What Maternity Clothes Do I Really Need To Buy?

I was searching the internet today for some ideas of what topic to next discuss and I see that many people are searching for answers to the question: "What Maternity Clothes do I really need to buy?"

Of course the answer is different for everyone. Ask one woman how many pairs of shoes she needs and the answer will be "one for every day of the year!" The next will tell you "3 or 4". It's the same with maternity wear. 

It depends on whether or not you are working, whether you will be pregnant over one or two seasons, and of course, how much money you have.

Maternity wear has come such a long way and much of it is really fashionable, often better than what is available in normal fashion. Many items are designed for both pregnancy and breastfeeding so you get more bang for your buck. In fact, we get customers all the time that are buying maternity wear because they like it and not because they are pregnant.

So firstly, get rid of the mindset that it's only for a few months!

Presuming it's a first pregnancy, you may not need maternity clothes until you reach about the 5 month mark but that's still 4 months (one whole season). You're unlikely to magically shrink back to your original size immediately after giving birth so there's another 2 months at least and presuming you are going to breastfeed, there's another 6-12 months. If you are planning more than one child, you can multiply the above by the number of children you plan to have, in fact more because on second and third pregnancies you will pop out sooner and will be wearing your maternity wear from about 8 weeks onwards.

Now here's the thing. If you buy only 2 maternity/feeding tops for each season and you expect to wear them everyday for say 12 months then each top is getting washed and worn more than 90 times. Fisrtly, you are going to get soooo sick of those tops. Secondly, even if you have bought top quality garments, they are going to be looking tired at the end of 90 washes and that's just pregnancy number one.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Maternity pants and skirts are going to be the first thing you need as it's your existing pants and skirts are going to get uncomfortable fairly quickly but your tops may still be doing OK. You will need your pants to get you from about month 4 through to about 2 months after giving birth, so about 7 months in total. Obviously, for many of you, this will mean crossing a cold and a warm season. Don't think too far ahead though. If it's Winter get long pants now and buy Summer pants when the weather warms up. Don't buy something for down the track because you may never wear it. Just buy what you need, as you need it.

Your maternity tops and dresses will get a lot more use as you can wear these post pregnancy while breastfeeding if you have chosen wisely. If you go for something short sleeved, or sleeveless, you can always wear a jacket in Winter and get double the use out of it. Besides, most pregnant women don't feel the cold. Do bear in mind what I said earlier though about wear and tear. You really can't expect a few tops to survive 18 months of non stop wash and wear. You could buy 2 tops and wear one on and one off until they start to look shabby and then buy another 2 but you'll get so sick of those 2 tops. Why not buy 8 tops and have some variety. You spend the same amount of money in the end and you don't hate what you are wearing.

Please also remember that if you insist on wearing your own clothes in the later stages of pregnancy, you are going to stretch them and they may not bounce back afterwards.

Let's deal firstly with the casual maternity wardrobe.

The minimum I would suggest is as follows:

• 2 pair of maternity pants or maternity skirts so you have one on and one off. (Average price $70 each but many specials avail from $40)
• A Tummy Band so that you have a way wearing your own pants for as long as possible and a way of extending your own t-shorts as they get a bit short. ($19.95)
• 4 maternity/breastfeeding tops. Start with 4 and see how you go. If you need more you can buy them later if money is an issue.  You could even go for longer tops that can be worn either as a dress over leggings or as a top over pants. (Average price $60 each but specials often available from $30)
• If you are more of a dress person then rather than buying pant/skirts and tops, get yourself 4 dresses and skip the Tummy band. (Average price $70 each but specials available from $50)

For the working woman, in addition to the above suggestions:

• 2 pair of maternity work pants or skirts (Average price $60)
• 3 maternity work tops (Average $60)
• 2 maternity work dresses (Average $70 each)
• Maternity pantyhose or tights x 3 ($24.95 for a pack of two pantyhose. Tights are $24.95 each)

Now to extend the wardrobe, a jacket would come in handy but this doesn't need to be maternity. Most jackets can be worn open and you probably already own something that will do the trick.

Maternity Leggings come in handy and allow you to wear longer tops as dresses. They also stop your thighs from rubbing together and chaffing.

PJ's and lounge wear are other items that really don't need to be maternity, although there are some lovely maternity garments available, I'll admit they can be expensive and a pair of men's tracksuit pants with a draw string could serve the purpose. 

Just remember that you get what you pay for and it is false economy to buy cheap things if they don't last the distance.

At full price, the list above will cost about $400 for the stay at home Mum and $900 for the Mum working full time. Shop the specials and you could potentially halve this.

