Any Clothes Between Regular and Maternity?

Updated on May 11, 2011
R.L. asks from Kirkland, WA
21 answers

Ok, my pants encouraged me to ask this question.

I am about 11 weeks pregnant, and although I'm not showing a lot, I am showing enough for others to notice. I know which of my pants I cannot wear anymore (goodbye cute jeans) and which ones are alright (hello comfy sweats and loose dress pants)...almost all of my pants are starting to slip under my belly! If I stand I can button them and they stay just over my belly button, but if I start walking or sit down for a while, the waist just slides down under my pooch and I feel like I'm hanging out all over the place! I have been in some maternity stores, but haven't bought anything yet...for some reason it's a really big step for me and I was hoping to put it off as long as possible. Plus, it seems like most of the clothes that they have are for when I get even bigger (not sure about that though). SO, aside from the rubber band through the button trick (which I use occasionally), what else can I try to get more leverage out of my clothes? Do I need to just bite it and go buy some maternity pants?

What can I do next?

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So What Happened?

You guys are awesome. I'm so new to this stuff, I love having a place like this to find out tips from the best. :) Looks like I'll be investing in a bella band and some leggings! I'll be shopping this Friday. Thanks again!

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

You might want to invest in a Bella Band- I got mine at Target. It does a good job holding up unzipped pants and holding up/in maternity pants that are too big. It's definitely been a big help!

2 moms found this helpful
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W.S.

answers from Norfolk on

I think it's really a personal preference and comfort thing. Early on I could wear many of my elastic waist pants and some jeans, but then I don't wear tight jeans any way. Never could stand tight stuff. But when I got the belly going, I couldn't stand anything across my belly so I just wore very low cut bikini undies and folded over the waist of all my pants so they rode under my belly. Long shirts to hide the fold and I was way comfy! I only owned one pair of black maternity pants for my whole pregnancy, but I was all belly and not really any extra weight elsewhere. I was glad, because I hated to spend so much money on something I'd only wear for a few months. I say go with what is comfy and works for you!

1 mom found this helpful

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B.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Leggings! I wear them all the time, before, during, and after pregnancy. They even have pregnancy leggings that go above the belly.

3 moms found this helpful

S.A.

answers from Chicago on

You can get those bands from Motherhood Maternity that allow you to wear your regular pants unbuttoned. They are perfect for the in between regular clothes/maternity clothes stages early in your pregnancy and again right after the baby is born.

3 moms found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Go and buy maternity pants. You are just delaying the inevitable. And you will feel better. Buy what feels good to you now - your body will change and be something totally unexpected by 30 weeks along, so you will have to add to your maternity wardrobe as your body changes. And understand that what you buy now may no longer be comfortable or right for you in 10 weeks or it may continue to be a good fit. Target and Old Navy carry cute maternity stuff and are not too pricey. Or you can check out second hand shops. Enjoy!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Leggings! And the Bella Band is a MUST for this stage. I got to wear my normal work pants halway through the second trimester with the button (and sometimes zipper!) totally open! I got it in three colors...

But seriously, leggings are very forgiving too....I just couldn't wear them to work unfortunately.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.K.

answers from Washington DC on

The Bella Band is really good for that in-between stage. (Target has a comparable one called BeBand.) It is a stretchy band that you can wear over your open regular pants to hold them up or with maternity pants that are still a little big. It also can cover up the space between your pants and shirt so you don't feel like you are hanging out all over. I found them very useful! I also found there are some maternity pants that are better than others for this phase. Just try them on to see what kind feels good to you. I'd invest in a few pairs of pants now that are a material that can carry you through the summer and fall. If I am calculating correctly you are due in early November? I had my first at the end of October so I had put away my capris and shorts from the summer but I was still wanting light-weight fabric because I was big and hot by the end. Pants that are seasonally appropriate now will probably last you through your whole pregnancy.
You might want to check out some kids consignment shops for their maternity clothes or eBay because maternity clothes can get expensive. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Hubby's clothing. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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L.W.

answers from Norfolk on

I haven't read any of the other posts, but Bella Bands were a life saver for me. They worked pretty well at keeping my pants up went they weren't fastened at all or were only fastened with the rubber band and button trick. They are also nice at giving some tummy support. I don't know if it's because of the band, but I don't have any tummy stretch marks :) They were also nice because sometimes when I moved, especially later in the pregnancy, my bare tummy would have been revealed if not for the band. I doubt the band looked hot, but I'm sure it was nicer to look at than my stretched skin!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.A.

answers from New York on

You might want to try old navy "real waist" maternity pants. They grow along with you and aren't too conspicuous.

