Welcome to the awkward stage in pregnancy where you’re indistinguishable from a human grower and a human who ate too many donuts.
As if growing another human being wasn’t enough, you’ve been assigned the daunting task of making a beach ball (aka your growing baby bump) look flattering, all while staying comfortable and not overspending in the process. Though society has come a long way in the pregnancy fashion department, it can still make even the most patient woman want to pull her hair out.
You know you can’t get by wearing an oversized hoodie for much longer, and there will come a day when even the stretchiest pants are no match for your baby bump, so now is the time to strategize. It’s tempting to invest in a maternity wardrobe that fits you now and assume that the clothes will magically fit by the end of your third trimester (They won’t; your belly’s expanding by the day!). Or you might think it’s a good idea to go on one huge shopping spree for clothes that are slightly too big for you now in hopes that they’ll last you all the way to the end of your pregnancy. (This is risky. You’ll spend the middle of your pregnancy practically swimming in your clothes, and the end of it looking and feeling uncomfortable in clothes you’ve outgrown.)
Instead, plan to purchase two sets of maternity clothes: one for your second trimester and one for your third. And only buy the third trimester set once you’ve outgrown the clothes in your second trimester set. Look for versatile pieces like leggings with a supportive belly band and tops you can layer. Approach it like a capsule wardrobe to help you focus on the essentials. And don’t ignore your feet! If they’ve started to swell, you may notice your shoes pinching and squeezing in all the wrong places, so invest in some supportive footwear to get you through the coming months. To free up your wallet for all the adorable baby outfits you’re planning to buy, consider borrowing maternity clothes. Do you have a friend or family member who would be all too happy to share their stash? And don’t forget about sites like eBay, Poshmark, Offer Up, and Facebook Marketplace, where you could score an entire maternity wardrobe for next to nothing! Look at you, you savvy money saving mama!
Your new mantra: Style your bump on a budget...so you can have more $ for cute baby clothes!
Baby Size-O-Meter: 5 months = banana
Check out our entire pregnancy series that’s all about YOU. Because being pregnant shouldn’t mean losing yourself and just becoming a baby oven ;)
- Unexpected Advice for Your First Month of Pregnancy
- A Cautionary Tale for Month 2 of Pregnancy
- Do This When You're 3 Months Pregnant
- When Pregnancy Cravings Kick in During the 4th Month, Be Aware of Pica
- Tips for Styling Your Bump on a Budget Once You Hit the 5th Month
- A Pregnancy Mantra for Month 6: It's My Preg-Party and I'll Cry If I Want To
- Rule #1 When You're 7 Months Pregnant: You Do You
- If You're 8 Months Pregnant, You Need a Pre-Baby Bucket List
- Your Pregnancy Mantra for Month 9: Breathe In, Breathe Out, & Bring Out Your Bad-A**
Buy used! I purchased nearly all of my maternity clothes on ThredUp – a much cheaper way of clothing your growing body! And it’s environmentally friendly too!
oversized clothes are totally a friend! in the winter i went for open cardigans and in the summer a lot of gym shorts under my bump with t shirts. biker shorts with baggy tees work too! i’m a big fan of making do with what i have (:
Shop resale! My local shop has maternity Mondays and all maternity clothes are 15% off. Maternity clothes usually stay in pretty good shape since they’re used for such a short time
Grab an extra pack of diapers every time you’re at the store, it will give a nice stockpile. You’ll also have ones to give away when someone needs one
I loved leggings for the fall!! Especially with oversized tees and sweaters. I think being comfy is so important.
I was able to make it through my whole pregnancy in Lularoe leggings and big flowy Tshirts. I like the SO favorite t-shirts from the juniors section in Kohls. I just sized up a size once I had a bump. All my leggings got stretched out and don’t fit my postpartum body anymore, but Lularoe leggings are cheap enough, I was able to replace them 🙃
Definitely check with friends who’ve recently had babies, if they’d consider selling or letting you borrow their maternity clothes. I’ve offered mine out to friends without them asking just because I know it could help. Also- check in the Old Navy stores! They no longer carry the department but they have a wonderful maternity selection online. And if stuff is returned to the physical store, they often resell it at a discount. Good luck!
