When I found out I was pregnant, one of the thoughts that ran through my mind was, “I am so excited to wear maternity clothes!” One thing that most people do not tell you, is that maternity clothes can be super expensive! I had no idea. It can be tempting to buy a whole new wardrobe. Trust me, wearing the same pants five days of the week can get super old. Is it worth putting money into pregnancy clothing?
In my opinion, it is worth some money, but not as much as you may think/want. Not only will you be able to wear these clothes for only nine months (actually less considering you are growing all of the time), but by the time you get pregnant again (if you want more kids), styles will probably have changed! I do believe in feeling good about yourself and that when you look good, you feel good. However, there is a healthy balance to all things. Here are some ways that I have been able to still buy clothes that fit me without spending a fortune.
My first piece of advice is to focus on staple and timeless pieces. Think of the clothes that you normally wear the most. For many women, this can be a black pair of leggings, jeans, a coat, t-shirts, a neutral colored dress, a jean skirt, etc. Consider getting these items in maternity clothes. My favorite and most-worm maternity clothes are my skinny jeans, black leggings, t-shirts and simple t-shirt dresses. These are items I can dress up or down and do not cost me a fortune. On top of that, these are items that will most likely still be in style when my next pregnancy comes around. If you are lucky, you may be able to wear some of your normal baggier pre-pregnancy clothes. Occasionally you will buy some clothes during your pregnancy that you can wear during and after pregnancy, do not pass these up if the price is good.
The second piece of advice is to shop for sales. No need to pay full price for maternity clothes. My favorite store for maternity clothes is ASOS.com. They always have maternity clothes on sale and their return policy rocks! Amazon is also a great place and not always the first place that comes to mind when you think of buying clothes.
The third piece of advice is to really think about what you need and have a budget. Needs and wants can be hard to differentiate when buying clothes, I totally get it. But you want to think about the things you will really need and put your budget money in those areas. If you are planning on exercising, buy the maternity leggings! If you work and need to look professional, buy the dress over the sweats! If you are deciding between a cute pair of heels and some comfy slip-on tennis shoes, trust me, during month eight of your pregnancy, you will want the slip-on tennis shoes! Your back will thank you. If your current sweatshirts already fit, no need to buy more! Be sure to shop around as well. Many stores sell similar items, so do some price comparisons!
Lastly, know that your body is changing and accept it in the beautiful state it is in. Clothes are not going to fit you the same, period. And that is okay, enjoy it and show off the bump! You want to dress well and take care of yourself during your pregnancy, but do not let that be the only factor determining your self worth. Be the confident momma that you want your child to learn from. Take care of yourself and dress up, but remember that clothing does not determine your worth!
Bump-it-Up Fitness 