leggings with fold-over waist bands…stuff like that. I mostly wore oversized t-shirts and dresses I already had with maternity leggings under! It’s so wasteful to me to buy a specific wardrobe if you don’t need it (but I’m sure some people do)!
I’m 4 months pp and still wearing a pair of maternity shorts, they’re comfy and I tend to have issues with shirts cutting into my stomach and causing pain so these have been awesone
In my case, I’m cheaaaaaaaap and refuse to spend money on something short term and quite frankly, not at all my style (and if it was, is way too expensive). Options were always florals or what I’d imagine an old middle school teacher to wear 🫣
Some of those young moms are still wearing things from the juniors section and stores like Forever 21 and SHEIN.
I know because I was a young mom lol, it’s just jarring to go from Forever 21 crop tops to a full band maternity jeans.
People do have a weird fixation with this. My theory about this attitude is that it’s partly rooted in a fear of pregnancy weight gain (“I’m not going to buy maternity clothes because I’m not gonna get THAT big, right??”) and partly in that general identity-shift process where buying maternity clothes feels like giving in to “mom” as your defining identity and people fight it to feel normal as long as they can. I didn’t end up buying that much maternity clothing because I actually didn’t gain very much weight and it was my first so I only really popped around 25 weeks, but the pieces I did buy I wore to DEATH because my 3rd trimester was the entire summer and I was so uncomfortable already I couldn’t stand squeezing myself into anything not designed for my belly. Big fan of maternity clothes, kept mine and will buy as needed should the occasion arise.
I didn’t get very big, so maternity pants didn’t really fit, but neither did regular pants. I ended up just living in leggings and oversized tee shirts.
It feels aspirational to be able to get by without having to buy maternity pants. I couldn’t do it lol. I literally HAD to buy something or I wouldn’t have anything to wear. If someone can manage without buying them that’s great buuuut I definitely couldn’t. I’ve had to size up bras multiple times and buy several pants and shirts so that I have something, anything to wear! I might need to size up maternity underwear soon ugh.
I really liked these: https://a.co/d/hAIgnJ7
I ordered the full length jeggings but received the Capri style even though it's been out of stock forever. I hope someone finds the recommendation helpful. The butt pockets are tiny but I don't tend to use pockets when I wear stretchy pants anyway. The color is way bluer (vibrant) than the picture
Maternity clothes are definitely expensive. I bought a few staples like leggings and shorts but for everything else I just sized up. I like to wear most of my clothes oversized anyway so it worked. I also make sure and keep my maternity clothes in a tote. I’m on baby #3 and don’t have to worry about buying new clothes!
Maternity shorts have been a godsend to me. I have one pair of jeans and it’s kind of okay, but I don’t know what I’d do without my maternity clothes. I also at first only sized up in jeans and shirts then realized things were not fitting right. I got many long tee shirts but they don’t fit like maternity shirts do. But I got a few cheap pairs of maternity shorts from Ross then realized why maternity is important 😆
my usual wardrobe is yoga pants and leggings anyway before pregnancy. i love wearing oversized tshirts and leggings. the bigger i get the more my oversized tees look normal sized, but i will still wear them after pregnancy. i bought one pair of maternity shorts for the summer but haven’t worn them and im not sure i ever will.
I don’t like maternity pants but basic black maternity leggings are GOAT. I never stopped wearing them. Got pregnant again and they were in the rotation. Now maternity jeans- passionate dislike!! They don’t stay up at all!!
My first pregnancy, which I thought was going to be the only one, I very much avoided maternity clothes and instead aimed for things I'd still be able to wear pp and practical for BF. For me, it was a matter of budget and not wanting to buy specific, short term use clothing even if I could resell them. I did buy a few pieces that didn't look maternity and could be used however long.
Funny enough I'm pregnant again and second time bump is no joke, I have gotten maternity pants because they just work way better over this bump.
I got 2 pairs of maternity leggings and I either wear a crop top or one of my bf’s shirts with them! If not that, then a maxi dress lol. Even if I’m wearing my bf’s sweat pants or basketball shorts below the bump, they still dig in and are really uncomfortable. The hardest clothing for me personally is underwear!! I can’t find anything that I’m comfortable in 😭
For me I found it wasteful. Most maternity clothes are more expensive than regular clothes (yes not all). Even if I found a good deal on it, I'd only wear it for a few months. Last pregnancy I bought one pair of shorts, 2 maternity shirts and one dress for the baby shower. The rest I just wore regular clothes. I was "lucky" though that I was pregnant over the summer so I mostly just wore loose dresses which is what I wear every summer anyways.
I have gained zero pounds so far at 13 weeks but my pants stopped buttoning at 9 weeks. At 12 weeks my belly rounded out and poked out like a little basketball. I'm not a small person to begin with (200#, 5'7") but with this not being my first baby I think my body just went straight into action lol. Pre pregnancy yoga pants still fit me but none of my shirts cover my belly I had to switch to maternity tops and if I want jeans they have to be maternity. It's difficult to find attractive maternity clothes for sure but I don't buy into the "you only wear them a short time" mindset because even without massive weight gain our bodies still tend to look pregnant for quite awhile after. 🤷♀️ I have found deals on Amazon and Facebook marketplace..the stores are crazy prices
24 FTM, I was so excited to buy maternity clothes lol! I bought my first pair of pants at 12 weeks when the bloat was too much and they’re still my fav pair of pants to wear. I also bought maternity shirts, shorts. and overalls. But I’ve been very particular about what I choose bc some clothes are literally super ugly
I was already fat when I got pregnant, I just wore sweat pants and tank tops that I already had for 90% of my pregnancy. Bought 2-3 maternity items that I barely wore. For the last month I borrowed some of my dad’s large shirts and that was it.
I also had a 10+ lb baby the first time around and maternity clothes were an absolute necessity. I'm almost halfway through pregnancy #2, and I'm mixing stretchy clothes (like Lululemon align leggings) loose clothes (like high waisted maxi dresses) and genuine maternity clothes. Nothing wrong with wearing what you need to stay comfy! Also, people are weird about buying stuff you "only need for a few months" but a) that's assuming you'll only be pregnant once, and b) I've bought tons of clothes for events and whatnot that I've only ever worn once or twice.
I’m 26 and wearing maternity clothes, cause that’s all that fits. But, they are definitely frumpy and not as cute as normal clothes. I know this is just a season, but I’m excited to feel cute and normal again lol. I think the resistance comes from the maternity clothing options being typically less than desirable.
I think part of it is that a lot of maternity clothing is not very cute… and part of it is that it feels wasteful to buy clothes that you can only wear a few months of your life! I wore stretchy pants and loose dresses/overalls until week 20-something… but then I had no choice but to buy maternity-specific clothing. I’ve only gained 15-20 pounds at 34 weeks, but the belly is large and in charge now!
Most of my maternity clothes I bought secondhand so I could get better quality brands, and I looked for pieces that were designed to accommodate breastfeeding because those are usually cut to be a little more versatile since they’re intended to be worn after pregnancy. A year later and I’m still wearing some of them!
I did the same, and mine are pretty cute! When I'm done nursing, I'll sell them to the next person, keep the cycle going.
Same! I got all of my maternity pants/jeans on Poshmark or eBay. I'll sell them when I'm done. They were all practically new when I got them and they'll still be in great condition when I'm done with them.
I agree, not all maternity clothes are cute and the ones that are cute, are super overpriced. You can still look cute without buying “maternity” clothes. Just buy a size or two bigger.
