At this time last year, I was a few months into my pregnancy with Plumblossom. My goal had been not to purchase a single piece of maternity wear, and rather make do with what I already had.
Naïve and ambitious, I know—but I’m proud to say that I almost achieved it.
The first trimester was easy. Although I never had any morning sickness, I also didn’t have much of an appetite. I’m glad I didn’t run out to the nearest Motherhood store after my positive pregnancy test, because my normal clothes fit perfectly fine for the first few months. And as I wanted to keep my pregnancy secret for as long as possible, my attire didn’t tip anyone off (though declining wine at dinner raised a few eyebrows!).
In the second trimester, some items started to feel a little tight around the waist. Uh-oh. Fortunately, it was summer, so I lived in three shift dresses. Their A-line shape was ideal for my expanding baby bump, and actually looked quite chic with a pair of ballet flats. I also had two pairs of linen drawstring pants that accommodated my growing waistline.
It was in the third trimester, though, that reality hit. My dresses still fit, but temps were dropping; and although I’m no fashionista, I don’t do linen with snow on the ground. I had a pair of yoga pants with an elastic waist to wear around the apartment; but without any bottoms I could leave home in, I finally broke down and hit the maternity section of my local department store.
I came away with two items: one pair of black maternity pants, and one pair of black maternity leggings. They both had a wide elastic (and oh so comfortable) band around the waist, enabling me to wear them right up until delivery. I paired the pants with my tops and sweaters that still fit, and wore the leggings with my shift dresses. I also fashioned a “maternity cardigan” from an old ribbed turtleneck: I cut it straight up the center, and added a tie closure at chest level—leaving the bottom to fall open around my belly.
I had one other item that served me well in those final months—what I now call my “Superdress.” A little background: in 2008, I did a “No Clothes Shopping” challenge for the entire year. I then spent the holidays in Italy, and on Jan. 2, 2009 (a day of huge sales in Rome) I bought a gray sweater dress. The stretchy knit clings to my normal figure—but on a whim, I tried it on in my sixth month of pregnancy, and was pleasantly surprised to find it stretched to fit my bump…and still did so in my seventh month…and eighth month…and ninth month as well! I only gained 22 pounds during my pregnancy, but still…that’s a pretty impressive dress when you have a basketball-shaped belly. :)
The Superdress, in regular and expanded mode
I know only a small percentage of my readers are currently pregnant, or plan to be so in the near future. However, the minimalist strategies I used for maternity wear can be applied to any situation for which you think you need new clothes (such as a new job or social event):
Scour what you have. Dig deep in that closet, and give what you have a chance—that’s how I discovered my amazing, expanding Superdress.
Repurpose what you have. Be creative: for example, a short dress can become a tunic top with a pair of leggings.
Remake what you have. Even if you’re not a skilled seamstress, a pair of scissors and a needle and thread can go a long way.
Borrow. Whether you need a dress for a cocktail party, a tie for an interview, or a maternity top for a few months, consider borrowing from a friend. The bonus: you can return it later and save space in your own closet.
Don’t buy until you’re desperate. When your only alternative is going naked, it’s time to go shopping.
I did get a little extra mileage out of my pants and leggings the month after Plumblossom was born. However, I was back in my regular clothes rather quickly, thanks to the excellent fitness program she devised for me: doing thousands of laps around our tiny apartment trying to get her to settle and sleep.
Since I don’t know if I’ll have another child, I’m glad I didn’t accumulate a lot of specialty clothes; otherwise, I’d now be faced with the dilemma of whether to store or declutter them. To be honest, my two-item maternity wardrobe is actually still wearable. I can fold over the belly band on the leggings, and they fit just like a regular pair. The pants, on the other hand, are a bit frumpy and relegated to the back of my closet—for those days when everything else is in the laundry, or when I eat a particularly large meal. ;-)
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
I didn’t buy any maternity clothes when I was pregnant. I had enough clothes that stretched or were loose enough.