I hope this helps you decide what to buy but feel free to call me and ask any questions.

Lisa Hovar

Maternity Revolution

1/124 South Pine Road, Brendale, QLD, 4500

07 32051818

www.maternityrevolution.com.au

MATERNITY SWIMWEAR SALE

We've managed to get hold of some end of season maternity swimwear bargains and we are passing the savings on to you!

Ilant Maternity has sold her label to Cake Maternity so I doubt we'll see any more of these very popular styles again so don't missout because all Ilant Maternity Swimwear is made in Australia from the best quality lycra and many are chlorine resistant.

The muscle back style is the best if you are looking for good support and unless you are looking at doing laps while you are pregnant, I would suggest the tankini as the best style because it's easier to wear through all stages of pregnancy where the one piece can be tricky to get the sizing right.

All Ilant Maternity Swimsuits have an adjustable drawstring in the brief to allowing you to adjust the fit.

The bras are all fully lined so they are discreet.

I'm afraid sizes are limited so it's best in, best dressed!

Here is a sample of the styles available, all at 25% off RRP.

Ilant Maternity Blue Print Muscle Back Tankini



Ilant Maternity Choc Floral Muscle Back Tankini

Ilant Maternity Choc Spot Muscle Back Tankini



Ilant Maternity Green Print Muscle Back Tankini

Ilant Maternity V-Neck Print Trim Tankini

Ilant Maternity Chlorine Proof Muscle Back Tankini



Ilant Maternity Chlorine Proof Orange One Piece



 Specials are available both in store at 1/124 South Pine Rd, Brendale, QLD, 4500 and online at www.maternityrevolution.com.au

Call me if you have any questions on 07 3205 1818.

Lisa


5th March, 2015
PS. Since posting this blog we have had 7 huge boxes of Ilant maternity swimwear delivered. Most of it is reduced to just $39.95!


Are You After Cheap Maternity Wear?

It's so hard to get the message out to customers these days. We are all sooo busy and it seems our inbox is bombarded on a daily basis with emails from companies wanting us to spend money. So how can a business that genuinely has some great bargains, get the message out where you will notice it.

Frankly, I haven't got a clue!

I often joke with customers and say I feel I could have a $1 sale on everything in store and still have no way of letting anyone know about it.

So I don't know how many people are going to read this blog but if you are pregnant and after maternity clothes then VISIT MY WEBSITE OR STORE!!!

My prices on all maternity clothing is just fantastic! Most things are below RRP and I doubt you'll find better service anywhere.

You have to remember the little things that set us apart:

• We actually look at your order and consider whether the sizing is right for you and we'll contact you if we are unsure
• We email a personal confirmation to you that you can reply to if you have any questions rather than one of those automated no reply emails you normally get
• We are happy to send a selection of items to you at no cost for you to try and return if no good. You only pay for what you keep.
• We don't charge postage on exchanges and we let you hold onto the original item until you receive the exchange item so you can be sire you have made the right choice. This saves you time and money in trips to the post office.
• We are happy to refund, not just a credit note.
• In fact, there's not much we won't do to make you happy. You just have to ask.

So if you think you are saving a few dollars elsewhere, please consider what we offer. I know there are very few stores, if any, that can compete with all the extra service we offer.

Here are some examples of the amazing prices we have.




Ninth Moon Maternity High Waist Dark Denim Straight Leg Jean RRP $89.95
OUR PRICE $69.95



 Ninth Moon Maternity Bootleg Jeans RRP $79.95
OUR PRICE $59.95

Ninth Moon Maternity Maxi Feeding Dress RRP $98.95
OUR PRICE $79.95



Precious Cargo Matermity Tie Up Shirt RRP $99.95
OUR PRICE $19.95

Precious Cargo Maternity Tank RRP $59.95
OUR PRICE $14.95

Precious Cargo Maternity Fisherman's Pants RRP $128.70
OUR PRICE $19.95

Precious Cargo Maternity Strappy Top RRP $79.95
OUR PRICE $15

Precious Cargo Maternity Long Lined Floral Jacket with Belt RRP $109.95
OUR PRICE $24.95

Precious Cargo Maternity Satin Evening Top RRP $89.95
OUR PRICE $14.95 (Not yet on website but available in store)

There are so many other good bargains in the store I could go on forever and that's the reason that I haven't been sending out discount deals of late. I already have nearly everything marked as low as I can afford so there is no room for further discounts.

PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL AUSTRALIAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND NOT OVERSEAS BUSINESSES! USE US OR LOSE US!

