Many of the basic maternity pieces I bought during my first pregnancy have lasted through two pregnancies, and the dreaded post-partum stage. The post-partum stage was always difficult for me to find clothes to wear because I still looked pregnant. However, I avoided wearing most of my maternity clothes, because the pieces looked ridiculously big on me. And I didn’t want to be asked when the baby is due!
I thought I would get rid of these maternity basics once my little guy was older, but many of these clothes work well for chasing around a toddler. I’m frugal and love how versatile these pieces are.
Here are my basics that have lasted from pregnancy to post-partum to my everyday wardrobe.
Maternity Tank Tops – I wore these underneath dresses and button-down shirts for work. My office was business casual and these worked great. They lasted from the first trimester through the third and were comfortable to wear post-partum when nursing. They are also perfect for chasing a toddler around. If I have to bend down to pick-up our little guy, they are long enough I don’t flash my bum to the world! I have so many of these now.
Sundress – This was my favorite maternity style. I could add jewelry for a more stylish look, or dress down with flip flops. I continued to wear these sundresses in the colder months with long leggings, legwarmers, boots, and scarves. Post pregnancies, I dig these out when I’m in between sizes.
Blouse – I wore these types of blouses when I was in the first trimester and starting to show, but not ready to tell everyone I was pregnant. They also worked great post-partum and even now. These work for days where I need to dress business casual in addition to my everyday wardrobe.
Necklace – Technically, this is not maternity. However, when you are hugely pregnant or feeling blah post-partum, a fun piece of jewelry can make an outfit more fun, and dress up a basic wardrobe staple.
Jeans – I carried both my babies low. I couldn’t wear jeans with the full maternity band after the second trimester, because it was too uncomfortable to wear tight clothes across my lower abdomen. This style of jeans became my favorite. Because they don’t have the band, I can still wear these now, and no one knows they are maternity jeans.
Low Rise Leggings – Again, I loved these with the low cut-out. They still work post pregnancy to wear underneath dresses and long shirts, or to go running.
Swimsuit – This is not a maternity swimsuit, but it worked well during my second trimester of pregnancy and the following summer post-partum. I bought one size up, and the material and ruching stretched with my belly. The ruching was also flattering to my belly when I still hadn’t lost baby weight. The bust is supportive, which I desperately need during pregnancy because I gain so much weight on top. The straps are adjustable too.
guest
It makes me giddy to hear that other people still wear their maternity clothes post-partum! I bounced back pretty quickly into pre-baby clothes with my first, but after my second (c-section), it has been really hard for me to get back into regular pants, so I still rotate in some of those style maternity jeans regularly. I also find the longer length and/or flowiness of certain maternity tops to be comfy, flattering, and feel better in them camoflaging the c-section aftermath.
pomelo / 5084 posts
Oh yes. I will keep my tanks and leggings FOREVER. Wear them all the time still! Haha.
apricot / 358 posts
I have the same Old Navy dress in black, and I’m still wearing it six months pp. I wish I could continue to wear my comfy maternity jeans, but alas, I had full panels!
grapefruit / 4923 posts
maternity clothes were my best friend for 4-6 months postpartum after my pregnancies.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
OMG! Thanks for this post!! I’m 3 months postpartum and am in that in-between stage with a lot of fluff still going on in the middle since I haven’t shed all the weight yet. I’m still rocking some maternity clothes like jeans, but need to find shirts that are more flowy than fitted so the one you shared is perfect. Thanks!!!
blogger / pear / 1563 posts
Thanks for this! I just went online and ordered 2 of those Old Navy dresses in different sizes, so I’m sure one will fit.
I want to live in cotton stretchy dresses even this early!