when does one start wearing maternity clothes?

[yoghurtgirl]

Hello

Am new to Mumsnet. Have been reading the topics for a while but haven't posted before. Am 13.5 weeks down the line (first time), due Dec 31st (am hoping it will be a week or so late or at least 2 weeks early!). Have had a rough time so far - only able to keep one foodstuff down consistently (the clue is in my name!). Was wondering, when do people go into maternity clothes generally? Am exhausting my supply of bigger clothes (usually saved for hangover days) and my normal clothes are generally pinching a bit. But a friend tells me she didn't need them to month 6! Can't wait that long.....

[SoupDragon]

Whenever you're big enough! I think I made do with bigger stretchy clothes until about 5 months. Maternity clothes do seem enormous when you first try them on though

A collection of bigger-than-usual clothes is useful though as you'll need them after the baby is born too. I called them my "getting fat/getting thin" clothes depending which way I was headed.

Welcome to Mumsnet and congratulations on your pregnancy

[Northerner]

Welcome yoghurtgirl

I was sooo desperate to wear maternity clothes, I wanted to look all rounded and pregnant, but I didn't need maternity clothes till about month 6 also. Then when I could only fit into maternity clothes I would look longingly at small, tight, hipster trousers in shop windows...... But then there is no pleasing me sometimes!

[yoghurtgirl]

thank you. Maybe I'll just buy a size up for now. No point giving myself too much latitude to eat chocolate and cakes (not that much would stay down anyway....)

[Bozza]

Its up to you really. But I wish I hadn't started wearing mine so soon - I was heartily sick of them by the time DS was born. Since the part of your pregnancy when you are really big will be in the winter if I were you I would go somewhere like Matalan or Primark and buy a few cheap summery bits (maybe elastic waist - got a skirt in Asda for £8 the other day) a couple of sizes bigger. Cos like Soupdragon says they might (probably will) come in after the birth.

HTH.

[morocco]

I only wore a couple from month 7 on - the rest of the time I just undid my trouser zip and wore a long t shirt over the top or bought stuff in larger sizes in the sales - wearing one today in fact 9 months on! Not that I still look 7 months pregnant or anything you understand.
Next time round I'm going to buy lots of lovely maternity clothes though - too poor last time

[codswallop]

I got a size larger trousers till about 6 months then I spent the next few months pulling up my maternity trousers. It varies from prgnancy to prgnancy...

[WideWebWitch]

Hi yoghurtgirl and welcome. I'm 19 weeks and wearing a combination of maternity clothes and normal clothes with adjustments - i.e. trousers pushed down under bump with a big top on some days or maternity trousers on other days. What I would say though (and I don't remember this from last time so maybe you won't get it) is that everyone seems to have an opinion on how big/small/neat your bump is vs how pregnant you are. Since everyone is different no-one can tell really whether you are indeed smaller or bigger than you 'should' be so do your best to ignore them if it happens to you. (she says, having fumed and ranted about this today on another thread!) So wear them whenever you want to and when it feels comfortable and try not to take any notice of people who say "Oh I didn't need them until the day before I gave birth"

[Bobsmum]

Hi Yoghurtgirl!
My bump appeared almost overnight bang on 12 weeks and it was maternity from then on. Because I'm only 5ft, I need to wear petite stuff. Unfortunately for me fantastic cheapy Primark stuff etc is way too long for my stumpy figure and only Next did petite maternity at a ludicrous price - boo.
Grobag, however sell the "belly belt" which i wish I'd bought when I was pg last year. Definitely next time!
Have a look here
I got loads of good quality tops and dresses from Budget Bumps which sells nearly new and seconds from all the usual shops, like Mothercare tops for a fiver etc etc.

[crazynow]

Hi yoghurtgirl welcome and congratulations.

I'm 28wks pregnant and I'm wearing maternity t-shirts and normal trousers (stretchy - they can be used after the baby is born) They are 2 sizes bigger because maternity trousers are still too big!!. I have got some cheap elasticated shorts from Matalan which are brilliant for this hot weather.

I wouldn't rush into maternity stuff unless you have to, you'll be in it long enough.

[aloha]

The answer is, when you're too fat for your normal clothes I got fat fast and furiously and was well out of all my normal clothes after three months. Damn that baby! I can't stand elastic waists or those hideous elastic panels so lived in dresses (Ghost and one maternity frock from expensive French shop) but then I was pg in the summer. Otherwise I would recommend Hennes maternity wear. Everyone is different and as someone else so wisely said on this thread, ignore the person who says, 'Oh I never got bigger than a size 14'. They are just showing off. I have a 'friend' like this and she irritates the hell out of me.

[SofiaAmes]

I couldn't fit into my normal clothes by 2 months. However, I just wore sweats and bought a few cheap things for fat people. I didn't actually buy any maternity clothes until I was 7 mo. into my second pregnancy. Bit of a waste really.

[Eeek]

Hi - If you're feeling uncomfortable in your normal clothes then go into bigger stuff, especially while it's so hot. I was into maternity trousers/skirts (from Formes) by about week 12. I later bought some (horrible but cheap) big tshirts from M&S which I'm still wearing now. By the end of my pregnancy I wanted to burn the lot!