Lisa Hovar
Maternity Revolution
1/124 South Pine Rd, Brendale, QLD, 4500
PH; 07 32051818

www.maternityrevolution.com.au

HELP ME CREATE SOME FACT SHEETS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN IN BRISBANE

Many years ago I put together some information sheets on companies that specialised in exercise and yoga during pregnancy. At the time it was hard work. A lot of phone calls to companies listed in the Yellow Pages to check what they did and didn't do. Today it is much simpler with good old Google but I would still like your input.

Anyone living in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast or Ipswich area that knows of any good pregnancy exercise or yoga classes, I would love to hear from you. 

I will then compile a list according to the different areas and email it out to all my customers.

Actually while we are at it we may as well include other things like pregnancy massage and anything else you can think of that may be of interest to my pregnant customers and new mums.

Thank you in advance for your contributions.

Lisa Hovar

Maternity Revolution

07 3205 1818

lisa@maternityrevolution.com.au

Pain During Pregnancy - Can Anything Help?

Let me just start by saying that I'm not a doctor. This blog is just some general information about what products are out there that might be able to ease some of the discomforts experienced during pregnancy.

I know I have touched on this subject before but I wanted to give a brief summary of what's available and how it helps.

PROBLEM
My lower back aches and/or I'm getting pelvic pain. It feels like I want to hold my belly up all the time.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO PAIN
A maternity support belt, maternity support tube or maternity support briefs might be the answer.

It very much depends on what is causing the pain as to which product will best alleviate the pain but our top selling product is the Upsie Belly. It is a matenrity support belt that is shaped to give good back support and then scoops down under the belly and does up with velcro to help support the belly. It is covered in a nice soft bamboo fabric so it is soft against your skin. There is a pocket in the back to insert a gel pack (included with belt) that can be heated or cooled to help relieve back pain. It can be worn over or under clothes and comes in black or nude. RRP $89.95.

Upsie Belly

Another popular option is a maternity support tube or maternity support briefs. The tube does the same things as the brief but as you can imagine, you need several pairs of briefs and only one tube so the tube is a cheaper option. If you are up and down all day a tube may have a tendency to roll and a brief will be a comfier option. In both the brief and the tube, there is a support panel in the lower back and under the belly. The support in either of these options is not as firm as the Upsie Belly but it is enough for some people. TUBE $19.95 and BRIEF $21.95 in black or white.

Cantaloop Maternity Suport Brief

Cantaloop Maternity Support Tube

PROBLEM
Many women suffer from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) during pregnancy. A condition where the pelvic joint has seperated further than normal. This causes a pelvic pain and discomfort but slightly different to the sort mentioned above which tends to relate more to the weight of the belly.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO PAIN
A maternity support belt like the Upsie Belly might help but often a different sort of Maternity Belt is required. The New Beginnings Maternity Back Support Belt is an elastic belt about 10cm wide. It sits on the hips and under the belly. It does up with velcro but then has another velcro adjustment on the sides that can be pulled really quite firm. It's almost like having something tied around your hips to push everything back together and hold it in place. That's the best way I can think of to describe it. This type of belt can also be helpful for sacroiliac joint pain. RRP $31.45

New Beginnings Maternity Support Belt

PROBLEM
Throbbing pain in the perineal area and/or painful veins in the groin, vaginal area and upper thigh. Prolapsed utereus.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO PAIN
This is one of those problems that ladies have trouble talking about at first but as soon as they realise that it's quite common they relax a little. At one point in time the only suggestion I could make was for people to buy a tight pair of bike pants. These days however there is a fantastic product on the market that has been a life saver for so many women. SRC Pregnancy Shorts and Pregnancy Leggings. Firstly, let me warn you that they are expensive at $189 for the shorts and $198 for the Leggings but they are sooooo worth it! If you have private health insurance you may even be able to claim something back as they are approved by the Therapeutic Goods Association.

Essentially they work like the skins athletes wear by giving compression to the upper thigh, pereneum an pelvic areas. The compression aids circulation and gives support. As I said earlier, I'm no doctor but if only you could see the face of a lady in pain with one of these ailments after she puts on a pair of SRC Pregnancy Shorts for the first time. The smile is priceless!

There is also the added benefit of back and pelvic support for those ladies that are also experiencing this type of pain.

The leggings have the advantage of offering compression that starts at the ankles to help ladies that may also be suffering from varicose veins in the lower leg. However the compression in the leggings is not as strong as it would be in a compression pantyhose so it they may not be the answer for someone that has really bad vein problems in their lower legs.

