Maternity and Nursing Wear

[Peblet]

Afternoon Ladies,

I wanted to ask for your help. I'm currently undertaking a bit of market research on the lack of maternity/nursing clothes on the high street.

I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant and have found it a bit of a struggle to find quality, affordable clothes that I feel good in since being pregnant and the majority of the clothes I have bought online have been sent back.

My attitude before becoming pregnant and in early pregnancy was that spending money on maternity clothes was a waste of money but quickly learnt that when you wear something that fits your 'new' body you can feel really good!

I would really appreciate if you took the time to answer a few questions, I have attached the link below. There is no option to comment on the survey but I would love to hear your experiences and opinions on this?

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/X28YVXP

Thank you

Completed. This has been my biggest frustration during this pregnancy! My first 2 i didn't need to purchase anything and made do with bump bands and larger sizes but maternity clothing has been a necessity for me this time around and I haven't been able to find a single thing in a shop bar m&s who have a really small maternity bra range in my local store.

Ordering clothing in has been my option but you're right that a lot get sent back. I've had many a breakdown over the last few months over clothes that don't fit, not being able to easily pick something nice up to wear etc. Hope you get plenty of responses :)

Hi @mariebaby3 thank you for your response.
I know, it’s crazy isn’t it! It’s like it’s a niche market or something!

I think in the summer time it’s even worse and you need clothes that fit your body.

It’s so tricky to gage sizes online and when you aren’t your “normal” size particularly 🙈

Yes @sparklyblue81 it really is! Can I ask what sites you tend to go on when you’re looking for maternity clothes?

Maternity shopping is the worst particularly during a pandemic when you can't try anything on. I have four pairs of maternity leggings that are saggy at the knees and flappy round the ankles and four maternity t shirts that are way too short despite being a size up from my usual size and I'm only 5ft 2!. All from Very and Asda. Why are they such a terrible fit?!! I don't understand how it's possible to get it so wrong. I don't want saggy leggings and t shirts halfway up my bump. I just stick to dresses now and I look like I'm off to the office every day despite being on maternity leave. Urgh.

Too many florals and too many slogans like ‘mamma’ etc too. I hate it!!!

I do have a few nicer bits from Seraphine but have bought at outlet or sale as I don’t think they’re worth the full price ticket. Next have been ok, New Look has some passable dresses, but EVERYTHING has to be ordered online- I live near Westfield in Shepherds Bush and they don’t have a single store that stocks maternity- apart from H&M but it’s all plain and slubby and really uninspired.

What REALLY frustrates me is the multi functional maternity and nursing wear. When you’re nursing, you REALLY don’t want to wear stuff that accentuates your mum tum/makes you look pregnant. Not cool!

I tend to avoid actual maternity wear, preferring to choose styles carefully and size up. I do have maternity jeans (old, from Topshop) and a few basic bits from seraphine. I had my baby in February and my best purchase was an extension panel for my Canada goose coat.

It was horrendous pre-Covid, now it must be even worse. The one and only store I found any maternity clothes in was H&M. And even then it was only a tiny selection. Everyone else has moved it all online. Call me a Luddite, but I despise buying clothes online. I like to be able to try things on before making a purchase. Then, once you've managed to try it on, if they're no good, you have to go to the hassle of returning it. Which involves either more expense, or going to their physical store. You know, the store you had to go online for in the first place!

Rant over. For now.

I found M&S ok for nursing bras. But I'm at the upper end of their sizing, so more than half their range was no good for me.

I think they hide lots of it online because the quality is so bad! Clothes made to last a couple of months only. I've kept some right tat out of frustration/desperation.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

Too many florals and too many slogans like ‘mamma’ etc too. I hate it!!!

I do have a few nicer bits from Seraphine but have bought at outlet or sale as I don’t think they’re worth the full price ticket. Next have been ok, New Look has some passable dresses, but EVERYTHING has to be ordered online- I live near Westfield in Shepherds Bush and they don’t have a single store that stocks maternity- apart from H&M but it’s all plain and slubby and really uninspired.

