Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy maternity clothes?

69 replies

Rhiannon87 · 20/05/2019 12:16

Im 14 weeks pregnant. I've spent the grand sum of £40 so far buying bits of maternity wear I've seen on sale for my bigger days as well as comfy bottoms for my increasing waist.

I've actually lost weight so far with morning sickness (half a stone) but have always been a comfy size 12.

I've bought 3 pairs of leggings and half a dozen tops but apparently (according to MIL and colleagues) Im wasting my money because I should just buy the next size up. Im wearing size 14 now (normal clothes) which are uncomfy over my belly but baggy everywhere else. A size 16 is going to be far too big.
AIBU to think that I shouldn't have to wear clothes that make me look like a sack of shite when (with morning sickness and general hormones) I feel like shite anyways.

OP posts:
DennisSkinnersMolotov · 20/05/2019 12:26

I had said to myself this time round I would buy very little in the way of mat wear (I work from home). It has not worked out that way at all.

BUY CLOTHES YOU FEEL GOOD IN! Ignore them. At the beginning I bought some bigger size jeggings & jeans from Primark but the fit is awful (baggy knees) and I already feel like a frumpy blimp - looking nice is a big way to feel better (23 weeks here). Sizing up does not mean they are comfortable and I totally get what you mean about feeling like a sack of shit.

I'd say with tops you often can get away with just sizing up, I bought some longer, loose t-shirts from Primark that will see me through. I've also bought some cheap non-mat sundresses from eBay (I had a couple from last year that fit so bought a couple more) that will also last. But trousers/ jeans? No way you can 'just size up'. And if you find nice fitting skinny maternity jeans that are comfortable and also stay up, please let me know (New Look jeggings are the best of an horrendous bunch so far).

outsho · 20/05/2019 12:29

With jeans, leggings and trousers you need to buy maternity really. If you buy the next size up or even two sizes up they won’t fit you around the legs so will look baggy.

Skirts are generally fine if there’s an elasticated waist. Tops you can get away with the next size or two up once you have a sizeable bump.

Boom45 · 20/05/2019 12:29

Get used to nodding, smiling and ignoring useless and uncalled for advice. Pregnancy and motherhood seems to be an open invitation to people to tell you useless nonsense and it's well annoying.
Buy the clothes, ignore the advice.

Daffodil2018 · 20/05/2019 12:31

Definitely don’t just “size up”. Most regular clothes do not look good over a baby bump, even in a bigger size.

You can get some maternity clothes at very reasonable prices from H&M, Topshop and on Amazon. Have a look at a brand called Happy Mama.

NewAccount270219 · 20/05/2019 12:34

I see people go on on MN all the time about how you should just buy the next size up because maternity clothing is a con/indulgent/something. I tried doing that and it looked shit on me. I think it looks shit unless you're someone who gets bigger all over in pregnancy, because it makes you look like that's what happened even if it isn't. In maternity clothes I looked pregnant, in a size up I just looked fat. I didn't buy that much (was very sick of wearing the same outfits on rotation by the end!) but I'm glad I spent a couple of hundred quid to not spend four or five months of my life not feeling constantly self conscious and a bit uncomfortable. I also don't think I'd have looked ok for work without buying some maternity wear, as it looked so sloppy to just be wearing massive stuff.

Ignore them and buy whatever you want and can afford!

Original poster
Rhiannon87 · 20/05/2019 12:36

Ah thank you!!

Lots of my tops are either baggy fit or quite roomy around the midrif anyways as Ive been cursed with rather large boobs.

My sister, to be fair - my Island of calm atm, has told me to get a xxl t shirt with "Sod off" printed on it.

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 20/05/2019 12:37

Totally agree with everyone else - I did size up for a while (years of yo yo dieting means I had a lot in my wardrobe already) but they just don't fit right. I've spent more on maternity clothes than I anticipated but I think the positive impact on how I feel about how I look is massive. I have just bought some items a bit bigger too but that's normally because I specifically like them and they've tended to be tops/dresses which I will wear for a while yet.

NewAccount270219 · 20/05/2019 12:37

And if you find nice fitting skinny maternity jeans that are comfortable and also stay up, please let me know (New Look jeggings are the best of an horrendous bunch so far).

I loved my H&M maternity jeans - I was a bit sad to give them up and probably wore them for longer than necessary after birth! Obviously it depends on your height/shape, though - I am tall and they were the only ones I could find which were long enough, so I can imagine they'd be useless for a petite woman.

Abneyandteal19 · 20/05/2019 12:38

I would totally recommend George at Asda- cheap and stylish! They also do a multipack of leggings, t shirts and vests which are fab.

Can also work the other way- with my first I bought a couple of smart wrap dresses for work and still wore them after pregnancy.

Original poster
Rhiannon87 · 20/05/2019 12:39

Its hard enough getting my head around being pregnant after being told I was infertile and would need invasive IVF to get pregnant. After accepting this fate after many tears and a messy divorce, a natural pregnancy with my new partner has been enough of a shock without this "advice".

OP posts:
Chippychipsforme · 20/05/2019 12:40

I sized up on the odd dress but went and bought jeans, leggings, dresses, tights, vests, winter coat and the odd top. I had a few tops and dresses that fitted nearly the whole way through. I had a senior job so still needed to look smart even at 32 weeks pregnant and the size of a house. Being pregnant is the only time I looked good in body con dresses so I was bloody well going to wear them!

