Maternity clothes?? Indispensable item? Where did you buy?

[gypsymoon]

Pregnant with DC3 and showing much earlier....can't help with all the rubbish I'm eating....but that's not why I'm posting! (mmm...fried fast food....)

I'm from OZ and maternity clothes over there were either HIDEOUS or ridiculously expensive - I just bought clothes a wee bit bigger and flowing tops. I looked a bit of a mess to be honest and did nothing to enhance the beauty of pregnancy but just managed to look like a walking kaftan.

So...from a purely superficial and vain perspective where can I get all those lovely maternity clothes I see women in the UK wearing? That obviously won't cost me a bundle...

And what was your most live in item and where did you get it? bear in mind that comfort is a big thing for me and I don't work so I don't need suits etc.

Lol at PolkSaladLucie, I've bought that nightie too! No plans to ever wear anything like it ever again...

Far and away the best item of maternity wear I had was a great pair of black trousers from formes. They fit throughout the whole period, you could machine wash and tumble dry them, and best of all, they did not look like maternity trousers. I can't overstate how great a pair of well cut, good quality trousers are - I can just chuck a gap t-shirt with them, put on some lipstick and feel dressed up.

However, one mistake I made was buying a dress from Isabella Oliver. Nothing wrong with the dress, but I'd think twice before buying a pricey dress or skirt for maternity wear. The reason for this is that my ankles swelled up HUGELY from 25 weeks onwards and I couldn't wear it without looking like something off the Jerry Springer show. Consequently I didn't wear it much (even though I'd had mental visions of myself swanning about in it looking all summery and pregnant-goddess-like in it )

It's worth spending money on trousers, but not on dresses or skirts, that's where I come out on it.

I'd also second what someone else said below re comfy tracky bottoms. Nice soft tracksuit bottoms are also really handy - if you get good ones, you can also dress them up a bit and look reasonably well put together at the same time as feeling comfortable.

New Look and Next have been fab - New Look for tops as they seem to be on the longish side (would also second going for fitted tops), and Next for trousers as they also do longer lengths. I had adjustable waistbands for the second trimester, am 37 weeks now and have been living in my over bump jeans (in Wales so not too hot for jeans!) for the past month and they are sooo comfy!

I used an elastic band tied through my trouser buttonhole and looped over the button to wear my normal trousers for longer. Obviously need a longish top for this one!

Lobyd I got a pink spotty one and a cream and peach stripey one. When I was about 30 weeks pregnant I had to go straight to a party after work and my hsuband came to pick me up. I asked him to grap a couple of tops so I could change, and he grabbed them from the washing pile. He thought they were "very pretty tunic-top-things".

PolkSaladLucie did you wear either of them to the party?! I have the blue spotty one in some enormous size which reveals newly cellulitey knees so I'm waiting until I'm in labour to wear it as I obviously so won't be bothered at that point!

No! Party was at a friend's house, and I borrowed one of her tops. Was very funny.

Oh, and the pile was clean washing, btw!

Another vote for bump bands here! Got 3 (black, white and grey) for £10 in New Look. Am 26 weeks this week and still wearing pre-preg work trousers with these and looks like I might get away with it for a while longer yet as all my size / weight gain is bump and boobs rather than bum / hips / thighs!

I got some maternity t-shirts from peacock for 4 quid each and they have been really good too - very good quality cotton and have washed well for the price.

I have found under the bump maternity jeans most comfy - on bump ones fall down every 2 minutes!

Don't bother with M&S maternity bras, they were horrid, worn them about twice! Mothercare ones much better. One friend of mine who was lucky enough not to have increased bra size until 30 something weeks, just bought nursing bras but I needed bigger cup sizes from about week 8!!

Secret tip - If you are at all handy with a sewing machine, I bought a pair of secomd hand jeans in a size up (to cover the growing thighs and bum) chopped off the waist band just above the pockets cut slits in the side seems and inserted V's of Lycra and then a big comfy belt of lycra round the top - make sure you sew up the zip as I didn't on my trail pair and had some rather awkward moments.