Cardigans with belts and leggings are pregnancy lifesavers! Slip on shoes like Tom’s. I found similar styles at Target I’m still wearing 8 months postpartum. Get with local mom groups and swap clothes, ask dvice, and chat. Facebook is a great starting place for those groups.
I love these ideas! I ended up not buying any “maternity specific” shirts this pregnancy and just got flowy tops and tshirts that I’ll be able to keep wearing even not pregnant.
I always recommend to my friends to get some comfy dresses that have like a drop waist. You can get them at your pre pregnancy size so that there is room for the belly to grow and then they can also wear it after baby is born. You can layer it, wear with tights, warm up with a sweater!
Consignment sales and thrift stores… just wash & wear things that are typically barely worn for less
Break out your old tight dresses from college that you don’t wear anymore, they’re perfect now to show off the beautiful bump!!!
It’s also super helpful to buy slightly oversized regular clothing. I bought t-shirt dresses and big tshirts that fit until the end.. I still wear them a year postpartum! Comfy and budget friendly.
Dresses are your best friend when trying to style a baby bump! Loose or maxi dresses and you can buy your normal size and still wear when not pregnant!
Kimonos and cardigans! Invest in a few maternity jeans, and then throw teese and tanks under kimonos or cardigans. Then – you feel good, comfortable, and you can still wear them post baby!
Use a hair tie to extend your jeans, and fold down the waist band to wear them even longer. I was able to wear stretchy basic tops and tanks that were my pre-pregnancy size during hot months. Then just throw on an unbuttoned flannel or jacket in the cold months! Low cut tops and tanks are also nursing friendly for the postpartum months.
I love styling my bump in long flowing dresses. I feel so beautiful and it helps keep my growing bump stay comfortable!
If you can, use a belt band to extend the life of your pre-maternity pants. Also sizing up two sizes in non-maternity clothes can sometimes work to save money! I always shopped sales and specials as well.
Totally agree on discounted shopping websites! I got a few flowy dresses in amazon that I still wear to this day, 2 maternity jeans and 2 maternity leggings and would just wear them with loose sweaters or tops. I also love stores like Ross and Burlington for super affordable clothes, they both have great maternity options. For nursing needs, I found bra, tank tops, and pj gowns bundles on amazon, super affordable as well.
Check out second hand shops and consignment stores for maternity clothes and your local online groups for new moms happy to donate their baby bump threads to another expecting Mom. I received so many treasures this way!
The majority of my pregnancy was during the winter months, I lived in pjs, leggings, and oversized hoodies. Never had to buy maternity clothes, as I owned alot of oversized clothes. Mommas, invest in manyyy pjs and leggings, get as comfy as possible!
If pregnant in the summer, my advice is to buy loose fitting dresses. They are comfortable, cool and you can usually buy them pretty cheap because they don’t need to be labeled “maternity”.
Buy a few staple pieces – plain T-shirts, tank tops and leggings that are all maternity. You can make several different outfits out of those items.
At the end…when all else fails – wear your husbands T-shirts around the house as you prepare for the birth!
Buy the leggings. Trust me, mama, just buy ALL the leggings. And don’t take them off ever.
I check out thrift stores for maternity clothes. Sometimes I can find good maternity stuff or buy a size or two up. Another option is joining local Facebook mom groups sometime people are selling their old maternity clothes!
I loved finding clothes with enough stretch that they’d last my whole pregnancy! At first I thought maternity clothes were just a way to make women buy more clothes 😂 but when I realized a shirt I wore at 15 weeks fit me at 37 weeks, I decided it was worth it!
Shopping for maternity clothes on sale and on Facebook marketplace really helped save a lot of money!