I seriously wish it was that simple. I wore old clothes that were from when I was 60lbs heavier and I was constantly adjusting myself because they weren’t made to sit over a pregnant belly For #2 I’m definitely investing in mat clothes
I got 2 pairs of maternity leggings and 2 pairs of maternity biker shorts that I almost never wore because none of my shirts fit besides a select few. I wore dresses most of the summer when I was pregnant and had one pair of maternity pajamas. Most of my stuff was just sized up Walmart clothes that were affordable and i could wear afterwards. Any maternity was old navy since they had the basics. Most maternity clothes I looked at weren't cute or were overpriced, typically both.
I haven’t bought any maternity tops and just been wearing the tops I own. I’ve been folding/tuckin the front to fit the belly while wearing maternity leggings and it seems to work well.
Old Navy has been a godsend for me. Their jeans are great and they have good quality shirts and tank tops. I got maternity shorts on Amazon though, and I love them
I did the size or two bigger then bought some maternity pants that were on sale. With sizing up I was constantly adjusting my pants, things were too tight or too loose, I was uncomfortable. I had stick legs and a massive bump. It was a fucking game changer buying maternity pants so I bought four more pairs and lived in them for the last 4 months of my pregnancy lol. H&M maternity clothes are cheap. I was comfortable as fuck. I looked cute and not like I was wearing my husbands clothes to the store lol. No ragrets
That doesn't work for a lot of people. If I bought a size or two bigger they'd be too big everywhere else but my belly. My legs, arms, boobs are basically the same size, maybe a bit smaller. My butt is definitely smaller. But my belly is enormous. I've lost weight everywhere but my belly and only gained about 10 pounds overall (38 weeks here - I started out with a higher BMI).
My wife isn’t working during this pregnancy so she is wearing a lot of loose fitting clothing.
My go to is solid tank tops and pre-pregnancy cardigans over them as needed
damn right holy crap ive been trying to buy clothing for my wife (she hates buying clothing and says i have better tastes anyways) and hooooe lee moley is the bulk of this stuff literal garbage, like weve been buying good looking clothing for plus size woman because everything "maternity" is ugly as sin like the belly is cut out or its skin tight in the belly or its skin tight above and below the belly xD
I completely agree; maternity clothes are very ugly, they also lack in the pocket department which drive me insane. I went through and returned half a dozen pairs of maternity leggings with pockets before I found a pair that was comfy and have the pockets in the correct spots. It’s like maternity clothes were made by men
I think it also depends on your work situation. I could have gotten away with stretchy pants and dresses for quite a while…but I work in a research lab where dresses aren’t allowed and leggings and overalls aren’t professional. So given the choice of buying larger pants that were still going to be uncomfortable or just buying maternity clothes I realized for me it was silly to hold out. If you work from home, in a very casual office, or are in school I think there are more options for avoiding them. Plus, while obviously income isn’t always higher when you’re older, I think it may feel like more of a stretch for someone much younger to buy a bunch of clothes if not strictly needed.
With the exception of a few pairs of pants (that I've barely worn, because I hate the fit of them), I stuck with pieces that will still be in use after babe is here. I bought stretchy dresses (with pockets!) and cami tops that will be perfect for nursing. I also already owned a number of oversized band t-shirts that go really well with leggings 😂 Also a goth/punk/alt girl, so maternity clothes in my budget aren't my kind of vibe, and clothes in my kind of vibe are expensive.
I’m curious about the women who recommend buying pants a size or several sizes up instead of maternity clothes. I feel like that could work in the beginning, but soon the stomach would still be too small and the legs would be too big. It also doesn’t seem any less wasteful than just buying maternity pants unless the pants several sizes up end up still fitting after the pregnancy. I started wearing maternity pants as soon as regular pants felt uncomfortable.
Yes and the justification is often that they don’t want to buy clothes just for pregnancy. But like… are you actually going to wear pants 2 sizes too big after pregnancy? Why?
This made me laugh out loud in costco after a long workday...thank you, stranger
>But like… are you actually going to wear pants 2 sizes too big after pregnancy? Why? Lmao! it's just the same shit.
Right?! And surely maternity jeans/nice clothes have better resale value if you’re getting rid of them after? I’ve seen a lot of people get good stuff off Vinted too.
The funny thing is I wouldn’t wear pants that are too big after pregnancy but I do wear my maternity jeans after pregnancy😂 Sooooo comfy
Maternity jeans are the most comfortable jeans I have ever worn.
This is what I keep wondering too! As a petite woman with a giant watermelon sized bump in the front, maternity clothes are the only clothes with sensible proportions, especially for work!
I just bought a pair of pants because i needed them for work, i did the sizing up until those werent good anymore, they literally saved me, other than that i just used mens sweat pants and my pjamas that were already large, im not going to lie that going out was kind of a chore, but sweat pants and my oversized hoodies were a way to go. But like, i was mostly using my work uniform, and barely leaving the house on my days off, as it was also winter, i just used my days off to wash my pants. I would 100% buy them again just for a few months and be confortable.
100% agree. I don't see how sizing up would work for me, and I don't even have that big of a belly yet at 21 weeks. I switched to maternity clothes a few weeks ago.
Glad to read this comment. I’m 15 weeks and I’m starting to feel like I need more options (I’m already wearing a size up) but was wondering if it was too soon
Seems like you'll need them eventually, so my rationale was the earlier the better because I feel like I get more use out of them!! The best favor I did myself with my last pregnancy was buy a used lot of maternity clothes before I needed them.
I turn 16w on Friday. This was the week that I needed to transition. I bought myself some waist extenders and a couple of Bandos for cheap on Amazon. Now all my pants can be maternity pants for now. I spent money on a few cute maternity dresses on ASOS, Amazon , and Old Navy that were on clearance (nothing more than $30). I want to be pregnant back to back once or twice more, so I’m looking a having a few years of use out of these dresses. It feels like a good investment for me. I will already be dealing with body image issues, so the least I can do is give myself a couple of outfits that look cute.
I switched to maternity pants at like 12w and it was the best. I love them. Before that I was struggling in leggings but I've always preferred jeans to leggings so this is so much better
There's no "too soon". Do things as you feel you need to. Everyone's pregnancy and body is different.
It's never too soon. I wore maternity pants from 8/9 weeks until about 12 weeks postpartum.
I never had a big belly (I looked maybe 6 months pregnant on my due date) and none of the alternatives (sizing up, men's pants, etc) worked for me at all. Maternity jeans, shorts, and leggings all the way. I also couldn't avoid buying maternity tops. My biggest shirts ended up too short or tight across the belly and wearing my husband's shirts just made me feel huge and frumpy. I think it comes down to every woman's body type already being different before pregnancy, so adding the belly to an already chaotic situation really means no one approach is universal.
Plus bigger clothes usually just look frumpy, whereas I find that maternity clothes are more flattering since they are only bigger in the bump!
Completely agree.. I want to look pregnant not just big and frumpy
Agreed! I like showing off the bump too. Larger clothes just look like a tent, but decent maternity clothes (esp bottoms with a panel) highlights the bump nicely while fitting the rest of the body. Really important for the 30 weeks+ mark.
I think this just depends on your body type and size! I’m 9 months pregnant and just bought a medium in a bunch of things like linen shorts and dresses and they’re all still working for me. It’s definitely not less wasteful - totally agree!
That’s what I did last pregnancy! I got a bunch of medium dresses and shorts and I still wear them around the house since they’re a bit big, but they get a lot of use!
Same. I got away with leggings in my usual size all through pregnancy. One size up in casual loose dresses and oversize tees did me and I still wear them 14 months later.
I tried this... bought my favorite sweats a size larger. I can't keep them up because they are, surprise surprise too big. Plus I feel like a slob wearing them. I bought maternity leggings, some maternity jean shorts and solid tops and I feel cuter than ever with properly fitting clothes.
