pre-maternity clothes

[nextweek]

Hi, I'm currently 12weeks pregnant and I don't have a 'bump' as such, more just bloating, but I live in skinny jeans and they're getting really uncomfortable already. I don't need actual maternity jeans/trousers yet so I wondered what others do in this in between stage? Is it worth just buying my normal jeans in a bigger size?
I don't want to spend a lot on clothes I wont wear for long but since we're in lockdown and I'm working from home I could manage with only a few bigger items for a while.
Also, I know everyone is different but approximately when did you need to start wearing maternity items? If it makes any difference this is my first pregnancy, I'm usually a size 8 and I'm only 5ft 2.
Thanks

Just buy the maternity jeans, you might not need them but they are blissfully comfortable and at least that way you’ll get some wear out of them.
You could also get a couple of pairs of bigger tights and wear them with any looser dresses you have.
I think when you need maternity clothes depends on how your normal clothes are cut and how high your bump is so there’s no way to tell. I wore some of my normal clothes all the way through.

just put a hair elastic through the button hole & loop it into the button on your normal jeans.

Get some under bump jeans in your usual size (I’m a similar size to you and recommend topshop Joni jeans). They will look the same as normal jeans but have a stretchy band at the top that will last you a good few months until you need the over bump ones. Or I find it more comfortable to live in floaty dresses with maternity tights.

bump band

When I was at that stage some posters on here recommended under the bump maternity jeans and they were totally right. They bridged the gap perfectly between normal clothes and 'proper' maternity clothes.

Im about your size - I think i bought my first maternity jeans at about 20 or 21 weeks from H&M and wore normal clothes otherwise.
I was wearing my 'big' jeans before that though and I spent most of my pregnancy in loose dresses as it was a really hot spring/summer and I couldn't be arsed buying/hated all maternity clothes

I didn't think I looked properly pregnant until closer to 30 + weeks though - more like an extended fat stage but different people show differently.

You can buy trousers extenders really cheaply to go in your buttonhole, then wear a long top or the bands recommended above to cover them that will get you a few weeks. The underbump trousers are really comfy too, in fact I have a pair from when I was first pregnant 4 years ago which I never stopped wearing 😂. Congratulations!

A pair or 2 in the next size up won't harm and will be useful for the going back down stage too.

I’m 10 weeks but found my skinny jeans are tight too. Asos had a 25% discount on topshop yesterday so bought some of theirs hoping to find 1-2 I really like to see me through. I’m going to wear work out leggings in the meantime and do the hairband trick while I can.

I used the hair elastic trick for ages! Didn't want to spend a hideous amount of money on maternity clothes either so just got a few tops I larger sizes and lived in maternity leggings and jeans!

Thank you much for all your suggestions will definitely look into the hard band trick and underbump jeans. That's also a good point about a larger size being useful after I've had the baby.
I tend to wear Topshop Jamie jeans which are high waisted, normally great for holding everything but just so uncomfortable now!
I'm really not a dress person, but given the later stages of my pregnancy will be during the summer months I might have to give in and find a few at some point as they will probably be better to wear in the heat.

I just lived in leggings from love leggings and dresses without any buttons/zips in the summer.

With DS I didn't need to move to maternity clothes until about 20 weeks.... except for jeans which I couldn't bear to wear normal ones, even with the band expander thing, from about 11 or 12 weeks so I think it's normal. I'd agree with under the bump mat jeans as a good solution - and they're great for after the baby is born too. Top Shop always did a nice selection.

Also any kind of stretchier softer high waisted trousers will probably work. I had a few work trousers that were very high waisted but not tight like skinny jeans and I wore them no problem well into my pregnancy, possibly with a pregnancy band from about 18/19 weeks.

I am still wearing my pregnancy jeans at 6 month post partum even though I have dropped a dress size compared to before pregnancy. I was a size 8 at 5ft2 but now a size 6 thanks to pregnancy sickness through most of my pregnancy. Mine are over bump jeans I just fold the elasticated bit over on itself, they are so much more comfortable than regular jeans especially for pottering around the house

I had to move to maternity leggings at 8wk with this one (baby number 6).
Try 1-2 sizes up with stretchy materials at 1st, they're handy for after birth too. Once you get a defined bump maternity wear is much comfier than larger sizes as it hugs bump without hanging off the rest of you.

Under the bump jeans will not be great after birth if you end up with a cesarean.

Just a lone voice to say I had a pair of underbump jeans in my first pregnancy in my regular size 8 and they never fitted me properly throughout pregnancy. Got rid of them after. I had an overbump pair however that were amazing and I even wore them for the first month or so post-partum too, so comfy. I'd try buying one of both types maybe and see what is comfy for you. Nothing wrong with wearing maternity jeans at your gestation, there's no prize for holding out longer. You will probably find you wear a mixture of mat and non mat clothes over the next few months (or indeed the whole way through to be honest). Otherwise I would recommend just wearing whatever is loose and comfy at home - joggers, harem trousers, skirts with elasticated waists, PJs even .

I definitely wish I'd bought some bigger regular clothes in the early stages. I thought it would be wasteful, not realising I would need two rounds of maternity clothes anyway. E.g. I was in size 10 maternity trousers for work by 12-14 weeks I think but needed bigger pairs further down the line. Bigger regular stuff like jeans would have been useful afterwards as PP have said. I was back in pre pregnancy work clothes after the year off though.

I found comfort varied piece by piece- some underbump things were awful, some brilliant.

Just get some leggings/joggers...stretchy is your friend right now!

I bought maternity jeans quite early on and sent them back as they were still too big. I stead for the in-between stage I lived in Uniqlo's stretch jeggings in a larger size to normal. They're not expensive and hopefully will do me during the in-between stage after giving birth as well!

I assumed over bump style wouldn't be any use until I had an actual bump but I'll give them a try, I've ordered some under bump jeans from topshop and will also order my normal jeans in a size bigger and see how I get on. I usually wear my clothes quite fitted and right now I feel and look like I've just eaten a massive bowl of pasta and my boobs have got a bit bigger so a lot of my t-shirts even feel a bit snug!
Leggings and joggers will definitely be my wardrobe of choice when I'm at home!

I was a size 12/14 prior to my first pregnancy. I bought over bump jeans at 10weeks as my skinny jeggings (extremely relaxed dress code at work) were becoming too uncomfortable. I lived in them. I had 2 pairs that I wore throughout pregnancy with the odd dress with tights / leggings thrown in too.

I am in this same zone at 15 weeks, been having this problem since 10w. Bump is starting but slowly, but normal clothes either tight or uncomfortable. I bought affordable leggings, underwear and bras in 1 or 2 sizes up from my normal size, just shopping online on sites like Asos and H & M. I figure I will probably find these things useful in the months after giving birth as well, and then can donate them if no longer needed.

I was in maternity leggings from about 9 weeks. So much comfier and still wearing them now (34 weeks) - it was money I was going to spend anyway. Baggy jumpers and dresses over the top (still wearing loads of pre-maternity stuff). The hair band trick never worked for me - the waistband was just in the wrong place and not that comfy. I eventually bought maternity jeans at about 16 weeks and wished I'd bought them earlier.

Bump bands.