I did end up buying breastfeeding clothes but am an extended breastfeeder, so they are lasting me years and there is no reason why I cannot still use them after I finish brestfeeding
Wow! Only two items? Inspirational!
I love leggings for all occasions- going to finally give in and buy some more though, as my sewing up the holes is no longer effective! Luckily our local council has just started a textile collection scheme, so even manky leggings with holes in don’t go to waste :)
I’m not pregnant and do not intend to ever get pregnant, but I do have weight problems (like so many of us) so the post was interesting to read anyway.
Interesting weight loss programme anyway – I already have a small apartment, I’ll just go an borrow somebody else’s Plumblossom for those thousands of soothing laps. Feeling inspired!
I don’t have any kids either, but babies are soooooooooo cute! When I see them I feel like I want to hold them. God bless everyone’s babies!!!
Interesting post! I don’t have children yet, but I have started to slowly declutter my wardrobe (and most importantly, have almost stopped buying any new clothes – if I do, I use the one-in-two-out-rule). And I have already been thinking about some items of clothing that I currently own: ‘I could probably still wear this when I’ll be pregnant’. E.g. two sweater dresses, a long sleeved top that is rather wide around the waist, some cardigans that I could just leave open instead of buttoning them up.
But I was wondering: didn’t your regular tops and T-shirts end up being all stretched out?
I am currently nearing the end of my 7. month of pregnancy, and like you, I did not want to buy any maternity wear. So far, I managed! Of course I am lucky to carry the big bump over the summer months. I did scour my closet and I found some stuff I usually don’t like to wear that still fits (thank God these things escaped minimalist purges!). Pants with a stretchy waist band work great (my jeans had to retire very early on), leggings with a long top work fine as well (rubber waist band plus I just wear them under the bump), same for skirts with stretchy waist band, plus I found a dress that stretches nicely over the bump. I hope I can make do with these items for the last two months as well! I think it’s well worth a try to do without maternity wear and using your strategies above can go a long way towards that goal.
You did well, not having to buy things!
I was also determined not to buy a load of things I didn’t even really like, to wear for six months or so.
I tried maternity leggings but preferred to just wear my regular leggings, waistband under the bump. All I wore when I was pregnant was leggings with jersey tunic dresses, and sweatpants (waistband under the bump) with long tops. If you have a lot of jersey clothing, and things with empire or A-line cut, you may not need to buy a thing- Oh except perhaps new bras, mine started feeling tight before there ever was a blue line in the stick! ;) I delivered in December, but didn’t want to buy a coat because they are expensive things to buy for just a couple of months. I wore my husband’s too small for him jacket and I could even fit a cardigan underneath. So what if it was a Gore-tex soft shell jacket – it was warm and it fit. Who cares when it’s only temporary.
To Sarah- My jersey clothing bounced right back, no permanent damage done!
For my first pregnancy, I bought a fair amount of maternity because I worked in an office (I supplemented with borrowing from friends). For my second pregnancy (which was during the opposite season as the first), I bought a few items, but not that many. For my third (which I’m in right now – same season as my first), I have not bought anything! My mission is to not buy anything and so far, so good. What a great feeling. With that said, I did keep all my clothes from my first pregnancy, so I’ve just been rewearing. But, it’s still a great feeling to get more mileage out of something I already had!
My wife only bought a few maternity items also. She mostly wore her low rise jeans, as they were low enought to fit beneath the baby bump. She had a pair of stretchy waist maternity jeans that she switched to late in her pregnancy.
My friends and I had the “traveling maternity clothes.” We had a tote that my fashionista friend (and mother of one-and-only-one)filled with bargains from the Motherhood store. Then, I got custody of it and added some e-bay finds. When I was done, I passed it on to the third friend, who had gone through her first pregnancy with no maternity clothes. And it traveled to someone else after that. It was a nice way to save money, feel pretty, and keep all that clothing from going to waste or sitting in someone’s attic.
Great idea!
