A question about maternity clothes sizing

ncmc

I just have a question about maternity clothes. I was looking at a dress in Debenhams that I thought would be perfect for over Christmas, I’m only 11 weeks and it’s my first baby so have no experience buying maternity clothes before. I know they recommend you buy your normal size, but are the sizes a little bigger to compensate for the fact that you might be a little bigger all over rather than just the bump? I would normally be a size 10, but feel I have put on a bit of weight all over, so wondering if a size 10 would be big enough or would I be better going up a size also.

Roesy

I stayed in the same size all the way through. Saying that my weight was solely in my bump. Would it be worth trying on the dress. You'd get an idea of the generosity of the size then.

nikpmup

Like all other clothes, it depends on the shop! I was a size 12 before I got pregnant, wore size 12 mat clothes all the way through. Now I'm struggling to squeeze into size 14! Try it on is the only way to know. (Some maternity shops have little fake bumps that you can try on clothes with early in your pregnancy, mamas & papas and Nelo maternity I think are two!)

Moonbeam

This is my 4th and I have found what ever size I was before is the same size as the maternity clothes I need.

ncmc

Thanks ladies, I think the consensus is that you need to try stuff on which I hate doing! Is it silly to buy a dress when you've a limited budget for maternity wear? Wondering if I'd get more wear out of a top and jeans!

Moonbeam

It depends, I love dresses and you can dress them up or down.

Suucee

I like dresses too as they can be comfy and as already said can dress them up or down.

ncmc

That was my thinking. The dress I was looking at isn't very dressy, it's long sleeved jersey style. I thought it would be nice to work with a cardi and boots and then dress it up for Christmas with a pair of heels.

Rosy Posy

I definitely preferred dresses or overalls to stuff with a 'waist'- much more comfy in the final stages when I found that either the elastic wasn't tight enough and stuff would fall down or else it was too tight and made me want to wee all the time!

I wouldn't go for a size larger- if anything they tend to employ vanity sizing, in my experience.

Hello Lady!

Oh I wish I could wear a dress! I got some lovely ones earlier in my pregnancy but since about week 20 my feet have ballooned to ridiculous proportions and the only thing I can get them into are runners. Nice dresses and trainers don't really go together!

BTW I got some great trousers on Amazon from a polish crowd. They are a lovely fit and have an elastic drawstring with buttons in the over the bump jersey part meaning you can tighten or extend that part so they fit you all the way through. My bump has become huge but I think I have actually lost weight on my bum and hips so being able to tighten the bump part means they are not hanging off me. They only cost €11 each. The brand on them is Gregx.pl

Rosy Posy

Hello Lady! wrote: »

Oh I wish I could wear a dress! I got some lovely ones earlier in my pregnancy but since about week 20 my feet have ballooned to ridiculous proportions and the only thing I can get them into are runners. Nice dresses and trainers don't really go together!

Slightly ot but in my last pregnancy I got a pair of low heels from Miss L Fire (I got them in Buffalo in Dublin) that were really wide fitting and cushioned. They were the only heels I could wear up to term. Boots are a mission in the last trimester- I love my Hunters but I nearly busted my back trying to take them off today! I have a pair of Mary Janes that I wear with dresses. They're years old but they're something like this

Hello Lady!

Oh trust me, if wide fitting shoes would fit I'd wear them but even the extra wide fitting shoes are too small. I wake up in the morning and already my feet are too swollen to fit it shoes. They only fit in my trainers with the laces left open half way. I also can't wear anything flat as it aggravates my back. So runners are my only option.:(

Moonbeam

I had to resort to ugh type boots on the last 2 as they were all I could get on and off !

Hello Lady! wrote: »

Oh trust me, if wide fitting shoes would fit I'd wear them but even the extra wide fitting shoes are too small. I wake up in the morning and already my feet are too swollen to fit it shoes. They only fit in my trainers with the laces left open half way. I also can't wear anything flat as it aggravates my back. So runners are my only option.:(

Hello Lady!

Moonbeam wrote: »

I had to resort to ugh type boots on the last 2 as they were all I could get on and off !

Can't even get into my uggs would you believe! My ankles are too swollen to pull the boots on. At home I have to wear my husbands slippers and even then they are a bit tight! The glamour of pregnancy eh?!

ncmc

LOL ladies, I know it’s awful of me, but I am laughing away reading all this. The things we women have to put up with eh! I don’t think a man would last 5 minutes pregnant! I guess I have all those lovely side effects to look forward to. I think it’s worse this time of year, I’m due the start of June, so at least by the time I’m really big, I’ll be able to wear flip flops. It’s tough when you need to keep comfortable AND warm.

Hello Lady!

The physio at your ante natal classes will tell you to avoid flip flops or pumps for the sake of your back. when I was only a few months pregnant we had that glorious burst of sunshine weather. I was a fraction of the size I am now, but even still by lunchtime my feet were swollenand puffed out. I could get the flip flops on in the morning but struggled to get them off at night and would have deep indentations in my poor Fred Flintstone feet. The final straw came when one evening I couldn't get the strap off my foot and ended up having to CUT the flip flops off! That was when I knew that for the remainder of my pregnancy my poor elephant feet would have to stay hidden. Mortification.

