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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Work clothes that will hide pregnancy bump! Help!

45 replies

Bananasinpyjamas12 · 01/08/2016 16:40

Help! Im starting a new job in a few weeks and will have a 4 week trial period. I've recently found out im pregnant. I will be approx 12 weeks when I start the job. I'm scared that if I announce the pregnancy during the trial period they will discriminate against me and I will lose the job. Therefore, it's better if I can hide the pregnancy for as long as possible but I already have a bump forming! Does anyone have any ideas on work clothes that are good for hiding bumps? It's an office role and it's smart casual. Or even shops that have a selection of good maternity work clothes that I can try? Or work trousers with a stretchy waistband? I would be really grateful! I need all the help I can get!

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LillyC · 01/08/2016 16:46

with 12 weeks you won't be showing most likely, but if you do, dress black around the belly and use baggy dresses or shirts. Don't use anything which is really fit around your waist. No one will notice. That will be the easy part to hide, the worst will be if you have "morning" sickness or feel really exhausted all the time. Good luck with the new job!

Bellabelloo · 01/08/2016 16:51

They probably won't even know if you've put on weight, so I am sure you will get away with tops and shirts that fit loosely around your tummy. I am almost 14 weeks and just look a bit tubby around my middle... X

Original poster

Bananasinpyjamas12 · 01/08/2016 16:54

I already show a bit now. It's not my first so probably shows more 😢. I'm wondering if I could be further a bit than I think. Scan will tell us I guess!

Thanks for the advice! baggy dresses and shirts it is!

OP posts:

summerskittles91 · 01/08/2016 16:55

Baggy dresses for sure. I'm quite early on but preparing for the next few months. ASOS is perfect, I've picked up loads of work appropriate dresses in the sale at around £9-£15 each.

PickledLilly · 01/08/2016 16:58

I found proper maternity wear actually showed it more as it was 'fitted' to the bump. I went with loose tops or flattering styles and found that worked much better. If all else fails, scarves!

NisekoWhistler · 01/08/2016 16:59

Remember they don't know what your always look like so will have no idea. Wrap dresses are good at giving a waist. Or you could just go for loose fitting things. Search dressing to cover a tummy or Apple shape

Bellabelloo · 01/08/2016 17:01

My sister made it to 7 months before people at work noticed!!!!! I show too, but have some tight trousers and loose fitting tops and think I just look a little chubby!!

FiveFullFathoms · 01/08/2016 17:02

I find it a bit sad that you want to conceal your pregnancy becuse you fear discrimination. It is absolutely illegal for them to decide not to employ you on the basis that you are pregnant. I think that if I were you, then rather than attempting to conceal the pregnancy from management, I would make a point of telling HR. Just because I would find hiding it very stressful and while a 12 week bump can be easily hidden, a 16 week one is likely to be more obvious.

If they are good employers, your pregnancy will make no difference. And if not, would you really want to work for someone who would act illegally and discriminate against someone becuse of their pregnancy? Not to mention you could sue them.

stealthbanana · 01/08/2016 17:52

Cos is good for loose dresses.

And to pp, whilst your attitude is admirable, I think the vast majority of employers would not have any qualms in letting go of someone who had worked for them for less than a month. It would be almost impossible to prove unfair dismissal at a tribunal. The OP should definitely not disclose that in a probationary period if she wants to keep her job.

UnicornPee · 01/08/2016 18:09

Boohoo and apricot sell lots of 'shift' style dresses that are perfect for skimming a bump. I wear these currently with tights and have already thought about how my bump will go unnoticed until I'm ready to announce it. I'm going to wait til 16 weeks as my work are not going to take it well and I will basically be pushed out but that's another story.
Good luck

EreniTheFrog · 01/08/2016 19:57

Anything loose and flowy: nothing too fitted.

Whereas I think FFF makes a valid point - and legally, of course she is correct - I think your caution is wise. These boards are sadly always packed with women who despite the law have been sacked/discriminated against by workplaces

Pixie2015 · 01/08/2016 19:59

Maxi dresses x

Popskipiekin · 01/08/2016 20:05

I now have quite a bump at 5 months and DC2 but find if I wear skirt and top people notice far less than with dresses. Maybe cuts up the shape a bit? So people just think you have thick waist and not an actual bump which may show through a dress?
That said, shift dresses which skim tummy straight down are probably a good shout.

chloechloe · 01/08/2016 20:13

I would definitely not be announcing in those circumstances. Yes it would be illegal to terminate your employment because of the pregnancy. But employers have a huge amount of discretion in terminating during a trial period - it will be very easy for them to say you simply weren't cut out for the position.

I'm 19 weeks with my second and work still don't know so it can be done (although every shows and carries differently).

