What are pregnancy clothes called?
Congratulations!
The clothing you wear during pregnancy is called maternity clothing. It's designed to fit you the way your pre-pregnancy clothing fit, that means if you wore a size small before you became pregnant, you start with size small in maternity clothes.
Why do you need maternity clothes for your pregnancy?
Maternity clothes are designed to fit your changing body. Tops are tailored to fit your growing baby bump. Pants have a variety of panel styles to choose from to make sure you're comfortable throughout the day.
Here's a look at how Maternity tops are different from your regular tops.
Here’s a look at some of the ways maternity tops are different from regular tops, and the fit you can expect.
Side Ruching
Side ruching is an elastic sewn into the side seam of the top. The fabric is lightly pleated on the sides as well. This allows the fabric to stretch as your bump grows without thinning or stressing the fabric. The elastic and peats are what gives you the extra space you need. These tops are always fitted.
Smooth Side Seam
Tops with smooth side seams, that are designed to be fitted (think t-shirt), are tailored so there’s more fabric in the front than the back. This gives your belly room to grow.
Blouses
Blouses are also made with more fabric in the front and are usually a loser fit. Most come with an optional matching belt you can add to define the shape of your bump.
Empire waist
Ay tops with an empire waist detail (stitching, elastic, seam, belt that ties back) are going t be fitted in the bust but relaxed over the bump.
Should or can you upsize in non-pregnancy clothes? With tops, you might be able to get away with it in the second trimester, but not the third. And to be honest with you, you can always tell when someone is upsizing, and it doesn’t look good. It looks frumpy and like you don’t care. Pants on the other hand you can’t upsize. You’ll be uncomfortable and constantly pulling them up.
Here's a link for the maternity tops I have available today. In the description you’; read if it has an empire waist detail or side ruching. If it’s fitted or if it’s relaxed.
You can shop our tops here:
Here's a look at how maternity bottoms work
Maternity pants are not the same as regular pants. Maternity bottoms are designed to fit you the way your pre-pregnancy bottoms with one exception: the waist band.
Maternity bottoms have a belly band or built in features at the waist that are designed to keep your pants on and comfortable while your bump grows.
Pro Tip: when trying on maternity pants always make sure to sit down in them. Kind of hard to do that when you’re shopping online but when you shop with us, you can return what isn’t comfortable. Why sit? To test to make sure the bottoms will be comfortable. You want to make sure where the belly band and fabric meet doesn’t pinch, squeeze, or rub your bump.
Common Panel styles and how to wear them
Full Nylon panel
This panel is also called the secret fit (Motherhood maternity) or sooth fit (Old Navy & Gap) panel. It’s made of a nylon spandex blend and designed to fit over your bump. It stretched as you grow and will remain fitted.
Full Panel Cotton Blend
You’ll also see this style called a 3-in-1 panel because you can customize how you wear it. This is a full panel designed to be worn over your bump. You can also fold it in ½ so that it only goes part way up your bump. Or you can fold it in 3 and wear it as a low rise panel below your bump. The one complaint about this panel style is that some expecting moms find themselves pulling them up a lot. Ensure when you pull up you’re not pulling on the band, this will cause it to unstitch. Make sure to pull up from the pant fabric.
Low Rise Panel
The low rise panel is designed to fit you below your bump. It can be made of a variety of fabrics, from cotton blend, to nylon cotton blend. Sometimes the is even some structure sewn into the panel. This panel style can go all around, or could be just in the front for your bump.
Pocket Panel
Depending on the brand this panel has different names. Pocket Panel, hip panel, or inset panel. These bottoms look like regular bottoms except the front pockets have been replaces with two triangles of elastic. This is a low rise design tailored to fit below your bump. Usually the elastic is the same colour as the pant. This is the panel style preferred by people who like to continue their tucking style.
The Partial Panel
There's a few styles in this heading. The front only inset panel. This bottom style has a panel sewn into the pant that is only on the front. The sides and back are pant fabric. This is usually an over the bump or partway up the bump. Don’t forget to sit when you try this style on!
There is also a low rise panel that is front only, and a low rise panel that is back only.
Over the Bump
This style of panel is hidden. What I mean is the panel is the same as the fabric and there’s usually no seam to let you know when the panel starts. This style is common in skirts and leggings.
No Panel
This is a low rise style designed to fit below the bump. These pants have elastics inside the waistband that you can tighten until your belly fills out the space. These look like regular bottoms.
Which panel style is best?
Which is best really depends on a few things, and it won’t be the same for everyone
- Skin sensitivity, you might not like anything tight on your belly
- How you want to dress, do you want to tuck your shirts in or wear them loose
- How you like your rise, did you prefer low rise before your pregnancy
The best panel style usually boils down to personal preference and might change for you as your pregnancy progresses. That’s one of the reason’s my shop has an advantage over traditional maternity brands. I carry multiple brands in once place.
I have a great selection of pants, jeans and skirts with different panel styles to choose from. The best part is, all our bottoms (unless new) are under $20, so trying out the different styles to see which is best for you won’t take money away from your baby! Our collection is curated, you don’t have to worry about quality and durability -that’s my job. You just have to focus on finding pieces you love in your size.
You can shop out pants here:
