I’m currently 26 weeks preggo and I’m not so pleased to report that everyday activities like getting out of bed, or bending over to put on my shoes are starting to be a bit of a nuisance. They’re not full blown problems by any means, but I can see them on the horizon. Oh the joys of being pregnant!

I finally feel like I’m carrying around a little load and I’m experiencing heartburn after virtually every meal. I’ve also had to purchase a special sciatica knee pillow to make sleeping on my side more comfortable and keep my knees from awkwardly banging against each other. I’m telling you, if my husband doesn’t bow down to me after I give birth to this child I don’t know what I’ll do. Just kidding. Sort of. Okay, not really. Mothers are GODDESSES and men just have to accept it. Got it guys?

Anyways, this is a post about maternity fashion which I must say I’ve realized is a whole other beast. There are SO many products out there it can get overwhelming trying to differentiate between what you actually need and what products just have really good marketing. I feel the same way about baby/kids products (more on this in another post). My goal throughout this pregnancy is to look and feel my best without spending a lot of money on clothes I’ll only be wearing for a few months (even taking into account a second pregnancy).

For the first 15 weeks or so I didn’t need maternity clothes, I just relied on looser clothing styles. It helps my style doesn’t typically lean towards very snug fitting silhouettes to begin with. During my fourth month I was still able to wear my low waist boyfriend style jeans with the help of the Bellaband by Ingrid & Isabel which is a stretchy band that lays over your pants and holds them up unbuttoned. I’m seriously considering wearing this band to ALL future restaurant outings — it’s pure genius!

By around week 20 the Bellaband was no longer an option and I needed real maternity pants. I must’ve tried on at least 20 pairs of maternity jeans ranging from $30 ones from Old Navy, to $130 ones from DL Denim and Joe’s. There are so many choices from full-on over the bump panels, to side panels, to under the belly low-rider styles. The best fitting and most comfortable ones for me ended up being a pair of $69 ankle-length over-the-belly jeggings by A Pea in the Pod’s in-house brand, Luxe. They’re super stretchy and easy to put on, while the rips add a nice little edge. And since I’m not very tall, ankle jeans are an ideal length. They’re not perfect though, and as you’ll likely find in a lot of over-the-bump styles, particularly stretchy ones — you have to pull them up a couple times throughout the night. What’s more, since the belly panel is typically synthetic it can get hot if you plan on being outdoors. Hey, no one said being pregnant and looking good while doing it was a walk in the park.

Below are some other maternity fashion favorites of mine. Not all of them are specifically maternity clothes because I’ve been trying really hard to find pieces I’ll want to wear after giving birth.

1. Nothing is more comfortable to me than a chic, loose fitting cotton dress. You just slip it on and go, and since I live in Miami I can wear them all year-round. Yay! The direct-to-consumer brand Everlane makes great quality products at super reasonable prices, and I’ve been wearing these 100% cotton T-shirt dresses since week 15. I also plan on wearing them after I have the baby because they feel so good. That said, if my third trimester belly stretches them out too much I won’t loose sleep over it because they cost $25. I own one in plain black and in navy/white mini stripes.
2. My regular Lululemon workout leggings started to feel tight pretty early on so I needed alternatives. A local blogger I like, Miami Style Mom, said she wore the brand’s Align Pant throughout her pregnancy because they’re super lightweight, stretchy, and have a slimming high rise cut. I bought a pair and I’m positively obsessed. They’re the comfiest and most flattering workout leggings I’ve ever owned and I feel better about the price knowing they’ll hold their shape and I’ll be able to wear them for a longtime post pregnancy. Lately I’ve also been wearing the brand’s V-neck Love tee which is soft and works well with da bump.

3. Below the bump pants and shorts are very comfortable and can be worn before, during, and after pregnancy provided the elastic band is strong and doesn’t give out  (it shouldn’t). I’ve been living in these below-the-bump denim shorts from A Pea in the Pod’s in-house brand, and the Easy Pant from Hatch Collection. Hatch, I must say, makes incredibly beautiful clothes designed to be worn before, during, and after pregnancy. Their stuff is gorgeous but it can be rather pricey.

4. My advice is to get a couple inexpensive maternity tanks and t-shirts with a bit of stretch and  wear them with your existing blazers, cardigans, and button downs (un-buttoned of course). It’s an easy and polished look I’ve been sporting a lot this summer. While you may have existing tanks and tees that still fit, some may not be long enough, or you may not want to risk stretching them out.

5. One of the best parts (for me at least) about being pregnant is for the first time since the seventh grade by breasts have grown (woot woot!). However, I haven’t wanted to invest in larger regular bras since I know I’ll have to buy special nursing bras soon, and because there’s a big chance my chest will get bigger once I start breast feeding. Maternity bras, while not the sexiest things, are very comfortable  (I’m talking about the stretchy, not underwire ones), and I really like this style from Rosie Pope.

xoxo

Val