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Maternity clothes

Look fabulous with a bump

What to look for when buying maternity clothes
Business bumps
Maternity clothes on a budget
Best bras
Special sizes
Where to buy maternity clothes
Where to next?

What to look for when buying maternity clothes

Initially, you may be able to get away with buying ordinary clothes, one or two sizes larger than you would normally wear. But by about the sixth month of your pregnancy, (if not before, depending on your bump), you'll probably want to wear the comfiest, least itchy and most flattering maternity clothes you can find. Here are our tips for making the perfect pregnancy purchases:

Cotton is king. Choose natural fabrics that won't itch. During pregnancy it's common for skin to become sensitive to man-made fabrics, resulting in hot, scratchy rashes.
Think big. Make sure waistbands have plenty of room for expansion. You don't want to buy maternity clothes only to find you've outgrown them a month later. Look for front or side panels of stretchy fabric inserted where your bump is going to swell.
Be practical. Remember that you may continue to wear maternity clothes after the birth, until your body gets back into shape. So if you're planning to breastfeed, choose styles that will be practical for feeding - tops that undo or are easy to pull up.
Support yourself. Ensure the right support for your growing bust with our our Best bras section.

Business bumps

Gone are the days when a pregnant woman reclined at home for nine months preparing for the arrival of her baby. But, going to work with a bump can raise fashion problems, especially if you're expected to wear business suits and want to be comfortable throughout the working day. Liz Lange's online shop stocks a range of business maternity clothes as does mummyandlittleme, www.funmum.com whilst cravematernity.co.uk, www.sculptmaternity.co.uk or www.pushmaternity.com also cater for working mums-to-be with a range of suits and shirts.

If you don't have the money or inclination to invest in business maternity clothes, just buy a well cut pair of trousers and a skirt in a dark colour - a couple of items which should see you through until you go on maternity leave.

Read our article on Bumps mean business - dressing for work when you're pregnant.

Maternity clothes on a budget

Borrow: You probably have friends or relatives who have been pregnant before you and, if you're a similar size to you, why not borrow their maternity clothes? You'll only need maternity clothes for a few months, so why splash out hundreds of pounds when you could save the money to spoil baby instead!

Hire: If you've got a special event to attend, you could hire an outfit. Check out www.doesmytumlookbiginthis.com for more information.

Secondhand: There's a thriving market for secondhand maternity clothes on the internet. Visit www.budget-bumps.com , www.bump2babe.co.uk or www.bumpsmart.co.uk for bargains, plus check out eBay for nearly new maternity clothes.

Special sizes

If you're taller or smaller than average, it can be a struggle to find maternity clothes that fits. Check out Beanpolebump's trousers for tall ladies. Most places which stock maternity clothes go from a size 8 up to at least a size 20 and www.funmum.com caters for both petite and larger sizes. But, if you're really stuck for clothes, try Room for Two's made to measure service.

Where to next?

Get advice on nursing and sleep bras
Check out our maternity wear product reviews
Dying to shop? Check out our maternity clothes directory
Confused about what to buy? Join our Product talk discussion forum
Visit the babyworld shop to buy all your maternity products

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