What’s so special about maternity wear? To many of us, it’s all about the enormous profits that retail outlets and manufacturers make out of them. Let’s not talk about value for money. You have hospital bills to pay. You have to pay for baby’s needs and postpartum supplements and they are going to total up to a substantively large expense anyway. Why then, would you want to pay for an outfit that is supposed to ‘fit’ you better with your frontal protrusion during pregnancy! And, if you too see the point behind this foolish practice, and are saving for your baby her future, you need to learn these brilliant hacks, as told by the frugal mommies-to-be:
1. When your pants become tight
It’s ok when you walk about, but as you sit you might not want to look like a wobbly jelly sitting there displaying your posterior or the thong; at least not when you are pregnant. This is why you must have a supply of safety pins, clasp-clips and rubber bands (pretty much some stationery stuff) in your handbag. With the safety-pins, make sure they are the large size ones with caps which mothers use while cloth diapering their babies. What would you do with the rubber bands? Well, twist it around the button and pull the loose end through the buttonhole only to twist it again around the button for a secure fastening.
2. When it’s the question of wearing big sizes
Never mind wearing your husband’s tees or your father’s shirt. Sometimes men’s formal shirts do the trick when you think you must look smart. Just think how you are saving yourself from investing in maternity outfits.
3. Say no to jeans, adopts stretchable pajamas or tights
Contrary to what we would like to believe, tights don’t turn out too tight during pregnancy. They are porous, so they help you be comfortable, unlike the thickest of pants called jeans that will stick to your sweaty legs. Yoga pants or pajamas are just other options for comfy clothing.
4. Go girlie with long skirts and maxi
Never mind going back to the Victorian era where long loose skirts were the order of the day. You probably never experienced the comfort and the soft fall of long skirts. They also keep you that pregnancy-perspiration in your pants!
5. Don’t invest truckloads in lingerie
This is not the right time to buy lingerie. Your breasts will grow. But, that doesn’t mean you must buy them a size up right away. Soon you will need feeding-bras, and it might not be great to have already invested in bigger sizes. Get a mix-and-match of that stuff. How something between a sports bra and-and bikini? Don’t sideline the strapless ones because they too will give you the sheer comfort of doing away with those noodle straps for a while. Make sure they are stretchable enough so you can hang on to them even around the lactation period. Moreover, you could always talk to a lingerie consultant at one of those retail outlets who surprise you with the knowledge they wield over interchangeable sizes and styles.
6. Watch out for those gaps between the buttonholes
Yeah, fuller breasts mean your shirts like to draw apart and give a sneak peak of your assets. If you haven’t gone out of size for your shirts, don’t forget using safety pins or sewing press buttons to address the problem.
Just goes to tell you how well you could be draped around the time of pregnancy. And, it will cost you peanuts.