Work clothes that will hide pregnancy bump! Help!

[Bananasinpyjamas12]

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!

Derailing slightly but for various reasons I didn't announce my pregnancy at work until
17 weeks when I thought I might as well fess up because it was so obvious....anyway turns our that nobody had a clue. Even though I was going to the toilet every 5 minutes.
Honestly I think at work people are in their own little worlds and tend not to notice such things until pointed out to them
Congratulations

Scarves work really well, especially if you wear them anyway, which noone will know whether or not you do at your new job! I'm 19 weeks and only recently told work, it's my second pregnancy and I definitely felt like I was showing when I told them but noone had noticed. Go for a brightly coloured scarf and darker clothes, particularly around the belly, and leave the scarf (as big as you have) hanging loosely 'round the neck. It's a distraction as much as anything.

I'm not sure scarves work so well in the summer do they? People would think I was mad if I started wearing a scarf.

I see your point stealth, but I meant summery pashmina type scarves rather than woolly ones. I wear them quite a bit in the summer in place of a jacket or cardigan, but would definitely look odd if you don't already!

Yeah I think you need a pre existing track record of scarf wearing otherwise it's a bit odd!

I'm still in ordinary clothes at 18w so hasn't been too much of an issue for me - summer is actually good as lots of floaty dresses work well.

Thanks everyone! Shift dresses could work for me and Maybe floaty blouses and a jacket or floaty cardigan. I think the scarf thing could work if its cold at my desk. Fingers crossed for over active Aircon and cold weather! I can't stand anything pushing too much on my bump so it will be hard to find trousers but a few people have mentioned ones with stretchy waistbands or maternity ones that I will try. I'm starting to feel a bit hopeful that this will work out okay somehow!

Another one hiding it at work here. Agree it shouldn't be this way and of course I would love to be on permanent contract and have full mat rights but this is my reality right now so I simply have to get on with it. New job so they don't know my boobs have tripled in size got a stretchy black skirt few sizes bigger than normal, baggy tops with print patterns on, but have now switched to dresses and leggings for comfort. Trousers are impossible. Got one shirt dress very flowy and also a maternity drapery sort of dress which I've been putting a fairly crackers belt over to distract and break up my shape. I have caught some people looking at my bump today though so a bit worried. Bump has really popped out this week (now 13+4ish). The hardest part has been not chucking up when someone else is in the loos to hear horrible!

Watching this with interest! Wear a uniform at work, but will be starting a course soon and don't want too many awkward questions there so want to cover up as much as possible as long as possible! Will be 12 weeks when i start and 33 weeks when I finish!

I've been frantically shopping to try and hide the bloat - I'm only 8 weeks so it's not a bump, but I do look alarmingly like I'm about 4 months!

Slim fit trousers ( bought some cigarette style from primary yesterday in black and grey, very stretchy so legs look slim, belly is accommodated)
Plenty of box style tops around, or chiffonny tshirts. I usually avoid these as they hang from my boobs and make me look like I don't have a waist, but really hide the bulge well.
Fitted jacket to bring you in at the sides to give illusion of a nipped in waist, also hides the belly if you leave undone.

I've got dark trousers and jackets, while the tops are patterned.

Sales are on, so I managed to get quite a few outfits for cheap.

Thanks everyone! Im currently going through my wardrobe to see what I already have that could work and I'm going to get some childcare sorted for 1 day this week and go on a big shopping trip. So far people aren't noticing unless I tell them so fingers crossed

Currently wearing tapered trousers with a stretchy waistband from Next with baggy tops. Finding it covers well. The ones I have are quite summery and casual but I've noticed on their website that they have some new ones in black which might be suitable for work. Fingers crossed the waistband is stretchy as I can't really tell from the photo.

Trousers a size up with really wide waistbands will be a lot more comfortable than ones with narrow waistbands that dig in. I have some great flowy ones from Coast

Dresses with some pleating at the waist or a wide kimono style belt with ends that hang down. Or a-line/skater type skirts in structured fabric - nothing clingy

Long jacket/cardigans with waterfall fronts

Plain dark colours with bright accessories (scarves, heels, big bags, chunky jewellery etc) or pale top layers

Op just thought I'd stop in and mention that I wore my tapered work trousers (with hairband and bump band to cover the top once they didn't do up) with these camisoles from tesco for ages

www.tesco.com/direct/ff-textured-v-neck-camisole/438-9044.prd

The tops are fitted at the top and floaty at the bottom which hide a bump really well without being obvious iyswim. And they're not too expensive.

Still wearing them now at 20 weeks (though the trouser trick is not working so well anymore!)

I found wearing floaty dresses just made me look pregnant while these didn't.

Thanks for all your ideas! I've been through my wardrobe and found a good selection of tops that I can wear at the moment. I'm lacking in trousers and dresses/skirts so I've ordered some that I hope will be comfortable but not too obvious. I'll also need to get some tops for when I'm a bit bigger as likely to start showing in some of my current wardrobe so will have to keep a close eye on how things look as bump grows. Fingers crossed I can pull this off!

Lose top and a blazer (normal clothes not maternity) seemed to hide it from my work colleagues until someone who knew let it slip at 26 weeks. I did it as I had bump touching paranoia which happened by one colleague as soon as they found out

I'm 11 weeks pregnant and I've had a thicker waistline for a few weeks. I've been wearing empire line dresses (with tights) and tunics (with leggings) - anything that's fitted under the boobs and loose everywhere else. I can still fit into my trousers but a lot of my tops and t shirts are too tight or short now, so I'm just wearing the few loose tops that I have.

I don't blame you for wanting to hide it until after your trial period - I'd do the same.

I hid my first pregnancy at work until 22 weeks, by which point I had a pronounced bump. The trend for loose, unstructured clothes was very helpful! My top tips are:

-loose, boxy tops and jackets (these work well over skinny jeans and pencil skirts, I had maternity versions by that point.

-cocoon shapes (dresses, jackets etc

-long scarves

-asymmetric or unconventional fitting clothes (Cos are great)

When I started wearing bump-fitting clothes people were amazed I'd managed to conceal it!

Thanks for your help. I've been at work for a week and a bit now so I thought I'd check back in and post a few links in case anyone else is in a similar position.

So far no one seems to have noticed anything. I've got a couple of pairs of maternity trousers and a skirt from next and I'm wearing those with baggy tops and a suit jacket or baggy cardigan. The jacket and cardigan stop people getting a good look from the side as that's where it's most obvious! A lot of my normal baggy tops are suitable for now though I'll have to get bigger sizes in the future.

For anyone looking for maternity work clothes I can recommend these:

m.next.co.uk/go112502s11#399547

m.next.co.uk/clearance/877609

In the trousers go for 1 size bigger than normal and long as they come up small