Pregnant and overwhelmed with all of the different maternity options out there (or lack thereof, in some cases)?! GIRL, I GOT YOU. 

I know first-hand how incredibly frustrating shopping for clothes that fit can be when your body is changing like crazy. The first time I was pregnant, I ordered tons of things from online shops, tried on everything, and hated most of it. I ended up spending my money on designer maternity jeans and leggings, and about 5-10 tops and dresses that could carry me through pregnancy.

I held on to those clothes, thinking that the next time I got pregnant I’d be able to wear them and so it would be worth the money. I also didn’t realize that I wouldn’t snap back immediately, so in turn I wore my maternity clothes for about a year after I had Emaline.

Cut to… this year, I get pregnant again. This time my body is COMPLETELY different though! And guess what? Most of that stuff I had stockpiled DOES NOT EVEN FIT. The jeans wouldn’t even come over my thighs.

That’s when it hit me:

This time - I decided to try something different. I decided to buy JUST the basics, and all the other clothes I need I will size up. And guess what? After I have this baby… I will have an AWESOME POSTPARTUM WARDROBE of regular clothing that isn’t skin tight while I’m getting back to my regular mom-bod.

Here's what you actually need to have when it comes to maternity clothes - for everything else, just try to be INTENTIONAL about what you’re buying and how long it will grow with your belly and whether or not you’ll be able to wear it after baby.

Other things to note:

***Before I got pregnant with this baby, I was a solid size 16 and a 1X-2X. I have been sizing up in jackets, sweaters, cardigans, tops, and dresses to an 18-20 or a 2X. Pretty excited about my postpartum wardrobe this time around — because last time it was super depressing to wear the same worn out, maternity clothing items for a year.

***For BRAS - if you’re going to be nursing, I recommend getting a nursing bra. Macy’s has a great selection. But for the time being, as you’re growing and changing - all you need to do is get BRA EXTENDERS! I still wear my same bras just with extenders. And yes, my boobs have completely exploded. I went from a 38C to a 42DD. It works, trust me.

***For MATERNITY & PLUS SIZE MATERNITY clothing (which is super rare) - I recommend PINKBLUSH across the board - they have an amazing, adorable selection of dresses and tops. And their price points are PERFECT! They also usually have sales going on. Perfect place to get a dress for a baby shower or a maternity shoot as well.

***For PLUS SIZE MATERNITY LEGGINGS - go to STORQ. I fit in to their size 5 leggings and also the size 6 (they’re just a little looser). The quality of their leggings are amazing compared to every other brand I’ve tried. Storq also carries basics like tops, skirts, tanks, and dresses. I recommend getting their bundle!