Comfort is crucial for the working mom-to-be. Pregnancy has enough discomforts, and clothing shouldn’t add to the problem. There are some cute maternity wear options out there, but finding professional maternity clothing can be difficult. Here are some ways to dress for work while you’re pregnant—without sacrificing comfort.
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Dresses, dresses, dresses!
Invest in some midi-length stretchy dresses. These can grow with you and your bump, cutting down on the amount of new maternity clothes you need to buy. Stretchy dresses are easy to dress up for the office and down for the weekends. Business professional workplace? Add a blazer. Casual Friday? Wear it alone or with a cozy cardigan. If you’re not fond of the tight fit of body-con dresses, try out a T-shirt dress or shift dress. These are super-cute, and they tend to be a bit on the looser side.
As your bump grows and the dresses become shorter, you can add compression tights underneath. These help with the foot swelling that many pregnant women experience. Furthermore, soon-to-be-moms often experience larger busts, so wear tank tops under wrap dresses and lower-cut blouses to keep your clothes work-appropriate.
Belly bands
Belly bands are stretchy bands that go around your bump, allowing you to continue wearing your pre-pregnancy clothing. For example, if you want to continue wearing your favorite pair of suit pants to work but your bump prevents them from buttoning, wear them unbuttoned and let the belly band cover you. Pair this with a longer shirt for more coverage, too. These may not work for your third trimester, but depending on how you carry and where you gain weight, they’re great for the beginning stages when you’re trying to hide your bump.
Regular clothes—a size or two up
Depending on which trimester you’re in, simply going a size or two up in regular clothing may be good enough. Maternity clothes tend to be a bit pricey, so buying a few staple pieces a bit bigger than you normally would may just do the trick!
Maternity pants
A pair of black maternity pants can easily pass for formal work wear with the right top. There are a few styles to choose from: some have elastic inside the waistband to manually expand as your bump grows, and others have side panels of stretch fabric. These are saviors for women who have trouble withstanding belly pressure. There are also under-belly or over-belly stretch fabric pants. Choose these based on your personal preference—one type isn’t better for you or your baby than another other, so go with your favorite!
There are plenty of ways to dress for work while you’re pregnant. The most important thing to remember is that your comfort is paramount. Go with what you prefer and what makes you feel the best. Every mom-to-be has different reactions to different types of clothing, and every pregnancy is different. Finding what works for you is what matters most.
