When to Buy Maternity Clothes [A Complete Beginner’s Guide]

Whether you are a mom-to-be or a new mommy, maternity is an incredible phase and a turning point in your life. Your body, especially your baby bump, goes through numerous changes during pregnancy and beyond. With these changes, dressing for two necessitates the need to shift to maternity wear.

Knowing when to invest in pregnancy clothes is essential to building your maternity wardrobe with the right kind of clothes, and Mothercare offers an easy to follow guidelines to help you find the perfect maternity clothes:

Maternity Wardrobe Basics and Essentials

Your growing baby bump will have you speculating on the right time to buy maternity clothes and the right clothes to wear during pregnancy and after. No two women experience pregnancy in the exact same manner, hence the right time to buy maternity wear can vary. Most women resist the desire to buy maternity clothes until they reach the end of the first trimester as they stay comfortable in their pre-pregnancy clothes. Around the end of the 3rd month of pregnancy is when they see some noticeable changes in the fitting of their regular pre-pregnancy clothes.

Depending on the size of your growing belly, your wardrobe will see a lot of changes. Regardless of how far along you are, your clothes should grow with your growing bump, and you should keep your clothes simple and stick with the basics. However, it can be quite hard to get by the last two trimesters of your pregnancy without these maternity essentials:

Maternity Dress

Your beautiful pregnant body will have to say goodbye to your regular dresses and say hello to dresses that are designed to provide you with additional comfort and support during the course of your trimesters. The size of your regular dress will be the same as your maternity dress, but only different around your bump and bust. Look for clothes that grow with you and your growing baby, with features such as elastic waistbands, belly panels, expandable underbelly band and versatile fabrics that flatter your overall silhouette.

Maternity Tops

The first trimester can feel like a breeze when you manage in your pre-pregnancy clothes without having to worry about the size. But as you begin the second and third trimesters, it gets harder to dress the growing belly. It is very important to pick a comfortable maternity top style that you look and feel good in. Tunics, extra-long tanks, camisoles, cardigans, button-down shirts, wrap tops, or a simple maternity shirt work well to give plenty of extra room for your growing belly. You can find Mothercare maternity tops specially designed to give you that extra comfort your body needs during pregnancy and after.

Maternity Pants

There are many options for everyday-wear maternity pants, from leggings and tights to maternity jeans and sweatpants. Make sure to invest in a good pair of these maternity pants every month as your body goes through so many changes at the same time. Look for pants that have large front panels or expandable bands to support your belly and stretch materials that help you with your movements while conforming to your lower body shape. Pants, leggings and jeans made of soft-knit cotton or spandex will not only flatter your body but also support your belly.

Maternity Bras

From the moment you are pregnant, your breasts fill, grow and change in size as quickly as your belly does. Your maternity/nursing bra should be versatile and comfortable enough to support your breasts, regardless of what size they are. Look for support bras with adjustable straps/bands, full-coverage or crossover design, cotton-based seamless removable breast pads for easy feeding, moulded cups that are designed to mould to your growing breasts, and expandable materials that conform to your growing rib cage size. Stay away from materials that are rough on your breasts and underwired bras as they may damage the sensitive tissues of your breast. Make sure to be measured by fitters to find the right pair of bras to last your maternity comfortably. Mothercare helps you choose the right maternity support bra according to your pregnancy and post-pregnancy size.

Maternity Briefs

Lower back pain and pelvic pain are quite common during the later stages of pregnancy. The weight of the growing baby along with an enlarging uterus are the main reasons for pelvic discomfort. Poorly-fitting underwear and briefs can also add to lower back discomfort and can hinder your daily activities. Although there are different styles of maternity underwear and briefs available in the market, choosing one that supports your back and relieves any lower back pain is very important. Choose from a great range of supportive and comfortable maternity briefs from Mothercare. If you are a new mom, there is a great range of disposable underwear and maternity care products to help you get through the first few days of post-partum bleeding and discharges.