when did you buy new clothes?

[glitternanny]

I'm a 16 and 10wks pregnant just trying to think about our budget (working hard to clear as much debt as possible before bubba arrives)

When did you first need maternity clothes?

Am thinking of getting a couple of cheap pairs of linen trousers in 18 in help me get through.

I'm hoping to get other bits off eBay generally or reasonable priced places.

With my first it was after 20 weeks but before 27 not certain exactly sorry. With my 22nd it was 20 weeks. With this one very soon I think and I am 17 weeks.

Ebay is very good, also there are a couple of places with sales that might be worth a look.

2nd, not 22nd, I haven't had that many children

About 20+ weeks with DC1, 9 weeks with DC2.

Don't just get bigger clothes - a pg body in not just a bigger ordinary shaped body. You can get away with bigger stretchy tops, but trousers really need to be maternity trousers.

Lots of maternity clothes in sale on M&P website last week when I looked.

Get some long Primark vests in an 18-20 - they should cover your bump. They are about £2 each.

I'd recommend maternity trousers rather than just a bigger size as the shape will fit better.

And if you insist on linen, please get a dark colour. Pale linen is completely see-through, especially on the bum!

i lost stone with HG between weeks 6 & 9

despite that needed maternity trousers at 12 weeks as my jeans just did not fit.
I bought a load of long T shirts in larger sizes in primark. £2 ish (Im a 10 / 12 and bought 16s)... I have worn them for the last 7 weeks but they WONT get me through to the end. (I dont think)

normal T-shirts became unwearable for me at about 16 / 17 weeks (ride up over my bump), but these extra big primark ones are fine for now.

At the weekend i realised that most of my long baggy hoody jumpers just dont fit any more either Have 2 non maternity jumpers that do still fit (just) and at the weekend in new look their maternity jumpers / hoodys were down to £6 so i got a couple.... BUT they are so small... all my size 10 / 12 hoods still fit fine (hust too short).... i got STUCK in the 12 maternity (OH had to pull me out) the 14 was tight, so i got a 16 maternity... it is tighter than my size 12 normal hoodies, but does at least cover my bump.
They had an 18 too that i considered but that one seemes more like a tent, so not sure if they will fit if your normal size is 16?

I have got all my mat clothes from ebay / NCT sale (except that hoody above) I got 3 pairs of jeans for £10 inc p&p (ebay), and a couple of bundles on Tops and a skirts, + a few more bits from NCT.

also get a bump band (2 for £8 is asda) so then when your normal jeans are tight you can wear them undone for a while help up by the bump band

ebay has loads of stuff and loads of bundles

Also at the moment all the maternity clothes in shops seem to be black / white / grey / beige. At least on ebay there is so much more choice

Im 19 weeks btw

Thanks ladies, again!!

Everyone seems to be different. I'm 23 weeks now and maternity clothes don't fit cause my bump is teeny but I havent got much bigger anywhere else, hope the better weather keeps up as maxi dresses will be the order of the day!!

But SIL is 19 weeks and in full blown maternity wear with a massive bump.

Peacocks and matalan seem very good and reasonably priced.

20 + 6 here, also lost 2 stone at the beginning due to severe morning sickness - was never diagnosed with HG, but I bought maternity trousers at 12 weeks as I couldn't bear non stretchy clothes on my stomach, plus most of my clothes were too big, so seemed sensible to buy maternity trousers as opposed to 'normal ones'. Bought a couple of tops now and am mostly wearing tops that I used to wear as they were all long tops anyway, but I have a couple of maternity tops and feel great in them, as it's more obvious I am pregnant and not just plump round the middle.

Everyone is different like others have said but I got big with both of mine very quickly so had to get into maternity stuff about 12 -14 weeks.
Having said that I didnt use the maternity stuff that much as it has been summer both times and I lived in maxi dresses. Don't spend a lot on maternity stuff if you can help it - Jeans are too hot in the summer really and other maternity stuff I got last time from mothercare etc just didnt fit me properly.

I went into maternity clothes at about 18 weeks with my twins because I'd not heard of bump bands. I'm now 28 weeks and still in my normal clothes with a decent sized bump - the bump band goes over my trousers and holds them up (trousers are undone) and I wear a cotton t-shirt material top on top. The bump bands I got were from Next and £12 for two. I think you can get them cheaper elsewhere, but they might not be as good as I think they're a bit narrower.

Got bigger jeans because of bloat - only 11 weeks but find skirts and trousets uncomfortable by the end of the day. Thanks for the tip re bump bands.

I'm just 11 weeks, but the same thing - bloating makes trousers and skirts too uncomfortable!
Just bought some maternity jeans from New Look, and embarrassingly they stay up over the bloat, but are really flattering on the leg (I tried linen trousers a size too big, so they do up over my belly, but look like clown trousers LOL!)
Also, leggings and dresses/tunics are a life saver. So pleased that look came back into fashion :)

I had to trade up to my pre weight loss clothes in the last month or so... I'm almost 21 weeks now... so frustrated but glad i kept my clothes upto a size 18

I was in maternity trousers by 12 weeks, tops by 16 weeks... New Look and Dorothy Perkins do cheap and cheerful maternity clothes, and I bought quite a lot online from ASOS.

Just be prepared that a) you might outgrow some of your maternity clothes by the end of it (has happened to me...), so I'd get some bump bands, they are so so useful and b) you'll be heartily sick of all your maternity clothes by the end of your pregnancy

it really varies so wait until you actually need them and then you won;t waste money. As others have said, until quite late on you can usually manage with leggings, tunics, dresses etc that don;t have to be maternity and so can be bought from Primark, New Look etc

I was in maternity trousers, stretchy over the bump from Mamas and Papas and Next at 8 weeks as i couldn't bear anything tight on my tummy, they have seen me through my whole pregnancy, now 37.5 weeks. Top wise i've only bought a couple of maternity tops but have loads of empire line teeshirts. Some in a larger size it depends on the cut really. When cold i've been in normal jumpers but they wouldn't go over bump now, good job its warm! I can just get in some of my linen holiday dresses, but again empire line. I purposly haven't spent much on maternity clothes but itching to have something different to wear once i've lost some baby weight.

I'm 18weeks and still in ordinary work clothes as they have a bit more give in them.

Casuals are a bit more of an issue - I can't get into my jeans - but thankfully it's Summer so I am just wearing a lot of my existing floaty dresses out, and tracky bottoms/shorts round the house. I have one particular dress that my DH has said for years makes me "look pregnant", and suddenly it's the dress I'm wearing the most

Really need to get myself some proper gear but cannot bring myself to be arsed with it just yet...

Both pregnancies it was around 20 weeks for me, and I agree that you can get away with tops in bigger sizes but not trousers as maternity trousers need to have something elasticy to cling to bottom of bump, which is kind of a slope.

I've been on a budget both times (and really resent paying lots of money for stuff you'll only need for a few months) so the first time I got mine on the catalogue and the second I got second hand from ebay.

Both times I got just two pairs of trousers and I didn't need anything else.