This may seem a funny question but it is asked by many ladies pregnant for the first time.
The answer is not a simple one.
In general, you buy the same size as you were pre pregnancy. In many cases, the only thing growing is your bust and belly so is you were a size 12 previously, a size 12 pair of maternity pants will still fit you if your bottom and thighs aren't expanding. The waistband on a pair of maternity pants is designed to expand with your belly but the rest of the pant is cut to fit a size 12 body.
Some ladies are prone to putting on weight in the hips and thighs from very early on in the pregnancy. Others are unlucky enough to put on weight everywhere. Some are very lucky and only expand in the belly and bust. So if it's your first pregnancy you may not know which category you fit into.
There are also those unlucky ladies with morning sickness severe enough to cause them to lose weight while pregnant.
I find that usually if a lady is going to gain weight, she does so from the moment she finds out she is pregnant (and it often has nothing to do with how much or what she eats). So if you make it to about 16 weeks and haven't found yourself gaining any weight in unwanted places then I think you will be pretty safe.
For a first timer, it is unlikely you will need maternity wear until around 16 weeks anyway so by then you should have a fair idea of what your body is up to, and whether you will need to go up a size in your clothes or not.
The next most popular question is "How long will it fit me for?" or "Will this get me through the entire pregnancy?"
When in store at Maternity Revolution we try and help you to answer this question as best we can based on best judgement and experience but it can be trickier to describe in words.
No one knows how big they will get (that goes for bust, belly and every other part of your body) and each pregnancy is different. You can't buy your clothes too big otherwise they will be ill fitting and you are unlikey to wear them. Instead you will sit them in your wardrobe waiting to grow into them. This may never happen and even if it does, it will be towards the end of your pregnancy and that's just silly. Far better to have clothes that fit well that you can wear now and if they don't fit later on, there is a good chance they will fit after you have had the baby. Remember, you are unlikely to shrink back to your pre-pregnancy size and shape overnight. It could take weeks. After all, it took 9 months to get this way!
When you are judging how long clothes will fit you, try using a pillow or balloon, (we have special one in the changerooms), to imagine how the garment will fit with a pregnant belly. Where the waistband meets the pant or skirt there should be enough room to comfortably fit your hand down your pants, but not so much room that your pants will fall down. How the pant fits will also depend on the fabric. A pair of jeans has to be firm to start with in the bottom and thighs because the fabric will quickly start to give. A pair of work pants in a suiting fabric is less likely to give. With tops, make sure that there is no pulling across the bust and that it doesn't feel tight under the arms.
I suppose it is a little tricker buying maternity clothes to normal clothes because of the unknown factor of your changing body but perhaps the best advice is to buy little bits at a time, rather than a full wardrobe. This way, if your body changes you can just buy a few new pieces. If you are planning more than one child you'll get to use them next time and as I said earlier, once you have had your baby you start working your way back through maternity wardrobe from the larger sized pieces to the smaller sized pieces until you hopefully make it back to your original size.
One last thing, just as with non maternity clothes, sizes in maternity wear can vary greatly from brand to brand, style to style and between different fabrics. When you place an order with Maternity Revolution, we will contact you if we feel the sizing is small or large and advise you on the best size for you. If the size is wrong and you need a different size, we post it out no charge so you can compare with the one you already have and then once you have decided on what works best you can return the unwanted size or sizes. We also offer full refunds up to 2 weeks after purchase, not just an exchange.
I hope this has been helpful in some way but feel free to call me if you have any concerns.
Lisa Hovar
www.maternityrevolution.com.au
1/124 South Pine Rd, Brendale, QLD, 4500
(07) 3205 1818
lisa@maternityrevolution.com.au
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