To think that the availability of maternity clothes is awful

[lenak]

I am 19 weeks pg with DC2 but am already starting to wear some maternity clothes. I have dug out my old clothes from DD1 (luckily they are both September babies, so same season) but whereas I was a 10 last time, I'm only an 8 this time so some things are too big. Also, I didn't have many clothes last time because I didn't need them until 25 weeks!

I go on holiday next week so have been desperately trying to get hold of summer tops. Went to a massive Westfield shopping center yesterday - only four shops had maternity sections - two of them were ridiculously overpriced (and seem to think that size 8 women don't get pregnant), one only had about 5 different items - 3 of which were nightwear.

I got a couple of tops from the fourth, but compared to their non-maternity wear they were so expensive.

Ordered a few things on line when I got back but even that was a bloody chore - most of then best things had sold out and trying to get 34" trousers for work is a bloody nightmare. The only place I can buy jeans from is Next because I can't stand bump bands or over bump - really needs to be side panels.

AIBU to think that shops and retailers should pay a bit more attention to their maternity ranges:

I want to be able to browse the shops, not have to get everything on line.
I am a size 8 and 34" leg, please cater for me!
I don't want to have to pay twice the price for something I am only going to be wearing for a few months.

But most of all, I want some plain or simply patterned t-shirts.

I DO NOT WANT TO WEAR T-SHIRTS WITH STUPID SLOGANS ABOUT BEING A YUMMY MUMMY IN TRAINING, BUMPILICIOUS, PREGNANSAURUS, BABY ON BOARD OR HANDS OFF THE BUMP! IT'S FAIRLY FUCKING OBVIOUS I AM PREGNANT!

WHAT THE HELL MAKES YOU THINK JUST BECAUSE I AM PREGNANT THAT I HAVE SUDDENLY LOST ALL TASTE AND DECORUM!

And breathe!

Alibaba - do indeed bite your tongue.
It certainly is not the main reason, but contributes nonetheless to my decision (at the mo). I could have burned the lot of mat clothes when DD was born - pile of tat. I had a lovely few things from topshop maternity, but sadly not the type ok for work.

And don't get me started on maternity underwear / breastfeeding bras.

I disagree that the current ranges are "lovely", actually. Cheap fabrics, shoddy cuts, naff patterns and colours...I try to dress smartly for work and quite fashionably during the day and the maternity ranges just don't live up to this. Nice shiny black polyester trousers from New Look, or those gopping two-in-one shirt/cardigan combos - shite I would never ever normally wear! And it's not as if it's particularly cheap.

I agree, maternity clothes are shite. I'm size 10 and work in a corporate environment, and all I can find are casual clothes. It's as though professional women don't get preggers either.

That said, I've long given up and am wearing regular clothes and they fit fine if you look for the right cuts. Empire line dresses are a godsend. And they look sooooo much better than mat wear. (I'm 31 weeks right now)

The only maternity clothes I've needed are jeans and a pencil skirt. I've also bought a couple of tees and vests.

I went on holiday to Jamaica at 28 weeks and all my old bikinis still fit (and arguably I looked better in them!) so I didn't bother with maternity suits. Maternity bras are the worst, offering zero support, nipples showing through clothes, and look like something my gramma would wear so I've stopped buying those too. I've bought a few packs of M&S cotton underwear one size larger and those fit fine.

Even some of my old sexy lingerie still fits especially the stretchy lacy numbers :)

I have really struggled with maternity clothes and can totally empathise with it affecting your self esteem. I like nice clothes and try and dress well. It is very difficult to look nice with the choice available.

www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2389209&langId=-1&categoryId=&searchTerm=maternity&pageSize=200

This is nice

www.littlewoods.com/mamas-papas-printed-bright-dress/878286304.prd?browseToken=%2fq%2fmamas+and+papas+dress&prdToken=/p/prod7495591-sku11930190

I have this.

www.hm.com/gb/product/82949?article=82949-D

I have this in blue and brown in a couple of sizes bigger..very roomy..

I also have a few bits from ASOS.com which are reasonable....Next have a few bits which are acceptable..

www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33053&storeId=12552&productId=1760094&langId=-1&categoryId=&searchTerm=maternity&pageSize=200

just seen these for the size 8's

also Next maternity leggings are comfy..wash well and cheap.