Oh this brings back memories! I was preggers with my one-and-only-one in 1981, and managed to avoid buying maternity clothes by borrowing my husband’s shirts and sweaters to wear over tights and jeans. Hand-sewed a stretchy panel into the jeans during the eighth month, and borrowed a couple of dresses from friends for parties. The outerwear was a problem, but found a bolt of beautiful loden green wool fabric and made a poncho to wear over layers of sweaters. I gained 52 pounds, which took a while to lose, so some of those items still came in handy for a while!
I came across the poncho while sorting out the last of my boxes in storage, and plan to repurpose the fabric into a tunic or pillow covers or something. Or maybe I’ll give it to my DIL if a grandchild is on the way ;D
This would seem to work well if your work can be conducted from home. But it seems inadequate for an office job. In other words, leggings with a dress isn’t considered professional for a lot of offices. I think the idea of only buying what you truly need is a good idea, but I can’t see my small pre-pregnancy closet stretching this far. Good ideas for the weekend, though.
My baby’s due date is in 10 days! I’m very lucky to work from home, so my yoga pants that I’ve had for YEARS got lots of mileage. In these past couple of months, I found an awesome pair of capri stretch pants from Old Navy that I wear ALL THE TIME. Otherwise, I ended up breaking down and buying three pairs of pants for work purposes (I did have to do some traveling for my job). One of the other challenges I faced is that I am plus size and instead of finding clothes at the Goodwill or other sources, I had to purchase from the Internet. Happily, one of my husband’s coworkers is expecting a baby in December and is my size, so I’ve loaned her my maternity clothes. Being able to “pay it forward” makes me feel OK about the minimal amount of money I spent in the first place … but I tell you – I cannot WAIT to fit into my old clothes again! I miss them!
I haven’t gone through a pregnancy (yet) but this reminds me of my Mom’s story of her minimalist pregnancy wardrobe. Evidently she got quite large with me, and almost nothing fit by the end. She had a pair of green pants and a green poncho or coat. One day at the grocery store when the bagger was helping her to her car as she pointed to her green VW Rabbit, he said “yeah, I figured”. She was mortified! haha, and green was not a particularly favorite color, just a coincidence. Smart of you to have your maternity clothes in blacks and greys. :)
That’s a great story :)
Ok, girlfriend, this is just awesome. I spent probably thousands over the course of four pregnancies on maternity clothes. Love your reconfigure of the ribbed sweater into maternity cardigan. Pure genius!!!
You look fantastic pregnant, BTW.
I just started my 2nd trimester. 1st baby. I used my maternity wear as the beginning of my minimalist wardrobe. I cleaned out my entire closet and re hung only clothes that fit and the new maternity items I’ve purchased. I think Miss Minimalist’s maternity clothes plan is great, but will not work for those who work in an office. My suggestion for the office workers — if you haven’t started a minimalist wardrobe, pregnancy is a great time! I try to ensure my maternity tops are nursing accessible too. Japanese Weekend makes great “during and after” tops. I’d like to give Miss Minimalist a round of applause for posting on this issue. Having a baby and keeping the new items to a respectable minimum ain’t easy y’all. :/
Oh, thank you for this post. We’re doing the baby thing soon enough and I’m terrified that our freshly-decluttered condo is suddenly going to get filled with pregnancy- and baby-related stuff. Unfortunately having a day job at an office that demands nice clothes will mean that I have to own more stuff, but your tips I know will help me get through without having to spend much money or stuff my closet. Thanks!
Two items is fantastic! In my first pregnancy, I got away purchasing just one pair of pants and a couple shirts. During my second pregnancy, I did it a bit differently. I chose to buy 3 pairs of designer maternity jeans off Craig’s List right off the bat. I tried to do the same thing as many as the commenters above when you try to hold off as long as possible for #1. For #2, I wised up and realized I wanted to be comfortable AND wear the style I liked throughout my pregnancy. It ended up being a fantastic idea as I wore those jeans out! I was even able to re-sell a couple pairs and recoup what I originally spent. I didn’t buy any maternity tops as I could wear most of the shirts I had or just bought regular shirts that flowed more and could be worn after pregnancy. My only advice is to not let pride (or minimalism) get in the way of your comfort while pregnant!
