Belly band

[Meenah]

CONGRATULATIONs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsK]

Nordstrom doesn't have a maternity section. Maternity clothes are designed to fit your pre-pregnancy size. So if you wear a size 6 when you are not pregnant, you will be a size 6 in maternity clothes.

As for the bella band. . . I'm short waisted. The band goes over the top of your pants and on me it fit from my ribcage, just below my bra, to just below my inseam. It was like wearing a tiny, highwaisted miniskirt over my pants. It only became a problem when my belly got round. Then I couldn't partially zip the pants any more and they would slip down when I sat.

Now I'm most comfortable in summer dresses (which make me look huge) and in maternity jeans with pre-pregnancy tops that have some stretch. I've had to phase out a lot of my pre-pregnancy clothes but I still have several tops that are very forgiving in the belly. However, in a few weeks, I'll have to move on to maternty tops -- which tend to be very long on me.

[madeintaiwan]

Nordstrom doesn't have a maternity section. Maternity clothes are designed to fit your pre-pregnancy size. So if you wear a size 6 when you are not pregnant, you will be a size 6 in maternity clothes.

Hah! In theory. Depends on which parts of your body expand. And in my experience having gone through 3 pregnancies, not all brands of maternity clothes fit the same. Congratulations BTW!!!!

[SuzySunshine]

Mimi Maternity no longer exists - they've changed all of their Mimi stores to A Pea In a Pod - so that and Motherhood are your only options for that company (they are the same company and have a very strict return policy). I've noticed that a lot of department stores don't carry maternity clothes. Our Macy's doesn't and our JCPenney has a VERY small section though you can order from their catalog. Do you have an Ann Taylor LOFT near you with a maternity section? They are few and far between but they do exist.

As for wearing your regular size in maternity clothes, I don't buy it. I'm short and usually have to buy petitite pants for the the length but pre pregnancy I'm a 4 or a 6 and by the end of my pregnancy I'm always in clothes that are much larger then that.

I hear you on not wanting to spend a lot of money but even though its only a few months you want to be as comfortable as possible, you'll probably also wear some of them for at least a month afterwards.

I loved my Bella Band - CONGRATS on the pregnancy!

(they are the same company and have a very strict return policy). .

that is the *one* perk of buying from them online. the return policy is relaxed a bit from the stores.

the bella band is also great after you have the baby but before your regular pants are comfortable again. it's kind of like a more forgiving girdle at that point ...

[Vishenka69]

I already can't zip any of my regular pants, so I guess I missed my window of opportunity. Will look into ordering from Gap or Loft (the 2 by me don't have maternity section) online. I have enough for the warm weather and my current size but will definitely need more once it gets cooler and want to start planning ahead a bit.

I'm afraid I'll only be able to get away with non-maternity anything for a very short time, as all my weight gain has been in the front and I'm still pretty slim in the back (hence a size bigger just doesn't fit everywhere). I've been ok with some M size tops for the past couple of weeks but I'm already pushing them to the limit.

[MrsK]

I thought Loft suspended its maternity line?

[alison]

Loft has a maternity line again--they just started back up about a month ago. Nordstrom also has maternity clothes -you can buy them online and return in the store at customer service. It's painless, bc if you buy $200 in stuff, you get free shipping. That's good, bc you'll have to buy things in a couple of sizes anyway to try out.

My Gap in Chicago had a good maternity section. I don't get it, because there are SO many more pregnant women in the suburbs.

[MrsK]

Oooh, loving the Nordstroms maternity line. Thanks for the tip! I'm so sick of Destination Maternity.

Keep in mind that nordstrom AND motherhood are on ebates ... I'll be getting quite the chunk of change for the dresses I just ordered from nordstrom.com , and got the free shipping that Alison referenced as well.

[alison]

Oh, something just occurred to me. I bought a lot of maternity clothes at Old Navy, and have found that they barely last through one pregnancy. The panels of the slacks are coming apart at the seams (where they meet the jean or slacks material), and the overall quality really sucks. I think if you go with the mindset that you'll only use them for one pregnancy you're fine, but I wish that I had invested the money in better-quality pants. The Old Navy shirts haven't been an issue. They have some good basic t-shirts and wife beaters.

[alison]

tank tops, I mean. I couldn't remember what the more pc word for those was.

[Tenacious_D]

No advice on the bands...but CONGRATS!!!!

[Chrisada]

I ordered some generic bands on ebay with my first pregnancy and used them for both. They are great. You can also pull it up and use it as a camisole. I did that with a lot of my low cut shirts.