Winter coats, is it worth buying maternity one?

[Titchypanda]

Just wondering if other mums and mum's to be have bothered with maternity coats. Baby due in January and I can just about fit into my normal winter coat but not for much longer. Should I look at getting a bump friendly one or just buy one a few sizes bigger to accommodate bump as it grows?

Reading this has reminded me, I also bought a swing jacket in M&S which was really useful for the spring/autumn with both pregnancies and which I actually wore last weekend to go out in London (DD2 is 3! )

But it wasn't enough in January snow.

I bought this and I love it - its so soft and snuggly and the insert means i can wear it when baby is born in January when going on the school run. Last one was a summer baby and it was so much cheaper to dress. But I am totally in love with my new coat

www.seraphine.com/3-in-1-maternity-parka.html

I do think it is worth buying one if you will be heavily pregnant in the winter. You will be uncomfortable for lots of other reasons - there is no need to add feeling frozen to it. Looking well also gives a pick-me-up so a nicely fitting warm coat will be used in a daily basis.

Someone mentioned the Next coat earlier with the genius zip-in panel so it can be worn as a regular coat subsequently. Has anyone seen it in real life? Is the outer fabric very shiny-looking or is it the more canvas matt look? If the latter, I'm about to hit order! Thanks.

I got a 1960s style cape coat, which I still wear now. You will definitely need to get something, as you probably won't be back in pre-pregnancy clothes till the weather warms up, but I felt that a maternity coat would cost a lot of money for something I was only going to wear for a few months.

What about a cape or poncho? then you can wear it afterwards too. I didn't bother getting one for DS1 who was due at the end of December. That December turned out to be the coldest one on record for about 100 years and I remember going for a boxing day walk with my coat open and huge woolly scarves tied around various parts of me for maximum warmth. It was fine :)

I think it might depend upon where you live. If you are somewhere cold but dry it is probably ok to use a open jacket with a scarf. If you are somewhere wet and windy then some sort of jacket would be preferable either going up the sizes, borrowing a mans or buying maternity.

This is a good idea:
www.next.co.uk/go25504s4#459107

I've now ordered one of the next ones to try, fingers crossed! I'm hoping it has potential for sling wearing to by just part zipping up the panel up to the baby's neck.

I live somewhere cold but dry and I still want a maternity coat so I can be cosy through the winter!

I do think it depends on the style of the coat(s) you already own, and whether you can squeeze a bump into any of them. My coats are all very fitted and I'm not going to be able to do them up for long. If I had a loose or swing coat I'd probably make do.

Going to keep my maternity coat in case of another pregnancy over the winter - I will sell it when I'm sure I won't need it again.

I had my babies in june so never bothered. my dad's old waterproof came in handy for spring showers. At this time of year I think you need to invest in some kind of maternity coat.

I didn't. But then I rarely wore anything other than a t shirt and then a big scarf because I was so hot! And when I did where a coat I generally wouldn't do it up anyway.

I bought one from M&S when I was pregnant (baby was due in Dec) and I loved it. I was quite sad when it was too big for me once baby was a couple of months old. But I'm really nesh and hate being cold so couldn't stand the idea of not having a decent coat that fit in winter. Some hardier types than me obviously manage without!

Unless you've reason to think you'll have a small bump and/or not be out in the cold much, yes it is worth it. Realistically you are likely to be too large for your normal coat in December, January and February. The coldest months. Mine was the best £40 I've ever spent. Or £13 really, since I flogged it afterwards.

However, my opinion is influenced by:

a) living in the north

b) having been on a subsequent pregnancy and fucking massive when I had my winter baby. First one, I managed to button my pre-preg coat until 25 weeks, which is when it became too warm to need it. Second one, that fucker was done by about 18.

c) walking a lot. I can see that if you primarily drive, or you live next to a tube station and get everywhere that way, you could manage. I don't.

d) taking a while to shrink back down after my winter baby. Sounds like this is your first, so you'll probably be quicker, but regardless you should assume a month or two. People do leave the hospital in pre pregnancy skinnies, but not something you can plan to do.

I would also see if you can borrow one from anyone. It's the sort of thing people often have hanging around.

I had a January baby and didn't need one at all, although I do have a couple of 60s wool capes that I still wore through pregnancy. Last winter was quite mild anyway, so a normal coat undone with a scarf over was just fine.

But I guess it just depends on your style - if you live on a windy, rainy mountain top and need to wear a zipped up North Face at all times YMMV.

Im due in February and I am the size of a house. Just bought a size 16 outdoor coat from mountain warehouse for £60. I am usually a size 10 ! However, I will be able to fit baby in sling in it once he arrives so im hoping to get some good use out of it.

I am due in March and have bought a maternity coat. I live in the north and feel the cold! There is a website called makemybellyfit.com where you can buy panels to extend your normal coat, however it's not compatible with mine

I'm due in May and live in Scotland. I will definitely be buying one!

I wouldn't unless you're planning to have another baby. It's a lot of money to pay out.

I'm due 12th Jan and was having exactly the same dilemma! They are just so expensive though. I got one off ebay which is nice its black with a fur collar but it doesn't have a hood so I just bought a size 18 (normally a 14) parka for £20 from Primark. Figured if I only wear it until the birth I've got my monies worth.
I am selling the maternity coat if you're interested? Size 14 black New look.. let me know if you want to look at a photo of it :-)

I was lucky enough to be given a maternity parka by a friend and I found it a God-send. Baby was born mid January and I wore the coat for a good six weeks afterwards too. I'm due again at the end of Feb and about to get it back out, so I think it's worth investing in one if you think you might have another baby.

I would. I randomly found one I liked in a charity shop when I was about 6 weeks. I could have coped without it, but i think I would have felt shitty about my appearance if I hadn't had it.

I fitted into my coats all the way through. I was glad I hadn't bought one until I needed to, as I never actually needed to! DS born in the middle of a very cold, snowy winter!

A maternity coat doesn't have to be expensive.
New Look do a Maternity Parka for £34.99 and a Maternity Belted Wrap Coat for £39.99.
Or you could buy one second-hand.

I think how much you want a winter coat depends in how many other layers you are wearing. For work, I normally wear a smart t-shirt material type layer, a jumper or cardigan, and a winter coat. Maternity jumpers and cardigans are really expensive, so I managed with my January baby by wearing my pre maternity cardigans and leaving them undone. With only a thin layer of T-shirt type layer over my tummy I really appreciated a winter coat I could do up.

I bought a smart winter coat 2nd hand off ebay and it was a lot cheaper than buying several different maternity cardigans or tops!