What do you wear when you're too small for mat clothes but ordinary ones make you look fat not preg?

[PetiteMum]

In this heat! I've taken 2 days off work as its too hot and I'd rather be at home in a slip!

Empire line dresses! Or anything that shows off your skinniest bit (mine is arms, if I wear sleeves I immediately look chubbier) but hides your tummy. Once you start getting a bump, maternity tops will make it a more obvious "bump shape" even if you don't fill them out completely :)

Dependin on your bump shape tight-ish tops or dresses could help as it shows you have a small bump rather than just eaten all the pies. Empire line can be quite flattering too.

You have my sympathy- it's the trickiest bit clothes wise.

I bought a few bits up a size- figuring they'd be useful for the way back down too! That and just wearing my loosest clothes.

I went into mat clothes fairly early as I couldn't bear bring uncomfy with digging waistbands. I recommend Asos. V reasonable prices and I've found a number of their dresses looked almost normal at the start and have grown with me. My favourite for work is this:

m.asos.com/mt/www.asos.com/ASOS-Maternity/ASOS-Maternity-Belted-Dress-With-Scoop-Neck/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2722235

Good luck x

I'm at 18 + 4 and bought New Look under bump jeans (despite having no bump for them to go under) and they've been a godsend. Plus they come in short arse lengths! Still on normal tops at the moment, but might get some mat ones shortly.

For work I've gone with jersey type stretchy dresses (non-maternity) like this one: www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eightNewbury-Print-Dress/202299081

If you can find the right shape, they pull you in above the bump but hide everything below :) Plus you can dress them up with existing suit jackets (even if they stop doing up) or in this heat they still look smart enough for work whilst being cool enough to survive! I've found them in Phase Eight, White Stuff, Hobbs, The White Company, Fat Face and a few other places - the sales are on at the moment, so it's a good time to hunt!

ps. Have been wearing that dress since about 18 weeks, still wearing it to work now at 32 weeks as it grows with you :)

Cotton dresses! Also travel at different times. I had a-line dresses that skimmed my bump. I remember being pregnant in 2009 when it was baking and refusing to get the tube. Horrible.

Leggings (small maternity or normal ones rolled under bump) and loose shifts/ tunic tops in a size or two up. Good for after birth too as you'll be too big for your normal clothes and a little too small for maternity wear.

Fat face do wonderful tunics and loose jersey dresses that cinch under the bust and help with the transition

I just looked a bit fat for a while

Hmmm...thanks for the suggestions! I'm 18 wks and my bump is definitely a bump below the belly button. However, when I sit down I have 2 spare tyres as I guess my previous belly fat has just been pushed up! Not a flattering look in tighter show off bump clothes, yet look hideously fa in baggy clothes.... Come on bump! Grow! So I can enjoy looking preg at least

I wore floaty tops and just looked far and didn't care :)

Fat not far!

Also found I could wear "under bump" mat trousers in smallish size right away so have some nicely tailored khakis I wear with sandals and floaty tops.

I have a below belly button bulge (roughly same stage as you) and am wearing bottoms a size up. I don't look pregnant at all in empire line or floaty clothes, only in figure hugging ones where it goes boobs-flat-BULGE.

Last pregnancy I wore stretchy or empire line dresses to the end pretty much!