This is amazing. Just yesterday I was wishing you’d do a post on this subject. I really appreciate the practical posts such as this one and your 100 Possessions series. I can get the theory posts anywhere. The reason I read your blog is for the practical aspects of minimalism. And don’t listen to the people complaining about it turning into a mommy blog. As one’s life changes, one’s blog is going to change. That’s reality.
Yep Kari I agree – the practical posts here are terrific. I’m not even close to traveling through kid-land, but I still found this one pretty interesting. And you’re right about the theory stuff – those kind of blogs are a dime a dozen on the internet now. I mean is there ANYONE left who doesn’t understand minimalism? :) Yet on MM’s blog I often learn something useful. The traveling and wardrobe posts are always my favorites.
When I was pregnant, I worked in a job that required very formal dress, so nothing in my wardrobe was stretchy, it was all button down and fitted. None of my tops, skirts, or pants fit by the second trimester. I held out as long as I could, but spending the money to be comfortable during an uncomfortable phase was worth it. It was a necessity, since I couldn’t very well go in to work with my top unbuttoned! I was also pregnant in winter, and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a new coat that I would only wear for a couple months, but it was really cold going around with my coat unbuttoned! Looking back, I feel silly for being so resistant to just getting what I needed. It’s just part of the process and it’s not the time to scrimp. Of course you can go overboard and get more than you actually need, but there is a happy medium for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be able to wear our regular clothes throughout the pregnancy. My baby was 10 lbs. 7 oz., so I had a big belly!
When I was pregnant I bought very few items but I ended up “borrowing” some pieces from my husband’s closet. The pieces I did buy, I found at Target (they actually have a very nice, affordable Liz Lange selection) and once I lost all that baby weight I distributed my clothes to my prego friends.
BTW-Having a pair of maternity jeans was priceless!
I Love this Post! What great ideas that can be applied to other clothing situations. I was fortunate enough to have a friend that let me borrow her maternity cloths. My husband recently got promoted so I will apply these ideas when searching for a wardrobe appropriate for his new job title. Thank You!
For my first pregnancy I bought a few pregnancy shirts and just wore yoga type pants. For my second I was given a few items and wore those into the ground. Total amount spent on pregnancy clothes for two babies? under $20. Though I’m sure it would be different if I had been working in a professional atmosphere.
Some more advice for limiting the maternity wardrobe — Don’t gain too much weight! I of course did not take this advice. :)
This is great! I have recently learned how wonderful dresses are, and I think I will probably live in them (and some stretchy pants) whenever I get to the baby part of my life.
I also really admire how you don’t post baby pictures or her name on the blog… I seriously worry about how much internet exposure children have these days and you give me encouragement to keep my baby off Facebook whenever I get around to having one!
I couldn’t agree more Caitlin. It bothers me when people post pictures of their babies or children on the internet or even on Facebook when said children don’t get a say. Their likeness is going out into the ether forever and they don’t get the opportunity to object or consent.
Yup – I know quite a few people that REFUSE to put photographs of their kids on the Internet because they are worried the pics might fall into the hands of cyberclever pedophiles. Yukkkkkkkk…..
I love that you don’t let social norms dictate what you do in new situations. I thought I had minimal maternity clothes but definitely more than two items. I borrowed as much as I could but the girl I borrowed from was in a very different career than me. All my maternity items fit into a small box which my pregnant sister now has possession of. Looking back, I probably could have gotten by with a little less. Next pregnancy, I will see about getting by with not purchasing any new items!
A belly band is a great versatile item! I’m 36 weeks and have been using mine since the first trimester… today I’m using it over dressy grey shorts, which I haven’t been able to button for many months now. I was able to get by with adding one pair of maternity jeans, a handful of stretchy waistband skirts, and four maternity tops. I will say I’m getting pretty tired of having about 20 items to choose from, though! And going to clothing swaps can be a letdown when you’re pregnant, too… I picked up so many things I thought might fit, only to discover that I would have to store them until my bump is gone!
