Advice about maternity trousers

[bakingmad83]

Hi ladies, just looking for a bit of advice thanks.

I'm only 10 weeks with my first and haven't put on any weight yet, but my normal trousers are already feeling uncomfortable. I suppose I am quite bloated at times, but even when I'm not, my trousers still feel quite tight. I'm not sure whether it's too early for maternity trousers though?

I haven't tried any on yet, as where we live is rural and was hoping to buy online. Alternatively, I was wondering about just getting some looser fit trousers like yoga pants, as luckily I work from home, so don't need to be smart during the week.

Any advice would be appreciated thanks :)

[littlegreengloworm]

I'm 14 weeks on second pregnancy and don't want to go into maternity clothes just yet so I bought loose fit combats (asda of all places) and some stretchy top work trousers from local independent shop (they look normal but have kind of a granny type waistband and I hope they do me for another few weeks)

You could buy under the bump trousers from new look. I did that last time.

[bakingmad83]

Thanks littlegreenglowroom. There's an Asda not too far away and a little New Look in the nearest town, so I'll take a look at both thanks :)

[justcallmethefixer]

I stole borrowed some of then dp's trousers & jeans as he was bigger and men are straighter between the waist & hip which with a thickening waist in early middle pregnancy works quite well. I also second combat type trousers in a size (or 2) up with a drawstring waist so they can grow with you.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

I cannot recommend enough H&M maternity leggings.

Around 7/8 pounds a pair, thick and hardwearing. Could get away with them and longer looser tops for a good while yet.

[MrsMonkeyBear]

Under bump stuff is a life saver. I have loads of draw string and elasticated trousers and shorts.

Also, whilst in new look, keep an eye out for bump bands. They look like the bottom half of a tshirt and allow you to undo your top button but still look dignified.

I'm now 20 weeks and still wear my normal bottom half, just with buttons undone and a bump band.

A quick fix is to use a hair bobble as a waist expander, just loop it through the button hole and around the button.

[misog2000]

I went into maternity stuff about 14 weeks, I figured I would have to buy it eventually anyway so didn't want to shell out twice for bigger stuff and then maternity stuff later in the pregnancy.

[bakingmad83]

Thanks for your help ladies :)

Misog I'm a bit wary about buying too much new stuff that won't last, so think I'll probably check out the H&M leggings and under bump trousers as well.

[eepie]

Not too early for maternity jeans - wish I'd got them earlier ! Up until about 10 weeks I wore mostly leggings as my uterus hadn't quite 'come out' of my pelvis but was starting to, if you know what I mean....because of this, jeans pressing on that area felt uncomfortable/tender/weird. Then after 10 weeks or so, once my uterus had 'popped out' a bit more I started to feel a bit slobby wearing leggings all the time & as you describe my normal leggings were starting to get a bit tight around the tiny pre-bump ! So I bought one pair of maternity jeans from Topshop in my normal jean size - they lasted me until I was into my 3rd trimester when they stopped fitting. They were SO comfortable - so glad I bought them. I felt like I was more pulled together and wearing 'real clothes' - just like wearing normal skinny jeans but SO comfortable. Definitely will wear them again after the birth for a while whilst I lose the baby weight. I was worried that because they have an elastic panel they'd lose their shape or fall down (I have quite a big bum and small waist) but they didn't at all and kept their shape/stayed up on my hips really well. I only bought one medium blue pair with elastic just at the front - other than that they look like normal skinny jeans - think they are the Topshop Leigh maternity style. Maybe if it was winter I would have bought a black or grey pair too. Now I'm 36+2 and am back to living in Boden Maternity Leggings and maxi dresses ! Wish I'd bought two pairs as I wash them almost every day ! Also Yoga pants with a fold over waist are great - my size 12 ones still fit me now in 3rd trimester when almost nothing else will !

My advice - maternity wear essentials:

• One pair of maternity skinny jeans (unless you're going to be in 2nd trimester throughout winter then I'd recommend a black pair too for smart occasions or going out - as I said, Topshop Leigh are good. Hold shape well - skinny fit but not ridiculously tight!)
  
