Affordable Maternity Clothes

[Newlywed123]

I'm 13 weeks and already in desperate need of maternity clothes!

Where is the best place to get them from?

I also want some I can wear post pregnancy and which tops/dresses which are suitable for breastfeeding! Any links or help would be greatly appreciated :-)

How annoying, I wrote a reply and its gone!

EBay was where I got most of my stuff.

For tops you can also breastfeed in look out for the wording "nursing". But, you can also use your normal clothes by layering. Top layer anything like a T-shirt and you pull that up over. Under layer a strappy top and you pull that down and under. Saves money and you can go back to your old clothes more quickly.

Congratulations!

I've found new look and H&M to be the best high st shops.

I've found mat wear a nightmare this time .... there's nothing in store to try on and it is mostly all online. My stuff has come from new look and ASDA sales. Saying that in early pregnancy I bought a pair of fugly stretch trousers (non maternity) from m and s and have practically lived in them. They still fit now at 28 weeks.

I found h&m stuff brilliant. Sizing was a bit random but large stores stock the range and you can try it on rather than ordering online.

I ordered from here www.purpless.co.uk for maternity and nursing clothes they fit really nice. I had the formal dress in a few colours for work and everyone used to comment how nice it was. You can order from Amazon as well in case you have Amazon prime.
In every order you get a voucher off your next order I think it's £5 off £30 so worth ordering a small order then if you like the stuff use the voucher next time.

I agree with the PP about layering a vest top and a normal top for bf as a lot of nursing clothes are expensive and hideous imo and it's quite nice to be able to wear normal clothes after months of maternity clothes.

These are brilliant, if you like dresses. Comfy, wash well, dirt cheap, and have a wrap front for feeding afterwards. I have them in loads of colours and wear them all the time with leggings (I'm 25 weeks now and because they are quite fitted jersey around the boobs they still make me feel vaguely put together/attractive, with something resembling a waist ).

New Look maternity leggings are good - nice and comfy and generously sized for the bump without being baggy anywhere else.

Wineandchoccy oh snap!

Great minds KnitFastDieWarm that is the same dress that I had from purpless maternity in the link above

They are fab aren't they? Like wearing a comfy old t shirt but nice enough to make you look vaguely respectable at work

I feel so lucky now that my sister saved all her maternity clothes for me. I could never have afforded to get as much, as she has given me! I only have to get something for work now (and college if I go back)! She bought most of hers off e-bay. She even got a few Isabella Oliver things quite cheap, which I believe are quite pricy new! Do you have a birthday coming up, or would anyone get you anything as a very early Xmas pressie, if money is tight? Maternity clothes are so much comfier. I'm only 11 weeks and already seem to have small bump ( even if it's only bloating)! Good luck and congratulations on the pregnancy.

I really rate George at Asda. I hadn't found any in store but have had it delivered on click and collect and have never had to return anything. Still wearing the same jeans at 39 weeks as I bought at 13 and they still look good as new!

New look and jojo maman are good, the former for basics like vests and jojo for plain wrap dresses or cardigans. Reckon have probably only spent £100 this time round and still feel pretty nice

I agree with h&m as it's fashionable maternity wear. I did splash out on a couple pieces though. I waneed to look and feel good too. You might be lucky to get a few sale bits now, new look is good for maternity leggings.

I can also recommend purpless - I've got their tops, leggings, and formal dresses and all are brilliant - and fairly cheap too but don't look it.

ASOS and H&M were good for me.

I'm going against the grain and say avoid H&M. Last time I was preggers they were great, but this season the quality seems to be poor. Tops are thin, not long enough and shrink on a 40° wash (in their defence they say to wash at 30°, but still). The over bump jeans are good though.

I'd suggest New Look for cheap tops and Mothercare for a few 'nicer' but more expensive bits.

It really depends on what your style is - and what size you are - but I found I've got loads of things I already owned which will continue to fit long into pregnancy. I had loads of Cos (much of which is naturally oversized or waistless) and American Apparel (all stretchy) so that's helped.

If you have any of the following they might come in handy...

Stretchy "tube" jersey pencil skirts (which can be hoiked over or under bump)
Tunic tops
Oversized anything, especially wool or jersey dresses
Stretchy vest dresses
Longline vests and tops which you don't mind getting stretched
Drawstring trousers or yoga pants

But definitely buy good well-fitting bra, maternity tights and leggings!

I'm 18 weeks but have a bump and today I'm wearing an American Apparel stretch pencil skirt, a 10 years old Zara cotton polo neck (which would not be suitable without anything over it, but is fine for layering) and a Cos tunic top as a pinafore over the top.

I've just got 2 pairs of jeans off asos for £34 in the sale

Can anyone tell me how the sizing is on the purpless dresses? I'm 18 on top and normally 14-16 waist, so not sure whether to go up or down. They're so cheap!!

Another h&m lover here. Their maternity jeans and trousers fit me really well, I'm only 16 weeks but major bloat and there's plenty of room for bump to grow. It's free delivery at the moment too if you wanted to try things. Like all maternity ranges the online range is miles bigger than what is stocked in the shop. Haven't needed to delve into maternity tops yet though.

Oh, and can anyone recommend decent maternity tights? I've got some from mothercare but they're soooooo uncomfy and scratchy. Someone must make some soft and stretchy ones, right?

M&S maternity tights - awesome.

If you go for Marks and Spencer tights, I found the legs to be about 4 inches shorter than their non-maternity tights.... I'm afraid I found the Mothercare ones much better.

For other stuff, I got most of mine from eBay (including a couple of lovely Seraphine dresses I couldn't have afforded new), but bought some bits new: a couple of tops from New Look, vest top and leggings from H and M (leggings a bit too long for me at 5'3", ok but not great quality-developed a hole a few weeks ago; would recommend their vest tops though) and jeans from Mothercare (have lived in these, great fit, really comfy). All still going strong at 38 weeks!

Oh,and I bought a maxi dress from JojoMamanBebe, super flattering and a good fit, but fabric did bobble much faster than I'd expect given the price. Has been invaluable in n the heat though!

rallytog1 I would say the purpless clothes are true to size I'm a size 12 top and 14 bottom normally and I ordered a 12 in the tops and 14 in dresses and they fit.
I liked matalan maternity tights but had to do click and collect because they never had them in store, Im tall so went a size bigger. I didn't like Matalans jeans though they were supposed to be over bump but wouldn't stay up but they were ok for the few weeks after I had my dd when you want to hold your belly in

I got the majority of my stuff from H&M and New Look, with a couple of bits from Asos.

I also had some Primark tops that I had pre-pregnancy; they have a lot of stretch and grew with me until about 6/7 months.

Primark also sometimes have non-maternity stuff that will fit. I got some smock dresses one size up that fit until the end.