What clothes 2 buy 4 different stages of pregnancy

[Lea13]

lol Gigi - I've thought that myself about pieces of clothing that I've given away or gotten rid of that would have been perfect for pregnancy!! It's always the way though!

[Nelle]

Ha ha, I rescued my baggy oversized jeans from the op-shop bag. Haven't worn them yet, but I reckon they'd be a pair I'd be kicking myself for losing when I get bigger (if I ever do!)

Finding skirts good. And I bought belly bands, so i could still wear my favourite jeans. And my cargoes fit if I push them down low.

Have people found they needed/wanted different shoes? I'm really intolerant of all my shoes that are even slightly uncomfy, living in my ug boots. Thinking about getting more ug boots actually, but are my feet likely to swell too big to fit them? What shoes have people found good?

[Lea13]

I'm the same with shoes. I have over 30 pairs and I live in sneakers, thongs, slippers or the one pair of flats I own LOL. Even kitten heels make my feet hurt!!!

[Gigi]

Finding skirts good. And I bought belly bands, so i could still wear my favourite jeans. And my cargoes fit if I push them down low.

Have people found they needed/wanted different shoes? I'm really intolerant of all my shoes that are even slightly uncomfy, living in my ug boots. Thinking about getting more ug boots actually, but are my feet likely to swell too big to fit them? What shoes have people found good?

hi Nelle,
can you explain what you mean by "belly bands" please? Are they the same as "mumstums"? (which look like t-shirt fabric boobtubes - and i still can't exactly fathom what you're meant to do with them).

I have heard your foot gets bigger (wider) in pg, and things like "expect to go up half a size". Hasn't happened to me yet, i had been expecting it for the last trimester (along with swollen ankles etc!) Oh joy, the things we have to look forward to

[~Kim~]

LOL, half a size!!! I, like Lea am a self confessed shoe fanatic (I have 40 pairs) - notta one of them fit! I have gone from a 9 to a very snug 10, so all I am left with is three pairs of thongs.

Pinched a pair of scuffy slipppers from my mum the other day - even my very expensive sneakers don't fit - oh well no exercise for a while ha!

[LisaS]

I bought some jeans from Big W which have an elastic waist with a tie up part aswell. I started wearing these from early on as anything restrictive around my belly made my morning sickness worse.

[Gigi]

LOL, half a size!!! I, like Lea am a self confessed shoe fanatic (I have 40 pairs) - notta one of them fit! I have gone from a 9 to a very snug 10, so all I am left with is three pairs of thongs.

Pinched a pair of scuffy slipppers from my mum the other day - even my very expensive sneakers don't fit - oh well no exercise for a while ha!

boy oh boy, with THAT many shoes, i hope pg. feet expansion is a TEMPORARY thing! Does anyone who has had prev.pg knows if your feet go back to their normal size post-pg? (Crossing my fingers bout that one - don't wanna waste my favourite shoes). I don't have 40, but i really like the ones i have!

[Nelle]

Yep Gigi, my belly bands are branded 'bellybrites' and they're the same sort of thing as those 'mumstums', cept mine have a different colour on each side.

I use them with my fave jeans, leave the button and half the fly undone and hide it with the belly band!

Also, if I ever develop a belly , (people who joked about it at 15 weeks are starting to look concerned at almost 18 weeks 'are you sure you're pregnant?') I reckon the belly bands will be helpful if there's a gap between a top and skirt/pants.
Or just to keep my belly warmer in winter, if I'm wearing one of those cardigans that won't reach around my tummy.

[Katie20]

I just brought some $10 tops from jay jays in large, don't really like the maternity tops much.
I also brought these bonds trousers from kmart. They look dressy i think that they were hipsters. i lke them alot.
and i have belly belts, but cant use them yet i am too small.

[Gigi]

so are these "belly belts" essentially boob tubes but longer?

I can't imagine wearing a boob tube with my "glam" maternity bra (NOT) - wide straps showing etc.

[Gigi]

checking out Target maternity section today:

Their maternity stuff is in the bigger sizes section, their label is "in due time".

Clothing:
Bought my first maternity pants and maternity knickers today. Hard to know what sizes to take in the changeroom. I was the same size as usual in the pants but i tried on a top on in my usual size and it was way too small. I must be in denial about my top half! I have gone up from a D to a double D - i didn't think that was a huge change.

All my tops are so short now and now i see what maternity pants are like, with the stretchy band bit, really need to get long tops to hide all that band stuff of the maternity pants. Target didn't seem to have any adjustable pants, just ones with loose thick band waists, made out of t-shirt fabric. Also not much to choose from, hope to visit the ONE Baby Target in my state soon.

Does anyone have any tips on where to get "sleeping" maternity bras?
Or maternity bras with wider more comfy straps (like sports bras have).