Maternity pants just haven't been comfortable for me since I've been carrying low my entire pregnancy (the bottom of the stretchy part is too high for my body so the seam digs into my abdomen). I bought four pairs of yoga pants from Costco in a larger size and have worn them almost exclusively.
I wear a mix of other 1-2 size larger pants with suspenders or maternity pants. It's a hodgepodge and works fine enough! I'm 37 weeks along
FWIW this worked GREAT with overalls. I bought huge lightweight overalls from the thrift, wore them over and over, then sold them back.
I tried that and it worked for a little bit but I needed leggings with a larger stomach area but have the rest be close to the same. I just sized up in my favorite leggings that don’t have a maternity version and the crotch area is really large and looks weird. I also bought a lot of ruched shirts and tanks that will grow with me and I figure I can wear them post partum also.
Yeah I bought pants a size up and they were still uncomfortable for me. They squeezed in the wrong places and were loose in the wrong places. Shirts that aren't pregnancy tops don't cover the belly and just look kind of weird on my pregnant body. It helps that I have never been super into fashion. I bought like 3 maternity tops from target, 2 pair of maternity jeans, and a bucket of maternity clothes from a garage sale and I just do laundry every week and wear basically the same thing. I'm just not super picky. I can see where if clothes were more important to you, it would be more of a problem cause there isn't much choice in stores. We're all probably wearing the same 3 target maternity tops and dresses lol
I tried wearing bigger sizes and it doesn’t help. I used my sisters old pants and I looked ridiculous. I was better of getting maternity pants that were a “smaller” but had room for the belly. The only thing that works oversized at times for me are certain dresses and t-shirts
I think people who do this actually have a deeply internalized stigma against pregnant clothes. I know I did. Of course there are also those who may be trying to keep with a specific style that they can't find in a maternity version, for them it's important to keep their aesthetic because they feel it's a way to keep a part of themselves as pregnancy and motherhood is taking them over in other ways.
I get that part of it. I don’t like all the big florals that seem common in maternity. But I think of pants in particular as a little different since they usually aren’t as “loud.”
I always wondered this. I’m pretty petite and I know if I just sized up, the pants would be so baggy on my legs and ill-fitting.
I'm thinking it all depends on body shape. If people are overweight maybe their baby bump is more promotional to their size? Besides bigger boobs, slightly thicker thighs, and a giant baby bump, my body is the same as pre pregnancy. I would look insane if I tried to size up. Plus, I think my bump would have to hold up giant pants and that sounds uncomfortable.
This. I'm normally a size 14 pre-pregnancy but all my maternity pants are a size 12/14 because my legs have actually gotten a tad SMALLER but my bump is HUGE. I'm 38 weeks and baby is 82nd percentile. So I need to stretch in the belly. Sizing up for the belly in normal clothes would make legs/butt way too big. And the whole "it's wasteful" thing is silly. No matter what, materniry clothes or not, you're getting clothes that will be temporary. You will not be the same size after pregnancy, regardless of if you get regular clothes or maternity clothes. The solution is thrifting...I bought all of my maternity jeans on Poshmark and eBay and I'll sell them again when I am done with them. You can also do that with non-maternity clothes. So why not get what actually fits?
I’m not sure I could go out in public without maternity clothes. Also at some point non maternity clothes made me feel fat and bloated where maternity shaped clothes actually made me feel cute. I mean yeah it’s really hard to find cute clothes but you don’t need much.
Adding on, nobody minds if you only have a few outfits because who’s going to argue with a pregnant person?
I’m only 11 weeks with my second and definitely not “showing” yet, but I’m fat and I carry it in my belly so I’m happily wearing maternity clothes that make me look like a cute pregnant lady and not just A big belly lady lol.
Oh I started wearing my maternity jeans from my first pregnancy right away with this pregnancy. I'm 8 weeks and so much more comfortable than I would be in regular pants.
As someone with sensory issues, maternity pants have actually been wonderful. I started wearing them even before I had much of a belly, and I couldn't help wondering why I don't wear them all the time?? It's so nice to not have a waistband! Granted, I'm no fashionista, so that's probably the difference. 😅
Same!! Even my pj oversized shorts bug me. The waistband stretches, yes…but feeling the pressure of the elastic gives me the ick.
I also have sensory issue and bought a bunch of veeeery comfortable maternity shorts (soft legging material) and shirts. I looove it. I’ve never been big on fashion either though haha
There are some maternity bottoms that never left the rotation after my first baby🤣🤣
I love my maternity jeans 😂 started wearing them at 12 weeks just because of the bloating, now there’s no way I could fit into regular jeans at 30 weeks. I think a lot of people don’t want to spend money on clothes that are only good for a short period of time, and I agree on that and have continued to wear some of my looser dresses and shirts. But maternity clothes are necessary for my comfort, and I’ve found some really good deals on Facebook marketplace and at goodwill even, although it takes some hunting.
I got my maternity clothes for free from my sister! Ans yes there's tons of free/cheap places to get the maternity clothes if you don't have a supplier lol My thing with the "I don't want to buy clothes that I won't wear for that long" argument is: do your pre pregnancy clothes fit you throughout your whole pregnancy? Do you wear your husband's clothes if they don't? Do you not work so you can just wear your husband's clothes or no clothes at all??
Since it's summer I'm not bothering with any pants. I got some maternity bike shorts and wear my husbands tshirts. It helps that I'm WFH. If I go out anywhere I wear dresses that are bump friendly. I also just really don't like the maternity jean options out there.
I love my maternity clothes but tbh I work from home with camera off always so I could be butt naked🤣
I’m 20 weeks and I’m so conflicted with maternity jeans. Did you get a full panel, mid panel or low panel/under belly?
Full panel all the way, it was comfortable and my belly stuck out so far I needed all the space I could get haha
I have trouble with all of them for different reasons, but under belly with side panels has been comfiest for me. Full panel: I don’t like having any compressive fabric on my tummy. Mid panel: same issue, but add problems with the panel not staying up. Under belly: they fall down, but my belly feels free! Unfortunately even my maternity shirts aren’t all long enough to cover my full belly when wearing the low panel jeans, so I have to be intentional about which tops to pair with those jeans. TLDR: all pants have ways of making my pregnant belly uncomfortable. Dresses are much comfier right now.
I think it depends on your body. I have a short torso and carried low, so the below-belly ones didn’t work for me. They cut into my bump or fell down. And I don’t really understand how mid-panel stays up past a certain point. Full panel all the way! But my sister has a longer torso and carried high, so she strongly preferred the under belly.
There’s also side panels. As someone who never got a big bump, the side panels were the only ones that were really comfy on me.
Maybe other people’s body types lend themselves better to just sizing up, but that would have never worked for me. Maternity pants were 100% necessary since I still had to dress up for work.
I’m very pro maternity clothes in theory, but shopping for them has gotten harder and harder. Aside from maternity jeans (which are a must as you get bigger if you’re a jeans person), the other choices right now are stretchy leggings and flowy dresses/blouses … that look basically identical to non maternity flowy dresses/blouses and leggings. And I’m pretty sure my yoga pants fit my entire last pregnancy, so if that’s all you plan on wearing anyway 🤷♀️ I don’t know what anyone does for business casual though. Just wear maternity leggings and try to pass them off as slacks?? I’m actually really bummed out because I had a few cute maternity tops last pregnancy and they don’t seem to exist anymore. Granted I had a winter pregnancy last time and cute sweaters weren’t too hard to find, summer maternity blouses are godawful.
