Why Buy Maternity Clothes?

You are usually pregnant for nine months with a full-term pregnancy. Usually your clothes will begin to feel too tight in the waistline beginning the second month as the baby and uterus gets bigger. Most women experience their breast size increasing also. Additional fluids in the body can change the way regular clothes fit in the chest, arms, hips and thighs. What does not change is the basic bone structure of your body -- your height, shoulder width, or arm length. Maternity clothes were made to fit a pregnant body -- they fit correctly to accommodate the pregnant woman's body without looking sloppy or oversized.

Maternity clothes are made with the same proportions as non-maternity clothes but with additional ease to allow for your changing shape. When you are pregnant you will normally buy the same size maternity clothes has you would buy when you are not pregnant, assuming you gain between 25-35 pounds during the pregnancy. All maternity clothes have room for an expanding belly and allow for the additional weight gain, some of which is distributed throughout the body. If you are between sizes, buy the next larger size.

Whether you need professional and casual clothing, or can just wear casual clothing during the whole pregnancy will depend on your particular circumstances. The following give examples of what to expect you will need while you are pregnant:

 2-4 Months -- Pants and skirts with elastic waists, dresses without a waistline, oversized clothing usually suffice. If you wear bikini underwear, these will probably work the entire pregnancy if you do not gain much weight. If you wear briefs, you will probably want to buy some "stretchier" brand, or buy maternity briefs by your fourth month. Clothes worn during this period can be referred to as transitional clothing as they will also be useful to wear after the baby is born and before your pre-pregnancy figure returns.

 4-9 Months -- This is what maternity clothes are made for! You will find that while there is not nearly the selection that is available in non-maternity clothes, and while you may have a hard time dealing with loose clothing with no waistline, there ARE maternity clothes available that make you feel like a normal human being! At four months maternity clothes seem HUGE. You may want to try using a small pillow when trying on clothes to get an idea of what you will look like at 8 or 9 months. Many dresses and tops are styled with an adjustable back tie to take up the extra material before you need it. And believe it, you WILL need it!

Since most of us are already on tight budgets, it is difficult to contemplate buying another wardrobe just for 6 months. If you are fortunate enough to have relatives or friends to share clothing with, you will probably only need to buy a few personal items and a few new items (to add to the "collection") during the whole pregnancy. If you need to buy a wardrobe, you will probably only buy a minimal amount to get by, and if you wear every outfit every week, your clothes will be pretty worn out by the time the baby is born! Money spent on maternity clothes will not be wasted money! Plan your wardrobe carefully so you can mix and match as much as possible to feel and look like you have more outfits than you do. Buy a couple items that make you look REALLY good; it will definitely help you FEEL good about yourself and your body!

Enjoy this special time as much as you can! Feel free to e-mail us with any questions you may have about maternity and nursing clothing and accessories.

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