SRC Pregnancy Shorts

SRC Pregnancy Leggins

PROBLEM
Varicose Veins in the lower legs  and lower thighs or just aching legs from standing for long hours.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO PAIN
Maternity Compression Pantyhose are a great solution to this problem. The strongest compression starts at the ankles and gets softer as it moves up the leg. In this way they are designed to prevent the blood pooling in the lower legs and to help circulation. They are available in Class 1 (15 - 21 mmHg) or Class 2 (30-30mmHg). Class 2 are the stronger compression pantyhose but most customers seem to find the Class 1 are enough. They come in sand or black and can also be ordered in knee high or thigh high. In class 2 you also have the option of open or closed toe. The Class 1 are around $48.95 for the pantyhose and Class 2 are just under $100. So again they are not a cheap option. They don't look fantastic and they can be hard to get on. You will need several pairs throughout a pregnancy. On the positive side, they work really well!

Therafirm Maternity Compression Pantyhose

I hope that some of these ideas help you to work out what products serve what purpose but please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss anything further.

Lisa Hovar
07 32051818
lisa@maternityrevolution.com.au
www.maternityrevolution.com.au

Maternity Clothes vs Just Buying a Bigger Size

Here's the big question:

"Do I really need to buy maternity wear? I've heard it's expensive and ugly plus the nearest store is over an hour away. Can't I just buy normal clothes in a bigger size?"

Now straight up I'm going to tell you I'm biased on the answer to this one because my livelihood depends on you buying maternity wear but my answer to this is very similar to how I answered the question in an earlier blog: "Do I really need to buy nursing wear?"

You see about 15-20 years ago there were practically no maternity wear stores at all in Australia and online shopping was practically unheard of. So when you fell pregnant you had 2 choices. You could make do with larger sizes or make your own. You still have those two choices open to you but why make do when many companies work very hard to design and manufacture stylish comfortable clothing designed specifically for maternity and breastfeeding.

I had to make do but I was lucky enough to have a Mum that sewed and she made me a few pants, skirts and tops for work because although stretchy tracksuit pants and light cotton maxi dresses (which is basically what was available in the normal stores at the time) were fine for home they weren't appropriate for work. It was also very soul destroying to be buying pants from Millers with high elastic waistbands at the age of 28. If I were pregnant today I would most certainly be visiting a maternity store if there was one with in an hour of me, otherwise I would be shopping online. I wear maternity clothes now and I'm not even pregnant! They are just so comfortable, very stylish, well made and no they don't make you look pregnant.

It's funny, I get so many people visiting the store in awe of the size and range we have available and they all say how hard it is to find a maternity store. The fact is that so many people seem to take the option of buying bigger clothes instead of supporting maternity stores and therefore more and more stores are closing and the choice is getting less and less.

So what makes maternity different and why should you buy it?

Well the pants are probably the main thing that is different to normal pants. Yes you can buy devices to extend the use of your own pants but it's such an uncomfortable option. Maternity pants either are made from a stretchy fabric or they have a stretchy waistband. No uncomfortable buttons and zippers. They used to sit way up under your bust but those days are long gone. The bands are either designed to fold over or they sit under your belly button. This allows them to stretch as your belly gets bigger without digging in but many ladies find the style so comfortable that they never go back to normal waistbands. They can just as easily be worn non pregnant.

You know it makes no sense to go out buying bigger sizes and belly belts etc in order to make it through to the last 6 weeks or so of your pregnancy and then be faced with the prospect of having to buy maternity wear to get you through those last few weeks. You would have been better off buying maternity clothes early on that would have seen you all the way through rather than buying them for a few weeks use, on top of the money you've spent on clothes that now no longer fit.

Now tops and dresses are something that many people shop for in normal stores rather than buying maternity but again I believe it is false economy because you are unlikely to be able to wear them for breastfeeding. So many maternity dresses and tops are dual purpose these days and can be used while pregnant but also used for breastfeeding afterwards.

The most wonderful thing about visiting a maternity store is the service and the choice. If you walk into a department store you can take 5 garments into the change room at a time then you have to get dressed, head back out and grab another five, or different sizes. Try doing that with a small child in tow! Not fun! But in a store like Maternity Revolution you get to wander around at your leisure while your child plays in our playroom. Our staff are all very good babysitters if need be. You can take as many items into the changeroom as you like and you don't have to put anything away afterwards. You can get as much or as little help as you like. We are here to help with sizing, opinions, photo taking, note taking etc, if you need it but if you want to be left alone, that's fine too.

