Can I have a rant about maternity clothes?

[dodi1978]

Urghhh, I have really had enough at 30 weeks pregnant!

1. Most high street stores only sell them online. So you order, they don't fit, but out of desperation you keep some in the end in order to, well, be dressed for work.

1. Don't get me started on jeans. I've given up on them this pregnancy. I can't wear skinny jeans when I am not pregnant, so why should I do so now? But that seems to be all you can get. Even those I ordered that were not advertised as 'skinny' didn't fit comfortably (I am a size 16, fair enough, but I can find well fitting non-maternity jeans fairly easily).

1. I have precisely three pairs of trousers that fit well (basic black trousers for work, all same make / size). Nice, over-the-bump stretchy bit that is neither too tight nor too loose. Unfortunately, the current weather is a bit too hot for them.

1. A few weeks ago, before my holiday, I bought two pairs of linen trousers from Jojo Maman Bebe. Ordered online (of course), and on trying them on they seemed to fit well. I needed some urgently for my holiday, so I kept them despite them being literally miles to long (about 15 cm!!!). Never mind, had them shortened.

But, bad luck yet again... once worn for a bit, the over-the-bump stretch gets so loose I literally have to hold them up. When I am sitting down, the linen bit sits right under my bump and is far too tight. I was so uncomfortable at work today I left an hour early because I couldn't bear them any more. Won't be able to wear them for work again when I am sitting down all day.

Arrgh! What do do? I think I'll just have to alternate my two maternity dresses again and look out for a third in the sales... but then my legs sometimes chafe when it's hot and I walk for extended periods of time.

Rant over. Please join me!

Long line maternity vests are amazing things. Manta ray dresses from debenhams have also been awesome - I owned three and can still wear them with leggings and they'll work after as well.

Being an entire 5' and absolutely huge meant that nothing fit at all ever, not even tops!

It's hideous and about survival...

Can I join in? Shorts! Why can't I find some nice, roughly knee length, not too tight maternity shorts? There are billions of them in non maternity ranges but all the maternity shorts seem to be hotpants. Why for the love of God do they assume that just because you are pregnant you want to expose even more of your flesh than normal? I don't have great legs at the best of times, especially not when pregnant. Arghhhh!

I bought jeans from new look, absolutely massive on the legs! They look ridiculous.

God yes!!! 29 weeks on Saturday and fcuked off with tne shyte retailers think we want to buy when pregnant!!

Why are all the jeans slick fit spray on super skinny?
Why is everything made out of fucking polyester?
Why can you not buy it in store like a normal person? Yes I am pregnant so must only want to shop on fucking line unlike the last 34 years of my life!!
Why does everything have to be frilly or some random print that looks like you're tripping?
Why can't I find long maternity vests? That you know actually cover my flab bump
Why are all my maternity leggings thicker than a 100 tog quilt?!
Why are maternity pants so expensive?

Why??
(sorry - it's too fucking hot for most of my maternity wear so I have resorted to two sizes bigger shorts from primark and a fat t shirt from primark when at home as nothing is comfy ;(

Try searching for bubble hem (non maternity) tops. They tend to be quite stretchy but the elasticated waist stops them riding up.
I ended up rotating 2 pairs of overbump bootcut jeans from new look. Not great quality but the band lasted.
Beware, you may still have a bump and big hips for several months after birth.
Maternity wear is rubbish unless you spend £££££.

Totally agree OP. Had my 3rd DC in May and by the end I'd been reduced to one baggy shapeless dress and one black jersey maxi skirt which I alternated with 2 tops. The jersey maxi skirt option works quite well I think, or at least I found it comfortable. All maternity trousers made me feel claustrophobic.

I went into Bon Marche and bought some non maternity shorts and 3/4 lengths a few sizes too big. Nice little stretch bits on the side and are doing brilliantly

My dm spent a fortune on a maternity order from new look for me for my birthday. Took half of it back to the shop, asked the sales assistant if a credit note could be redeemed online as obviously I'm pregnant and you can't get the maternity stuff in-store. She checked, yep, definetly. Got home, no you can't. You also can't transfer it to a gift card so you can spend it online. I'm going to have to ring up and see if customers services will help me, otherwise I have 3 tops, a pair of leggings and £120 quids worth of credit note that I can't use till I've given birth.

Im a size 24. Its a nightmare. I've a wedding to go to in August too.

I got decent over the bump boyfriend fit jeans in mothercare from the blooming marvellous range. I have lived in them and they still stay up and fit at 38+2.

