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Maternity Clothes


While you are pregnant, your body will undergo many changes. Maternity clothes will help you adapt your wardrobe as your body begins to change and grow. Beginning in the second month, your normal clothing will start to feel tight in the waistline as your uterus expands and baby develops. Over the course of your pregnancy, you are likely to gain between 25 and 35 pounds. The most noticeable growth will occur in your belly but other parts of your body (breasts, arms, hips, thighs, etc.) will also increase in size.

Maternity clothes are designed to adapt to the body as it changes. Maternity clothing is cut for additional room and is made out of elastic fabric for comfort and ease of expansion. It is important to remember that maternity clothes are sized based on your pre-pregnancy size. If you are between sizes to begin with, I'd recommend you choose the next size up. If you are having twins, it is smart to choose the next size up as well.

How and when to buy maternity clothes?


maternity clothes
Due Maternity Tank
When you are first pregnant, you will not need to worry about new clothing. However, sometime in the middle of the first trimester you will need to start looking for new clothes. Here is a basic guideline of what to buy and when to shop:

Transitional phase(Month 2 to 4)
As your pregnancy evolves, so too does your need for clothing. At first, you will be able to wear your normal clothes. But, by about two months in, you will enter a transitional phase where your normal clothing is too tight but maternity clothes are too big. In this transitional phase, try buying some inexpensive non-maternity tops and bottoms a couple sizes up from your normal size. Look for clothing made out of fabrics with some elastic in the them for stretch. I'd stay away from maternity clothing at this point because they are generally more expensive and won't fit quite right at this stage. It is not a bad idea to look at plus-size clothing. You may find some plus-size clothing that will help you transition to the next phase. This may also be a good time to make sure your bras still fit well. You can use our bra size calculator to find your new size.

Time for maternity clothes(Months 4 to 9)
At about the 4 month point in your pregnancy, you will begin to need full-fledged maternity clothing. Since your belly will continue to grow over this time, maternity clothes are often made to be adjustable. Look for front or side panels of stretchy fabric around the waistline. These panels will stretch with your tummy which is critical because this is the area that will grow the most. Personally, I looked to make sure all my clothing had at least 10%
stretch material in the fabric. Also, I highly recommend cotton-based fabric for overall comfort. Since maternity clothing isn't cheap and you wear it for such a short time, look to borrow clothing from friends or look in consignment shops.

If you are looking for maternity clothes for the business world, try a store like Mimi Maternity. While these clothes aren't cheap, a store like Mimi Maternity will help you make sure you look great for work.

As for bras, some people like to purchase adjustable maternity bras but I preferred to purchased some inexpensive and comfortable bras to accommodate my larger breasts. I would just purchase new bras as needed. Do not buy bras with room to grow. It is critical that you purchase properly size bras to support you throughout your pregnancy. As for nursing bras, wait till the very end of your pregnancy to purchase your nursing bras.

Maternity Support Hose


When you're pregnant, hormone changes may cause vein walls to relax slightly and stretch out. Greater blood flow to and from the womb, along with the size and weight of your expanding tummy, puts additional pressure on the veins of your legs. Maternity support hose from a company like Jobst offer a great solution to this problem. You may be sitting or lying down for long periods of time and that brings with it further risk of developing varicose veins. If you plan on traveling by car or plane, wearing maternity compression hose may be a smart idea. Furthermore, if you have a history of varicose veins in your family, maternity support hose may be important even if you are not sitting and lying for long periods of time. Take a look our section dedicated to maternity compression hose to see if they might help you.