So that's all well and good if you live within a respectable distance of our store (or any maternity store for that matter) but what if you don't? Online shopping can be all too hard for many people and I agree but Maternity Revolution is different. We recognize that knowing what size to buy is hard and knowing whether the style will suit you is even harder. It can get costly paying postage to get the item and postage to return the item and I really cannot understand some businesses that don't allow refunds. That's just plain stupid.

At Maternity Revolution we put so much effort into making your online shopping experience as streamlined as possible. We may not have the biggest and best website in the world but be reassured that there are real people offering real customer service at the other end of your order. As soon as your order is received we check we have the items and if we are concerned that the sizing of the item is particularly big or small, we'll contact you to discuss it. Likewise, if we are out of what you wanted, we contact you to let you know and if we can order it in, we will. We'll check your past orders and make sure that we agree with the sizing you have chosen.

Often we send two sizes of something out to a customer and only charge for the one item. That way they can compare the sizing and send back what doesn't work. We have also been known to send a selection of items to customers and they can try them all and return what doesn't work. This works well if you have a wedding to go to and have left finding a dress till the last moment.

Repeat customers love that they can just ring us, tell us their name and we have all their details (except credit card details) on file.

If we receive an order today and the item is in stock it will usually be posted same day and we offer Express Post if you are in a hurry.

Our postage charges are well below what it actually costs to post an item. $5 normal post and $7 Express Post for 1-2 items. $10 normal post and $12 Express Post for 3-5 items. Spend over $150 and postage is FREE.

Now here's another unique feature of our online sales. If you receive the items and would like to try another size, we let you hold onto the size you have while we post the exchange size to you free of charge! This way you can compare the two sizes and return what you don't want in one go, rather than making several trips to the post office. We don't charge postage for exchanges. That's pretty good!

Most importantly, we offer a no questions asked refund policy if the item is returned within 14 days and of course they have to be unworn and with tags still on etc.

So there you have it. Many reasons why I think you should be buying maternity wear rather than just making do. You'll look better, feel better and put food on my table.

Lisa
Maternity Revolution 
1/124 South Pine Rd
Brendale QLD 4500
Ph: 07 3205 1818
lisa@maternityrevolution.com.au
www.maternityrevolution.com.au

Can I Wear Underwire Bras While Pregnant or Breastfeeding?

Had you asked me this question a few years ago the answer would have been a re-sounding NOOOOOO!

Ask me today however and my answer is YES, sort of!

Now firstly, let me say that I am not a Doctor or an expert in this field and therefore it is best that you consult with an expert before making a decision but here is my 2 bits worth.

Any bra that you wear while pregnant or feeding has to be comfortable, regardless of whether it has under wire or not. If your bra is uncomfortable or causing you pain then stop wearing it. Actually that's just common sense for any bra at any stage of life.

Now in Australia it has been a long held view that underwire maternity bras a a no no. In Europe however, most maternity bras have underwire. So for some reason we have become paranoid here in Australia and the urban myth has been created. It is not the underwire itself that causes problems, rather it is the fit if the bra.

Cake Maternity have over recent years released their flexi wire range on Maternity bras however the bigger the cup size, the firmer the under wire and with good reason. A soft underwire doesn't have sufficient strength to support a large bust and it results in an ill fitting bra.

There is even a valid argument that a soft cup bra may be more damaging than an underwire bra for a larger busted lady because without the wire all the weight of the bust is taken by the straps and causes shoulder and back pain. The underwire helps to lift the bust from underneath.

One important factor in the fit of an underwire bra is that the wire must finish past the bust. In other words, you don't want it to press into the breast tissue because this is when it can damage milk ducts and cause mastitis.

Another important consideration is that in the first trimester of your pregnancy and in the first week or two after giving birth, your breasts are going through dramatic changes. Not to mention the fact they are engorged and sore. Not the best time to be wearing an underwire bra.

After 13 years in the maternity industry I have seem and talked with my share of pregnant women. Many have worn their normal bra right throughout their pregnancy, either because they didn't realise it was a bad thing to do or they refused to give up their under wire bras.

I'm not sure that a study has ever been done to prove whether an under wire bra increases your risk of mastitis but it would seem to me that some ladies develop mastitis whether they wear an underwire bra or not.

So in summary, I am a fan of the Cake Flexiwire Maternity bras as long as they are not worn in the first trimester or the first week or so after giving birth. Just make sure it is well fitted and and it's comfortable.

Cake Licorice Flexi Wire Maternity Bra

Thanks for listening.

Lisa Hovar

Maternity Revolution