I’m also a mummy reader of your blog (there are probably more out there than you realise!) so I love the baby/kid blog subjects. I have a box of clothes that are sitting in the cupboard for my next pregnancy – not all maternity clothes, but some that are in slightly larger sizes. I have a lot of items in my current wardrobe that I wore when I was pregnant (twice) and were stretchy, and have not been stretched out of shape. I graciously declined when my friend offered me all of her maternity clothes when she was done with them, as I already had my own. Too much is not necessarily a good thing!
Haven’t noticed breastfeeding being mentioned here. I bought maternity clothes, and then I bought a whole bunch of breastfeeding clothes. Not very minimalist! All the nursing tops were also designed to accommodate a bump, so I should have bought those to start with! The nursing tops were so useful that all other tops in my wardrobe went to live in the attic. I had just enough to enable me to always have a clean one handy – crucial with a baby around! Actually, I don’t know why I’m talking in the past tense, because 18 months on I’m still breastfeeding and wearing those tops (although I’ve had to buy smaller and smaller jeans because bf stripped the fat off me).
I didn’t find I needed a special wardrobe while breastfeeding. I would either pull my shirt up or down depending on the outfit. The only issue I encountered was with high, inflexible tops of dresses (I didn’t pull the dress up). Those were put away until my daughter finished breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is very minimalist since there are no supplies needed!
I was wondering- how do you manage to travel with a baby? Like, what do you do for health insurance? Do you own a home or just travel? I am hoping to one day become a minimalist and be nomadic with my family rather than be tied down to a place with things and a job I do not like. I just do not know what I could do for money though- I feel writing isn’t a stable enough income.
Thanks so much for any input and advice!!!
How timely…I was hoping you would share how you stayed minimalist while accommodating a growing belly. I’m getting ready to enter my second trimester, so will also be getting big when the cold weather rolls around. I’m looking forward to dresses (that I already own) and leggings, and definitely plan to buy a pair of nice-looking maternity jeans or trousers. Love the DIY maternity cardigan idea! Garage sales are also great for finding like-new maternity items, since their wear time is so short compared to regular clothes. Thanks so much for this post!
I just recently discovered your blog and I love it. I am already a pseudo-minimalist but your blog has really inspired me to take the next step and PURGE! As I am in the move and newly single, your blog has helped me hit the reset button, so a big thank you for that! Congratulations on getting through your pregnancy without buying a whole new wardrobe that you may only rarely wear (if ever again). It amazes me to see so many women at “A pea in the pod” or Mimi Maternity investing so much money and potential clutter for a relatively short period in their lives. I also love that you don’t succumb to the norms of conspicuous consumption or materialism. Keep up the amazing work.
That was my goal too- but i gothis huge bump. And it was cold cold winter so that i had to protect baby clam with a couple of wool sweaters in size M that i got on sale, and a maternity wool coat. Plus new snow boots because my feet swell for half a size.
But i still wore my pants unbuttoned with a belly band.
Anyway i luckily fit into my old clothes again so that i did not have to accumulate more stuff. Only baby stuff :).
Greetings from another new minimalist mom
Definitely the belly band. I received a box of maternity clothes via freecycle, but I ended up only wearing a pair of black stretchy trousers that was in the box around the house. After my little girl was born, I then freecycled them on. As for other clothing – my mum sent me a band-o, a wide stretchy band that goes over the bump and your hips so you can wear normal tops and it looks like a tshirt underneath. Fantastic! She also sent me a belly band – a piece of elastic that has buttons on it that you can use to expand the front of your pants or skirts – and then I wore the bando to make sure noone could tell my fly was undone! A couple of maternity singlets, which expanded as my belly grew and which I still wear as they snap back to normal size afterwards were also useful. Wrap dresses were great as were stretchy jeans. I wore all my normal clothes – but just the more stretchy ones. No need for special maternity stuff.