I am size 20-22 and you should try looking for that size maternity clothes. They simply do not exist, unless you want to wear sacks

I couldn't get any shorts last year.

Try being less than 5 foot tall. Short people don't get pg apparently, especially short and rotund ones. The only local shop that has any maternity stuff in it is H&M and their clothes are totally the wrong shape for me pg or not. Def designed for taller women. Because I'm short my bump is proportionally huge so there's absolutely no hope of wearing non-maternity stuff. I really don't want to spend ££££ on clothes I'm only going to wear for a couple of months now. So all these "lovely" clothes you can get online are well out of my budget. All I want are a few plain basic t-shirts or tops to see me through.

I was in topshop last week and kept picking up tops and dresses I really liked before realising I was in the maternity section. A few nice tops and dresses around, they do size 8 and I assume there's a topshop fairly near you (seems to be one near everyone?) or they deliver

Op Get a bump band. You don't need to get new trousers just leave the zipper/ buttons open and cover with bump band. Shirts that come up short just look like you are layering with band as well.

I hear Primark boobtubes work equally well for a range of colours.

Slim pinkings at the best of times for us 6 foot females, but gets grimmer still when it comes to maternity wear.

I lived in Topshop jeans and (way over-priced) Isabella Oliver wrap tops.

There was nothing else.

pickings!

yanbu OP i went to westfield looking for maternity clothes a couple of months back too, thinking that with them being a large centre it would be possible to find a fairly ok selection, but found the same as you. It's getting worse than a few yrs back i think, they are moving more and more to just selling maternity stuff online, i don't remember it being so hard to find with my ds1

the other trick with trousers / shorts is to use a hairband. wrap around the button, loop into the button hole, and back over the button. did this on holiday with my shorts and it was perfect. no bump band needed.

Size 8?! Pah!
Try being a pregnant +size. I can't find anything. Of the few items I have found I either a) don't like them or b) can't afford them (usually both)...And I'm only 5ft 1 so even if I did like/could afford trousers most wouldn't fit anyway.

Luckily I've lost a bit of weight, so my jeans fit me up till about 2 weeks ago, and I've found a couple of pairs of elastic waisted trousers that I can get into, and some leggings with skirts or dresses. Tops are getting to be a bit of a squeeze. Luckily I favour the flowing style so I've still got room in most of them.

I've only got another 8/9 weeks left so I'm going to make do with what I've got.

Failing that I'll go and buy a cheap tent and cut a hole in the top. [bugrin]

I am 38 weeks pregnant and I have also had the size 8 professional women get pregnant too you know rant! I ended up buying work clothes from Isabella Oliver, Pretty Pregnant, Crave Maternity, Mama La Mode and Seraphine. Casual clothes from Mamas and Papas, JoJos and latterly some summer tops from H&M. It has cost me an absolutely fortune but it was really important that I carried on looking professional so I forked out. What's galling is the quality of the materials given the cost of the jackets.

TransatlanticCityGirl that only works if you dont get horribly fat! I used that trick (with my bump band covering it due to 2 inches of exposed flesh for the early part of my pregnancy eventually had to give up undo them totally and use the band to keep trousers up

Off hand I can think of more than 4 stores in westfield that sell maternity clothes, but yes I agree that the range isn't great.

I found getting stretchy regular clothes was the way forward, and wore lots of leggings/top combinations. Summer is a great time as you can also find lots of summer dresses which flow over the bump. Gap is great and affordable for maternity basics.

The best stuff I got was from 'pea in a pod' in New York. I was bouncing into the shop as it was the most maternity wear I'd seen in one go

I had the same problems when I was pregnant. Just wondered have you tried ASOS, they have some nice dresses, trousers etc that I still wear after the event. The clothes are really nice and don't cost much at all. I have found them to be really good to order from (quick delivery) and really easy to send back (no charge)... I agree it's better to try things on first, some of these big retailers need to get their act together when it comes to maternity ranges not being available.

Are you sure it's only 3% of the female population? Ever since I became pregnant, it appears that everyone else is too! A trip to the Trafford Centre on saturday confirmed it. 50% of the women in there had lovely bumps,... I resolved to open a shop with just maternity wear and make a mint. :)