Ask the Editor: The Biggest Pregnancy Fashion Surprises

It was inevitable that my body would change with pregnancy.  But every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different, so preparing was more of a challenge than I anticipated.  Many of you on this road, or considering a trip down this path, have asked for advice on the clothing side of things.  And as I crest my third trimester, I finally feel qualified to give it.

So if you’re planning on having a baby, are pregnant, or just want a laugh, join me while I talk about the biggest fashion surprises that came from being with child (with some non-maternity content sprinkled in).

????Whose Feet Are These?????Swollen feet are common in pregnancy.  They just don’t usually start in month three and go the whole distance.  So my bony, narrow feet and my slender ankles have been replaced by something that looks like a Hobbit learned to shave.

First, I tried foot compression socks (meant to combat Plantar Fasciitis) with black loafers.  This worked for a minute.  Then, summer came, and with it the third trimester.

Several of you recommended Birkenstocks.  Now, I have no hatred for the shoe.  I understand many people love them, and they’re even in Vogue (literally).  But I grew up in Montana, where the only people who wore them were grandmas and hippies, so I never warmed to them.

Yet, I could not resist the ability to put my feet into a shoe that didn’t hurt.  So I cried, “uncle.”  (Somewhere my Grandma is laughing at me.)

Luckily, Birks made kind of a cool “big buckle” pair of their signature Arizona.  So I grabbed them in brown (a collab with hot bag brand Staud) and black for summer.

???? Why Is the Quality So Bad? ???? $150+ dollars for a dress, and I could read a newspaper through the thin material.  $120+ for a blouse, and the threads came out after one wear.  One dress from Isabella Oliver was so thin that when stretched across my abdomen, you could see the scar from an ill-considered early-2000s navel piercing.

Frankly, since I was getting H&M quality from the bulk of the maternity-wear sellers, I just started shopping there.  At least the price is commensurate with the quality.  I also like the Express maternity section and the sale section at Seraphine (their pieces are J.Crew quality, but the prices are quite high, so 40% off really helps).

???? Everything Grows, Everything ???? There comes a moment in every pregnancy when you realize that you have no underwear that fit.  Then, you solve that issue, and three weeks later, you run out of underwear that fit again.  And you repeat this cycle until the baby comes out of you, and you switch to disposable mesh underwear.

Also, pregnancy is kind of a messy business, so you don’t get to just grab a 3-pk of whatever underwear Target has on special, oh no.  You need to plonk down cash for the absorbent underwear that prevent leaks and just pray that the stretchy fabric can take a punch.

This also goes for pajamas.  I woke up last Sunday to discover my top completely unbuttoned by my expanding abdomen and my drawstring waist stretched to its limits.  I sized up one size in these Nordstrom Easy Pajamas, and they can go the distance.  (They’re also super soft.)

For the remainder of my pajama wardrobe, Target is the place to shop.  My Sister Made Me Buy It recommends these gauze pjs.  I bought two sets.  That woman is never wrong.

????Just Buy the Nursing Bra ???? Maybe I’ll breastfeed. Maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll do some hybrid.  Regardless, as my breasts have grown, I’ve realized that it makes no financial sense to buy new bras when I can just buy the probably necessary nursing bras.

And let me just tell you, the competition among bra manufacturers to make the “best” nursing bra is fierce.  I’ve seen political races with less tension.

After sorting through a lot of chaff, I purchased this Cake bra without underwire and this On Gossamer bra with underwire.  I like both.  Neither pinches or binds.  And neither makes me feel trapped inside a coffin by the end of a long work day.

????Prepare, But Don’t Stock Up???? It’s easy to say, “I’m not going to need that” or “I would never wear that” when you’re in your first trimester.  But (God willing), your first trimester will end, and all best after that are off.

You don’t know what you will need.  It may not be what your friend needed or your sister needed.  It may not be what the Internet said you needed (those posts are usually written by childless 24-year olds, so no shock here).

It may be that you strain a muscle in your pelvic girdle during a 1-mile walk in week 27 and you need this contraption.  It may be that you develop a serious allergy to wool that never appeared before and sweaters get locked up for the duration.  You may move halfway through your third trimester to Montana and need clothes for all four seasons just to accommodate a single day in June.

This is all to say, don’t pre-plan too much.  Make a budget and take it as it comes.  Something that worked last week, may not work this week.  But while you’re being flexible, you do still need to be prepared because you can go from not needing maternity wear to being unable to live without it in a matter of one Amazon Prime-shipping window.

Looking back, I would recommend having one pair of maternity pants, one thick maternity tee, one maternity dress, and one pair of maternity leggings in reserve.  As well as two pairs of bigger underwear (nobody wants to get pinched all day while waiting for a delivery).  That’s all you need to be ready for whatever comes.

If you have tips to share, the comments section is open.  But please be cognizant that there are no absolutes, what worked for you may not work for someone else.

{this post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author}