I pray to God they go back to their pre-pregnancy state once the babies are born. I even treated myself to a gorgeous pair of heels in anticipation of the glorious day I get to wear nice shoes again. I will undoubtedly only get to totter around the house in them because with two babies I honestly don't see us out partying for at least the next 5 years! Lol but even if I only get to wear my fabulous heels while I change nappies I will be a happy woman?

Rosy Posy

Moonbeam wrote: »

ugh type boots!

my feelings on them exactly. Birkenstocks are great for summer wear, they have really good support and are nice and loose. Afaik they do a clog style.

73trix

I was also wondering how the sizes work. What about swimwear? I'm normally size10-12. Currently 17+2. Bought maternity togs the other day and bought size 14. They look huge but i thought i should go bigger than not as i hoped they'd last the next 20 wks or so. Should i have stuck with 12? Am new to all this. Only starting to think about mat wear!

Roesy

73trix wrote: »

I was also wondering how the sizes work. What about swimwear? I'm normally size10-12. Currently 17+2. Bought maternity togs the other day and bought size 14. They look huge but i thought i should go bigger than not as i hoped they'd last the next 20 wks or so. Should i have stuck with 12? Am new to all this. Only starting to think about mat wear!

You just stick with your normal size usually. I did, even with swimwear.

73trix

But did it last all thro? My bump is small now, can't imagine wearing the same pair in 4 months. Are they designed to stretch that much? Haven't a clue!

contrary_mary

Roesy wrote: »

You just stick with your normal size usually. I did, even with swimwear.

Definitely stick with your normal size - and most of the sizing is quite generous at that! I'm usually a size 10 and I've a size 14 non-maternity top from penney's on at the moment and I'm 34+4! A size 14 maternity swimsuit will probably be to big for you even at the end.

Roesy

73trix wrote: »

But did it last all thro? My bump is small now, can't imagine wearing the same pair in 4 months. Are they designed to stretch that much? Haven't a clue!

Well, I didn't wear it in the last week or two of pregnancy as I didn't go swimming even though I had the best of intentions I was wearing my normal swimsuit until about 20/22 weeks if I remember correctly. My bump was never really massive, even at the very end though. I suppose it should last you until the end. The only time I went up a size was in non maternity clothes.

73trix

Thats great! Must exchange the size 14!

73trix

What about bras, ladies??? I must get a fitting soon. How often did you have to keep upsizing them??? I'm definitely up a size at least. Bras v tight now.Any advice?? Thanks.

Moonbeam

73trix wrote: »

What about bras, ladies??? I must get a fitting soon. How often did you have to keep upsizing them??? I'm definitely up a size at least. Bras v tight now.Any advice?? Thanks.

I never went up a bra size when feeding or pregnant ever
It was recommended to me to go after 20 weeks , 30 weeks and then when baba is born .

MissFire

I've a quick question about lidl maternity clothes as I see they have some in stock from next Monday.
...what was anyone's experience with them from last time they were out size wise? The brand on them is esmara... I have one top which was handed down from a friend and it's size 14 (my usual size) and fits me perfect at moment at 35 weeks... But just wondered was it same for anyone else..
Reason I'm asking is, I wouldn't mind getting two or three little bits for my last few weeks but now it turns out I'm working at 8am on Monday and I'm sure they'll probably be all gone Tues evening by time I get there, and I want to send himself in to get them for me.. If anyone can help I'd be delighted.. Ta ladies!

mrsWhippy

FYI, if you get fitted for a bra in M&S while you're pregnant, they won't fit you for an underwired bra (shop policy apparently). Absolutely ridiculous I think. Underwires are only an issue when they're not fitted correctly.

I got a lecture first time I was getting fitted in M&S - the assistant helpfully told me that 'My milk ducts would get blocked and my baby would cry because he was hungry'. Gee, thanks for that nugget of info.

Second time, I wanted a larger sports bra - and the lady asked my why the hell I would want a sports bra if I was pregnant?

Deeeeeep breath

Moonbeam

Change is worth a visit too.
40 euro for a wired nursing Bra but oh the comfort.
The M and S and Mothercare ones are only ok but this is also the 1st time I had a wired one.

Lucuma

I have to disagree on the underwear & bikini front....I've gone up a size in knicks, bra and cup since becoming preggo.

monflat

73trix wrote: »

What about bras, ladies??? I must get a fitting soon. How often did you have to keep upsizing them??? I'm definitely up a size at least. Bras v tight now.Any advice?? Thanks.

If your cup size is the same or you are not pouring out of them just get bra extenders to tide you over till ypu get propetly measured.

On my first i went from a 36a to 40 dd .!
Im around a 38d now .

Those bra extenders r a couple of euro in a shop where you buy thread wool kneedles etc !
Cant think of the name of that kind of shop !

mrsWhippy

Moonbeam wrote: »

Change is worth a visit too.
40 euro for a wired nursing Bra but oh the comfort.
The M and S and Mothercare ones are only ok but this is also the 1st time I had a wired one.

Where is change?