YOU ASKED, I ANSWERED: MY PREGNANCY FAVES
This was my second full term pregnancy, and although I thought I knew it all the first time around… I really had no clue!! This time, with a full time blog business and a wild toddler running around… I was only able to focus on the essentials I needed during pregnancy. Which, to be honest, was kind of awesome.
LEGGINGS. Yes, they can be worn as pants. No, most women are NOT comfortable wearing maternity jeans. So if you find yourself siding with the #leggingsarepants movement on a daily basis, know this: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It is almost impossible to find the right fit of denim that don’t always fall down.
I found the coziest, best quality of legging during this pregnancy and I never want to retire them. Never. Now that I’ve had the baby, I’m learning that they are perfect for postpartum too. One HUGE thing I learned after my first pregnancy is that your body will really never be the same. So, don’t go into this thinking you will want or be able to wear your pre-pregnancy pants. Sure, you might get there quicker than others and if that is the case, that’s great! But for most of us, that is not the case. That’s why this time around I limited the actual maternity clothing I bought to these things, and sized up in regular clothing. I know I will probably be wearing these clothes for at least a year.
Back to my original point: These maternity leggings are the best! They are $60 and so incredibly comfortable. There is a slight sheen to them too, so they work with both dressy and casual tops. They have the right balance between comfy and put together. I get so big when I’m pregnant that by the 2nd trimester, I really can’t physically handle anything binding on my stomach like Spanx. So these were an amazing option for me because they’re fitted, but also comfortable. AND THEY DON’T FALL DOWN! #bless
BRA EXTENDERS. I get messages all the time about the best maternity bras, the best nursing bras, etc for expecting women. But here’s my answer: Your body continues to change, and if you’re happy with the current bra you have (other than the fact it no longer is fitting) - get some bra extenders! I always suggest waiting until around 35 weeks to start looking for a good nursing/maternity bra. Bra extenders will give you more room in both the cup and the circumference. Here are some great ones.
NURSING BRA. Like I said above, later on in your third trimester is ideally when you want to get a good nursing bra. You’ll want cozy ones and ones that look like real bras. My favorite brand for these is Natori. This is my favorite daytime bra, and this is the one I wear at night - it’s cozy.
MATERNITY JEANS. Like I said in #1, this is the hardest thing ever to find. But let’s face it, sometimes you are going to have to put on a dang pair of jeans. I have three options for you, and you should try them all because we are all going to have different things we love and hate about jeans. Here are the ones I wore my entire pregnancy and they never fell down. They fit like a glove but were comfortable, and they didn’t break the bank. Definitely size up in these, they are European. I just tried Good Mama for the second time, and I can really get behind the quality of these jeans. If you’re someone who does see themselves wearing denim a lot throughout pregnancy, I would recommend getting these. They fit close to the body, and run small so size up. I’ve washed them a few times and can attest that they are FANTASTIC and feel like butter!!!! Here are the ones I have and LOVE: HERE. Lastly, Old Navy makes a good selection of them that are decent. Not going to be the quality of GA, but still a good option.
MATERNITY UNDERWEAR. Ok, sadly I didn’t discover these until the week I gave birth to Pj. But #TRUST - these are amazing. The XL fits me and is really roomy (reminder, I’m like an 18/20). The fabric is amazing!!!
OVERSIZED TOPS. You’ve heard me preach this in the past and I’m sticking to my story. You don’t have to buy maternity tops. Just size up, and that way you’ll have a bangin’ postpartum wardrobe afterwards. You won’t want anything tight anyway!
A ROBE. You need a robe that will fit your bump! I failed at this during my first pregnancy and had to steal my hubby’s. But this time around, I got this one from Natori (once again, shocked that it fit me but it’s amazing). It’s the XXL and it is so comfortable. I’m wearing it postpartum as well. I particularly love the length!