Partylikeits20199 · 20/05/2019 12:40

Also second hand maternity clothing holds its value way better than general second hand clothing so when you are done with them you can sell them on or take a look on ebay etc and there might be some second hand stuff on there you like

DennisSkinnersMolotov · 20/05/2019 12:41

I loved my H&M maternity jeans - I was a bit sad to give them up and probably wore them for longer than necessary after birth! Obviously it depends on your height/shape, though - I am tall and they were the only ones I could find which were long enough, so I can imagine they'd be useless for a petite woman.

I'm only 5 ff 2, but thanks. I'm finding LOADS of the high street maternity ranges are very limited size-wise. I looked at H&M but they only had really odd sizes in stock (like a 4 or a 20 - I'm a 14). I have some on order from ASOS so will see how they fair. So bored of baggy crotch/ knees.

altiara · 20/05/2019 12:48

Are they trying to save you money? I don’t understand - either way you’re buying new clothes as you have a baby bump that doesn’t/won’t fit in your current clothes.
Maybe don’t tell them, or if eg as someone suggested George, just say you got x in Asda if they push you. Don’t need to mention it was the maternity section.

mynameiscalypso · 20/05/2019 12:49

@DennisSkinnersMolotov My favourites are from Next - I have some black ones and some grey ones and wear them all the time.

Lazypuppy · 20/05/2019 12:53

I got maternity bottoms and baggy tops. But i didn't have much of a bump until about 6/7 months, then i bought 2 maternity tshirts from h and m.

For work i used to just wear shirt open with a vest underneath and then leggings or jeans so i could wear my shirts from before i was pregnant

Blueeyesdarkhair · 20/05/2019 12:58

Towards the end of pregnancy it’s not o my to width but the length you need to cover the bottom of your bump. Sizing up won’t work. You’re doing the right thing getting mat clothes - ignore them!

Damntheman · 20/05/2019 12:59

omg no buy maternity! Next size up will only work if you put the weight on in specific areas. Mine ALL went on my belly (and my hips - thanks genetics..) so maternity clothing was the only way forward for me.

Not only that but maternity trousers/skirts/jeans will be a GODSEND to you in the first month or two post birth.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 20/05/2019 13:01

Oh fuck that.

When I was pregnant for the first time it was the first time I felt really good about my body shape. Instead of being straight up and down, I finally had interesting lumps and bumps that looked great in close fitting clothes.

There was no way I was hiding away in baggy clothes that were way too big everywhere but the bump. It just looked untidy on me, although I’m sure some people can pull it off.

A lot of my maternity tops were designed for nursing as well, so I’m still wearing them now 10 weeks post partial with baby no 2!

pigsDOfly · 20/05/2019 13:07

I've never heard of the idea of buying the next size up. What's the point, the clothes aren't going to fit properly around the neck or on the shoulders..

You're a young woman whom, I assume wants to look her best and just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to walk around looking like a sack of potatoes or that you're wearing someone else's cast offs.

Each time my younger DD was pregnant her sister and I took her out and treated her to a load of maternity clothes. So many high street shops have a good, inexpensive selection it's easy to find something to look good in.

We also bought her some very stretchy summer dresses that weren't maternity that were able to fit over her bump.

I always had proper maternity clothes when I was pregnant.

Iwrotethissongfor · 20/05/2019 13:17

I don’t know why people care! Maternity clothes obviously make sense for the reasons others have said about changing shape not being all over, plus if they're saying buy the next size up then they’re suggesting buying new things anyway and what is the price difference between a normal pair of leggings and maternity ones?! Esp in h and m and Asda. If anything I found high street mat stuff the same or cheaper unless it was a splurge in seraphine which is lovely. Buy whatever you like presumably you’re not getting yourself in masses of debt with piles of expensive mat clothes. Obv you won’t get loads of wear out of it but you’ll be able to wear maybe your early pregnancy trousers for at least a month afterwards and I bought mat/nursing tops which doubled up for feeding afterwards. Plus you might wear again for any future pregnancies or pass onto friends. You can’t walk about feeling a state in baggy, too big clothes to keep others happy...which they will never be as they’ll then move onto telling you something else about their pregnancies...

53rdWay · 20/05/2019 13:18

Surely the next size up would only work if you had a relatively small bump anyway? I’m short and all the weight went on my bump, I’d have had to wear ten sizes up by the end.

Starlight39 · 20/05/2019 13:23

Definitely buy maternity and not just the next size up! If money is tight it is worth looking on ebay for a few bits. Also, stretchy dresses or swing dresses in your normal size can work up to a point (and are handy for after baby is born). It's worth buying some decent maternity tights/leggings - probably just leggings for you as its nearly summer as it's so uncomfy with things cutting into your waist. I had a few pairs of jeans off ebay but after 30 weeks none of them were comfy when sitting down so I lived in leggings/tights and dresses/long tops.

Just don't tell MIL/colleagues what you've bought and be very vague about it if they ask you. If you end up buying size 16/18 that's going to end up a waste of money too as it's fairly likely you won't need that size for too long after the birth.

Karigan195 · 20/05/2019 13:25

As someone 6 months pregnant I think maternity clothes are necessary. Just the basics to keep you going.

Congratulations and hope you have a smooth pregnancy

64632K · 20/05/2019 13:26

I bought maternity jeans as normal jeans were just too uncomfortable on my bump, when going up a size they were still uncomfortable and looked odd. Tops I did buy the next size up and they looked fine.