I’m 14 1/2 weeks pregnant with our first & now that things are starting to not fit anymore, I have been trying to do some maternity clothes shopping. But wow! I didn’t realize clothing yourself while pregnant was so expensive! Just curious to know if you had any ideas or thoughts on places to go for good deals on maternity clothes. -Eden
Maternity clothes can definitely be very pricey, but there’s no need to spend exorbitant amounts on a whole new wardrobe to clothe you while pregnant. Instead, take it as an opportunity to get creative and think outside the box. Here are some things which have allowed me to spend very little on maternity clothes over the course of my last three pregnancies:
I’m pretty petite, so the 30 pounds I always gain with each pregnancy mean I go up at least two to three sizes in clothing by the end of my pregnancy! Needless to say, I’m not one of those women who can wear her regular jeans the entire pregnancy (I wish!).
However, I’ve found that some things in my wardrobe can still be worn until at least six months. Sweaters, high-waisted blouses and items which can be layered work especially well for this. So start with what you already have in your closet and see if there are some items which can be re-purposed to work as maternity clothes — at least for a little while.
So many friends have been kind to let me borrow their maternity clothes from them over my last few pregnancies. They’ve always offered to share and I’ve been more-than-happy to take them up on their offer. And I’ve been happy to return the favor to others now that I’ve built up my own “collection” of maternity clothes.
Before going out and buying anything new, definitely check out the possibilities available for used clothing. Craigslist, Freecycle, garage sales, eBay, consignment stores and many other sites online carry used maternity clothes — often at a fraction of the price of buying new.
Motherhood Maternity, Target and Old Navy usually have some pretty good clearance racks in the maternity section. If you keep your eye on them when you’re out shopping, you’ll likely be able to find some good deals. And if you can pair the clearance deal with a coupon (which are often released for Target and Old Navy) you might find a killer deal! In addition, you can occasionally find some great deals online at Kohl’s when they have $0.99 shipping and a coupon code.
Since I’m a minimalist, I always find it easiest to just have a few classic pieces which mix and match. A few pair of jeans or capris (depending upon the season, a pair of really comfy yoga pants, a couple of skirts, a few casual shirts and a few dressy shirts. I go for quality over quantity and just wear the items over and over and over again during those four months or so when I’m in maternity clothes full-time.
I’ve found it’s best to buy shirts which have ties in the back as these can be adjusted with your growing belly. I like elastic-banded pants, jeans and skirts which go under the belly (like these) as I can wear them my entire last half of the pregnancy and then for a few weeks postpartum, too. Making sure you buy items which can be worn more than a few weeks saves a lot of time and effort.
What are your ideas and suggestions for saving money on maternity clothes? Tell us in the comments.
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