• 2 pairs of over the bump leggings in Black - never thought I'd want over the bump but the minute I put them on I was like "AMAZING" they felt so good!! (I recommend Boden ones - they're pretty thick-ish and great fit on small or large bump - lasted me all 2nd trimester & 3rd)
  
• 1 pair of over the bump/fold down leggings in Dark Grey (Boden or Hush size M/L)
  
• 1 pair of fold down waist yoga pants for at home.
  
• Couple of long stretchy vests in black, white, grey - for most of 2nd trimester you can layer your regular tops over these.
  

• 3rd trimester - I'm finding towards the end nothing is fitting...I just want to be flowy and comfy and hide my swollen ankles/slightly fatter tops of arms! So Maxi dresses/tunics with arms over leggings. Patterned dresses are good as they are more slimming/distract the eye from your sheer size !
  
• Stretchy sports bra type thing for sleeping in - I got a black and white one from Primark. Also good for when your maternity bras start to feel uncomfortable towards end of 2nd trimester/ beginning of 3rd trimester but you want to hold off buying another bigger size nursing bra until your milk comes in after birth...stretchy sleep bras have tided me over !
  

Oh and also if you're going to buy stretchy jersey dresses to show off your bump...I would recommend not getting plain coloured ones but black or patterned ones as I bought two plain bright coloured ones and thought they'd look great..but they really cling to lumps and bumps and you have to make sure you're wearing invisible seamless underwear whenever you wear them...I was pretty slim before pregnancy & up until mid-2nd trimester but I just found myself feeling self conscious in those dresses so ended up never wearing them. Waste of money. However, patterned jersey dresses even if they were tight I felt/still feel great in.

[bakingmad83]

Thanks eepie, that list of essentials is really helpful and all the other advice too :)

[ohthegoats]

Next are doing some great harem pants this summer - short (cropped), and long ones. They expand really well, and I've even dressed them up for work without anyone noticing that I'm basically wearing tailored tracksuit bottoms.

Other than that I've worn one maternity t-shirt (with those harem pants), but I'm still wearing a lot of my other normal clothes - jersey dresses, leggings, tunics, shorts with button fly undone/hair bobbled etc. I'm 24 weeks.

[ohthegoats]

Oh, I haven't worn jeans since January, I tried lots of pairs of maternity jeans but they were really uncomfy and just kept falling down. I have bought two pairs of over the bump trousers from JojoMamanBebe, but not worn them out of the house due to the falling down/crotch by knees issue. I wonder if my bump isn't big enough, or my body is too short in general - not enough distance between bottom of stretch panel and my actual crotch!

[MrsAtticus]

Any sort of low cut elasticated waist trousers would be comfy now and might well last you to the end of pregnancy. There should be quite a lot of baggy linen type trousers around at the moment as it's summer. Alternatively buying a couple of trousers the next size up might be good as they are also likely to fit you in the first few weeks after you have the baby.
I lived in some non-maternity trousers from Nomads at the end of my pregnancy.

[Halfpastthelegofmyshirt]

Get a pair of maternity jeans...they are so comfortable! I messed about with a hair bobble for ages when I should've just gone for proper jeans.

[htbftm]

I got big quick, but didn't want to buy anything really until 12 wks. I gave in about 9 weeks and bought some second hand maternity clothes from my local fb sale site. They have been worth their weight in gold! 2 over the bump jeans which don't stay up very well if i'm walking far tbh, but so much more comfy than that ache I got when my clothes were too tight on my belly! Also got 2 pairs of over the bump black trousers, and 2 pairs of white linen trousers which look fab and are so comfy! My advice would be, if you're not comfy don't put it off - I don't think you'll regret it!

[bakingmad83]

Thanks ladies. Think I'll have to get myself to the shops and see what feels comfy :)

[mssleepyhead]

When I was just feeling bloated I lived in Jojo Mamam Bebe's maternity PJs, which I can't recommend enough. But by 14 weeks I'd also got maternity trousers. I now live in Topshop's Leigh jeans. I have two black pairs which I wear for work and regular jeans for the weekend. Now 29 weeks - they've been my buy of the pregnancy so far. (Learned I don't do leggings!)

