Maternity clothes - when did you start wearing them?

[Catherine1109]

I'm just coming up to 12 weeks but I'm finding it unbearable having a waist line across my tummy because it's just so uncomfortable! I'm coping at work wearing dresses (although I can't pull my tights over my tummy and have to roll them down). My jeans don't fit but I can just about make it into my leggings. It just feels way too early to be wearing maternity clothes but this is my first pregnancy so what do I know! When did everyone else start wearing their maternity clothes?

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i'm 19 weeks and have only just started wearing maternity jeans and leggings the last week, but they are a bit on the big side. Still in my normal dresses for work, normal tops and jackets. I did buy a couple of maternity dresses but they were huge so I sent them back.

I found I was really bloated 9-14 weeks but then seemed to get smaller again.

I'm 27 weeks and only just bought a pair of jeans. Otherwise have been wearing my more comfy clothes. Just go on what you feel you need to do!!

I had my maternity work trousers and jeans on before the 12 week scan, my early symptoms included bloating and trapped wind so couldn't stand any waistbands. You'll need them at some point anyway so should just go for it now.

I'm 8 weeks tomorrow and already in maternity trousers. This is my second child - for the first I wasn't in them until 16 weeks. I refuse to be uncomfortable this time!

I think it depends on the clothes, as you've noticed already. For me, the first thing to go are the skinny jeans. I think I can just do it up at 12 weeks, but feeling uncomfortable in them. By 14 weeks, I've ditched all the really tight trousers I have, and only wearing the loose fitting ones. At 16 weeks, I bought a few maternity dresses, and wear them alongside my other loose fitting dresses for work. I am still wearing normal tights with them. In the weekend, I wear leggings and tunics. I've ordered a pair of underbump trousers for work, so hopefully I can wear that next week. (Getting sick of wearing the same dresses every day)!

I had overbump ones from my first pregnancy but they felt really uncomfortable at this early stage. So obviously I must have last much longer last time? Also it could be because the pregnancy was exactly 6 months apart, and winter clothes are probably more forgiving?

I hope you aren't feeling bad about getting into maternity clothes at 12 wee

Dc2 about 8 weeks. Agree with gooorooo in that I refuse to be uncomfortable. I had maternity clothes so wore them. It means you get more wear out of them anyway and I for one am not about to start holding my trousers together with hair bobbles etc.

Maternity tights are a real godsend but shop about cos they can be pretty expensive.

Congratulations! Hope it's all going well for you.

I'm 29 weeks now and started with maternity tights over normal dresses / skirts from about 12 weeks because, like you, I couldn't stand something tight over my tummy from very early on! I bought things whenever they were in a sale and have grown into them. I got a few dresses for work at Tesco and from Asos - all quite cheap and I thought dresses were most economical as you only need one thing and can wear with normal jackets / cardigans (plus they're comfier around the middle). I did buy maternity jeans (around £30) from H&M and they're pretty good and expand around the middle. They have an over-bump band which I know some people don't like - I just fold it down sometimes. Mothercare's sale was good for a few tops which are also nursing tops, and I've bought a few larger sized Primark t-shirts. I borrowed one or two pairs of pjs / loose bottoms for lounging around the house in from my mum! (Poor her)

Just to clarify....I definitely always wore my tights under my dresses; I don't think I'm Batman!

Wear whatever is comfortable for you! I started wearing maternity jeans early on because i was the same, just felt like my jeans were really tight and i was naive and thought that might harm baby (which it won't).

I've found that yoga pants are the comfiest things for me

Not yet and I'm 17 weeks. My mum informs me she didn't until 20+ weeks with twins, so think it's just my body shape and the fact I wear leggings and tunics far to often anyway. What I DID do today is move all the clothing that's now NO WAY (e.g. fitted cotton shirts, pencil trousers) to underbed storage so now EVERYTHING in my wardrobe is stretchy or loose.

Had a scan Friday and everything seems the usual size inside my belly! Just no big bump.

Get bump bands, they're brilliant! I'm 22 wks and have a few maternity clothes but I can still get into a lot of normal stuff. Bump bands are brilliant for putting over your trousers/jeans to hide the fact they won't do up. Makes your clothes last a lot longer!

