Begin your maternity wear shopping when your lingerie (especially your bras) are becoming uncomfortable in any way, and/or when your trousers and skirts are getting snug.
Why? Correctly fitted nursing-maternity bras will not only save you from discomfort, but will save you from possibly doing damage to your growing breasts. Ill-fitting pants and skirts were not attractive when you weren't pregnant, and the same holds true(r) when you are pregnant!
I do not recommend using safety pins, rubber bands, or other makeshift contraptions to keep your unbuttoned trousers up, unless said item is a BellaBand. BellaBands are an adequate stop-gap for the period in-between regular-pants-that-will-not-and-should-not-close, and maternity pants. All other items leave you in danger of a wardrobe malfunction. I leave that to your imagination. Keep in mind that the BellaBand is just a temporary solution. It's not the pregnancy wardrobe "magic bullet" that some might suggest it is.
In addition to the improved appearance of maternity bottoms that fit, over your regular ones that do not fit at the moment, is the comfort factor. The skin on your belly needs tender attention, and chaffing waist bands (or safety pins!) will not be helpful in that regard. Begin using at this stage a pregnant belly salve, lotion or oil designed for pregnancy and which preferably does not contain chemicals or ingredients that you would not find in an organic grocery store. It will spare you itchiness and discomfort down the road as the skin on your abdomen grows taught. The jury is still out (I feel) on whether these creams will actually reduce the incidence of stretch marks, however!
Correctly fitted nursing-maternity bras will not only save you from discomfort, but will save you from doing possible damage to your growing breasts. I strongly suggest visiting Evymama for your breastfeeding brassieres if you live in, near, or are just visiting Toronto, not only because it is my business but because I know that the Evymamas will take good care of you. Of this, and a few other things in life I am sure. For others in urban centres having a shop with a wide selection of nursing bras and a competent staff, go there. If you live in a remote area, I do not suggest going to the local department store or mall-chain maternity shop without at minimum consulting our bra fitting guide first, as you will undoubtedly leave with the wrong size- and not by any fault of your own. You will be quite, quite alone in making your choices in one of those stores, and they (strangely) are unlikely to carry your size, no matter what that size may be (more on this another time- it's really a fascinating phenomenon!) I will not trouble to comment too much on the selection of nursing bras in big box stores. Suffice to say that the nursing bras at Evymama are superior in quality, size range, and appearance. I say this without boasting. It would be difficult to do worse than they do. Truly, if you live in a remote area, I humbly suggest shopping for your nursing bras in our online boutique, evymama.ca. We offer phone support for long-distance customers in addition to our online bra fitting guide, and one free return ship!
Please do not, under any circumstances, buy regular, non-maternity clothing in "a size up".
Unless your intention is to spend good money on clothes that absolutely do not and will not at any stage fit you, do not do this. People may advise you to do this. I won't say anything about those people, except that they are giving out advice that they aren't qualified to give.
Although the reasons NOT to do this will be obvious to many, they might not be obvious to one and all. Let's look at what we know about regular clothing "in a size up" against what we know is happening with your body.
Clothing that is too large for you is just that. It is large in the shoulders, at the neck, at the small of your back, in the arms, in the crotch, and in the leg. (And yes, at the waist, but not large enough for your purposes.)
Fortunately, you will likely not be carrying a child in your throat, shoulders, or knees. Your breasts will grow, yes, quite a bit. You may swell a little in the arms and face and elsewhere. Your child and his entourage of placenta and waters, and your uterus, will grow massively. If your purpose was merely to cover your pregnant belly with some form of clothing, you would need to wear regular clothes "in four sizes up" to be "successful" in your endeavour (if such a thing could be considered a success by anyone but your enemies.)
When your waist has vanished, you will come to appreciate your lovely shoulders, your neck, your rib cage, your fabulous legs (your hair, your nails...) Why would anyone hide these features under yards and yards of improperly cut (I should say improperly selected) clothing?
I beg you not to do it. It's wasteful and misguided. You will have to buy a maternity wardrobe as well, in the end.
Coming up next: Blissful maternity shopping and dressing: what to buy, when, and why, Part II.
