When it comes to pregnancy, you’ll face struggles like suffering from morning sickness, being careful about your diet, and coping with your changing body. And it doesn’t help that it becomes challenging to find clothes to wear.
It’s essential to dress comfortably while pregnant since it can be uncomfortable as you get through your trimesters. However, it doesn’t hurt to wear clothes that make you look and feel good as well. After all, it’s easy to feel unattractive and difficult to feel confident in your skin while you’re expecting a baby.
And if you’re already having problems with what to wear today, tomorrow, or on your next ob-gyn appointment, it’s high time for you to go shopping. Aside from procuring some pretty clothes, shopping is an excellent stress reliever for you. It’s a fun thing to do that can help you forget some of the pains you’re experiencing while pampering yourself a bit.
Of course, if it’s already difficult for you to walk around, you could do your shopping online. You can find all kinds of websites that offer beautiful maternity clothing like MintSage Maternity and other stores search engines may show you.
If you’re ready to shop around, there’s one challenge left. And that’s knowing which maternity clothes you should buy. Fortunately, you’re in the right place as this article will guide you on what to wear at every stage of your pregnancy.
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How To Dress For The First Trimester
So, you just found out that you’re expecting and only you and your partner know it. At this point, you still fit in your clothes, and you could still rock your favorite styles.
However, in a matter of weeks, your body will go through changes that could affect how you dress. And you might have some questions about how to dress depending on your circumstances. To get yourself ready for those changes and want to get the best clothes for you, consider the following.
Are You Hiding It For A Surprise?
Pregnancy is an exciting thing, not just for you but also for your friends and family. It makes total sense to want to conceal it so you could break the news to them in full effect. Any changes in how you dress might give them clues, so you must make as few adjustments as possible.
Sticking to your usual style is a good idea, like wearing some of your most comfortable pieces. However, consider letting go of your regular jeans for now and switch to maternity ones. They almost look the same, but they won’t make you feel constricted. But be careful with your shirt though. People may spot the upper band that those jeans have, so wear a top or blouse that reaches until the pockets.
Are You Still Not Ready For Full-Blown Maternity Wear?
It’s also understandable that you might not want to wear full-blown maternity wear at this point. After all, it gets expensive to keep buying new clothes through every stage of your pregnancy.
Since you’re still in your first trimester, you can still wear your comfortable-fitting tops without resorting to buying and wearing loose maternity clothing. Looking through your closet and picking out ones that you could comfortably wear the most is a practical choice to do.
How Are You Feeling?
At this point in the pregnancy, you might be more sensitive than before. You can feel the layer of makeup you just wore and smell the detergent that your friends used on their clothes. While it’s a struggle, you can consider it as an excellent opportunity to know which fabrics and clothing styles can make you feel good during pregnancy. Knowing this information can help you know which clothes to buy and keep for your next pregnancy.
How To Dress For The Second Trimester
In the second trimester, your tummy will be more noticeable. If this is your first time, you have no choice but to shop and try new cuts, styles, and fabrics that would make you feel comfortable and look good.
To know which clothes are best for you, here are some guiding questions.
How Quickly Is Your Bump Growing?
Changes in your body are becoming apparent, and your baby bump is starting to show and grow. Maternity jeans that could stretch throughout the entire pregnancy are always available, so getting two or three of these makes deciding what to wear so much easier.
As for tops, you could go for a relaxed t-shirt, sweaters, billowy blouses, and anything that you can wear where your bump won’t feel constricted is practical. You might also avoid button-ups because their cuts and measurements aren’t usually made for pregnant people.
If you want to save a bit of money and time, buying a maternity dress is a great choice. With this type of maternity wear, you don’t even have to think about which pants go well with which top. Maternity dresses come in all kinds of designs these days, so you don’t have to worry about getting a tacky-looking one.
What’s Your Everyday Schedule Like?
You’ll also have to consider your activities every day since you might be working, taking care of your children, or doing other essential tasks. So even if some maternity dresses look amazing, they might not be practical for your lifestyle. You don’t want to go through your maternity wardrobe fast just because your chores or kids soiled your clothes.
How Many Clothes Are You Willing To Purchase?
While it’s fun and exciting to buy all kinds of new clothes, it’s crucial to think about the amount of money you’re willing to spend. If you’re on a budget and you’re not keen on getting too many clothes only for the duration, you could buy clothes that you know will fit you from the second trimester until the expected date of labor.
You could even look for clothes that aren’t necessarily maternity wear but versatile enough to be used in that way. This way, the clothes could be worn even when you’re not pregnant.
How To Dress For The Third Trimester
You’re finally closing into the final stage of your pregnancy, and you’re getting closer and closer to your expected date. It’s an exciting idea, but you might be feeling like your body is becoming more challenging to dress. To make the third trimester a little easier to manage, here’s how you could start dressing.
How Uncomfortable Do You Feel?
The discomfort is so much more apparent at this point that sleeping, moving, and putting on your shoes feels almost impossible. Slip-on footwear might be your best friend throughout the third trimester unless you have someone to put your socks on and tie your shoes for you.
It’s also hard to put on pants, no matter how comfortable they are. So, you could start using maxi dresses on days that feel like it’s torture to get dressed. Maxi dresses are elegant and could be styled up or down. The best part is that you could simply slip them over your head. There’s no need to reach down to get them on.
Are You Anxious About Labor?
If you think that you’re nearing labor, dressing in a way so you could get to the hospital or wherever you plan to give birth is essential. This means comfortable shoes and clothes. While it’s tempting to go for a glamorous look, maybe sticking to casual chic would be safer. Besides, it’s only until you’ve gotten past labor.
Do You Struggle With Styling?
Styling is going to be difficult because the clothing options are getting limited. But you might be surprised how you could use this to your benefit. For example, a black maternity dress is simple but stylish no matter what the occasion. There are ones that are figure-hugging but stretchable enough to make you comfortable. Don’t be afraid to pick simple styles and cuts because you can always dress them up with jewelry, a cool jacket, or a snazzy pair of shoes.
Is It Practical To Buy More Clothes At This Point?
Since it’s the last trimester, you’ll probably be wearing your third-trimester clothes only a few times. You might want to limit your clothing pieces to save up on money. Furthermore, during the third trimester, some women stay at home and only rarely go out for checkups and short walks for exercise. With this in mind, you might want to consider how often you leave your home, so you could decide on how many going out clothes you should purchase.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a period in your life that you’ll remember for both the good and bad times. In the future, you might look at your pregnancy photos and regret not looking your best. So, to make sure you’re always stylish and comfortable, getting your wardrobe ready for the coming nine months will make a huge difference. You’ll definitely thank yourself a ton once your bump starts showing and you already have your wardrobe set for you until your baby is born.
