The Demo Site

Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times of a woman's life, but it can be difficult to find clothes that you feel good wearing as your pregnancy progresses. There are some important things to keep in mind when you are purchasing maternity clothes.

Specialists recommend the pregnant woman to choose loose-fitting cotton pregnancy clothes and stay away from tight clothes because they block the skin from breathing. As the body temperature rises easily during pregnancy, the pregnant woman should wear layers that can be easily removed. Natural fibers are recommended as perspiration is increased during the 9 months. Shoes must be comfortable and flat if possible as the feet might be swelling and in the last months of pregnancy a little bit on unbalance in walking might occur.



Here are our tips for you to make the perfect pregnancy purchases:

1. Hold off on purchasing maternity clothes until about your second trimester. Sure, you are excited as anything about the pregnancy but for the majority of women, you will not start to show until the second trimester. For the first three months, most of your clothes except the tightest ones, will continue to fit perfectly well. If you are having twins or triplets, however, you may need to shop earlier.

2. Buy at least a few maternity pants or skirts before you need them, however. Often, there is a sudden growth spurt about the second trimester (for a single-baby pregnancy) in which in the span of a few days or a week, your usual pants will suddenly not fit. You will need to have enough clothing to at least get by until you can go shopping.

3. Use a "belly button". Even before you rush out to buy maternity clothes, it is good idea to purchase a belly button, which is a simple device consisting of elastic with buttons. It enables you to widen jeans and skirts a little (or a lot later on) and then you can pull these on over the growing bump. Cover with a long shirt, top or t-shirt and nobody will be any the wiser. (The "belly button" may not allow you to wear non-maternity clothes indefinitely, however, so start thinking about buying real maternity clothes!)

4. Shop at maternity clothing stores. These stores are more likely to have knowledgeable staff, quality maternity clothing, and so on than other retail stores. Also, if you're a petite, a plus-size, tall, or otherwise hard to fit you'll be more likely to find clothes in a maternity clothing store than at a general clothing retail store. Most sizes are based on your pre-pregnancy size but brands will vary.

5. Be aware that good quality maternity wear is designed to last through the nine months of a pregnancy and will stretch with you. It is better to buy two very good items than a dozen cheap ones to ensure this long-lived durability and quality.

6. Visit your favorite clothing or department store with a maternity line. Chances are excellent that you will like and fit the maternity lines as well.

7. Experiment with clothing styles. Your body is changing and so is what you will look good wearing.

8. Choose clothes for their stretch capacity without the fabric appearing that it is stretched.

9. Wear maternity clothes that look and feel good. Maternity clothes have come a long way in fashion since your mother's pregnancy; you don't need to wear ugly clothing just because you're a mother-to-be.

10. Avoid itchy or synthetic items where possible as your hormones will only help you feel itchier, stickier and hotter than normal! Most maternity clothes will contain Lycra or spandex for stretch capacity, but be sure whenever possible choose clothing with a natural fabric blend.

11. Purchase the same size that you were pre-pregnancy. If that size doesn't seem to fit, trust your judgment and buy a size larger or smaller. (However, if in doubt, go larger!)

12. Select several different styles and fits to try on. Pants, in particular, come with many different types of stretch panels, and will often fit and feel different. Also, as you progress in your pregnancy, it may not be only your stomach that grows, but also your posterior and hips.

13. Ask if the store has a "prosthetic tummy." This is a pillow-like object that you can wear under the maternity clothes to check the fit. It isn't a perfect indicator, but will help you in buying maternity clothes to wear later on. If one isn't available, try using a shopping bag with one or two clothing items in it--it works surprisingly well!

14. Buy or make nursing bras (a bra that allows you to uncover one breast at a time) around the last trimester if you are planning on breastfeeding. They are convenient and easy to use in public places. Make sure when pregnant to go to a lingerie store and get measured a couple of times as your bra size will flunctuate during your pregnancy, this will give you the most comfortable maternity bra.

15. Consider nursing clothes for the breast-feeding mother-to-be. These items (usually shirts, but also camisoles and dresses) have openings that make it easier to nurse, especially in public. Nursing sleepwear likewise makes for less disrobing at nighttime feedings. However, it is best to see how your existing clothes work before spending too much money on these specialized items - many modern clothes work well without special features.

16. Repeat as necessary: as you progress into your pregnancy, you may discover some purchases simply didn't work out as you thought. There's several reason for this, including how you're carrying your baby and how your body changes during pregnancy. It's hard to predict these things weeks or months in advance.

Don't think you somehow failed in shopping if a pair of pants that was comfortable for weeks suddenly becomes uncomfortable. So be careful not to think you'll finish all your shopping in one weekend, or otherwise buy all your wardrobe at once.