Ha! I think a petition to parliament for better maternity clothes is warranted!

Or maybe just a Mumsnet campaign to retailers...

I'm a size 16 to and all my riverisland jeans are to tight already, I'm pregnant with baby number 3 and have a small bump literally dreading what I'm going to be able wear.

I've managed to get some jeggings from river island to fit for now. X

It's a nightmare! I have a professional job where suits are the norm. At the moment I'm managing with wearing ordinary clothes a size too big but the time will come when that won't accommodate the bump. WTF am I supposed to do then? I can hardly go to work in under the bump jeans or maternity leggings!

I just managed to get my paws on a Gap denim maternity tunic thing. I think it will be perfect for winter, I'll just have to wear it to death because I won't have anything else

I spent out £600 on several orders to return the majority and keep about £200 worth of clothes. Often I had to order 2 of each thing because I wouldn't know what size I am. I'm often between sizes pre preg.

I have found one pair of comfy jeans (red herring) one pair of torture jeans. Jojo were lovely and really nice looking and feeling but I would have to wear stilts (5'3") in fact I was forced to keep a pair but have yet to shorten them!! (3 months and counting!)

I have had most success with leggings and dresses. Nice dress from new look but it's very gaped round the arms - forced to keep though due to lack of stuff that actually gutted. A nice red herring dress.

Thankfully I am still wearing some pre preg stuff - dresses and loose trousers that sit under bump.

It is an absolute pain.

I'm not even pregnant anymore but totally feeling all your pain on this!

How odd, I never had any problems two years ago! H&M over the bump jeans were the best ever buy, Mothercare were good too, neither ones were skinny jeans. I'm tall as well and found both fitted well in length too. New Look did a lot of cheap nasty stuff.

These are non maternity but have a wide stretchy waistband so would be perfect for pregnancy and hot summers:
ww.apricotonline.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/womensclothing/_5051839173781/531297/Navy-&-White-Elephant-Print-Joggers

JoJo maternity leggings are well worth the investment, I still use mine now with the waistband/bump bit folded down, they're fab for horse riding in summer!

The only issue I had was with dresses that always ended up too short when they had covered my bump, but I am tall.

I feel for you, I'm tall (5,11) and its impossible to find jeans / trousers. This time I've gone with tunic style tops, dresses and cropped leggings. I got some boyfriend jeans in the H&M saw which aren't too terrible but won't fit til the end.

You have my sympathy OP! I haven't been pregnant in a while but remember ranting about this! I'm an hourglass shape, so had absolutely no idea what would suit me when I couldn't depend on highlighting my waist. Could barely try anything on, and just felt like a big blob the whole time. At work I managed with wrap dresses mainly.

I never really got on with just buying bigger non maternity clothes unless they were a wrap style as I have narrow shoulders so everything just looked ill fitting when I tried.

Where are the best maternity leggings found that aren't all thin when stretched over the legs? I want thick maternity leggings!! But im also 5"11 so they need to be long!!

It's the online-only thing that enrages me. I'm a funny shape - short body, long legs, small hips 'n' thighs, big waist. Being pregnant has been good because for the first time my usual 'fat area' is supposed to be big. But I need to try stuff on! Most stuff is trying to cling where my bump starts and is billowing out where it stops. We're not all the same shape pre-pregnancy, why do manufacturers think all pregnant bodies suddenly become alike! About 10% of what I've tried on actually fits - I'm not ordering online to return 90% of it!!

Total high 5 to you OP, I had an couple of EPIC TANTRUMS (inc: throwing things, actually yelling) last year when I was pg with DD.

Over the bump jeans slipped/rolled down

Under the bump jeans slid down giving an unwanted MC Hammer effect.

Now I'm pg again I'm just going to spend the duration in dresses from Purpless. They are a bit cheapo but actually fitted me well x

I've been lucky this time and put on almost no weight so am able to live in leggings and stretchy tops without looking gross (like I did last time) however what the fuck is with all the patterns and frilly shit!

I don't suddenly want to dress like my mum because I'm pregnant. New look is a prime example loads of cool trendy funky clothes reach maternity and you either get basic t shirts or fluffy frilly girly things. Which is fine if your a frilly girly person as I say my mum is but I am not. I'm raging now

I've got 5 nice day dresses from H&M online. Also got a pair of over the bump denim shorts from there. I've definitely found H&M to be a godsend for me!