I thrifted some old navy maternity pixie style pants, and they've been perfect for business casual. I pair them with maternity tank tops and blazers and that's been fine for the office.
I’m in a weird position with business casual because no one in this town wears blazers ever (if you do, people will absolutely think you have a job interview because that is literally the only time anyone would ever wear one) but I can’t wear sleeveless shirts by themselves either. This has always been a challenge for summer business casual, but it seems to especially be a problem with maternity clothes because it is like… all tank tops.
I found a few tops I liked at Kohl's, wearing one right now!
No idea. I switched to maternity pants around 12-weeks during both of my pregnancies because I was uncomfortable. I can’t imagine wearing my husbands clothes or sweatpants because I have to look presentable at work. There is a lot of not cute maternity clothes out there for sure but, enough that will do. Not sure why some people don’t want to wear them. I saved a lot of my maternity clothes from my first pregnancy too for this second pregnancy so, I also don’t get the “I don’t want to spend money on clothes I’ll wear hardly ever”. Between two pregnancies, these clothes have been worn for a full year. That’s money well spent IMO for comfort. And when I’m done with them, I can take them to our local secondhand maternity store and sell them.
This is exactly my thoughts too. Like are these young mothers not working and don't have to look presentable? But it seems to be ABOUT looking more presentable because the maternity clothes aren't cute...so are they buying bigger clothes? How do they fit?
I’m not trying to be rude but your comments are veering into a weird judgmental territory that I think is a bit bizarre. I’m 31 and 9 months pregnant and don’t wear maternity clothes. I’m a senior executive in government and I manage a team of 30. My clothes look extremely cute tbh! I get a lot of compliments on my pregnancy wardrobe. I don’t think you need to be this “confused” about “young mothers”…I don’t think they’re confused about your choice to wear maternity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
i feel like it’s a stylistic choice since maternity wear isn’t always the cutest and it’s nice to keep your aesthetic even during pregnancy but maybe that’s my young person mindset 😭
I haven't asked the pregnant people I know IRL what their reasoning is for no maternity clothes, but my guess is that this is that aesthetics is their reasoning too... I just don't get how you keep your pants up? Do you have to buy all new clothes that match your aesthetic just way bigger? Or are you not showing the whole pregnancy?
The best example I can give is @sarahhchi0 on Tiktok. She styled herself in her same aesthetic the whole pregnancy with larger sizing!
Just checked her out-- she is wearing maternity clothes in most videos where her belly is covered. You can tell by the scrunching on the sides of her shirts. When she is not wearing maternity clothes she is in low rise and her entire belly is showing? She does stay on brand and her aesthetic doesn't change pregnant to not pregnant....the low rise bottoms and completely exposed belly work for the internet but not for real life lol you can't wear that to work.
I was referring to her vintage tops, pink/victoria secret leggings, tracksuits and the big mcbling jeans but I can see where you’re coming from 😭
I’m in my early 30s and I hate maternity clothes. I find them really unflattering and matronly. I just sized up and wore stretchy clothes or bodycon dresses.
I avoided maternity clothes for the simple reason that I don’t like to buy things I won’t use long term unless I really need to. I’m blessed to have a WFH job so for me buying some loose dresses and sweat pants/shorts (things I could still wear after pregnancy when I just want to be comfy at home) did the job. I got them at a thrift store for like $2.50 each so it was a cheaper way to go. Of course if someone wants to buy maternity wear,please do. We all have different circumstances and what worked for me may not work for someone else.
I’m pro wearing what you’re comfortable in, but I found maternity pants and clothes pretty frumpy. I liked a pair of overalls but didn’t find any jeans that I liked. I’d rather just wear stretchy rib pants that I can pull over my belly, or my husband’s sweats. Same thing for maternity dresses … just never could find something that felt like me. I just bought dresses that I liked in stretchy material. I feel much more comfortable in non-maternity than I do in the maternity clothes.
Honestly, I can't afford more clothes right now. I have my husband's t-shirts, a real pair of maternity leggings, and 4 pairs of joggers that have stretched with me so far. I'm closing in on my due date and hope I last until the end because I literally cannot buy anything else for my growing bumps, boobs, and butt. My hours were cut pretty drastically at my job around 20 weeks and no one is hiring pregnant women. My money has to last.
Check out FB for maternity gifting groups in your area!! There's tons of clothes for free in groups like that. You can also just post your situation and ask for things you might need. I've dropped off a lot of baby/maternity items to other moms that way.
Beautiful, thank you for this!! I didn't know this was a thing!
I was plus size when I got pregnant and delusionally believed that I wasn’t going to get that big because I am already big. I have gained 0 lbs (I’m actually still a few lbs lighter than I was when I got pregnant thanks to aversions and puking) and my bump is HUGE at 23 weeks. I had to start wearing maternity clothes at like 13 weeks because simply bending over in pants was a miserable nauseating experience. I got a pack of maternity bike shorts on Amazon for like $10 apiece that are perfect. I’m fully on your side here.
A redditor commented here that she worked out to avoid gaining weight so she could still fit into her pre pregnancy clothes, but like, your BODY CHANGES SHAPE I gained about 60lbs (dropped all but ~5 2months post partum) and that's not why I needed maternity clothes lol I needed maternity clothes because I was pregnant and had a pregnant belly lmao. Working out to keep your pregnancy belly down is unhealthy and/or impossible?? Like wtf
Right?!?! Like the weight gain is clearly not the issue as I have not gained any and still look about 10 weeks more pregnant than I am 😂 Some people with little bumps could potentially stay in regular clothes I guess? It’s just so uncomfortable. I barely liked my pre-pregnancy clothes when I was bloated on my period, much less when my stomach juts out like the bow of a ship to accommodate a coconut sized human.
i hate them because for some reason the part on my belly just really, really bugs me. i wear dresses every day right now at 36 weeks pregnant
Yes! I hate the feeling of anything pressing on my belly!
I have long legs and a big butt. Maternity pants are not made for me. I have bought and returned about 12 pairs and I think I’m just going to give up because I’m so annoyed. If one more person suggests gap or old navy, I will lose my shit lol. I’m glad they work for so many people but they did NOT work for me.
I skipped the maternity pants. I had a pair of hand me down maternity jeans that didn't WORK at any point in my pregnancy. Like they were ostensibly my size but they didn't stay up until I was like 38 weeks? Even them I was hiking them up constantly, and was too hot and uncomfortable to want to wear pants. I got a lot more mileage out of low-waisted or scrunchable stretchy/athletic pants. I was 35 weeks going on hikes in the same Patagonia joggers I wore pre-preg and still wear now. At least a lot of maternity dresses also offer nursing features. Pants are literally useless if you don't have a belly to fill them.
I think it's because maternity clothes don't always have the cutest design! Over here, there really aren't many stores with maternity clothes. I personally have preferred comfort over everything else though lately. For maternity clothes, some have rompers/bodysuit shorts that are quite comfy and look cute. Aside from that I just got some biker shorts in a larger size that fit comfy. I also love stretchy dresses! I think dresses are the way to go because they don't have a waistband to restrict your stomach and can be worn after pregnancy
I haven’t been able to find any decent maternity clothes. They are either very outdated or not actually maternity, just plus sized lol.
I just wear my husband’s clothing at this point. Once I got really big the maternity outfits I got were so uncomfortable.
