Hellobee

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.