Maternity clothes help!!

[Mammyduffy]

Ok so I hope I don't sound really stupid.... Just wondering if I could get away with buying normal tops in bigger sizes?? I don't want to look like a frump but we r on a limited budget as it is and the maternity stuff is so expensive!! I've invested in a few pairs of maternitytrousers, but I just thought maybe tops I could get away with???

Also any mothers out there that have breastfed.... Are nursing tops essential or can u wear normal clothes???

Thanks in advance girls

 

[Brieanna]

It really depends on what your style is. I was a t-shirt/jeans girl and while I could have gotten away with bigger shirts it would have made me look frumpy. I got some shirts on sale and I look sooooooo much better in maternity clothes than just bigger clothes. I already have body issues so that was nice for me.

You can try looking for sales, looking at auction sites, or even at thrift stores. You also can get a maternity STYLE shirt that can be worn after you have the baby.

Any shirt that is peasant style or empire style can look good both before and after the baby. Here is an example of a shirt that would work https://www.amazon.com/MOD-Womens-Smocked-V-Neck-Green/dp/B00ED476P6/ref=sr_1_33?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1390268620&sr=1-33&keywords=empire+styleThere are a lot of dresses that work and look good with maternity and also can be worn afterwards. Keep in mind that you won't be walking out of the hospital in your normal clothes with a baby, lol. It takes awhile for everything to go back down. I would say I looked about 4-5 months pregnant the day I left the hospital.

i would say that about half of my "maternity" clothes are normal clothes that I bought at normal stores for normal price that I knew would work with a bigger belly.

As far as nursing, during the beginning I spent most of the time (at home) wearing a nursing cami (around 12$ from Walmart) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bestform-Maternity-Nursing-Tank/10843537 and pj's. If you go out you can pair them with a sweater and pants and they would also work.

I bought a few shirts that had ties or elastic drawstring around the neck (not specifically sold as "nursing") at Walmart really cheap, kind of like this https://www.amazon.com/Bandolio-Womens-Sleeve-Peasant-Olive/dp/B009XS2MY2/ref=sr_1_28?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1390269872&sr=1-28&keywords=peasant+shirt Anything that buttons up is also good. I had a nursing cover, but I didn't nurse too much on public (I think more people should, I just have body issues so never felt comfortable).

After I got the hang of it it was no problem to wear my own normal clothes and just pull it up or down depending.

 

[FleurDeMai]

At 25 weeks I can still wear most of my shirts and dresses from before I got pregnant, and I imagine some will still fit near my due date. The fabrics are typically extensible, and the shirts are long, so they go over my bump without problem. What doesn't fit me anymore: anything with buttons, clothes that fit "just right" around the chest, even if they're larger around the waist, because my ribcage got larger...
In my town we have an organisation that lends maternity clothes to expecting mothers with a tight budget. Maybe you could see if something like that exists where you live?

 

[azure girl]

I got my maternity wardrobe for $80 by purchasing second hand tops, jeans from zulily.com, and overall sale shopping.

 

[cait]

Have you tried ebay? My sis got some bundles of maternity clothes for dirt cheap, and has handed them down to me! They are way more flattering than just baggy clothes (which I also wear).

As for BFing - nursing tops are not necessary. For me, that's where baggy tops came in handy! Something you can easily pull up or down. I found that a good way to cover up (if you have lots of strechmarks like I did) is to wear a vest top under a t-shirt - pull the vest down and the t-shirt up and there is very little on show for BFing in public.
Or if you're unbuttoning a shirt to feed, then sling a muslin cloth over your shoulder to cover the top of your breast. Mine are rather large so I would feel very exposed if I didn't do this. That's just personal though.

 

[Mammyduffy]

thanks girls!! I'm def going to have a look in some of our local charity shops!! The town that lends out maternity clothes to women is a GREAT idea!! Wish we had ANYTHING like that here... but living in Ireland is like living in the 1950's at times!!!! lol x

 

[everdreaming]

Could you order online somewhere like Asda and get it delivered there? I have gotten almost all my clothes from there and £16 isn't bad for maternity jeans. In the sales they had some good stuff as well.

 

[ItsAWonder]

Some of my stuff still fits but most of my shirts are not long enough.

I bought most of my maternity clothes on ebay. I got a few shirts under $5.00 and they were definitely worth it.

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

I'm wearing my super fat clothes from before I lost a couple of stone the other year. Mainly this is plain black joggers/yoga pants and long vests with a cardy. The vests stretch and because they are long they will cover the bump till the end.

I also made a couple of belly bands last night from old black tshirt so will be able to wear those over button up trousers with the button undone.

 

[Mammyduffy]

I also made a couple of belly bands last night from old black tshirt so will be able to wear those over button up trousers with the button undone.[/QUOTE]


What exactly are belly bands?? I don't get it How can you wear your trousers undone?? What holds them up and what do the bands do???

 

[cait]

It's like a support belt for your bump - kind of like a bandeau top worn lower down! So it would cover the top of your trousers (holding them up while undone) and would reach up over the bump, allowing you to wear non-maternity tops that might otherwise be too short.

 

[RaspberryK]

Not for me I even grew out of maternity!
Xx

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

The belly band is like a stretchy really really wide belt or a tube top that doesn't go as high up as your boobs. Because it's stretchy it sits over your trousers from about hip level and covers the whole zip and button holding them up.

 

[Red Rose]

With DD, I could wear a few of my pre-pregnancy tops right up to the end. This time, I've increased a size in maternity clothes during the pregnancy, so defiantly not. I tried one of my tops I thought I could get away with last night and my belly was hanging out!

So yeah, it all depends on how big your bump gets. I second eBay. I got lots of bits off there with DD and sold them on afterwards.

 

[LoveCakes]

Does penny's do maternity? New look is easily the best for mat wear I've seen but not sure if you have it down south.

 

[Dinah93]

I get a lot of mine off ebay, £6 including postage for a dress saves a fortune. I wouldn't say you need nursing tops, I just wore a vest top underneath my normal tops so I could pull it down and feed while still having my tummy covered. I was thinking Penny's too, Primark does over here so I would think they might?

 

[LaDY]

With my first I didn't buy one item of maternity clothing...I just ended up getting bigger sizes...however this time I have purchased all maternity clothes. The only thing I have found different is the fact that maternity clothing is a lot more flattering...but then again I think I was wearing clothes other than jeans and t-shirts...I still looked pregnant though iykwim?

Why don't you buy some maternity leggings...I got some for £12 from mothercare so they are not as expensive as jeans...comfortable and convenient and then you can dress them up with different tops? That's way you won't be stuck in jeans all the time xx

 

[HBGirl]

Tried it, it didn't work. The shirts were too short and rode up my bump and I looked frumpy. I bought some nice tops and wash often. I feel so much better in them.

 

[Wolfie]

definitely try ebay and any charity shops that do maternity clothes. With luck I think you could get a maternity top for less than 5 euros including shipping. I think they look a lot better on me then some super large size top.

 

[I Love Lucy]

Yes, you could get away with wearing some bigger tops. I know I wore one of my pre-pregnancy sweaters while 9 months pregnant with DS. But you can also find maternity clothes for cheap on eBay, second hand stores, etc. I also thought Old Navy had cute and affordable maternity clothes if that is somewhere you could order from.

Also, don't think nursing tanks are essential at all. Never had a use for one in the almost 10 months I've been breastfeeding. Maybe a nursing bra but I think it's better to look for tops that are easy for you to get a boob out for feeding times.