I've been wearing black trousers with a loose fitting blouse or top and a black tuxedo style jacket. Zara is a good place to look for jackets like this.

Isabella Oliver trousers are pricy but definitely worth it as they look like normal trousers that give you a nice figure rather than most horrible maternity trousers.

Minispringroll · 01/08/2016 20:24

I got my positive result a few days before starting my new job. (No trial period and a health and safety issue, so told my employer very early on, though.)
My bump is starting to show now at 21 weeks. It was previously, but I wore lots of quite flowy tops to work. H&M was pretty good for those. I also had "normal" work trousers...from M&S, but stretch ones. In the earlier weeks, I also wore shapewear underwear, which just tucked my tummy in a little...(nothing with too much pressure).
I'm on holiday now, though, so don't really care anymore. Bump will be very obvious when I go back to work. I wore jeans and a normal tshirt today and would have thought that my bump was rather obvious, but I still had someone comment that I don't look pregnant at all (just fat??).

LotisBlue · 01/08/2016 20:28

I got a bump really early with dc2. I wore a lot of floaty scarves to work.

gingerbreadmanm · 01/08/2016 20:35

wide fit m&s jersey trousers r great for early bumps.

add a loose cami and long scarf and you will be fine for a few weeks.

Trulyamnearanear · 01/08/2016 21:46

Really needed this thread. I'm having to hide pg from work for another 5 weeks (am 14 weeks now). fortunately I'm quite overweight so I'm hoping to get away with it as just getting fatter
Otherwise scarves would be a good fix, and breaking up the shape.

Original poster

Bananasinpyjamas12 · 01/08/2016 22:29

Agree with PP that it's sad I feel the need to hide it but it's the reality of the world we live in. If they want to discriminate they will just say I didn't perform well in the new role and there will be nothing I can do to prove otherwise. I've already had to accept that I will lose out on the performance related pay as performance reviews are in December and I won't have been there long and maternity leave will be looming so I can't see them offering be a high rating no matter how well I perform.

Still I do wonder if I have it in me to hide it for 4 weeks. I will find this very hard as I feel like I'm deceiving people. At the same time there's no way I could bring myself to announce this on the 1st week so I will definitely be covering up for some time. I'm worried someone will suspect and will shout it across the office insensitively. I'm also likely to come across some people I've previously worked with who will know that I'm normally slim. I'm already finding it stressful!

OP posts:

Original poster

Bananasinpyjamas12 · 01/08/2016 22:39

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've begun googling for ideas already!

Forgive my lack of fashion knowledge but how would you wear a long scarf without it looking like its to cover up or just odd? How do you tie it?

OP posts:

TheCraicDealer · 01/08/2016 22:53

I have v little experience in this arena but I have a plain knitted poncho (stay with me peeps) from jigsaw which I wear with long sleeved plain tshirts and plain 7/8 black trousers. Linky- I like to think it's quite a stylish work ensemble and it hides a lot of tum. With relatively fitted trews you should be able to get away with more floaty/boxy tops with more volume in them without people thinking you're smuggling boxes of Post Its out of your new place of work.

Awful that we're having this discussion in this day and age, but there's no way round it for you I don't think. Good luck!

everdene · 02/08/2016 07:56

I am only 4 weeks pregnant but my breasts and tum are so swollen it's getting obvious already! noticed one of the senior management giving my belly a stare yesterday.

I am wearing:
Shift dresses
Unusually shaped/asymmetrical designer-looking dress my Mum bought me for Christmas (so luckily I've been wearing a while) - this hangs straight down off my boobs so covers a multitude!
Jacket with a floaty blouse over trousers
Already gone into non-underworld bras to tone down my boobs
Tops from Cos which hang straight off the boobs

Tbh there are a few pregnancies in my office and at times the first giveaway has been a strategically placed scarf so I have steered away from them -just because it's been done by a few women wanting to hide their bumps!

summerskittles91 · 02/08/2016 08:28

the scarf idea is great too, I just wear around my next and leave the sides to the front, it conceals my stomach quite well :D although I've always been a scarf lover its more handy now.

LotisBlue · 02/08/2016 08:33

I have quite a hippy style and I wear one of those oversized floaty scarves - I don't tie it at all.

pinkcardi · 02/08/2016 08:57

I hid my second until 18 weeks but could have gone longer. Trousers, tops in a size up (so they didn't cling but still looked 'normal'), suit or jersey jacket and a scarf. The jacket and scarf really help cut the bump shape to disguise it. They draw the eye down and make it very hard to see what's underneath. When I told work they were completely shocked and hadn't noticed at all (despite my thinking it must be blindingly obvious) Good luck!

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