During pregnancy, your size and shape will changes considerably and you’ll need new clothes to accommodate your growing bump. Here are some useful tips on ensuring you get the right fit for maternity wear.
Women used to regard maternity wear as drab and boring, but these days pregnancy fashion has come on in leaps and bounds and you’re no longer stuck looking like you’re wearing a tent for the duration of your pregnancy.
If you want to look stylish, fashionable and even sexy during pregnancy, you can!
Designers of maternity wear know exactly what clothing issues you’re likely to be going through and carefully design clothes to accommodate your growing bump, using flattering styles, special fabrics and great techniques.
This is one reason why it’s a really good idea to take advantage of special ranges of maternity wear and choose these clothes over merely items in a bigger size than normal.
Maternity Wear
Maternity tops, dresses, nightwear and underwear at John Lewis & Partners with free delivery on orders over £50
Tops Tips
One common mistake people make when buying maternity wear though, is to buy too big a size.
What they don’t realise is that the manufacturers of maternity wear usually account for the size of a growing bump within the design of maternity clothing, so for most of your pregnancy you’ll probably only need to buy the size you were when you weren’t pregnant – such as 14 – rather than automatically assuming you’ll have gone up a size.
It’s of course not the case for non-maternity wear, so if you decide to just buy bigger clothes, then you will need to go up a size.
For great fitting maternity wear, look out for clothing with:
Adjustable waist bands – these provide plenty of comfort and can be altered as your size changes, so you still have a good fit.
Deep stretch waistbands – these provide lots of give and stretch with you as you grow.
Wrap-style tops and dresses – you can alter the wrap to fit you and many can be worn for the duration of pregnancy. Plus, they’re also very flattering.
Trousers with low-rise style – special maternity trousers made in low-rise style provide a good fit for those that don’t want to feel a waistband around their bump.
Maternity Underwear
As well as tackling your main wardrobe, you’ll also need to think about your underwear too. You can still get nice underwear, even though you’re pregnant, so you can still look sexy if you want to!
When you’re choosing underwear, look out for briefs that have lace panels on the front. Many are designed to fit under your bump, which can be really comfy, but if you’d prefer you can get larger briefs that will go over your bump.
Your bust size may change considerably, so you’ll need to invest in one or two maternity bras. It’s best to be measured by a professional and you may find you need to be measured more than once in the course of your pregnancy.
Support bras will provide lots of support during your pregnancy, especially if you’re suffering from tender breasts. Other options available, especially for later pregnancy and after you’ve given birth, are sleep bras and nursing bras.
If you’re buying tights, look out for options that have reinforced toes, comfortable waistbands and seam-free front panels that expand as your size changes.