I do feel pretty bad about it to be honest. I think it's just that a lot of maternity clothes just look pretty horrible. Maybe I'm just being superstitious because I haven't had my scan yet. But you are all right I think I just need to accept it and be comfortable

Jeans at about 10 weeks. The rest I was able to wait until about 5 months for a couple of work dresses that had a little more stretch. At 7 months I have brought my first pair of maternity tights - up until then my old control top ones fitted fine. At 7 months had to concede and get a couple of t-shirts but to be honest most of my clothes still fit fine - I have a penchant for baggy stuff anyway!

I'm 27 weeks now and still wearing all my regular trousers even though I have a huge bump! I think they are fine because all my trousers are low rise as I hate the feeling of a waistband any higher than my hip bone ish height, so they still fasten under my bump.
I started needing longer stretchy/maternity tops at around 12 weeks though as my belly was starting to poke out the bottom (mot a good look!) and felt tight across my abdomen. like I said, large bump!
So I've got several maternity tops but luckily not had to fork out for trousers yet!
The most important thing is being comfortable though, don't worry about it seeming early to wear maternity clothes!

Do shop around for maternity wear, there are some nice things about and you feel so much better in clothes designed to cover an expanding tummy rather than just baggy clothes.

15 weeks. Couldn't feel comfortable in jeans after 12 weeks, everyone's different. This is dc2. I can wear my baggier dresses still. I wouldn't compare yourself, as long as the weight gain is normal your body is going to do what it will do. The people that didn't wear maternity gear til 25 plus weeks always make me feel awful but I remember by the end with dc1 my bump was enormous and mostly fluid, it all came off really fast so less worried this time. I agree, be comfortable.

I started wearing under bump trousers and adjustable wrap tops at 14 weeks. Decided I'm going to have to get them at some point and would rather get them earlier to get my money's worth. At 20 weeks, I couldn't manage normal clothes.

With my first pregnancy, I started wearing maternity trousers at 12 weeks - but that was more due to massive weight gain than anything else!
I'm now 13+6 with my second, and my clothes are starting to sit quite tight... Skirts and dresses are OK, trousers getting uncomfortable. Might have to send DH into the loft and get the clothes out again soon!

Everyone is different!

I'm a size 6 and was in maternity jeans by 10
Weeks!

Maternity trousers at 16 weeks but were very loose. I bought a couple of stretchy jersey dresses at about 20 weeks as normal work dresses were starting to look a bit strained. I managed with normal casual tops until last week (29 weeks) bt ave been in my maternity jeans since about 16 weeks too.

Now in both maternity trousers and tops as the stretchy dresses too tight. Maternity dresses just look bloody awful, which is a shame a I am very much a dress sort of person.

Couldn't fit into my trousers by about 10 weeks. I bought some empire line dresses from monsoon in the next size up as have also put on weight they'll probably be okay until late on. Am also still wearing most of my normal dresses and tops with maternity trousers and am 15 weeks.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Going to have to have a shop about I think. I've been fairly unlucky with morning sickness too so haven't actually put any weight on yet but belly is expanding fast.

I also couldn't bear to have anything over my waistline in my first pregnancy and every subsequent one. Maternity tights are your friend! Although I did also buy cheap large ones and wear them backwards, but found they wrinkled on my legs! So then I cut the waistband off a few pairs. Roll on the summer and no tights....

I've been in maternity jeans since eight weeks, and maternity dresses at work by ten weeks (buttoned cardigans over them to hide bloat/bump). I've always bloated a lot in early pregnancy so had a bulge (I won't call it a bump) from the minute the second line appeared.

By 14 weeks (1.5 weeks ago) I was really uncomfy in my normal jeans and tights so I went and got some maternity ones at H&M. I might just wear them forever, they're so comfortable... I like being able to set my belly free!

CooCoo phew I was starting to think I was a freak here: I have a bump but it is small (1st, 17 weeks) and I can get away with almost all my clothes using the hair-tie trick or dress+ leggings. :)