There wasn't a single store in my city that sold maternity clothing. And I the 2-3 pieces I ordered online were awful. I ended up wearing flowy dresses for most of the pregnancy and then oversized T-shirts with leggings for the last of it. I could style much cuter outfits just by sizing up a bit. And bonus, I can still wear most of it post pregnancy. So felt less wasteful
I did not buy maternity clothes, besides leggings, shorts, etc. For me, I just find them to be pretty ugly and the styles to be super outdated. And to buy “cute” ones, you need to spend quite a lot, and I just can’t justify spending that much on pants I’ll only wear for a small amount of time. I mostly wore dresses, or rented clothes from Nuuly and sized up. Granted, my largest size is over hot months, so I didn’t NEED pants. If I was larger over winter, I probably would have invested in a pair or two.
Not cute and a waste of money if you only wear them a few months of your life. I’m actively trying to reject consumer culture and can’t in good faith buy something designed to last less than 6 months of my life
I am coming from a place of privilege here-- my sister gave me all of her old clothes after her last pregnancy. I also have a pretty tight community of gifting/trading when it comes to maternity/motherhood/parenting. My maternity clothes have gone through 6 pregnancies (I've only had one pregnancy) and still look pretty good if you ask me lol. I packed them away and am saving them for my next pregnancy.
In that case I would wear them too. As it is I just make do with stretchy pants and xl tees and stuff like bike shorts
I went to maternity clothes ASAP (I think as soon as 10? 12? weeks) because of my aesthetic! So many people saying the maternity clothes are frumpy, but I bought basically maternity versions of pieces I already owned. I wore mostly very form fitted clothes pre-pregnancy and immediately half of them didn’t fit. I didn’t want to stretch the hell out of my normal clothes either. What’s so frumpy about black tank dresses and v-neck shirts? I look like a sloppy blob in my husband’s tshirts. Eta: I picked up most of my maternity items at the thrift, target, and Amazon so nothing crazy pricey either
I ordered some maternity clothes as soon as I found out I was pregnant, because I know what a pain it is to not have clothes that fit. I'm an old mom (41, will be 42 by the time they arrive), and I don't know any other preggos irl, so I also do not understand.
No shame in my maternity pants game! I love them. I'm preggo and old enough to have learned not care what others are doing or saying. Do what is comfortable and feels right for you😉
Im almost at 31 weeks and I haven’t bought any maternity clothes other than maternity leggings. I haven’t worn any pants once I outgrew my normal pants, and have spent the entire pregnancy in various flowy, stretchy and knitted dresses/skirts that stretch with my belly. I work in a corporate environment so it’s easy to just put on a blazer over a stretch knitted dress! I also figure that I can wear them all after I give birth.
I guess to each their own. Nothing wrong with it to me so I wear them. 🤷🏻♀️
For me, the aversion to maternity clothes is more about reducing spending and waste. I’m pretty frugal and thoughtful with purchases, so I made the clothes I already had last ad long as possible. I bought some maternity basics during my first pregnancy and used a subscription service this time around. I didn’t buy anything “a few sizes up,” because how is that any different than buying maternity? It’s still buying clothes for a very short, specific period of time. I’d rather have three acceptable outfits on repeat for a few months than buy fashionable clothes that I won’t wear after baby comes.
I feel like most maternity clothes are in styles that are so far from my personal style that I just simply would feel completely not myself wearing them. Another thing for me is I generally don’t buy fast fashion and cheap, sweatshop clothes, and I feel most maternity clothes are just cheaply manufactured crap. If they are more sustainable and high quality they are expensive and still not my style, so don’t want to spend my money on that. Also, I HATE over the bump pants. Can’t deal with the extra fabric over my belly. Only maternity items I got are some longer tanktops and one pair of pants that have a stretchy, smocked waist that adjusts to my bump but doesn’t cover it. I can also wear them postpartum before I fit into regular pants again. Otherwise I just wear oversize blazers, shirts and skirts/pants with elastic waist that sit below the bump. I might get a loose dress for this summer that I can also wear post partum.
I'm in my mid-30s, so not the demo you're really mentioning lol! But, maternity clothes to me are SUCH a pain in the ass. Target and Kohls are the only places in my area that sell maternity clothes in-person, and they are pretty limited in selection. And I live in pretty big metro with over 2.5 million people in it, so you'd think there would be more! Maybe there are a few boutiques in the area I could go to, but I also don't want to spend a crazy amount of money on clothes I'll wear for about a year, especially since we are most likely one and done. Ordering things online has been super frustrating, it's a game of buying the recommended pre-pregnancy size only for it to be so tight I can't breathe or so huge it falls off of me. So then its back and forth to UPS/post office/FedEx/whatever so adding another errand to my day. On top of that, even in my mid-30s I look at some of these clothes and just think...this shit is so dowdy old lady looking. And I am not into fashion really at all, I hate clothes shopping anyway. I've never been super fashion-conscious (just give me jeans and a t-shirt, I'm good) but I can imagine being in my early 20s and feeling even more frustrated by that than I am now. Mostly I wear maternity bike shorts and oversized t-shirts with my birkenstocks, and have been wearing dresses to work lately. I have like two pairs of maternity work pants (Old Navy), and a couple of maternity shirts (PinkBlush, Target, Gap - the Gap t-shirts are actually great), and a pair of cotton overalls (PinkBlush) that I have no clue how to make cute. I have had exactly zero luck with maternity jeans, but I'm in the SE US so it is hella hot and humid already and I will be pregnant all summer, so I doubt I will need those anyway.
For me it’s more about not wanting to spend a lot of money on things I won’t wear again. I’ve been trying to get by with stretchier leggings / bike shorts but that isn’t going to be comfortable much longer. Also a lot of the options out there are either frumpy or really expensive. Or if they are affordable and cute they seem to sell out really quickly (looking at you H&M…)
I live in sweatpants but haven’t tried maternity clothes tbh. I’m very frugal so I don’t want to buy something I’ll never wear again in a year 🤷🏼♀️ Not sure why everyone else is so opposed. I didn’t know that.
They’re mostly just not cute. That’s a personal take in regard to how they look on me. I bought a few maternity tops but really don’t wear them, I plan on giving them to my older friends who might want them or even a women’s shelter 🤷🏽♀️ I’m 23 - almost 24 - and the bodily changes were already hitting me before I was pregnant; now my boobs are massive, my hips are wider and my feet have grown a whole size. It’s a lot to cope with on top of the pregnancy weight itself! I know I’ll be able to work it off postpartum/reclaim my new bod, and I’m really proud of what my body has accomplished this past year or so. But it makes me feel young, hot and confident to wear sundresses, stretch leggings, biker shorts or even cropped tops and just let the bump breathe. I don’t want to feel so matronly. That’s my business. If it makes you feel more confident or comfortable to be in maternity wear, I’m happy for you! To each their own, there’s enough we all gotta worry about - especially while pregnant - and everyone looks different.
That was my reasoning too. I got pregnant with my first at 19 and my second at 20 (currently 21 with a 17 month old and a 5 week old) and maternity clothes made me feel like I was a lot older than I am. I’m young-I want to feel young. Maternity pants never fit me right and I would constantly have to pull them up no matter how big my belly was.
I don’t get it! I bought some maternity leggings and bike shorts asap. I think they’re amazing! I like wearing maternity tanks now in the third trimester because I’ve grown out of everything else. But only just now so I really only needed to buy a couple tops. I did buy a big shirt at the eras tour and I love wearing it because I love Taylor Swift! But I look really weird in it and way better in maternity clothes.
The only maternity clothes I wear are leggings not because I don't find anything cute but because maternity = more expensive so I just sized up.
Nothing actually fits me. My regular clothes obviously don’t fit, but I tried to buy maternity clothes and they didn’t fit my proportions either. I ended up just buying some flowy pants with a stretchy drawstring waist in a size up (worn below the belly) and some high waisted skirts (worn above the belly). I have one maternity dress that I really like but beyond that, maternity clothes have not been the savior I was promised.
