At first I was resistant to buying maternity clothes – I didn’t want to spend the money on something that would only work for a short period of time, and it felt indulgent to me. I try to be fairly reasonable when it comes to the quantity of clothes I have, especially with our tiny old house closets. I just didn’t see where they would fit!
One week in Seattle, though, it got particularly hot, and I felt like a stuffed sausage in all of my clothes. Not only was my bump growing, but so were my hips, my butt, boobs, you name it. I wanted to feel comfortable and cute as my body was rapidly changing. I also figured it made sense to get some key pieces early on so I could get the most use out of them, rather than waiting until later in my pregnancy. Luckily I got a lot of amazing hand-me-downs from friends, but I also finally purchased some key items that helped me start feeling good again!
Postpartum + Nursing Friendly
I tried to think long term as often as I could – things that can work for postpartum and nursing. I don’t anticipate going back to the tight jeans I was wearing pre-pregnancy anytime soon (or maybe ever!) but as my bump continues to grow, I am finding myself wanting to wear some fitted tops and dresses more often to show it off! I am so proud and happy to be pregnant, and sometimes wearing fitted maternity wear helps me feel like I’m celebrating my body rather than covering up the blob that I feel like sometimes.
So! I wanted to share a few of my favorite items that I’ve gotten recently, and what some of my go-to shopping spots have been. For regular clothes I have tried to start shifting away from fast fashion as much as I can and buy quality staples, but I’m trying to let that go a little bit right now so that I can ease into some of these maternity purchases!
Bras.
One of the first things that got bigger early on in pregnancy was my bust size. This can be awesome for some people haha but mostly for me I just realized I needed some new bras. I got some nursing friendly bras, and some others that I just wanted to feel comfortable in. A friend recommended these two and I am loving them!
True & Co. Adjustable Strap Triangle Bra – on Target
Gratlin Padded Nursing Bra – on Amazon
I also got a couple of sports bras in the next size up, and Aerie is always a favorite. Underwear, too… see aforementioned behind expansion. Hey, some of us just get bigger all over and I’m working on being ok with that!
Shorts.
I have pretty much always though of shorts as the devil but as the summer months get hotter, I realized I needed some new ones that would fit and keep me cool. These two from Old Navy – soft shorts + athletic shorts, are my current favorites. I am also loving the bike short trend right now for maternity shorts since a lot of my maternity tops are flowy, they work great with that!
Bike Shorts – these Colorfulkoala bike shorts are great for being out / active wear (I also recommend their leggings in your next size up for workout leggings + they all have pockets!) + these are super soft for wearing around the house!
Pants.
Vouri Sweatpants – My mother-in-law bought me Vouri sweatpants before IVF and they seriously feel like butter! I asked for the next size up for pregnancy and I’m so glad I did!
Some days I like wearing maternity over the bump leggings and some days I just don’t want anything tight around my belly! Most days, my Lululemon Align Leggings are my favorite. At 24 weeks I’m still wearing my pre-pregnancy ones, but I think I’ll treat myself to the next size up soon! They’ll also still be great postpartum.
These Aerie smock top pants are my current hot weather favorites (I also got the shorts version!). I often need to wear pants for work / feel more comfortable in pants than shorts, so these were a great find!
My favorite maternity jeans so far are the “Jean-ish Leggings” from Spanx. They’re more expensive than other ones I’ve tried, but I never feel like they are going to fall down, are super stretchy, and look nice! I know a lot of people love Madewell maternity jeans, too!
I’m obsessed with overalls in general, and they have been amazing during pregnancy! No worrying about things falling down 🙂 My favorites have been hand-me-downs from my friend! I also love rompers, and Smash + Tess has been a favorite brand pregnant or not! So soft and comfy!
Dresses.
Definitely going to be a go-to this summer! Swing dresses from Old Navy are super easy-breezy for me right now and they come in fun prints! I also love wearing some proper maternity dresses to show off my bump. There are great, inexpensive fast-fashion options on Amazon.
And hey, just keeping it real, I bought these slip shorts to wear underneath, just a few sizes up to fit! I’m sure I’ll find some maternity ones in the near future!
Special Splurge.
I let myself get a couple of maternity pieces that are really special. I’ve bought two items from Hatch – a long sleeve top and a jumpsuit – that honestly just make me feel like a million bucks / Meghan Markle. The items are definitely more expensive, but a lot will work postpartum/nursing. Hatch also recently launch a collab at Target – The Nines – so definitely check that out for some designer-inspired finds!
Another alternative to buying maternity friendly expensive clothes is to rent them! This is a great option for special occasion dresses, too, and for postpartum when your old clothes don’t fit. I’ve been looking at Nuuly (Anthropologie, Free People, etc.), Rent the Runway and Armoire.
Registry Items
I registered for a couple of clothing items for those first days postpartum (that also work late pregnancy) – a Dwell and Slumber cocoon dress, a Milkmaid Goods robe, nursing friendly wrap sweaters from Pink Blush and pjs from Kindred Bravely. All of these brands have soft and cozy pieces that I know will feel great when I don’t want to wear anything! I’m planning on doing another post all about what we included on our registry, so stay tuned!
Photoshoot!
I’ve dreamed about what I’d wear for our maternity photoshoot for a long time! I’ve always loved the look of dresses from Nothing Fits But and am excited to wear the dress I got for our session in the mountains with my dear friend Betty!
We are actually planning to do two maternity shoots (I know I’m crazy, but hey, we’ve waited for this and I have so many talented friends!) and I haven’t decided yet what I’ll wear for our other session – but I’m thinking a fitted dress so it will be different than my other, or maybe even my overalls! 🙂
If you’re looking for more maternity session style inspiration be sure to check out this post on my blog!
I hope this has been helpful! I’d love to hear your favorites, too! Comment below and connect on Instagram @meredithmckee!