1 mom found this helpful
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B..

answers from Dallas on

I was always too small for maternity clothing, so I just went a size up in regular clothing even until the end. I bought some Yoga pants from Old Navy, and they worked well. They were structured enough to not look like casual pants, but stretchy enough for my stomach.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I have an aging body, and have developed quite a tummy in the past decade. If I were younger, people would probably think I'm pregnant. I've been wearing several different styles (straight leg, boot-cut, and others) in LLBean's Perfect Fit Pants for longer than that, and they are so utterly comfortable and "forgiving." Stretch, but no sag.

There are at least two different waistbband styles available at any given time as they adapt them to be fashionable (right now there are 5 styles available, including crops), and they have endless stretch, in both fabric and waistband elastic. Take a look here: http://www.llbean.com/llb/search?init=1&freeText=perf...

1 mom found this helpful

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

I liked wearing stretch pants and tight fitting tank tops... show of that bump! If you're not comfortable with that, stretch pants and a pretty flowy shirt work too... and these are the same things you'll be wearing just after baby is born too.

I also wore my regular jeans for a while, but looped 2 hair bands over the button, through the button hole, and looped around the button again. Gave me an extra few inches ;) I had 2 tube tops that went under EVERYTHING, one white, one black, that I could pull down over where the fly of my pants were (and helped keep my boobs in!!) Super versatile. Again, I did this after baby was born as well :)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I remember the first time I went shopping for maternity clothes and was so discouraged! I was a size 4/6 and everything seemed so big and I hated the over the belly waistbands. Then I found Japanese Weekend brand. Almost everything I wore during and after pregnancy was that brand. Their pants have an under the belly stretch band.

http://www.japaneseweekend.com/

The clothes are more expensive than other brands I've seen, but the quality was great, they fit (!), I bought fewer pieces and wore each many, many times. I was working full-time at a corporate job and needed to look decent. They still looked like new when I gave them to a friend's daughter. I wore the pants for at least a year after the baby because they were so comfy and still fit. I loved my maternity wardrobe!

1 mom found this helpful

A.F.

answers from Chicago on

I bought myself 2 pairs of dress pants and one skirt that were 2 sizes larger than what I normally wear (didn't spend a lot though -- like Marshalls or Sears or something)...got a LOT of use out of them for this in-between stage and also directly after giving birth (when your maternity stuff is probably too big but you aren't back in those cute jeans though). This has been especially helpful for my subsequent pregnancies because my maternity stuff is too big to wear until I am around 18 or 20 weeks. Congrats and best wishes!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Lincoln on

I got the Bella Band, it was ok, but what I hated was that when you sit, it slides up. What I'm using now and I love it is the Belly Belt. Read this great article...
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8036567/those_wo...

1 mom found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

I found cute maternity jeans and pants that just a small band all the way around. I can't stand that huge belly thing that goes completely over the tummy-not pretty and I can't stand pants that come anywhere near my bellybutton much less all the way over! They stayed in place right under my belly and I was able to use them the entire time and they looked like they fit me. The problem with sizing up is things just don't look like they fit. My girlfriend did that and she looked disheveled the whole time because things just didn't fit her right. Maternity clothes are designed to fit your normal size with room for a growing tummy.

I didn't have a lot of $ to spend on clothes so I got 2 pairs of jeans, a elastic waist skirt or two that I could wear after also for my main bottoms. I found a lot of my tshirt and tanks worked for quite a while so I didn't have to buy much in the way of tops. Also, see if you have friends that you can borrow from. There were a few of us that just passed tops around the group when one of us was pregnant.

With my second pregnancy I think I had to switch from regular clothes at about 10 weeks too.

1 mom found this helpful

J.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

Those in between clothes are also the clothes you will live in postpartum until you approach your prepregnancy weight. I tried also not to spend money on this akward stage, but wish now I had. It does not have to be a maternity cut. In stead, get creative with roomier cuts and larger sizes. Think jersy knit skirts with a fold down waiste, pants and jeans a size up, longer shirts. I personally lived in a pair of maternity jeans that were tight and form fitting before 6 mo, but couldn't squeeze into after 6 mo. They were my postpardum jeans too. Wish someone had told me to splurge a little on this in between size because you really will get your $'s worth wearing them again after baby comes. This is how I think of it now. buy a set of maternity clothes for the 3-6 mo prego (which will also be your postpardum clothes), and buy a set of large tent lady clothes for your 6-9 mo prego.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Elastic waist pants.
A size up. As you go.

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S.H.

answers from Richmond on

Get a bella band (or a couple). They kept me in my regular pants for a couple of extra months. They also cover up if you have on a shorter maternity top in the future.

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K.H.

answers from Richmond on

wear mens work pants, the waistband is alot more forgiving. and mens dress shirts, alot cheaper and you dont have to worry about somebody coming along and saying"better save your maternity clothes for the next one,deary"
ha, i am forty, that just aint gonna happen.we took care of THAT, thank you.
K. h.

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