How to Find Styles That Work with Your Bump

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Where in the world have all the maternity clothes gone? For pregnant mamas, figuring out what to wear during pregnancy can be challenging, not to mention expensive. This is my third pregnancy, and I am having the absolute worst time finding maternity clothes... anywhere! Sure, I have a few leftover maternity items from past pregnancies which are five and ten years old. From a style standpoint, they're mostly all outdated pieces. I also gave a bunch of maternity clothes to friends who needed them after my last baby, which has left me with slim pickings this go-round.

If you know me, you know that living in one main pair of maternity leggings and loose tops just isn't going to cut it. I have five more months of pregnancy to go, and I'll be at my largest during the hottest months of the year. A lot of my confidence comes from being well put together. It may seem shallow or vain, but y'all- it's undeniably true for me.

As I've started looking around for maternity styles in stores and online, I am finding that a lot of my go-to's have closed! Their websites are gone, and some of my favorite brick and mortar stores have closed their doors, leaving sales for online only. Gotta love specialty clothing being so hard to find and so expensive, right?

In your first trimester, you can basically wear your regular clothing, maybe adding in a belly band to give you more comfort in your waist. A month into the second trimester, my pants are all uncomfortable. I trekked all over creation to find maternity jeans- Target was an absolute mess, and I gave up. I went to Kohl's, and they literally had one rack of maternity clothing to choose from in very limited sizes (my size was no where to be found, of course). I've picked up basics- leggings, longer length camis and tanks, but they alone won't do for much longer.

In the coming weeks and months, I'll be excited to share some brands and companies who actually do cater to pregnant women, offering flattering, affordable styles.

For now, I'm picking up styles that I think will work, like the above pictured t-shirt dress from Belk. I found this sweet dress in the Junior's section for $13.00, and just sized up to accommodate my bump.

I have a nice maternity clothing order coming from Zulily. They actually have a fabulous selection of maternity clothing for reasonable prices- the downside is that shipping can take what seems like forever. In the age of Amazon Prime, I've become spoiled and hate waiting 3-4 weeks for a shipment. Speaking of Amazon, they too, have a pretty decent selection of maternity styles. I think they have great deals on 2/3 pack tees, tanks, and even dresses.

Motherhood Maternity is a great option, and often have sales running. They closed their physical store near me, which is a bummer, because I would rather shop in store to see and feel the clothing. Old Navy is a go-to also, but not for actual maternity clothes. They have some great deals on summer dresses and tanks that are perfect for bump mamas. I sized up from my pre-pregnancy size to ensure I could wear these styles throughout my entire pregnancy. The sales gal in the physical store told me that they do get in maternity clothing returns, and will put them out for sale in the baby section- so be sure to check there if you're shopping in store.

Some ROSS stores have maternity clothing, too. The gal at the closest ROSS to where I live told me that the maternity clothing is mixed in with the regular clothing, so it's there, but ya have to hunt for it.

Most of the local consignment stores near me don't have maternity clothing, though they used to. I always call ahead and ask before visiting (to save gas). I did, however, find a maternity consignment store in Charlotte, NC, and I'll be heading there tomorrow and reporting back.

For now, I'm looking at this as a challenge to dress my bump. You know shopping (for less) is my favorite sport, anyway! Be sure to stay tuned and follow our 2021 Mom & Baby Guide for cute maternity styles, as well as must-have products for mom and baby.

What was your maternity style like?