Maternity clothes confusion

[TeacupTempest]

I am 12 weeks pregnant. I can still fit into my jeans in the morning but by the evening they are beginning to dig in somewhat. So I need to go shopping.

What to do?

Obviously I will keep getting bigger. So do I buy a size up or go for maternity stuff. If I do buy maternity how does it work? Do you buy your regular size? Are they designed to grow with you? Should I hold off till I am further along?

Confused!

Tiasmumy - buy on ebay. I got bundles of lovely hardly worn clothing for next to nthing.

I had to wear trousers the next size up first, the maternity ones absolutely dwarf me especially in the arse area. I don't want baggy clothes there.

I like dorothy perkins clothes but they rarely go down to my size. I'm not skinny (size 8 normally) but am short.

I have to admit- I have replenished my summer wardrobe as normal. I am 25 weeks and was lucky enough to have a friend work for topshop design team and get me loads of free maternity samples ( shorts, 2 chiffon tops, maternity leggings, a maternity dressy dress)

In addition I bought:
Black baxter maternity jeans from topshop- I wear to work ( I am a teacher and wear with a dressy top)
Blue baxter jeans maternity and a multi hole belt as at the moment they tend to slip down a little
a blue/ white polka dot maternity dress- topshop
A long black maternity vest top H and M ( brill as can be worn over loads of tops I had pre maternity)

Other wise I have bought a mixture of loose/ bigger size normal tops, jersey tops in a size bigger but mostly loose fitting ones. A couple of elasticated wasitband skirts from H & M and Gap. I am lucky as I have big boobs so have quite alot of loose fitting tops that will fit probably my whole pregnancy)

I guess I love been pregnant, feel quite sexy but certainly do not want to live in the same clothes all summer. I have probably spent around £200 but feel most clothes will fit after pregnancy when nothing else does, some stuff will fit after pregnancy (next summer) so not a waste. Also figured I would prob stop buying myself anything for a while after the baby comes so.......

I second what CitizenOscar says. Different women seem to grow differently in pregnancy so buy as and when you need to. I was a size 10 before becoming pregnant, and at 38+3 I still fit into many of my pre-pregnancy clothes. In fact I'm still shopping in the 'normal' clothes section for most things in my old size - there is quite a good selection of floaty looser-around-the-belly styles that I'll be able to wear while nursing and even once I regain my figure.

The best maternity buy I made was a good pair of jeans with an elasticated bump band that can be folded over. I bought them around 13 weeks and I've got a lot of wear from them throughout the pregnancy. So if you're feeling a bit tight around the waist, go for it, I'm sure you won't regret it.

The other trick is to thread a hair band through the button hole and around the button to hold your jeans/trousers/shorts up - then wear a long top over it. I did this when I was 28 weeks going on holiday in the Caribbean. I didn't want to buy a whole new holiday wardrobe (and wanted to wear my fave shorts) and no one could tell what I had done.