A pregnant woman's closet

Yes, you see it here. This is not the right body, but the right underwear that I recommend mommies-to-be to wear! (photo from Victoria's Secret)



Two of my friends recently told me that they "might have seen me" on the street, but didn't come over to say hi. I know why they didn't -- because I looked very different from the usual me. It wasn't the big belly, because my belly didn't really show until after the 4th month. It was how ugly I dressed and looked.



It took me a long time to figure out how to adjust my closet so that I may dress properly and maybe even stylishly as I gain the 20~30 pounds needed to grow a baby. It is not easy to find information and places to buy things, either, especially when you are always tired or sick or need to lie down. Most important of all, you will care more about sleeping, and eating, then anything else that you used to care about.


Here are some tips I discovered along the way:


1. You will not be able to wear your normal pants starting at about week 10~12. Wear empire-waist dresses and stretchy skirts or pants instead. Wait until your are done with all the first trimester screenings and that you are sure about going through the whole pregnancy to spend money by taking the following steps.


2. Review your closet. A super skinny friend of mine who stays home most of the time told me that she did not buy any maternity clothes for her entire pregnancy. It was mostly summer time and she just wore her loose dresses. This didn't work for me, but not everyone needs to make adjustments to their wardrobes.

General rules: you want something that is stretchy, soft, comfortable, and easy to wash and dry. When in doubt, go with darker colors and stay away from T-shirts that tell people you are pregnant.

Put away these items for storage: anything tight, anything uncomfortable, anything with a belt, all of your belts, all the fitted pants and skirts, and maybe all of your high heels.

Keep these items: A-shape dresses, empire-waist dresses, long tops that cover your butt, long or short cardigans, big and long t-shirts or tops, and some of your sleeping or gym clothes.



3. Buy the necessary maternity clothes early. Because you will need them in the end anyway, you might as well buy them sooner to enjoy them early. All of the bottom items will need to be designed for pregnancy.


I love http://www.motherhood.com/ for basic items, and http://www.apeainthepod.com/ for fancy things. If you are lucky to be near their stores, you will enjoy shopping there and trying things on. I walked to A Pea In The Pod one day near work and tried on my very first pair of maternity pants and didn't take it off that whole night. (In fact, I recommend even non-pregnant people to try maternity pants. They are just so comfy.)


Other maternity clothing brands to consider are: Gap, Ann Taylor Loft, Target, Old Navy, but none of these brands have good selection in their stores and you really need to try them on most of the time before purchasing.



Maternity legging at motherhood.com
I cannot live without these!





You will need a pair of nice looking maternity jeans that fit you.
I got mine at A Pea In The Pod.





For work, I absolutely need these basic black pants. Good quality is important with these. You want them to be comfortable and can go from summer to winter, and are washer and dryer friendly. I got mine from A Pea In The Pod. Happy that their Petite xs is almost my size!




Super soft and stretchy skirt that goes with anything. I got mine from motherhood.com




You will also need some casual dresses. I have this one from motherhood.com and love it!




Depends on your needs, you might also want some more formal dresses. I bought this one because it looks like I can still wear it after the baby comes out.




I need some dresses for formal work events, so I got this one from gap maternity on sale last weekend.




Last but not least, there are a lot of non-maternity tops available and I strongly encourage buying normal clothes that you can still wear after the pregnancy. However, I still have a few maternity tops for work. These one give my belly more breathing space and have some unique designs on them, like this one in the picture.



4. Don't buy maternity clothes if you can find them at your normal favorite stores. If you have the energy, you can still shop at your usual stores. I am lucky because baggy sweaters and loose tops are popular this year. It wasn't too difficult to find pieces that I can wear, at least until I am into month 8 or 9.


Zara, H&M, Gap are the stores I go to. Their super long tank tops are good for layering. Make sure you try them on, because some pieces may look pregnancy-okay, but have tight linings inside or are hard to put on with a belly in the middle. Here are some of my purchases to give you some ideas --



From Gap. It's so chic and is on sale now!




I have 3 of these good quality, super long cardigans before I got pregnant. I still wear them ALL THE TIME.

Summer dresses that are bright and cheerful always get me into a good mood. (from gap)

5. Underwear for growing boobs and belly can be found at your normal shopping places. (This advice might only apply to petite women.) Some people recommend buying nursing bras early, but I found that some underwire-less soft cotton bras at Gap Body that are very nice. Make sure you bring more bigger sizes to the fitting room.

Aim for comfort and buy some bigger ones for the future! (from gap body)

As for panties, you just need something that sits well below your belly. For many reasons, pregnant women need to stay cool and dry there, so stay away from materials that are tight or non breathable. I found these super cute all-lace hipster panties at Victoria's Secret Pink line. They are usually on sale at $25 for 5.

The same pantie as in the first photo of this post. They come in different colors and are super cute.


6. Accessories -- I mentioned this in point #1 already -- don't wear high heels because your body will be going through some weight shifting and your reaction time will be slower. Just don't risk it. People also told me that my feet will be bigger into the later stage and I will not be able to tie my own shoelaces, either. So buy some flats that are easy to put on.

Also, try not to carry heavy things. You may want to choose a light bag for everyday use and carry water and healthy snacks with you at all time. (such as raisins, granola bars, pieces of fruit, crackers, etc)

I don't plan on buying any new winter coats for this winner, even though my belly will be really big in December and January. My plan is to wear my long cardigans, my trench coat, and use my large and chunky scarves to cover the middle where my coats can't close. (maybe this is a bad idea, but I want to see how it works out.) Big scarves are very useful in the beginning of your pregnancy, too, especially if you want to hide your belly.

7. Last but not least, whether if you believe this thing works or not, stretch mark prevention just sounds like a good idea. A dermatologist friend recommended this one to me -- Bella B Tummy Honey Butter. I have been using this once or twice a day since month 4, and so far so good.

Amazon seems to be the best place to buy this. Or just use baby oil or some heavy cream. Anything is better than nothing.

That's all I have to share for now. All the mommy readers out there, please leave comments if you have other tips or want to share your experience with us. Hope this helps!

* update on 11.9.2010 -- just bought this jacket from J Crew which fits my 8-month big belly perfectly! Just in time for the cold weather. It's on sale, too. I am sure I will be wearing it after the baby comes out as well.

This color is very popular this winter. Grab it if you see it in your size immediately!