Pregnancy is exciting and it is filled with new memories and experiences. However, pregnancy can also be a difficult time, especially when you look in your closet and you cannot find anything to wear because you have put on some weight as a result of the pregnancy. Then, you go to the local department store and the maternity clothes you see do not look flattering. As a last resort you go online, and you struggle to find something that will be comfortable and flattering.

Frustrations start to grow, and you do not know where to turn. Does this sound a lot like the beginning of your pregnancy? During the first two months of your pregnancy you might be feeling very bloated in the tummy area. Furthermore, the leggings that you normally wear, may no longer fit. By the beginning of your second trimester, none of your regular clothes may fit you comfortably. You may feel that your clothes are either too tight around the tummy or too unflattering. Let us not even think about finding a comfortable sleeping outfit.

Pregnancy and Fashion

That certainly was the beginning of my pregnancy journey. Then, I decided that being pregnant would not restrict me to sweatpants and baggy tops. I love fashion and I love my accessories. I was on a mission, and I did some research on clothing items to wear during the pregnancy that are comfortable and that made me feel good about myself. I also had to make sure that those clothes were in my budget. Sadly, I noticed that maternity wear is pricey. So, I realized that I may have to break my budget a little, but I was determined to find brands that make high quality clothes. I figured, if I purchased high quality clothes, I could wear them during postpartum as well as during my next pregnancy. Thanks to some great finds, I still have all those clothes and I am saving them for my next pregnancy.

Pregnancy is such an amazing and special time. We should not have to feel like our clothes resemble a garbage bag. We deserve to feel fabulous. In this article, I share with you some tips on the best brands that make clothes which can be worn during pregnancy and postpartum. I will share some ideas about maternity dresses, maternity sleepwear, leggings and more. I hope that you feel comfortable and fabulous too.

Finding High Quality Maternity Wear

Although Lilly Pulitzer tends to be on the pricey side, you can find high quality dresses that can be worn during pregnancy as well as any other time. Furthermore, if you pay attention to Lilly Pulitzer sales, there are two huge sales every year during which you can find these dresses at 50-60% off. Also, the Lilly Pulitzer brand, as well as many others can be found at more affordable prices on platforms such as Poshmark and Mercari.

Both, Mercari and Poshmark have clothes that are either new with tags or used. I was able to find a few new Lilly Pulitzer dresses on these platforms for 70% off the retail value. I also purchased one for 60% off during the Lilly Pulitzer Summer Splash Sale. These dresses have saved me because living in Florida it is difficult to stay cool.

The material of clothes most certainly matters. I found that cotton dresses felt much airier and were more comfortable as compared to other material contents. I also discovered Lululemon during my research. Lululemon had some high quality leggings, which I needed to keep up with my walking. I have listed the items in this blog that made my pregnancy easier. So, read along and see if these will work for you too.

The Lilly Pulitzer Geanna Dress

For instance, there is the Lilly Pulitzer Geanna Swing Dress (cost: $118.00) that is roomy in the tummy area and comes in some great prints. The best part, the Geanna Swing Dress is 100% cotton, so it feels light and breathable. I practically lived in this dress.

The Lilly Pulitzer Alaina Dress

Another Lilly Pulitzer dress that does well during pregnancy is the Alaina Dress (cost:118.00). The Alaina dress comes with the same features as the Geanna dress. It is roomy, light, comfortable, and 100% cotton.

Lululemon Align Leggings

After purchasing two pairs of random maternity leggings on Amazon, I quickly realized that this was not going to work for the entire pregnancy. Both brands that I went with had too much material in the tummy area which I noticed would only come in handy during the last 2 months or so of my pregnancy. And boy was I right. They were great, but not during the beginning stages, that is for sure.

Fortunately, I discovered the Lululemon Align Leggings. These leggings felt soft like butter and the tummy area was high waisted. I am normally a size medium but realized that I should size up a little. My typical size in these leggings is a size 8, which I was able to wear all up until my third trimester. For my third trimester I purchased a size 10 and a size 12 which took me to the finish line of my pregnancy. Best off all, I was able to wear these leggings during postpartum as well.

The surprising fact is that I wore them almost every day and they got washed a lot but remained looking like new. I do want to mention that I washed them in cold water and laid them flat to dry. I do this with a lot of my clothes as I have noticed that following these methods preserves the clothes and makes them last much longer.

Kindred Bravely Nightshirts

Sleeping is very important but due to hormonal changes it can be very difficult during pregnancy. I recall getting hot very easily in the last part of my first trimester. Also, none of my nightshirts seemed to fit right. Luckily, my husband came across the brand Kindred Bravely one evening as I complained about not wanting to go to bed because I did not want to have another sweaty night. And let me tell you am I grateful that he took the step of looking up comfortable maternity nightshirts.

This has been a game changer because I have been so much more comfortable when sleeping. These nightshirts are so great that I wore them during and after postpartum. The material is light and breathable, and the nightshirts are flattering as well. I do recommend washing them in cold water and hanging them to dry. This will preserve the quality.

Kindred Bravely Bras

The next problematic piece of clothing became my bra. My regular size was a 36C but during my pregnancy I must have gone to a 38D. I needed a solution fast and this solution came from Kindred Bravely. Their bras can be worn during the pregnancy as well as when nursing. I mainly used the Sublime Sports Bra.

Conclusion

I hope that these tips are of help. As I think of other things that got me through my pregnancy and postpartum time, I will make sure to share the information in future articles.

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