Pregnant in the winter- wardrobe questions - Page 2

[Partaria]

I'm kind of experiencing the same thing. Getting bigger and bigger (also due in May), but not too keen on spending a lot of money on maternity clothes.

I splurged for a couple pairs of good fitting maternity jeans. Other than that, I wear long sleeve shirts from my pre-pregnancy wardrobe. When I worry they won't cover my whole belly, I layer with one of those hip-length long layering tanks or a bella band. You can wear those tanks during your non-pregnancy days too, of course. :) And the final piece of the wardrobe, IMO, is a few of these really awesome sweater coats that are in style these days. You know, the long sweaters that belt and go down past your hips. They go great over a pregnant belly, they're super warm, and if you are worried about unbuttoned pre-pregancy jeans slipping a bit too low, the sweater coats cover all that up.

[calebsmama03]

I'll echo what many have already said - layers, layers, layers.  I already tend to wear lots of camis/tees with cardigan type sweaters or hoodies in the winter so I just got 2 pr of mat jeans (mine from my older 2 are old and nasty looking, so I splurged!), some cheap mat camis (and reg extra long camis from ON that are super stretchy and under $10 each) and may add a few l/s tees but otherwise I'm trying to limit it to that and make due as much as I can.  I did also purchase come leggings that I can wear post pg, too, and some regular womens tunic style dresses SUPER cheap at ON (under $20 for sure) and I'll be able to wear them most of this pg till I get really big at the very end (due April) and then wear again next fall.  It gets really cold here but I'm not getting a mat coat.  Not planning on any long outdoor activities anyway but if mine starts not wanting to zip at the end ;) I'll just layer one of DH's fleece vests under it and leave the front unzipped.  This is what I did with my others.

[hasya]

Penstamom, how cold does your fourth dimension get?

It gets around -30 C here (at least, did when I was pg). I bought one turtleneck knit, two full sleeve cotton tops, and got a couple of larger full sleeve shirts as gifts. I also bought a few summer tops on sale. One pair of jeans and one corduroy pants. One long sweater. I used a coat that my husband had and was too big for him. Layered all the way. Initially, just used my pre-pg long sleeved shirts and wore tees above them. Later, same, but with maternity clothes. I got some hand-me-downs as well, but only some fit my body type. I had just moved here and hardly knew anyone at the time.

If you plan on doing any baby-wearing, it may be worth investing in a Kinder Coat or an M-coat. I just bought a Deluxe Kinder Coat and so far, loving it, to go over my baby in Beco. Both of these coats can be used as baby-wearing and pregnancy coats. Kinder Coat can be used in front and back carry positions, as also pregnant while back carrying positions (although I doubt that I'd like to do much of that).

[lyterae]

I'm layering with short sleeves a wool sweater, and I did buy a maternity coat. My belly gets huge and my old coat doesn't fit and I'm petite in general and I get lost if I just "buy up" a couple of sizes. That and we figured that with this being our second February baby we're just going to plan on the third being a winter baby also. :)

It was definitely a purchase that I didn't want to make (for budgeting purposes), but it gets cold here and it's so nice to be warm again.

[cyclamen]

Empire waist regular coats are great .  I was pregnant during the winter and was able to use my regular coat because it was empire waist.  I also met another mom recently doing this and she looked lovely.

I also second the idea of making a zip-in panel for a coat, if you are able to sew.  Either take your coat and find a matching zipper, or just buy three matching zippers and replace the zippers on your coat.

I also see swing coats, like the vintage kind from the 60s, in the goodwill sometimes.  Or a nice drapey poncho.  They have those at Old Navy right now, I think.

[madcap150]

My last pregnancy I was due in March, and I live in Colorado. I never bought a maternity coat-- just layered and borrowed a coat in a size up to fit my belly.

I also found that I could wear stretchy long-sleeved T-shirts that I already had from Target. In fact, I still wear those shirts. The only down side is that I am heartily sick of them! I layered under cardigans or maternity dresses, and wore leggings under pants when necessary (for some reason my maternity pants all seem to be thin in the butt and let the cold in!)

Other budget-friendly ideas:

*Check thrift stores for regular clothes in bigger sizes, and especially look for some of the empire-waist styles that were popular several years ago for regular clothes (which you still see in maternity clothes)

*If you can sew at all, you can get larger clothes from thrift stores and follow one of the many web tutorials to make them fit better with ruching, etc.

*If you can't borrow actual maternity clothes from friends and family, can you borrow a bigger coat, stretchy shirts that they don't really wear, etc?

*Try to budget a bit of money to buy yourself something different in your last month or two. You will be so sick of what you've been wearing that you will really want it! You might not have this problem, though, since you should be able to switch to your warm-weather clothes for your last couple of months. Clothes you haven't worn in a while are almost as good as new ones! :)

[mrsbernstein]

I didn't think I would need to participate in this conversation...yet.  HOWEVER, my jeans...that I just now fit back into...are uncomfortable around the waist when I'm sitting down.  Not TIGHT...just uncomfortable.

So...it's 17 degrees F here today...and I think, "No problem...I have those yoga-style pants from Target...should be good."

WRONG!!  WRONG!!! 

I only bought them a month ago, and they are a little tight around the waist (but do make my tukas look good!) and were COLD!!!  Man, my legs are FREEZING!!!

I'm really short, and finding REGULAR clothes to fit is a NIGHTMARE!

MRs B