When I found out I was pregnant I was ecstatic. However, I quickly realized that my regular clothes were not going to fit for long.  By just week 6 I couldn’t fit my thighs into a few pairs of my jeans or shorts.  I was devastated.  I didn’t think I could have gained weight that quickly and even more worried that if I was already outgrowing my clothes how much was I going to have to spend on a maternity budget.
Determined to not go broke, I had to come up with some smart solutions.
- #1…Set a budget and stick to it. Â Before you buy it, ask yourself if you really need it (you should do this all the time, not just when shopping for maternity clothes).
- Determine what in your closet you can continue to use. Â You would be surprised how many dresses or longer shirts can be paired with some leggings and continued to be used your entire pregnancy.
- Buy a Be Band. I did a review on this product a few weeks ago and I’m happy to say, it’s probably the best investment I’ve made so far.  I am still, at 24 weeks, able to use this product regularly. I never tried it, but you could always go an even cheaper route and do the rubberband trick.
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| Wearing my Be Band with a tank top and shorts that were already in my closet |
- Don’t limit yourself to just “maternity” clothes simply because you are pregnant. Â Since being pregnant, I have only bought the Be Band new. Â I have bought 6 other dresses from the regular clothing sections of stores. Â The price on maternity dresses seems to be raised just because they are “maternity”. Â I found a maternity dress I liked in Target for $40, but went over to the regular dresses and found an even nicer one for just $25. The great thing is that I will continue to be able to wear this post-baby and feel better that it’s just a “regular” dress and I’m not still wearing maternity clothes.
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| Just a regular dress I got at Target. |
- Ebay, craigslist, and facebook yardsale groups can be lifesavers. Â I got an entire box of maternity clothes for $40 off facebook, picked out a few pieces that I could use and turned around and resold the remaining pieces for almost what I paid for the entire box.
- Shop clearance racks at stores that have maternity sections or look at discount stores like Burlington Coat Factory. Â I was able to find jeans there for just $9.99. I even found a nursing bra on clearance for $3 and most other nursing bras were just $9.99.
How did you save money on clothes while prego??
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Great tips!! I didn't buy many maternity clothes. When I was pregnant with my daughter I was huge by the summer. I def used the rubberband trick! I also wore sundresses because they were so the 3 C's: cute, comfy and convenient. I did however get a maternity bathing suit from target for a pretty penny. Luckily my cousin got it for me as a gift. 🙂 I found some really cheap tops at
Thanks!! I love the 3C's and dresses are definitely that!! I *crossing my fingers* haven't bought a maternity bathing suit yet…I am thankful still loving my regular bikini, but I don't know about in a month or two!! 😉
I'm also still in my regular bathing suit so far. I also agree the belly band is the most amzing investment. I can still wear all my original clothes at 28 weeks!
Kudos for these great tips! Those are all natural choices! How about plus size maternity clothes? Do you have some stylish tips for them? Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the comment! Honestly, I don't have any personal experiences with plus size clothing, but I would make the same recommendations. Try to see what you can continue to wear. Also, Belevation (www.belevation.com) makes an amazing Belly band that they now sell in plus size! We have a giveaway going on right now under Reviews/Giveaways for one of these which allows any woman to
Some expectant mothers find it hard to shop maternity clothes. Your post will serve as a guide. It's really helpful.
I agree the belly band is the most amzing investment.
Hopefully next go round I'll be able to afford actual maternity clothes and a belly band 🙂 Ftm I just used lots of leggings! What a lifesaver.
leggings are the best!!