[puppy123]

Try mamalicious maternity jeans, I bought the black ones on Amazon and have worn them almost constantly! Look just like nice normal skinny jeans but v.comfy.

[chillychicken]

I'm nearly 14 weeks and so bloated, I'm going to have to buy something soon but Maternity clothes really, really confuse me

How do I know how big my bump will get so how do I know what to buy?

I actually need to stop eating biscuits, then my bloat might disappear

I'd continue in normal clothes but my size 10s are tight, yet size 12s hang off me.

I just need to bite the bullet and buy some things don't I? Baking I'll be interested to know what you find!

[weebairn]

If you buy some basics one size up you also have some clothes for the postpartum stage where you are too small to wear maternity clothes or at least can't stand the sight of them any more but not back in your normal ones yet.

yes I know there are people who are a stone lighter than pre-preg immediately after delivery but for most women this is the case for a few months at least!!

[bakingmad83]

Thanks all. Visiting family next weekend who live near a big shopping centre, so think I'll wait till then to have a good look.

[squizita]

Primark trousers with elastic waists. Bought 14 weeks - still OK with a long top 26 weeks! Bargain!

[mssleepyhead]

Personally I would buy maternity clothes sooner rather than later so you get the wear out of them. I bought a couple of baggy tops before I felt ready for maternity clothes and they turned out to be a big waste of money because I could only wear them for a few weeks. Buy maternity clothes in your normal size; they'll be made to fit your bump but also the rest of your body. And try both under and over the bump styles. I wasted money on a pair of over the bump maternity jeans and couldn't work out why I was feeling so sick - it was the jeans pressing into my tummy! Now I only buy under the bump and it's much better (but some much prefer the support over the bump provides, so try both!).

Don't be too disappointed if the shopping centre doesn't sell much; pretty much every shop just does maternity online, or if they don't the range will be much bigger. The only shop with any maternity clothes in Bluewater, near me, are H&M and topshop, both with very small ranges and stocking very few sizes.

[bakingmad83]

I hadn't realised that about the shops often not having maternity lines in store, that's helpful to know mssleepyhead thank you.

[squizita]

Just from the other angle: I bought maternity too early and have only just got into it. What a waste of money, M&P/Mothercare have such huge bump space they're pretty useless until 20+ weeks (not to mention very overpriced and ugly).
Having spoken to others who have had recent babies the general consensus is many items:
-stretch long tops (buy 2 sized 2 big)
-elastic waist trousers skirt (again, too big to be worn under bump)
-Maxi dresses
...will see you through to 30 weeks or so (at least).

Some items:
-Overbump trousers/jeans
-non stretch tops
-leggings
-tights
...need bump space sooner not later. But until it's a bump (not bloat) take care as you might buy too small!! And have to buy again.

[twinklestar2]

I can't recommend New Look maternity enough!! I started wearing mat clothes at 12 weeks to get the wear out of them plus I my jeans didn't fit me amymore. Wearing mat jeans was such a relief they are so comfortable!!

I tried to get away with a few items in bigger sizes but they look silly on - just buy your size in maternity fit.

Currently 31 weeks. I've brought the following and had so much use out of them:

m.newlook.com/application/product/view?cat=305085749 - these in the winter with black tights and boots. I managed to get 2 packets for £10 each in the sale

2 pairs of new look skinny jeans, one in blue and one in black. Total cost £30. One over bump and one under bump.

A pair of combats from mamas and papas - £10 in sale

Some black cropped smartish work trousers from M&P - £10 in sale

3 pack of long sleeve tops - m.newlook.com/application/product/view?cat=311817799

6 vests for summer like these: m.newlook.com/application/product/view?cat=296680399

I've spent about £100 and I've felt comfortable and stylish thoughout. Invest in some maternity clothes and wear them early so you're getting use out of them. That's my advice :)