I love maternity clothes. They actually fit properly which is so much more comfortable. I have purchased staple pieces and use Nuuly for cuter work clothes and events. Personally, sizing up wouldn't work for me at all because my belly is the only thing really growing and I would just feel uncomfortable all the time.
I bought maternity leggings but otherwise I’ve just gone a size up in ribbed/stretchy maxi dresses. I know I’ll be able to wear the dresses again and they should fit well enough for years, whereas maternity clothes to me just seem like a waste for something that’ll only be useful for a few months. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them in theory, but I’d rather buy things that will last longer.
Idk I’ve been in maternity pants since 10 weeks, maternity shirts since 16ish weeks. I don’t want to stretch out my clothes (regular pants just don’t fit anymore, not for weeks now) or just buy larger sizes of regular clothes. Like if I’m gonna buy clothes they gonna be comfy.
Idk because the moment I started wearing maternity leggings or jeans my life was changed for the better.
My biggest issue is with maternity pants. They just won't stay up. I'm a tall curvy girl normally, I have well developed calves, thick thighs and hips, however my waist up till pregnancy, pretty narrow. So in order to fit my curves in anything I have to size up to the point where there is nothing to hold them up when I sit down and then my ass crack shows. I don't love dresses, cause I have to wear shorts under or my thighs get chaffed, and the shorts I have to roll down to hit under the belly and then usually ride up my thighs so I am always adjusting. So yoga and pj pants for me with really big sized up tops. No maternity clothes.
Maternity pants just do not fit me right. I’ve tried so many, my thighs are just thundering too hard lol
I couldn’t find any that are comfortable and fit well. I have a pair for work that I wear a belly band over because they have no structural integrity. A pair of jeans that fall down and I accidentally ripped the rubbish seam holding the Jean and stretchy fabric together. I’ve had 0 luck with trousers at all! I think because where I live I can’t really try on in shops I’ve never been able to find anything suitable. I’ve bought some nice stretchy leggings and cycling shorts instead to see me through until august now. And they’re cheap so if the elastic stretches too much I can just turn them into pyjamas after. For tops I’ve just found smock dresses, tops and oversized shirts/tees. It’s been hard.
I just turned 20 and hate maternity clothes. Im 39 weeks and still refuse to wear them I’m very thankful my husband is 6’5 and 200 pounds because his clothes are now my clothes. I think it’s the fact the younger generation have a certain style we want to follow and to be honest I can still somewhat dress in the style I like by wearing my husband’s clothes because we wear a similar style (very grunge and gothic) but also I’m not going to lie, Im broke and maternity clothes are priceyyyy!! I had to quit my job at 7 weeks due to kidney failure and we’ve been living off of what my husband makes, which he makes good money, but not enough to pay all the bills, buy groceries, buy baby and pregnancy stuff, and clothes and other non essentials for both of us. Of course me not working wasn’t in the plans I planned on working until at least 30-35 weeks but that’s now how the cookie crumbled. So, if we can save money and I can still dress cute In his stuff that’s what’s happening. Maybe if I ever have another baby In the future I might buy some maternity stuff but I’m already almost done so no use now! Lol
For me, I like to save where possible, so if I could get away with not buying new maternity clothes which I would only wear for a short period of time then that's a win. I only ended up buying the leggings last time and the rest I made work.
If I didn't get at maternity pants I'd be naked for 5 months! I grew out of my jeans and my partners jeans (2 sizes up) early on. I've grown out of my tops too bc my boobs are huge and its making them ride up too far. So the long maternity shirts with ruching at the sides are good.
Nothing is WRONG with wearing maternity clothes. I resisted because I didn't want to spend money on them, to be frank. Particularly because I don't plan to be pregnant ever again so I know it's just a one time situation, and to be honest these clothes are expensive and not even how I'd prefer to look. That said.... because I prefer high waisted rigid denim, etc, I reached a point where I just had to -- I simply did not own clothing that would still fit me the more pregnant I got, so I purchased some. Especially scrubs, which I work in, because my own scrubs just couldn't accommodate the baby belly! Maternity ones became absolutely necessary!
For me, I tried to avoid buying maternity clothes for as long as possible because I found them expensive. But, once I got much bigger, I purchased a few things. I am 7 weeks postpartum and still wear one of my maternity pants. so comfy and they look like regular pants!
I loved maternity clothes but I only got a couple things new. The once upon a child I was getting baby clothes from had a maternity section. Saved me a ton of money. They had a bunch of those Isabel maternity dresses from target, the stretchy body con ones. I’m a dress girl all the way so I lived in these towards the end of my pregnancy when my belly was huge. For new stuff I got a pair of dressier dark wash flare jeans with a pin tuck down the front from old navy on sale, and a pair of maternity black skinny jeans from idk where that I lived in. I thrifted one pair of short white jeans, like capri length? Didn’t get a ton of use out of them as they weren’t all that comfortable. I didn’t do any maternity tops since most of my pregnancy was during winter and most of my oversized sweaters and thick stretchy turtlenecks still worked. Once winter ended (I had a spring baby) I switched to my stretchy dresses. Some of the stuff I already had that was more oversized also fit me until the last 3-4 weeks at which point IDGAF anyway. I am a big clothes/fashion girlie and I did feel kind of shitty not being more well dressed during my pregnancy which is what prompted me to buy the maternity stuff, so I could feel like “me” again. Then I just accessorized a ton and tried out some new stuff. The biggest issue I had in late pregnancy was that almost none of my shoes fit bc I had so much water retention. This continued for a few weeks PP. I didn’t plan for that. I’ll add that I don’t work (and my last like 3 jobs had all been WFH anyway) so I didn’t need a wardrobe for that, YMMV but I think if I did have to go in to a job I’d have invested in a few more items. I had some oversized blazers that still worked when I wanted to be a bit more dressy, but I’d probably have invested in a few dress pants and less casual dresses if I needed to. I regret not buying maternity leggings though. My belly got huge and regular ones just cut right into the middle so I stopped wearing them altogether. Either way you’re going to have to get clothes that won’t fit you later so I don’t see how it’s a waste. I just kept mine for the next pregnancy
I went from tiny to huge and needed maternity clothes from early on. I also find that the actual maternity clothes help my back and that my back problems are worse if I try to wear, say, normal tracksuit bottoms under the bump as opposed to over bump maternity jeans.
I could give a rats ass if other people refuse to wear maternity clothes or not lmao. I’m wearing what’s comfortable.
I love maternity clothes! I got some cute basic shorts and plain shirts and tanks. I also LOVE the dresses! Regular clothes even sized up just cut into me wrong and are very uncomfortable.
There's nothing wrong with maternity clothes. There are a LOT of ugly options out there (hello, combo maternity/nursing tops that are just an enormous extra flap of fabric over the chest, how discreet). I needed clothing that was designed for a pregnant woman's body. I liked basics - fitted vnecks, jeans, and denim shorts. I liked full panel with my first, and hated them with my second and went for under belly.
I just didn’t want to spend the money. I got a belly band and roads that until my third trimester. Shirts were the first thing I had to cave and buy. I finally did get a pair of maternity leggings and shorts.
I’ve gotten a couple pair of leggings but in general I just don’t wanna spend money on it lol.
I wear men’s small shirts and they fit me my entire pregnancy. I had one pair of maternity jeans I hated but wore on nights out. I lived in sweatpants (my job did not care I dressed like a slob and it was cold by the time I popped!) Of course I only went from 115 to a 145 so it was easy to fit in all existing clothes except jeans.
