By Lindsay

Yay you’re pregnant! This chapter is exciting but it’s also tricky; you can’t fit into your pants anymore, but at the same time, it’s only 9 months so you don’t want to go crazy.

So what do you truly need?

Generally you won’t need true maternity until the second trimester; loose fitting clothes from your current wardrobe will likely get you through the first.

Undies

As your bump gets bigger, undies will stop fitting as well. You’ll want 7 pairs of stretchy maternity undies.

Usually when you reach your biggest, towards the end of the third trimester, you may need a larger size than you would normally wear.

Bras

Your normal bras should fit for most of your pregnancy, but towards the end you might need stretchy material to accommodate your newly acquired milk jugs.

If you plan to nurse, you will need nursing bras & breast pads to absorb leaking milk. Buy at least 7 bras & 14 pads to get you through a week. When your milk comes in, you might go through a few pads a day.

Kindred Bravely has excellent nursing bras that are comfortable & stretchy. Their breast pads are very absorbent as well.

Tops

Normal loose fitting tops will work for awhile, but not for your entire pregnancy.

Old Navy usually has lots of affordable maternity wear. Pro Tip: their baby & toddler clothes are often less expensive than Target’s.

If you plan to nurse, purchase nursing tops that are maternity friendly to get the most for your money. Latched Mama has lots of great maternity friendly nursing tops.

To maximize the bang for your buck, buy nursing tank tops with built in bras, many of which are maternity friendly. This will save money as you won’t need as many bras. You can use loose sweaters or cardigans to wear over them, dressing up or down for the occasion.

Pants

When your bump arrives, your other pants will have become so uncomfortable that maternity pants will be extra AWESOME!

I got very affordable & comfortable maternity pants at Old Navy.

I purchased 1 pair of maternity jeans, which fit me until the last month of my pregnancy. I recommend ordering pants of very stretchy material, or a size up from what you would normally need, as your hips widen towards the end.

Dresses

Maxi dresses are so comfortable & make it easy to dress up.

I was able to wear all the non-maternity maxi dresses I had through my whole pregnancy. Some of the longer ones even became easier to walk in, as my bump shortened the front hem for me.

Since your bump takes up extra room in a way that shortens dresses, you likely won’t be able to wear the same short dresses.

Comfortable Shoes

If you don’t already own a really comfortable pair of sneakers, you’re going to need them.

Expect To Wear It Awhile

You won’t be packing away your maternity clothes right after getting home from the hospital. Your body will need time to bounce back & you’ll be need to be comfortable while that’s happening.

So, prepare to wear these clothes for awhile. If you’ll have a bump in hot weather & recover in cool weather, purchase tanks & t-shirts, planning to wear them under cardigans or wraps as the weather cools off.