Pregnancy Style Miles

Much of my pregnancy passed without a hitch. By that I mean I was able to still use over half of my pre-pregnancy wardrobe despite my growing waistline.

These last weeks of incubating my little parasite (I always wanted to say that, haha--if you don't know the source of the joke, I suggest the keywords "House MD Parasite"), however, has sent me on a panicked shopping spree for clothes that would actually fit.

In a way, I'm very lucky. I only started showing late in my fourth month which meant I only needed to be a bit more creative with how I used my clothes. In fact, until now people tell me that I don't look pregnant--from the chest up, that is. This means all the adjusting I've had to do remained in the zone from my chest to hips where the changes really matter.

My sixth month introduced a surprisingly rapid growth. So surprising that I'd had to separately hang the clothes that I cannot wear at the moment so my already cluttered mind would not be further cluttered up by excess clothing, and the only drawers I ever open now--since my drawers mostly contain just T-shirts and shorts for home use--are the ones containing my delicates and sleep clothes.

I mentioned before though that my mum, perhaps from the excitement of becoming a grandmother, offered to buy my new clothes for me. Again, we always gratefully accept those kinds of offers, haha. ^_~

Experienced mothers already know this, I bet, but for first timers like me who are not quite sure what to do with their clothes and what's out there, here are the main things I learned along the way.

1. Using maternity/nursing clothes is not limited to during pregnancy. One of the main things that saved me early on was the fact that I'd been drawn to maternity wear for about a year now. I'd been purchasing some maternity dresses (on sale) because the colours and patterns were so pretty they appealed to me. So don't limit yourself to "now"; think of these clothes in terms of things you'll still be using after.
2. Your husband's closet will always be a wonderful "store" for slouchy days. Seriously. His shirt + your leggings/shorts = a very comfy, slouchy day. Sexy and cute in one go. WIN.
3. The maternity section is not the only source for maternity/nursing clothes. During my first round of the department store, I naturally sought out the maternity section believing the best finds would be there. While it's true that many of the clothes in that section appealed to me, my best and cheapest finds were not in that section at all. If you're going down that route, just make sure the garment has a) enough wiggle room for you to grow, and b) easy access, especially if you plan on breast feeding. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being pregnant and looking for clothes in the other sections, no matter how many strange looks you might get.
4. If you like shorts and pants, maternity ones are awesome. I did not know about the existence of maternity shorts before my pregnancy and tearfully said goodbye to wearing my pre-pregnancy shorts as soon as I entered my fifth month. I have since bought three pairs of maternity shorts and they are super, super comfortable and cool. Easier to wear than leggings AND you can still wear them after.
5. If the dress still fits but is too short, shorts or leggings will save the day. And your wallet.
6. You CAN wear heels. Just make sure you feel stable enough in them and always bring a second pair of (flat) shoes just in case.

I've found that nursing wear, locally, is the hardest to find. Our country seems to be so bent on using formulas that nursing clothes are a pricey commodity and don't even come in too many cute prints and designs.

For that I've decided a little creativity will be required and thankfully, the appropriate under garments (not just bras but tanks for layering) are fairly cheap. I now have a good selection of V-necked and button-down tops and dresses though many of my clothes are still of the non-nursing variety.