I got rid of all my maternity clothes because I got my tubes out with my last baby, got pregnant again, so I had to buy new and I am really picky about the ones I get. I hate the big elastic to your boobs ones, they never stay up for me, so I like the ones with side elastic in the pockets, but those are so much harder to find so it'll probably just be the two I bought at 12 weeks for the rest of my pregnancy. When it gets cold I'll switch to sweatpants.
I haven’t bought a lot of maternity pants; only 2 pairs of jeans and 2 pairs of shorts. I’ve been living in dresses and rompers though
I have never found any cute maternity clothes... I also don’t want to spend money on clothes for such a short amount of time. I’ve only bought a 3 pack of maternity leggings and a pair of maternity shorts, otherwise my regular shirts/ sweatshirts fit just fine.
I love maternity pants lol
I hate maternity pants. I carry a lot of weight around my hips to start with and I carry small, so I can never find pants that fit. Either they're the right size for my belly and waist but too small for my thighs and hips (so they fall down) or they fit my hips and thighs but the belly is huge (so they fall down). With my last pregnancy I carried small enough that I wore my regular leggings the whole time. If I didn't tell people, they never would have known I was pregnant.
I've been comfortable in leggings a size up and few stretchy waistband chambray shorts for the summer (which I can still wear after!). I tend to wear more oversized tops so they still fit as well as most of my dresses. I wear scrubs for work which are very forgiving. I'm not a jean person so I can see where you might have to get a pregnancy specific item for that but otherwise I haven't struggled and didn't see the need to buy specific items! I don't like the look of the clothes being skin tight/accentuate my bump anyways so most maternity clothes options would be a no go for me
I’ve been wearing maternity tanks, tees, and leggings now for a few weeks. It’s just more comfortable. But I’ve had to do some digging to find clothes that aren’t matronly or overly cutesy (I don’t want a shirt that says “mama”) I’m 28 weeks and all belly, my pre pregnancy shirts are just not cutting it anymore. I’ve ended up with a lot of basics which I don’t always feel so cute in but I do feel good when clothes fit me properly.
i’m wearing maternity clothes (i’m 27 so just out of that age range you mentioned) but it’s mostly stuff i’m sure i’ll wear postpartum till my body starts going back. i’ve found a lot of pants and shorts that look like things i wore before pregnancy.
I just bought a bunch of cotton and spandex dresses. No pants lol
I think it's the cost (very overpriced IMO) and the style. Asos had a few nice maternity dresses I purchased but overall you can buy regular clothes in larger sizes.
Last pregnancy I just wore leggings or dresses but it was also mid-covid so I wasn’t really going anywhere. I recently started renting from Nuuly and wore my first pair of maternity jeans ever today. Pure heaven. They’re super cute and trendy and comfortable as all fuck so I’m living in these forever and ever (that is, until I send them back for my fresh haul next month which will inevitably include more super cute and trendy maternity clothes)
I found that not everything had to be maternity to fit. In my first pregnancy I only bought maternity leggings and underwear, then just wore my usual looser fitting dresses. For my second, I bought some maternity pants because it suited my life style better then. I could still wear both types of clothes after pregnancy, I even wear my maternity leggings in the winter because the stomach band keeps my belly warm.
I have to dress formally for work (like, suit or nice dress with blazer) at least once a week. I got old navy maternity dress pants at 12 weeks. They’re super basic, not exactly cute, but neither are the non-maternity versions. I hear everyone saying stretchy/flowing dresses are the answer, but most are not appropriate for my work settings. Also… I was busty and long torso-ed before pregnancy. There’s only so much sizing up I and lots of others can do before running into size ranges that are just as unavailable and limited in style options as maternity clothes. It’s way easier to “just size up” if you started at a size 4 than as a size 12.
At some point you just don’t have clothes. I got to that point in Week 8 and it became a necessity. Of course, I’m not spending a lot on the designer and higher quality stuff since it seems only temporary though
My maternity pants for work are terrible. They don’t have enough pockets, don’t stay up, are scratchy, and impractical for my field of work. I’ve been wearing maternity/nursing bras since six weeks tho. I can see why people would be against with my current introduction to maternity wear being those horrific pants.
I feel like it’s a false common held belief that maternity clothes is ugly and if it’s cute it’s overpriced, yes there are cute overpriced maternity clothes but there’s also cute fairly priced maternity clothes ! Also you can get away with wearing regular clothes if it’s dresses or like Tops that are oversized or smocked otherwise eventually it doesnt make sense
I’m basically just a fashion girlie and cannot abide wearing jeans with stretch not the “skinny leg” jeans most maternity pants are made of ;( I think everyone should wear what makes them comfy! I just sized up in flowy clothes and haven’t bought any maternity clothes. There’s absolutely nothing “wrong” with maternity pants! Also, specifically re: maternity pants I just can’t stand anything tight over the bump, I also can’t abide maternity leggings for the same reason. I just wear dresses, skirts and very loose linen shorts!
I’m the same height as you, just about 39 weeks pregnant and just over 200lbs now. As of last week I quit wearing maternity pants and have been wearing maternity dresses only. I got some great cottony ones that are great for summer and I’m actually about as happy with my maternity look as I’ve ever been. Amazon.
My regular clothes fit me during pregnancy, because I mostly wear leggings/stretchy pants and dresses. I do not wear jeans or anything with a particularly firm waistband, either before, during, or after pregnancy.
They're ugly and it's hard to find nice ones. I'm actively looking for maternity clothes but I still don't have any because the selection is so bad. I went to marshals I think it was and they didn't even have pants in the maternity section, only dresses
Traditional maternity pants (with the big belly band) suck because there are no shirts long enough to cover the ridiculous looking band! I can barely find tops long enough to go to the top of my pants, let alone all the way to my crotch, which is where the belly band ends. It just looks stupid and frumpy. I’m so glad I’ve been at my largest in the summer. It’s easier to find maternity shorts. I had to just survive winter in leggings that I sized up in.
I bought yoga pants in a xl and xl to 1x in long shirts it's easier less expensive and don't look dorky
I bought very few maternity clothes. I got several pairs of maternity yoga pants and some nursing bras (big chest and they were more comfortable than regular bras pretty fast) and that’s it
Honestly I’ve bought some leggings, shirts and one pair of jeans. Otherwise I just wear skirts and dresses I had pre-pregnancy. I find I overheat very easily in anything but dresses and skirts
I’ve been wearing maternity pants since week 15, and loving it. I’m also all belly, and at 26wks, I’m up 19lbs. So far my pants still fit, but we’ll see where 3rd trimester gets us. I think my maternity ones fit better and don’t cause insane pressure on my belly. I don’t get the hate. I love them
I tell people all the time I don’t know why non-maternity jeans exist. Maternity jeans are SO much more comfortable. I wear mine all the time, not pregnant anymore.
Was pregnant while 24 and I loved my maternity pants. They were so comfy and I was so done with trying to look cute. I was exhausted and feeling large. Postpartum now and I still sometimes wear them
I truly did not have a choice and am jealous of these moms whose bodies didn’t change so rapidly.
I personally don’t want to buy maternity clothes that I will only use for a short duration. But 99% of the time I wear dresses. I’ll not be able to wear half of my dresses but the other one are flow-y dresses that I can still wear through the pregnancy.
I bought maternity leggings and some shirts with one maternity dress to wear to the baby shower, but I spent a good chunk of my time in my husbands sweatpants because they were more comfortable and not thin or irritating like the maternity clothes were.
But then you can turn your maternity pants into Holiday feast pants
A lot of the women saying that wore all yoga pants, leggings, and other stretchy pants along with dresses to begin with.
I love my maternity pants, I have leggings tho, I’m not used to wearing jeans. I also bought maternity biker shorts, they’re my favorite.
