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!

I hate maternity clothes - am 17 weeks with DC3 and it drives me nuts. I don't like baggy floaty arms (my arms aren't pregnant), I don't like midi dresses (they look terrible on me when I'm not pregnant and I'd feel as frumpy as heck in them now - I am too short), I don't like terrible t-shirts with pregnancy slogans on them - ARGH.

But I just spent about twenty eight hours of my life trawling through ASOS and bought a couple of short wrap dresses, three tops I'd normally wear but in maternity (and which just look oversized really - I'm really happy with them and they'll be fine for the winter/BFing with cardis and a vest underneath). Also long vest tops with waterfall cardis/longline cardis work well. I got over the bump jeans from Next, shorts from New Look and a skirt from JoJo. It's just so hard finding things I'd normally wear/will be happy to wear next summer too when I'll have a small baby and don't know what weight I'll be ... I find it a nightmare!

Oh yeah, also bought ASOS leggings and am happy with them.

Over the bump yoga pants from Mothercare. I lived in them, and they were fine for work

I hate to be the bringer of bad news - but you have to keep wearing them after you give birth! Two months for me. Had to buy more from asos. Saddest purchase ever!!

Pregnancy #3 here, and I think I've given up with maternity wear - I never really found anything (other than the H&M jeans already recommended) that properly fitted. There are always cotton leggings, oversized t-shirts and cardigans, big maxi-dresses. I think most of what's available is marketed to us to make us feel we need it.

My surprise finds for maternity clothes were Primark for maternity jeans (I've never bought jeans from there before or since, but they were AMAZING and so cheap, yet other expensive brands I'd tried were simply awful!) and Red Herring for work trousers (over the bump, comfy and fitted well, although they did bobble very quickly).

Clothes i haven't had too much difficulty with but shoes
I am only 5ft5 with non pregnant size 8 feet. 40 weeks tomorrow and I have been living in 2 pairs of fit flops for the past 2 weeks, then this heat hits and then with my already swollen feet have worsened and my ankles have completely disappeared and dont go down at night! Cue DP and I in Sainsburys men section buying size 11 mens espadrilles and flip flops, we had a Cinderella moment amongst the various mens board shorts etc. My huge fear is that prior to DD1 even getting back to my baby weight I went from a small size 7 to a firm 8. I may have clown feet till the very end!!!

Twoboots I'm also a normal large 8 so was worried when last pg that they would get even bigger. Would Newlook size 9 wide fit be worth a look?

I found Gap ok for maternity clothes and they have a sale now. To be quite smart at work I'd get Isabella Oliver and Seraphine on eBay. I did wear leggings w dresses at times but managed to stay quite smart (I think) Tiffany Rose great for dresses for weddings etc and lots on eBay too.

Also to prevent chafing and to feel a bit supported when wearing skirts I'd wear the spanx maternity longline undies.

I have found my people! Couldn't agree more. The thing I'm most surprised by is the poor quality- even from brands like Seraphine. I ordered 4 dresses from there and 2 were so see-through you could see my underwear! I can't be bothered with jeans so am living in leggings- struggling to find good longline tops to go with them though- I have 1 from Fat Face (not maternity) and 1 from Matalan. For work I have a few dresses from eBay- Isabella Oliver, Mamas and Papas and ASOS. I've also got a Zoggs maternity swimming costume which is ok(ish). And I have a half decent 'nice' dress to wear to a christening- it's Next maternity, and was an eBay bargain. It does come up quite big though!

Now off to have a look at the GAP website!

I've found that ebay bundles work well - I bought a couple and for the price of one new item, you can get 6-7 items. Even if you don't like everything, which has been the case for me, you can just donate it to the charity shop and it's still less expensive than buying new. I've found that it's good for getting you to try things you otherwise wouldn't - I was positive that I would hate under the bump jeans but the bundle I bought came with a pair and, actually, I find they work much better on me than over the bump.

Wanted to add, splashed out on a pair of red herring maternity leggings. Size 16, as that's what I am!
They were huge on the legs. Ridiculously baggy and I ended up giving them to my size 24 friend who they fit perfectly!

Bonprix sell cotton maternity trousers. No idea of the quality, but at least they're not polyester!
www.bonprix.co.uk/products/maternity-trousers/_/A-950840_20

I had the same problem with the Jojo trousers being too tight under my bump. I have 2 pairs of Mothercare Blooming Marvellous linen over bump wide leg trousers which fit well. I also have some pre pregnancy maxi dresses I can wear (with LA Gear running shorts under to stop my fat thighs rubbing) and a couple of skirts that have elasticy smoked tops as they can be used as dresses.

36 weeks. Size 16.

My best maternity clothes are non-maternity.

H&M's long vests are amazing. The ones with the thin adjustable straps - I have them in all colours.

Leggings that have inexplicably long waists! I'm 5'3" and seem to be able to find these leggings that go all the way over my bump to my ribs and stay up. Store 21 have been the best for these.

Then I'm buying loose linen/cotton shirts or floaty blouses in an empire cut and a size too big.

Everything 'maternity' has been a major letdown and so fucking expensive!

Thank you for this thread. I had a meltdown after not being able to find any trousers for my 5'0" tall 30 week pregnant frame today. I've done a massive Asos order fully intending to send at least half of it back but hopefully something will fit........

Any recommendations for petite over bump leggings?

Have you tried ebay. I got some 3/4 length leggings on their last time £4 each to use under dresses. Not the greatest quality but have survived 2 pregnancies.

I thought eBay too...having in previous preg's got great stuff from M&S, the last preg, they barely had anything in stock on line..
New from eBay..if you can find them...I got tops and yoga trousers...(loose tops)

Here is OP !

Thanks girls! You made me feel a bit less alone in my wardrobe-agony!

I'll follow up a few tips on here, although I can't bear leggings, in particularly not in the heat!

I am sort of hoping for a not-too-hot August so that I can wear my two pairs of very comfy black trousers as often as possible (I think they were Red Herring). September should then be a bit cooler anyway, and in the beginning of October I'll be rid of that bump!

Thanks though, it was good to rant!

Just been to Seraphine in Leeds. Massive range of stuff to try on and very helpful staff. They are more expensive than H&M etc but have far more choice, including good "occasionwear" for weddings etc. They have a sale on at the moment which reduces the prices to a more manageable level.

I have the same problem with Jojo linen trousers, OP. I'm 20 weeks and they fit nicely the first time I wear them from the wash but then they're too baggy around the bump. The length of them is laughable - I used a whole roll of Wonderweb shortening them!

I hate how few shops sell smart work clothes. They just don't seem to realise that not everyone can/wants to wear leggings for their entire pregnancy.

Isabella Oliver. Everything else was flipping useless!

I haven't had quite the same problems with clothes, but I hate how twee and mumsy and frumpy so many maternity clothes are.

I've lived in two pairs of maternity topshop Joni jeans (black and blue), a multipack of their maternity strappy tops, a long cardigan and jersey non maternity dress from fat face and a floaty top from h and m. All on rotation over the last 37 weeks. I can't wait to wear something different soon!

same as you I hate skinny jeans! All I can do at the moment is leggings and dresses. Fortunately I had already a few baggy / elastic type dresses before maternity. went to check maternity clothes, but the ones I found were boring & expensive for what they are! so decided not to buy anything and increased the number of baggy dresses in my collections which I'll be able to use after pregnancy too. The only place where I've manage to buy something (and it had to be online) was a dress from sales at h&m. I simply refuse to waste lots of money in clothing I might never wear again!!!