Grrr! Can't find any maternity trousers

[Oeisha]

So, I'm 12wks, but am beginning to feel a little tight across the tum. The next size up trousers are all far too big across the waist line and irritate me (tried this approach), by falling down under the bit of bump I do have, and generally just not being the right size, so I thought of looking in to maternity trousers that I will, in a few weeks, be able to start to wear.
So, I went in to Manchester thinking, crikey, there MUST be something there in the big retailers.
Due to being exteedingly knackered at all times...and not having much time, I thought I'll stick with retailers I know, and who's stuff I generally like.
Went to Next to the maternity section...they don't do short legs in shop. Only online, and only then in a few styles, and they won't guarantee to have them, even if they're a 'new' line...despite having X-long on the rails...and then I'd have to pay a P&P...I tried arguing that this was unfair as apparently x-longs don't have to pay to try on their clothes, but got a vacant stare.
Next M&S, nope they don't do anything in store anymore, all online, and a similar story with leg length apparently...
...now, am I missing out? I've seen nothing in any literature that says I should have gotten taller...should I have grown by a foot by 12wks or are they just being plain STUPID?!
...and can anyone suggest a good supplier of maternity wear for those of us 5"3 and under?

Well I did have to give in and go with leggings - but more because NOTHING else was comfy and I'm a big girl. If you go to H&M, they don't have a huge amount of choice, so just pick up the largest size of each of the probably 3 styles of trousers they'll have and try them on - if none fit, back to the drawing board, if one style fits, buy several pairs And like I say, if you've only paid a fraction of mama's & papa's/mothercare prices, less irritating to have to alter the length a little...

I got these and they have lasted me all the way from around 16 weeks - am now 37 weeks. Super comfy to wear - I got their jeans too and can tell you they got A LOT of wear! I am 5'2" so similar situation to you. Really wanted a pair of white linen mat trousers and the only ones I saw were from Next - online only for the short length with a 6 week wait so didn't bother in the end!

www.funmum.com/maternity-clothes-shop/product/petite-maternity-clothes/tailored-maternity-trousers/

I think you might have to resign yourself to online shopping I'm afraid. Rubbish but you might end up having to go to work in the nud otherwise!

Topshops maternity leggings (online I'm afraid though) are great - they've washed really well. I'm still using bumpbands that I got from Newlook (basically boobtubes) over my old work trousers which I cannot fasten at all.

I also found a shop (again online) called Seraphine which has a sale on and some OK stuff including some glammish dresses if required.

H&M and new look (but big stores) the only places that i've managed to walk in and see maternity clothes. Quality is hit and miss though.

Good luck

HamsterMamster I was all excited about those trousers on the Fun Mum site (so many places only seem to have casual clothes and it's work clothes I'm really going to struggle with) until I noticed they don't have them in petite - only regular or long! Guess they sold out because all of us shorter ladies have so little choice. :( Back to the drawing board for me then (I'm 5'3.)

sassylassie I got all excited too... :(
I'm not against online shopping, I just know how poorly designed and fitted clothes are awkard I am to buy clothes for in terms of shape. I'm sort, I'm curvey, I'm slightly fat and now I'm pregnant...
Thankfully I wear a uniform business dress at work, so they will supply me with that. Plus, it's not very 'Waitrose' for the Partners to be half-nakked on-duty, so they cater for bumps. Just not in overly nice material...

I can't find maternity stuff on h&ms website either but in store is good-although mainly casual. I struggled for smart work clothes in there. I got some nice linen trousers from h&m and some work trousers from top shop-both trafford centre. Top shop trousers did need taking up though. I bought some great leggingps from M&P today too, but up until now have been managing with cheap normal ones ie primark and new look. M&P at manchester fort is bette than the one in the TC. Red herring to mat clothes to- debenhams stores. Asps is good. Oh, and early on I bought a few second and bits of eBay while I figured out what i liked. Got some great bargains like some like new Mamas & Papas mat jeans for 99p!!!!

I've just spent a load of money on Red Herring stuff on the Debenhams website, but I expect to send quite a bit of it back (I usually have a 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 hit rate on clothes fitting/style suiting). I gave up on actually trying to find things I liked and pretty much added anything which looked like it might fit to my basket! I also gave up on finding trousers short enough to fit (after several hours of fruitless searching online). Fortunately my mum has kindly offered to turn them up for me.

Does anyone know when the autumn/winter stuff hits the stores? Linen trousers, short-sleeved tops and capri pants will be of no use to me whatsoever when I'm 7 months PG in November!

Oeisha You know it's at times like this when I really wish I could wear a uniform to work, even if it isn't particularly attractive. :) At least I wouldn't be spending my weekend and my wages buying expensive maternity clothes for work when I'll only wear them for a few months!

it's one of ooh about six zillion things no one ever warns you about when you start a family - the inability to find nice clothes actually in shops anymore while you have a bump. Ordering online is the only way to go, really. Good luck.

I found the only way to cope with a shortarse was to just buy the clothes with too long legs and turn them up myself - it's not too hard.

Some jeans and trousers you can just iron a turn-up into, others you might have to turn the bottom inside to the right length, iron it to hold it in the right place then sew the overlap up.

Also - ask your short friends with kids already, they might have a pile of clothes they're not using!

Like La Weasel I've found I just had to learn to take up the hems of trousers myself (Sassielassie could you ask your mum to show you how?).
To be honest it's a wonderful surprise when trousers fit comfortably and don't need shortening - and that's before I was pregnant.
I'm now wondering about learning to make trousers since none of the shops in my town have maternity ranges I can try on and I am hesitant to shop online 'cos I don't really know what size I am (recently varied between 12 and 18!).

try an extension band for your button, the home delivery catalogues usually have things like that - betterware or something, then you can extend your button and wear a longer top, (or even cheaper use an elastic band ;) mad i know but it will save buying something so soon for that 'in between' stage)

I struggled in Manchester too - couldn't believe even good old M and S were only online! I got a couple of nice pairs of stretchy-top trousers from Red Herring, though, but at 17 weeks they are still too big for me. I was genuinely shocked how few mat clothes there were. I'd never buy trousers online at the best of times, as they need to be tried on, and certainly not whle pregnant. At size 18, I wouldn't contemplate leggings. I have a couple of pairs of enormous trousers from my (even) larger days, but I hardly think wading around in those is going to make me my best. The search continues!

I went into my local Next with reference numbers and the assistant..well..
"Yes, it's rediculous [re website t&cs]. You're right not to sign up". hmm
If that's the opinion of their own staff...
So I ordered some to come into store (gives them some trade too at a rather sticky time locally), had to pay there and then, but will get a refund if they dont' fit when I go in and try them.
I'm also investing in some bump-bands from Newlook (online). Hoping work will let me use them as I'll have to be 7 months pg to fit into mat business dress and really don't want to have to go into a 16 and just by plain uncomfy all day (beyond the usual) - they should do. Under the usual aprons etc, and they don't moan about vests so blargh...either that or they can move me back to checkouts.
As for those looking on the H&M website, basically you can't just search for maternity. Go to 'ladies' and then 'tops' or 'trousers' through your drop downs at the top, then on the LEFT you'll see an option called MAMA, that's the maternity stuff, but you do have to search by castagory each time you wish to clothe a different part of your anatomy...
notlettingthefearshow maybe we should join forces and attack Mancs with enough pregnancy hormones to make shop assistant tremble in our wake...