When I became pregnant with my first child, 13 years ago, it was not easy to find a variety of maternity clothes to choose from in stores , much less that it had a reasonable price.
Fortunately, nowadays maternity fashion is already within the reach of all budgets, and more and more clothing brands are incorporating a line of beautiful, varied and affordable clothes for pregnant women .
Based on my experience as a mother of three children born at different times of the year, I would like to share with you some tips and tricks to equip the pregnant woman’s wardrobe without spending a lot of money.
Three basic garments that cannot be missing in your wardrobe
During the first trimester it is not usually necessary to resort to maternity clothes , unless it is not your first pregnancy, in which case the tummy will appear much earlier than in the first.
But practically at the beginning of the second trimester you will experience notable changes in your physiognomy: your hips will widen and your abdomen will begin to look bulky, making it impossible in many cases to wear the same clothes you wore before getting pregnant.
Regardless of the season of the year in which you start wearing maternity clothes, my advice is that your wardrobe should include these three basic items :
maternity jeans
The cowboy is a garment that will get you out of a lot of trouble , because combined correctly it can be used both in a casual look and in a more formal style.
Thus, for example, if you combine your jeans with an elegant blouse, a jacket and some sophisticated accessories, you will achieve a serious, chic and distinguished look.
On the contrary, if you put on some sneakers and combine your jeans with a casual t-shirt, you will get a sporty, casual or perfect everyday look.
Some tights or maternity leggings
It is an essential and economical basic that you will find in any store that has a maternity section. Leggings can be combined with long jumpers, skirts, dresses, t-shirts, shirts or blouses… You won’t find a more versatile garment than this one!
A dress
Personally, the dress is an item of clothing that I love to wear during pregnancy because of how comfortable and light it is. In addition, it can be used practically at any time of the year if it is combined properly.
For example, in winter we can accompany it with leggings, an upper knit garment and a coat; in autumn a jacket and boots might suffice, and in spring it’s perfect with a wide unbuttoned blouse or a cotton jacket.
Although sometimes it is necessary to get a maternity dress, whose design fits perfectly to the curves of the body, in most cases long, wide dresses with a cut below the chest are enough to look perfect.
And for the top?
From my experience, with these three basics it will no longer be necessary to spend more money on maternity clothes , since you will most likely find top clothes in your wardrobe with which to create different looks.
In autumn and winter , wide sweaters and open cardigans cannot be missing. While in spring and summer you can opt for cotton shirts, lycra garments that fit your figure or wide blouses.
If you are cold and cannot manage well with the coat you had before pregnancy (especially if winter catches you in the third trimester and the volume of your belly prevents you from being able to close the zipper), my advice is to get a maternity coat, but especially if when your baby is born you plan to wear it.
And it is that there is an increasing offer of 2-in-1 coats that provide comfort and convenience during pregnancy, and a long life after giving birth if you opt for portage.
Underwear is also important
Although at first you may not think about it, the truth is that underwear is also very important and deserves all the attention.
It must be comfortable, made of breathable fabrics (preferably cotton) and with seams that do not tighten. It is very likely that from the beginning you should buy larger bras , since the breast grows during pregnancy and becomes especially sensitive, so it is advisable to opt for bras without underwire or seams and with wide straps.
If you are going to choose to breastfeed, then it pays for you to buy nursing bras and start using them already during pregnancy. These types of bras are very comfortable, they are made of cotton and have an opening and closing system at shoulder height that facilitates the moment of breastfeeding the baby.
Swimsuit or bikini?
If the second or third trimester of your pregnancy catches you in summer, it is likely that you will not be able to take advantage of the bikinis or swimsuits that you had before getting pregnant.
When buying a new swimsuit, there are women who prefer to opt for the maternity swimsuit , as it comfortably adjusts to the volume of the abdomen at any time during pregnancy.
Others, on the other hand, want to show off their tummy with bikinis or two-piece swimsuits . Although you can find specific bikinis for pregnant women on the market, the truth is that they are usually more expensive than common bikinis, so many times it will be enough to buy a normal bikini one or two sizes larger than your usual size.
Do not neglect your footwear!
And last but not least, we want to make a special mention of footwear , as it is usually one of the most forgotten aspects during pregnancy.
At this stage, the feet suffer especially , not only because they must support the growing weight of our body, but also because they swell and grow due to fluid retention.
Thus, it is likely that you will have to buy shoes with a larger size , preferably forgetting the heels and opting for comfortable and breathable footwear that, in addition to taking care of your feet, helps prevent back discomfort.
Photos | cover (Depositphotos); Photo 1 (Ivan Samkov at Pexels); Photo 2 (Photo by Amina Filkins on Pexels), Photo 3 (Amarsupiel maternity coat)
In Babies and More | Nightgowns and pajamas for pregnancy and nursing to be comfortable in the hospital and at home