Omg the slogans are what ruins them for me! 🙈 Was just looking for a nightie and dressing gown for my hospital bag and if it didn’t say a cringey slogan across the front it was as short as anything, some with big splits up the sides.. I’m giving birth not going on a night out here 😂

@JewelGarden yes I have a few pairs of attractive baggy leggings that I’ve collected over the past 9 months!

@SmidgenofaPigeon yes I also like Seraphine but can be a bit pricey, would be good to find something that was middle of the road wouldn’t it.

@dyra yes I’ve returned so many things and then you spend more time and money, nothing convenient about it really is there.

@SillyBry @LakeShoreD Thanks for your comments.

Do you think you would shop more if it wasn’t such an underwhelming experience and If you could go somewhere you felt looked after?

I’ve actually started ordering non-maternity dresses just in a slightly bigger size thinking at least it’s not a waste of money if I can still wear them after. Did order a 14 from new look (when I’d usually be a 10/12 and what arrived was like a full on tent, no chance was it a 14! I got some new look maternity work dresses and after one wash they look absolutely awful, to the point I can’t wear them again. Have been wearing normal dresses from matalan too. Ordered a few maternity things from H&M (they haven’t arrived yet). Got a nice baby shower dress from Seraphine. Got some quite good quality maternity jeans and tops from next but really trying not to keep spending money on these clothes I might not wear again

@sarah13xx

@sarah13xx So difficult with sizing and knowing what’s worth spending your money on
Isn’t it..I think if they catered more for postpartum too then it would be worth the extra spend, knowing that you were buying clothes that lasted and were going to make you feel good. I think that’s even more important when you have had a baby.

Agreed with all the above and also its so frustrating that everything maternity is just so...mumsy! Yes I'm becoming a mum but doesn't mean I also want to suddenly dress all insipid and twee!

'Do you think you would shop more if it wasn’t such an underwhelming experience and If you could go somewhere you felt looked after?'

Can't speak for anyone else but that sounds a bit like a shop where someone annoys you the whole time suggesting styles and watching you looking at price tags. I have limited patience for people getting involved in me buying clothes at the best of times, but even less when I'm heavily pregnant, shopping in a mask in the heat and I just want something to fit my vast pregnant body.

I'm completely frustrated - just want some loose dresses (with sleeves to hide my now big arms) and all the ones I find tend to have a line that goes under the bust. Except that the line just goes across my nipples - same with lots of tops. I thought maternity wear would cater more for boobs getting big? Mine are big but not humongous!!!

@JewelGarden

Totally get that and something that irritates me as well, more so looked after in a way that you can go in, try on and leave with what you set out for, additional support if needed in sizing etc.

@Luckyelephant

@Lovethewinter

Agreed! It would be nice to feel comfortable AND look half decent at the same time!

I've only bought a couple of things so far but I'm just going 2nd hand on ebay. Its so cheap you can just stick things that don't fit in the charity shop pile. Less bother all round. So, if anyone here has nice things they don't use anymore, please put them up there!

Survey completed! I’m petite and have found it incredibly difficult to find anything that fits! There’s not much available for petite pregnant women.

I have narrow shoulders, shortish limbs but big boobs, so tops/dresses often are too big around the neck and are cut too low for me, and smaller sizes feel tight around my chest and belly. I can’t find any petite mat jeans/trousers that fit well.

As PP mentioned, there’s stuff out there with lines or empire waistline that is supposed to go under the bust, but my problem isn’t that they go over the nipple but over my belly as I have a short torso 🙈.

Best of luck with the research :)

Hi @ShiMo thanks for completing.

I’m quite petite as well so everything is usually baggy on the legs, I didn’t put a lot of weight on during pregnancy but have a pretty big bump..I did try and go up a few sizes but I just looked ridiculous in most things 😂

@Soverymuchfruit

Ebay is a really good idea, you can get some great stuff.

What's with all the horizontal stripes on maternity wear, particularly navy and white. Surely that's an unflattering pattern as you get bigger! I'm also not a fan of all the small floral prints. And slogans are cringe.

I got relatively nice maternity jeans from Dorothy Perkins.
I bought some things from ebay and was looking at a cheap website earlier but they are based in the US and I don't fancy the hassle of returns, plus most of the nicer things seemed to be out of stock. It's called Patpat in case anyone has used it.