To buy maternity clothes?

[Rhiannon87]

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.

FWIW, I wouldn't spend too much on 'nursing' tops unless they are maternity suitable as well. I bought a few and didn't get on with them at all (the access always seemed fiddly or in the wrong place when baby was latched. Far better to just wear a vest (Primark cami's are your friend) under normal tops and do one up one down.

I've also found, if you're -shortarse- petite like me, the Primark camis can be pulled down over both bump and bum (good with leggings).

I mostly wore dp’s clothes.

Did you work? Or ever go anywhere remotely formal? I couldn't have gone to work in DH's cast offs while pregnant (any more than I usually could!) and I wouldn't have wanted to, say, go to a restaurant or a party in them. I did sometimes slob around the house in his hoodies, but I wouldn't have liked to do that much beyond the corner shop!

Beg, borrow and steal what you can from friends. My only problem was finding reasonably priced cheap smart casual work clothes and an outfit for a funeral.

Why are you having to discuss what clothes you buy with MIL and colleagues? Just don't mention it, and if they offer advice just be vague and change the subject. Works quite well for a lot of things actually!

I'm 19+3 weeks into my second pregnancy. I've needed maternity trousers since week 11 due to the bloat/early bloom. Best money I ever spent. If you feel good in it, buy it, wear it, show off your growing belly. Tell naysayers to sod off.

Why would anyone suggest buying the next size up instead of buying maternity clothes? Either way you’re buying new clothes so you might as well buy some that are actually designed to fit your changing shape. They don’t have to be expensive. H&M have cheap and comfortable maternity wear.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but happy mama are good - very cheap and what I did was buy their nursing / maternity tops - basically floaty tops with inset panels. They were comfy at the end of pregnancy and then once little one arrived (and I still looked 6 months pregnant!) They were handy when I was getting to grips with breastfeeding out and about - I too have larger boobs and the one up one down top thing takes a bit of getting used to.

Asos often have nice maternity dresses in their sale. I work in a formal place and bought two which I alternated with different jackets that I just wore open so as to minimise maternity workwear.

La redoute also sometimes have amazing sales - I got a pair of the most comfy maternity dungarees from there for £17.

I know what you mean about the size thing - I lost 2 stone at the start due to sickness and was actually just below my pre pregnancy weight at 9 months but a totally different shape. Maternity wear really was worth it!

Go maternity gear - jackets, jeans, leggings, t shirts- seriously when you’re 39 weeks pg you are going to feel horrible with clothes that fit badly and ride up (or slide down and fold uncomfortably under your bump).

The only thing I’d buy in next sizes up are stretchy t shirt dresses or tunics.

Smile and nod at the unsolicited advice, there’s a lot more a-coming!!

H&M for skinny jeans, they do the best maternity jeans. I got a pair of the super skinny ones at the weekend and just like normal jeans except for the waist. No ridiculous baggyness that you get with New Look.. I’ve then got a pair of paper bag waist trousers from primark in a size up, they’ve got a stretchy waist so they will do until my bump is massive for work.
Top wise for summer you can get away with the same or a size up I reckon... I wear a lot of tops tucked into trousers for work so they just go around the bump.
Outside of work I just wear normal leggings & T-shirts as I would normally wear pre pregnancy

I am not a clothes person, I wear things until they are probably too worn out for the charity shop, but I say buy maternity wear!

I totally hit the gap 40% sale and got a scratchcard discount in jojo maman bebe. I feel a bit self conscious with a bump, but I also feel like I look good in my maternity clothes and, more importantly, I'm comfortable.

Have you tried buying a maternity bundle on eBay? Most items are in excellent condition and dirt cheap.

I’m always really about posters who say they got away with wearing leggings and jumpers once they really started showing.

I’ve never worked anywhere where you could get away with not wearing office appropriate clothes, even when pregnant. That’s before you get to wondering what you’d wear to something smart casual like a christening or a meal out.

I get people being conscious of how much they’re buying and being smarter consumers, but if there’s one time in life where it’s ok to buy clothes knowing they’ll only be used for a few months, it’s pregnancy!

@PennyMordauntsLadyBrain my office doesn't have a dress code, i wear top, jeans and converse most days, and just did the same when i was pregnant.
i don't really ever dress up so a meal out would just be jeans and a top etc

I’m wary that I might be giving you advice now... (it’s a recommendation!) For clothes with boob access I’d recommend following cibii - can I breastfeed in that? - on FB. Lots of people out scouring the high streets for mainstream nice clothes where you can pop (or flop ) a boob out as the specific nursing offerings can be a bit plain or boring. Helps you feel like a normal person rather than a boob machine. As far as specific nursing stuff went I had few things from h and M mama range and I really like milky tee www.milkyteecompany.com/

they’re easy to get access to (vertical zips) and feel like nice tucked into jeans or skirt. Good luck

I bought a lot on eBay but massively needed maternity clothes. Sometimes you can get away without them - I'm 37 weeks and wearing a size up loose shirt and a pair of lululemon super high waisted leggings (which have been hands down my best pregnancy purchase). But I wouldn't be able to go to work without my dresses from Seraphine and Isabella Oliver. I'm a generally slim and fit size 10-12 (5ft11) and even now maternity jeans just fall down. Tops became too short if not maternity at about 28 weeks. If you need to look smart, you need maternity clothes.

You 100% need maternity bottoms, they need to either be very loose under the bump or come right up over the bump, which was my preference as I felt supported! Sizing up is just daft! You'll grown out of it in a matter of weeks and then need to buy more, where as mat clothes will last throughout and a few weeks after.
I did manage to just buy a few non mat baggy jumpers and shirts as well.
My best tips are, don't bother with too many jeans, leggings are the most comfortable as are dresses, jeans just tend to slip down!
Don't bother buying too many combined mat and nursing things, they'll be way too big after the first month or so as they are sized accommodate a pregnant belly which you'll no longer have!

I have bought a couple of pairs of seraphine maternity skinny jeans for around £10 each on Ebay as I couldn't face wearing the bootcut Jean's from my first pregnancy! I have bought a pair of trousers for work and I am wearing my longer regular tops that I can still squeeze into and have bought one maternity top. I have just splashed out on a new maternity swimming costume as my current non maternity one kept on pinging open at the back when swimming. I would just buy things as you need them, I vowed I was going to squeeze into my swimming costume until the end but was not to be!

@iamheretoday
MIL happens to work where I purchased my offending maternity leggings and jeans from, saw them in my trolley and gave me the Spanish Inquisition and as regards to my colleagues - there's 3 of us in total including myself, I was asked what I did on the weekend, I answered.

Thanks all for your advice - I've been scouring for a few ebay bundles. I haven't got any friends to really steal maternity clothes from - they're either childless or have got rid of their maternity stuff. Im quite lucky I can wear what I want to work - jeans and a tshirt is perfectly fine 😊

I found a lot of good maternity clothes quite cheaply on eBay.
As others have said, this is YOUR pregnancy so you do it your way and do what makes you feel good.
Good luck with your pregnancy etc