Clothes at 18 weeks

[Gronk27]

Hello,

I always have a manic October with seasonal work. I need to have a think about what I'm going to wear as I'll be away from home and packing for about two weeks.

I'm sure it's not the same for everyone but can you tell me how big I'm going to be approx? Am I going to need maternity jeans, leggings, pants?! and tshirts? At this point or just things a size bigger or a bit looser?

I also need to order a uniform (hoody and jacket) so think I'll just go up a size?

Thanks!

You’ll likely have some kind of a bump by 18 weeks.

Knickers I’ve found that either granny pants in a size up or something that will sit under your tummy in a size up are best.

Jeans/trousers/leggings wise yes you’ll probably find maternity wear more comfortable. I would recommend an underbump style for the jeans and trousers, just because I’m 21 weeks and find the over bump stuff a bit baggy on my stomach (even though I had a tummy before getting pregnant!)

Maternity tops will be your friend by that point. They help you look pregnant rather than like you’ve had a bit too much cake lol with the hoodie and jacket I would be inclined to go two sizes up. I bought a non maternity top yesterday and had to go 3 sizes up!

I’m in the camp of buying maternity wear earlier in your pregnancy so you get the most use out of it 😂

@Stephisaur thanks so much for responding. I really am clueless it being my first pregnancy and trying to carry on with my work around it! Haha good tips, I'm looking forward to looking pregnant rather than bloated and tubby lol. Think I'll go for granny pants, under the bump are likely to roll down my legs as I am apple shaped. (grin) But good tip on the jeans!

This thread made me laugh.
At 18 weeks i didn't even know i was pregnant with Dd2. Still in my normal size 10's thinking I should really buy 12's.
Sorry I'm not much help Gronk27

@ParkheadParadise no worries! It's good to know that actually very little could be going on and I might just need some 14s!

I'm nearly 16 weeks and my bump's massive! I can't fit my size 12 jeans under but they're uncomfortable so I've started wearing my maternity jeans and they're much better. Stretchy t shirts in a size up are good too.

I definitely needed maternity jeans: trousers at that stage but that was it. You should get away with stretchy tops or 1 size bigger. I found H&M clothes the best.

Thanks! I shall investigate maternity jeans for certain! Any recommendations? I don't know where to shop.

Gronk27 My DN bought maternity jeans from H&M yesterday. Also got some from Asda.

It really depends. At 18 weeks I was just wearing my normal clothes and jeans. But I think there’s no harm getting some maternity jeans as they are rather comfortable and stay on even if you only have a very small bump (at least the skinny leg ones that I have do). With hoodies and jackets I think to be safe one size up would be fine, although if they were a bit loose to begin with you might not even need that.

I couldn't get in my normal skinny jeans at 18 weeks but I could easily hide that I was pregnant with looser tops and stretchy trousers/leggings...I just looked a bit chubby really!

I definitely didn't need maternity clothes. I had a pair of under-bump maternity jeans and they drove me mad constantly falling down before about 22 weeks

Depends on your height and how you carry the weight. First time round I was in maternity jeans before the 12 week scan but could get away with normal dresses until around 16-18 weeks. This time round I cracked open all my maternity wear at 8 weeks as a look like a whale. I’ve known people stay tiny until week 25 and then explode. I’ve got a great photo with one of my friends when we were both about 6/7 months pregnant. I looked huge and she had the smallest bump in the world, barely looking pregnant. A month later she had overtaken me by a long way and suddenly looked like she was carrying twins she was so big. It was actually quite incredible to see how quickly her body shape changed. Not sure where the hell the baby was hiding before that!

I’m short and slim with a short torso and was definitely in maternity jeans around that point but could easily wear normal leggings, tops and dresses as long as they weren’t super tight. Proper maternity stuff swamped me until about 25-28 weeks.

I'm 19 weeks and have just had to switch from bigger normal clothes to maternity. Particularly in pants and jeans because I found the position of the waistband was uncomfortable in normal clothes. I can still get away with bigger tops though. But like someone said earlier, they just make me look fat still rather than pregnant so i might switch to obvious maternity tops instead!

I found the new look over bump jeggings incredibly comfortable. The ASOS under bump ones didn't come up high enough at the back so I felt I'd be pulling them up all the time. Whereas the new look ones were more shaped around the bottom of the bump then higher at the back.

I am 15 weeks with my 3rd and am only just now unable to do up my pre-preg clothes. Maternity wear doesn't look right, as I don't have a bump. I just look a bit fatter. I'm in elasticated waist things and looser tops, and imagine I will be for another month or so before the bump looks bumpy enough for maternity clothes.

It's a difficult stage.

I got my first maternity jeans at about 22/23 weeks, before that I sized up. Bottoms were the first to not fit. Some of my tops are still ok at 26 weeks but lots look like I'm wearing a child's t shirt, I've only started filling out maternity tops in the last couple weeks.

I'm a size 8-10 normally not that it means much when I'm wearing size 2 maternity jeans now and they are too big. This is my first baby and I have pretty small bump (I assume because my abs haven't been wreaked yet, not that I had a 6 pack anyway).

I kinda like gaps inset maternity jeans, they don't have a belly band, because that feels too hot atm.

@Gronk27 I bought some amazing maternity skinny jeans from H&M a few days ago and they have been life changing! At 20 weeks they are the first maternity item I have bought but I now realise I've been struggling for a few weeks! It's also so nice to wear something tight again instead of baggy all the time. H&M seem to have quite a good range in general so worth a look!

I'm 17 + 2 and finding it quite akward getting things that fit. My normal clothes are getting uncomfortably tight but maternity clothes are massive! Maybe just a size up in normal clothes or if you already have some loose fitting clothes that are normally a little bit for you.