I have bought ONE maternity bra that i got fitted for in a department store last week, in a flying visit when i was desperate and uncomfortable. I am so glad to have that and know that a fitting specialist fit me for it (so unlike when i choose them, this one actually fits).

[Gigi]

Yep Gigi, my belly bands are branded 'bellybrites' and they're the same sort of thing as those 'mumstums', cept mine have a different colour on each side.

I use them with my fave jeans, leave the button and half the fly undone and hide it with the belly band!

hi Nelle,

So where does the top of the belly band go? Under or over the bust? I am trying to imagine how it goes. Nothing like real life i think, if i saw one ON somebody, i would "geddit" straightaway. All the ones being sold on eBay just show just the 'mumstums' lying flat, not being worn. I also googled to try and find pics of them being worn.

[Lisa]

In regards to what to buy... when i was pregnant with Noah i didn't just buy maternity clothes, i bought clothes that were in lycra type material... i got a beautiful dress that cost $28 and i have worn it to work, out to dinner and to bbq's. I also bought skirts that had elastic waists and i can still wear them now... i bought nice maternity tops for work... the hardest thing for me was trying to find business type shirts for work... i just waited again for the sales, and hunted down some decent ones in the larger size section in Big W.

[Gigi]

thanks lollylegs, a picture tells a 1.000 words - now i get that the belly band covers you from bellybutton to hipline. I guess to hide the maternity band of maternity trousers, and when your top rides up. I can see these would be very useful camouflage.

[~Kim~]

Gigi, do you have Babies galore in your state? They have some really comfy crop top like bras that aren't too expensive (online too I think). They're quite soft and comfy to sleep in. I wore them when I was first pregnant (you know, when your boobs are so sore you can't touch them?) at night and they were great.

[Gigi]

Gigi, do you have Babies galore in your state? They have some really comfy crop top like bras that aren't too expensive (online too I think). They're quite soft and comfy to sleep in. I wore them when I was first pregnant (you know, when your boobs are so sore you can't touch them?) at night and they were great.

thanks scrappyfish, i googled babies galore and found their site easily. They have four locations in qld and 12 in nsw - none in my state. They do on-line shopping but i am thingy about buying clothing online - i like to be able to try it on first. I really like the look of their products, i found the crop top bra you mentioned and they even have it in black (impressed).

My continuing research on maternity clothing
First, tried to find maternity clothes in my fave op shop - that was a disaster, only two summer dresses available - very slim pickings. Had much better luck with buying opshop baby clothes, got six allinone romper suits, two newborn hats, sheet set for bassinet, for $7.

I trawled thru Baby Target and Big W yesterday for maternity wear. Baby Target has dressier stuff (e.g sequins and chiffon) nothing i was after - but Big W had more useful (to me) maternity stuff, and lots of tops in breathable fabric free of decorations. I am so itchy now that i can't stand any clothes with lace or beads or synthetic fabrics.

Big W Maternity also had maternity jeans, t-shirt fabric "dance" pants with roll down tops, adjustable trousers and shelf bra singlet tops.

Big W even had maternity underwear and a maternity sports bra near the maternity bras. I liked the maternity underwear better here as it was plainer and no scalloped elastic to annoy my skin around the legs.

I have yet to see any maternity sleepwear, maybe all preg women just wear nighties. It is so tempting to wear my daytime maternity "dance" pants to bed, so comfy around the waist.

So in my survey, of three shops so far, Big W is the current leader. The research continues (with what is available in my state). (Even though i felt sick as a dog doing it yesterday - struggled with really bad nausea for last hour).

I have dropped the idea of buying in the larger sizes dptmt instead of maternity, cos being short, buying the larger sizes, the clothes are also much longer (for tall people i guess) and then the proportions are all wrong for a shorter person. Makes you wonder what the heck is out there (I mean, flattering and proportioned clothing) in clothes shop land for the larger figured short person.

[DoubleK]

i havent bought too many new clothes since being pregnant actually, i have a belly belt so i can still wear my jeans, all my trakkies still fit as i've always worn them pretty low on my hips anyways, a majority of my tops fit over my belly, and i have bought a couple of very long singlet tops that cover my belly and i sort of scrunch up at my hips, then wear another top over the top.

i think ive been pretty lucky, i have put on 14 kilos, but its all belly, and i still fit into all my clothes, with the exception of about 5 tops that just dont go over my belly at all!

on cold lazy days at home i love to wear my partners tracksuit jumpers (he is size XL) and they fit perfect over the bump and are comfy to lounge around in!

Rach

[Gigi]

re maternity bathers (including ones you can feed in) - i saw a reasonable range of these online at maternityrevolution.com.au - i think they are based in queensland - maybe that's why they have a decent range of swimmers! I still am thingy about buying clothes online (that i can't try on first) but maybe i will just have to take a deep breath and be brave.