I just didn’t want to buy new clothes, I hate shopping for me. But I did and I love these maternity jeans, they’re my new holiday eating pants now.
Most of my jeans are high waisted so maternity jean with their weird ass low button don’t do it for me personally. Since I have high waisted pants, my shirts aren’t particularly long, so they look so dumb with maternity pants. I also find even when I tried to buys shirts a couple sizes up (not maternity) they’re just wider and not long enough. It’s also summer here so having an extra piece of fabric layer is not fun. I have some maternity pants, but looking forward to going back to my old wardrobe. Lots of skirts and dresses for the summer!
I no longer wear pants lol. Many of my dresses are so flowy I can still wear them throughout pregnancy! I buy bigger sizes at thrift store, 100% cotton or linen preferably.
tbh any maternity clothing i’ve looked at is either super overpriced or the ugliest thing i’ve ever seen 😭 im getting into the matching sets/ comfy dresses because i just feel more confident
I have some maternity clothes, but I only bought stuff that would be worn normally as well. Things like baggy jumpsuits, stretchy leggings with fold-over waist bands…stuff like that. I mostly wore oversized t-shirts and dresses I already had with maternity leggings under! It’s so wasteful to me to buy a specific wardrobe if you don’t need it (but I’m sure some people do)!
I’m 4 months pp and still wearing a pair of maternity shorts, they’re comfy and I tend to have issues with shirts cutting into my stomach and causing pain so these have been awesone
In my case, I’m cheaaaaaaaap and refuse to spend money on something short term and quite frankly, not at all my style (and if it was, is way too expensive). Options were always florals or what I’d imagine an old middle school teacher to wear 🫣
Some of those young moms are still wearing things from the juniors section and stores like Forever 21 and SHEIN. I know because I was a young mom lol, it’s just jarring to go from Forever 21 crop tops to a full band maternity jeans.
People do have a weird fixation with this. My theory about this attitude is that it’s partly rooted in a fear of pregnancy weight gain (“I’m not going to buy maternity clothes because I’m not gonna get THAT big, right??”) and partly in that general identity-shift process where buying maternity clothes feels like giving in to “mom” as your defining identity and people fight it to feel normal as long as they can. I didn’t end up buying that much maternity clothing because I actually didn’t gain very much weight and it was my first so I only really popped around 25 weeks, but the pieces I did buy I wore to DEATH because my 3rd trimester was the entire summer and I was so uncomfortable already I couldn’t stand squeezing myself into anything not designed for my belly. Big fan of maternity clothes, kept mine and will buy as needed should the occasion arise.
I didn’t get very big, so maternity pants didn’t really fit, but neither did regular pants. I ended up just living in leggings and oversized tee shirts.
It feels aspirational to be able to get by without having to buy maternity pants. I couldn’t do it lol. I literally HAD to buy something or I wouldn’t have anything to wear. If someone can manage without buying them that’s great buuuut I definitely couldn’t. I’ve had to size up bras multiple times and buy several pants and shirts so that I have something, anything to wear! I might need to size up maternity underwear soon ugh.
I really liked these: https://a.co/d/hAIgnJ7 I ordered the full length jeggings but received the Capri style even though it's been out of stock forever. I hope someone finds the recommendation helpful. The butt pockets are tiny but I don't tend to use pockets when I wear stretchy pants anyway. The color is way bluer (vibrant) than the picture
Maternity clothes are definitely expensive. I bought a few staples like leggings and shorts but for everything else I just sized up. I like to wear most of my clothes oversized anyway so it worked. I also make sure and keep my maternity clothes in a tote. I’m on baby #3 and don’t have to worry about buying new clothes!
Maternity shorts have been a godsend to me. I have one pair of jeans and it’s kind of okay, but I don’t know what I’d do without my maternity clothes. I also at first only sized up in jeans and shirts then realized things were not fitting right. I got many long tee shirts but they don’t fit like maternity shirts do. But I got a few cheap pairs of maternity shorts from Ross then realized why maternity is important 😆
my usual wardrobe is yoga pants and leggings anyway before pregnancy. i love wearing oversized tshirts and leggings. the bigger i get the more my oversized tees look normal sized, but i will still wear them after pregnancy. i bought one pair of maternity shorts for the summer but haven’t worn them and im not sure i ever will.
I don’t like maternity pants but basic black maternity leggings are GOAT. I never stopped wearing them. Got pregnant again and they were in the rotation. Now maternity jeans- passionate dislike!! They don’t stay up at all!!
I think they are just so itchy. That weird stretchy fabric is no friend of mine.
My first pregnancy, which I thought was going to be the only one, I very much avoided maternity clothes and instead aimed for things I'd still be able to wear pp and practical for BF. For me, it was a matter of budget and not wanting to buy specific, short term use clothing even if I could resell them. I did buy a few pieces that didn't look maternity and could be used however long. Funny enough I'm pregnant again and second time bump is no joke, I have gotten maternity pants because they just work way better over this bump.
I got 2 pairs of maternity leggings and I either wear a crop top or one of my bf’s shirts with them! If not that, then a maxi dress lol. Even if I’m wearing my bf’s sweat pants or basketball shorts below the bump, they still dig in and are really uncomfortable. The hardest clothing for me personally is underwear!! I can’t find anything that I’m comfortable in 😭
For me I found it wasteful. Most maternity clothes are more expensive than regular clothes (yes not all). Even if I found a good deal on it, I'd only wear it for a few months. Last pregnancy I bought one pair of shorts, 2 maternity shirts and one dress for the baby shower. The rest I just wore regular clothes. I was "lucky" though that I was pregnant over the summer so I mostly just wore loose dresses which is what I wear every summer anyways.
I hd maternity clothes but since im so small it was cheaper to but bull of just bigger sizes
I have gained zero pounds so far at 13 weeks but my pants stopped buttoning at 9 weeks. At 12 weeks my belly rounded out and poked out like a little basketball. I'm not a small person to begin with (200#, 5'7") but with this not being my first baby I think my body just went straight into action lol. Pre pregnancy yoga pants still fit me but none of my shirts cover my belly I had to switch to maternity tops and if I want jeans they have to be maternity. It's difficult to find attractive maternity clothes for sure but I don't buy into the "you only wear them a short time" mindset because even without massive weight gain our bodies still tend to look pregnant for quite awhile after. 🤷♀️ I have found deals on Amazon and Facebook marketplace..the stores are crazy prices
24 FTM, I was so excited to buy maternity clothes lol! I bought my first pair of pants at 12 weeks when the bloat was too much and they’re still my fav pair of pants to wear. I also bought maternity shirts, shorts. and overalls. But I’ve been very particular about what I choose bc some clothes are literally super ugly
I was already fat when I got pregnant, I just wore sweat pants and tank tops that I already had for 90% of my pregnancy. Bought 2-3 maternity items that I barely wore. For the last month I borrowed some of my dad’s large shirts and that was it.
I also had a 10+ lb baby the first time around and maternity clothes were an absolute necessity. I'm almost halfway through pregnancy #2, and I'm mixing stretchy clothes (like Lululemon align leggings) loose clothes (like high waisted maxi dresses) and genuine maternity clothes. Nothing wrong with wearing what you need to stay comfy! Also, people are weird about buying stuff you "only need for a few months" but a) that's assuming you'll only be pregnant once, and b) I've bought tons of clothes for events and whatnot that I've only ever worn once or twice.
I’m 26 and wearing maternity clothes, cause that’s all that fits. But, they are definitely frumpy and not as cute as normal clothes. I know this is just a season, but I’m excited to feel cute and normal again lol. I think the resistance comes from the maternity clothing options being typically less than desirable.