[aloha]

My fave frock was from Formes. Wore it from 5months at least twice a week so it seemed worth the money to me, esp as I was working in an office at the time.

[Rachael17]

heya welcome yogurt girl i jus brought myself my 1st pair of maternity trousers from mothercare in the sale were jus over £15 for a pair of lightweight cropped cargo pants. really comfy and allow for a lot of growth as they r draw string waist
i also got a few summery tops to last through until i need supersize stuff
im 4 1/2 months now and my old trousers dont do up
i think its gonna b one hell of a big baby!!

[Wills]

Hi ya, I agree with the whenever you want thoughts. My advice FWIW is to buy little but often. Buy what you need when you need. Hennes is good, Dorothy Perkins was also surprisingly good and such good prices that I could afford to buy more. Blooming marvellous is expensive but cheap stuff IYKWIM, Jojomamanbebe is expensive but quality stuff IMO - however both of these are mail order and you have to pay to make returns. Next is also a brilliant on-line/catalogue source. John Lewis is sadly cutting their range back and the three round me have v. little stuff left and all of it mainly winter wear!

This is my second time around and I will agree that this time everything hung out straight away and I started going into maternity clothes around 4 months (now fully in but am 31 weeks). Would say that until very recently I simply went and bought larger tops and larger trousers as this time round I know that they will also form my "getting thinner" wardrobe and www so brilliantly put it.

So the best bit of advice I can give is to restrain yourself from a complete new maternity wardrobe in one shop and buy what you need when you need. Have fun

[elliott]

It is the in-between stage that is frustrating - too big for normal clothes and too small for maternity wear. I think people vary enormously in how long they can manage to stay in this in-between stage - depends on your style, whether you've got lots of loose waisted clothes and like wearing stretchy skirts/dresses with long tops.
For me, both times I've almost immediately had to wear clothes a size bigger - my usual style is quite trim/fitted, don't think people at work would be impressed by half-undone trousers somehow!! - but have a limited range and am now (17 weeks) growing out of that phase, but still not quite ready for maternity wear. Last time Iwas in maternity wear from around 22-24 weeks IIRC, this time it will be about 4 weeks earlier I think - I prefer wearing clothes that fit my body but accommodate the bump rather than stuff that just looks sack-like and shapeless all over!

Have to say I am REALLY annoyed that John Lewis has stopped maternity wear - got some really useful stuff there last time. high street options are now limited to Hennes (ok but a bit flimsy - better for holidays and home IMO), Dorothy Perkins (very limited, not found anything there I like) and Mothercare (yeuch!!) Ithink this is pretty appalling!!

[Crunchie]

1st time round I started wearing maternity stuff early, about 16 weeks. But then went out and got 2 new pairs trs and 2 new T-shirts in france at 26 weeks, only to have the baby at 27 weeks!! I didn't even unwrap one t-shirt! 2nd time I hardly wore maternity at all. I used my own skirts that were elasticated anyway (little knee length bias cut cheapies!) and fitted strechy T-shirts, until at least 20 weeks. Then I bought one maternity skirt (same as the non-ones really but £5 in the sale), one pair trs and one t-shirt. That was it. In the winter I wore black maternity trs and my own baggy jumpers, or since I was so hot all teh time a nice T-shirt

[morocco]

yes elliott you're right - don't think my work were all that impressed either by half undone trousers (even if cunningly hidden by large tshirts and blouses)- but noone dared say a word - I was too hormonal!
I know I sound the poorest churchmouse in the world but I also borrowed loads of clothes from my mum and sister who are 1 and 2 sizes bigger than me>
H & M did really good and cheap maternity wear that didn't look too horrendous and flouncy - their t shirts were really good

[morocco]

forgot to add that I don't think I could have asked anyone else if I could borrow their clothes - sounds a bit insulting really!

[wickedstepmother]

I went in to maternity stuff at about 5 months as my bump just appeared from nowhere at that point ! I agree that H&M's MAMA range is great. There is plenty to choose from and there is everything from this seasons fashion to basics. I got a couple of bits from Dorothy Perkins maternity range too.

[eidsvold]

I had about three maternity dresses which i wore at work but not until about 5/6 months pregnant - for most of it I just wore clothes sizes bigger - however I had quite a small bump.

[eidsvold]

clothes were mainly h+m bigger sizes or evans...

[monkey]

I've heard a few mumsnetters mention ghost clothes, but I've never seen them. Where do you get them? Do they have a web site? (done a google search but not found)
thanks

[NGPY]

Hello

Just reviving this to see when everyone went into maternity clothes for their second?

I have expanded much faster this time than last time, which together with the fact that my clothes were - ahem - "snug" to start with (I have been steadily putting on weight since returning to work after ds) means that I'm tempted to start wearing mat wear after scan (next week - 13 wks at that point).

I thought about trying to find some intermediate stuff, e.g. elasticated waists etc, but haven't found anything that wasn't hideous and expensive into the bargain.

Did everyone guess you were pregnant straightaway after you started wearing the clothes? I suppose that depends on the style of the clothes, doesn't it...

After the miserable way I was treated at work last time having announced my pregnancy, I was really keen to leave it much longer this time... sigh. But I suppose the clothes will be a giveaway...