Maternity clothes - bit of a rant

[WhenDoISleep]

I've been lucky so far, my normal wardrobe have been fine but I'm six months now and my trousers are a little tight and I'd just feel better in maternity pants.

But it seems I'm searching for the impossible - size 18/20 short leg (28/29in). The couple of places I have found online that stock a shorter leg don't seem to have any larger sizes. I tend to wear flats/flattish boots out and just socks around the house, so a longer leg would just flap and annoy. I'm guessing that I'm just going to have to get a longer leg and get them taken up, but it's more expense for something I only expect to wear for 20 weeks max (based on experience after DC1). It seems everywere I have looked expects pregnant women to have the leg length of a supermodel.

And why is it that maternity pyjamas, with a long sleeve top are impossible to find? Mothercare had some on their website before Christmas and they vanished overnight (not even to the sale section). I tried the JoJoMamanBebe version but the cut is just wrong for me in the top (large of nork) and the trousers flapped on the floor.

I'm not expecting to be able to walk into a high street store, and in fact prefer online shopping, but I have been searching extensively with no luck. Is there some well hidden (well stocked) miracle retailer that can solve all my problems that I haven't been able to find?

Next do maternity trousers in petite, I seem to remember. And I got some lovely long sleeved pjs with cropped trousers from eBay.

Tried Next (thats were I got some fab trousers last time) - petite maternity only seems to go up to a 16, at least in the styles I want.

And my fab trousers from last time managed to go walk-abouts when we moved last year, which is a whole othe story.

I have tried eBay for pjs, but nothing in the size/long sleeve combo that I want.

I had some Next petite maternity jeans in a 16 - they were ruddy huge and kept on slipping down until I was about to pop at nearly 42 weeks! I was an 18 but I'm sure I could have got away with a 14 in these. They were still a smidge too long for me and I ended up turning them up with some wondaweb stuff. It may be worth trying the 16s for size. Mine were bootleg over the bump ones from autumn 2010.

mejon That's positive. I'm actually waiting on a Next delivery (should have been here today, grrr) with some jeans to try - I did have some in the Autumn to try but they were just too long, but I have gone for a different style this time so I will have to wait and see.

Fingers crossed for you. I think it does depend on style - at the same time I got a pair of cord over the bump bootleg ones in an 18 and I could barely get them over my thighs and the cord fabric seemed to cut across in a very odd place so they were too big and too small at the same time! Also tried some with stretchy bits each side of the waist that were a very odd fit but they went back!

Next order arrived - goodness maternity sizing cetainly seems random. I had some 18R trousers and some 16S jeans. Size-wise the 16S was fine but these were under-bump and I really want over-bump (on backorder at the moment).

The 18R trousers were flapping on the floor as I had expected and as for the size on the tighs and bum - they were like clown pants.

So hoping the back order overbump jeans turn up soon, as size wise I think they will be what I need.

I ordered some maternity pjs last time I was pregnant, only to discover that the bottoms are no different to normal pjs with elasticated waists.

So this time I'm wearing my normal pj bottoms (they just sit under my bump) with random maternity tops. This could be a good option! Just buy them as separates.

Here with a 30" inside leg.

In fact, LaRedoute have a few pairs...

Here

I really wish clothing manufacturers would accept that women over a size 16/18 get pregnant. I know that according to the media we're not supposed to, but we do. And we need clothes. Or are we to walk around naked as punishment for being lardy?

Anyway.

If it's any use, I bought pull-ons with a roll down waistband from The White Company which looked smart enough for work and weren't too long.

I'm a size 14 and my ordinary pyjamas are size 16, they fit me in my past pregnancies so is it possible to just get normal PJs in the next size up? If you get them with buttons on the top it makes feeding easier when the baby arrives.
I've given up on buying any maternity clothes and am living in 2 ill fitting jeans from friends - both Next and tops that are quite long.
Good luck, I hope you get what you need.

Mamas and Papas do Short leg length and their sizes are VERY generous so you'll probs find you can go a couple smaller

ASOS also do petite but not sure of their sizing