And PS - I live in my Next Black work trousers and Next jeans (both maternity)

I found a lot of maternity tops were really low cut (either that or my massive boobs were just pooping out of stuff), so I bought a couple of really cheap strapless vests from Dorothy Perkins. They were brill, I wore them under everything, they were long enough that I could use them as a bump band but still covered my cleavage. And the best bit was I still used them afterwards when I was breastfeeding. I would pull my main top up, and then pull the sleaveless vesttop down . When meant when I was feeding my flabby post pregnancy gut wasn't on show. Brill. A boob tube would do a very similar job but might not be long enough

For a nightie, I sent my hubby to mothercare the morning after DD was born. Had taken in button front pjamas but then had a catheter, so couldn't wear the bottoms. DH was sent to mothercare with instructions to buy button front nightie. Supposedly he went in in a panic about 9.15am marched up to the counter and jibbered away for a while at the poor assistant. But they must of been used to it, because she was very kind and helped him buy a massive pink nightie. It was hideous but I wore it for months.

I used ebay and got loads of top brand clothes for barely 20 quid.
IMO it's not the brand but how they feel which is best.
Something soft feeling incase you get itchy, plenty of growing room as you will need it, something you can wear for a lot of different things. I wore my black trousers to a funeral, the cinema, a meal out and to walk the dog they were so comfy. I still wear them now and DD is 11 months old.

A good bra is a must and get it refitted every few months.

The tops in H&M 'Mama' range this season are fabulous and incredibly flattering (even on me, and I'm very far from waif-like! )Also very cheap.

Don't bother with the trousers though - the sizings are bizarre and you need to be about 6 foot tall

Also, for PJ's/Nighties try La Redoute

Gap maternity opened up in Leeds last summer just in time to save my from walking-kaftanness!

Been oggling the maternity clothes in the Jojomamanbebe catalogue with envy. They all seem lovely, although maybe not lovely enough to persuade me that I want another baby just yet!

TakeLovingchances Bump bands are bands of stretchy fabric that you wear round your tummy as your bump expands to cover the increasing gap between the bottom of your top and the top of your trousers/skirt - this happens even with maternity clothes. They don't hold you in, they just cover the expanse of belly.

Some of the posher ones attach to your waistband, others don't. Several people sell them, and variations on them. I just wore Primark boob tubes pulled down to below bood level. They were £1 each in Primark last summer. A friend on mine who was pg last winter couldn't get boob tubes, but got some Primark camisole vests and cut the straps off and did the same.

Did you lovely ladies know that you can get George maternity clothes online on the Asda Direct website - very reasonably priced, and not at all kaftanny.

George at Asda Mat Clothes.

I lived in
Seraphine cords (under bump) - in sale, but very worth while.
Gap chinos for work (under bump)
Stretchy Primark Ts (bigger sizes every few weeks)
Converse shoes (comfy and supportive)
M&S wrap around cardy
JJMMBB black jersey dress
Next jeans (under bump)
Dotty P capri jeans (over bump)

I am lucky that I needed maternity clothes in the summer and that we havea very relaxed dress code at work. Did also have some smart work trousers from Mothercare, but they were too short - no Long leg available!

I found under bump styles more comfy, but after DS was born quickly realised that "under bump" also means "on the scar" - so avoid if you are planning a C Section!

Topshop does good maternity clothes which look like something you actually might choose to wear, rather than a floral nightmare. The jeans are especially good. And Gap too, though annoying that they don't seem to do online...

Seraphine for jeans, and also some nice tops for work. Bit more pricey, but worth it.

You have to be the right shape for all those dresses, and I just wasn't. Made me look like a blob.

M&S made some very inexpensive maternity trackie bottoms that I lived in towards the end.

Also, crave maternity make some more fashionable stuff, but the quality is a bit hit and miss.

Did I mention the seraphine bamboo pyjamas. Very expensive but absolutely so comfortable and good for both when you're pg and when you're bfing and spending loads of time in them.

Mamas and papas was the best, and mothercare as well very good.

stretchy things from anywhere
and hubby's tshirts & shorts when i was really big (he's 6feet something, i'm 5'3) very comfy
stretchy jeans from mothercare were also fantastic.

My best best really higly recommended buy

HOTMILK bras - fantastic fit, keep their shape, comfortable and stylish - I have had M&S, debenhams, Mothercare etc but these really are amazing.

www.hotmilklingerie.co.nz/online/topic/16

Next do some good well priced stuff. I got a fab 2nd hand bundle of mat clothes on Ebay for about 20 pounds. Now I hate them all as my due date was 4 days ago! grrr

One of my all time best buys was a black strappy top, went to about mid thigh with a wrap detail cost 20p in Primark years ago - wore it to death. Think I might still have it in the loft just incase I am mad enough to go for no 3!

Isabella Oliver wrap top from ebay!

Eyeballs, I bought those trousers from Next. Lived in them through whole of pregnancy (and they might still be in my wardrobe... ).

Also maternity or long vest tops under your normal tops.