Very helpful post! I just counted my items from my first pregnancy last year – 12 purchased, 2 given = 14 total! I didn’t wear one item, but got most items second hand.
You said it all when sharing you only gained 22 pounds. I find I am another size pants every five pounds or so. I gained almost forty pounds on my 5’2″ frame those nine months. However, I now see how I could have only purchased half of why I did and been comfortable. If I Wore only skirts/dresses that would have helped too! Last year was the beginning of our minimalist journey – while pregnant – so compared to my usual habits I actually did well.
Next time I am pregnant I have two minimalist goal. 1)Keep my body in shape(less weight gain) 2)Pass on some maternity items rather than acquire any more.
Should be fun! ;-)
That said, good for you Miss Minimalist! I am inspired.
Your post reminded me not so much of maternity, but of when the baby comes. DH and I are interested in having kids, but I am terrified of all the kid crap – the toys and gadgets and clothes, etc. Recently we went on a trip with our friends who said they have managed to keep it to a minimum (tiny house excuse helps, which we no longer have). One way they did it was declining any showers! That had to take guts, and no I’m not being facetious. People want to give showers! Anyway, I can’t remember if you’ve posted on how you are keeping the baby crap at bay (assuming you likely are :) ) but if you haven’t, I’d love to read it, for one :)
We also declined showers and have no regrets – we still got more stuff than we needed because people bought gifts anyway, of course. It seemed people respected our decision, asked what we really needed, and actually listened. We are very happy keeping our minimalist boundaries with our ,so far, 9 month old. It can be done – and we find it more enjoyable than deciding what outfit he will wear or having unnecessary baby gear cluttering our home. ;-)
I would say that buying a few pieces of office wear fits prefectly under the label of “only buying what you truly need” if you work in an office. The point is to start by shopping your own wardrobe, and then complement with maternity wear as you need it. A friend of mine had to wear a suit for office when she was pregnant with her second, so buying a 3 piece maternity suit when she outgrew her non-maternity suits was necessary, but she did wait until even her most maternity friendly suits didn’t fit anymore. She also borrowed office friendly maternity tops from a co-worker and a suitable coat from her mother. But other than that I think she only bought underwear and tights, the rest came from her own wardrobe (she likes a line tunics and dresses and loose flowing tops when not working, and many of them fit just fine even at 41 weeks pregnant).
Buying or borrowing clothes that are comfortable when your old ones are no longer so, would, I think, also fall under the label of “only buying what you truly need”, not even the most hardcore minimalist would say, be cold/hot and uncomfortable!
This post brought out some bittersweet feelings in me as my longing for a child subconsciously seeps into my daily life, just the other day I realized that all clothes that I have bought in the last 12 months (disreagarding some underwear and sports wear) would be maternity frindly, at least for the first six months or so, all I need now is a belly to fill them out!
I am 5 1/2 months pregnant, and I so wish I had read this post 2 months ago. I haven’t gained much weight either, but my belly has been growing very quickly, so my favorite clothes stopped being comfortable around the waist early in my first trimester. As the clothing in my closet dwindled, I felt the need to build a whole new wardrobe, and bought a bunch of stuff without putting adequate thought into it. Now, I have high credit card debt and wish I had been as careful with clothing purchases as you. Financial stress is the last thing anyone wants with a baby on the way. Better to make do with a couple carefully chosen clothing items.
I know this was a while ago but I just wanted to add that polyester makes fantastic maternity wear. I bought a black fitted ankle length dress before the pregnancy and ended up wearing it all the way through – it just stretched out the front with the bump as it grew. Then afterwards it pinged back into shape like nothing had happened. I’ve only just given it away after 13 years.
I had a friend who got a maternity belt- it allowed her to wear her jeans, etc. longer because it basically made it so she didn’t have to zip and button her jeans. I bought a maternity dress for my sister when I was naive and didn’t realize that you really don’t need “maternity” clothes until your last trimester. Live and learn. Thanks for your ideas!
I am currently in my 5 month of pregnancy, and I have been just as determined not to buy maternity clothes. Instead, I use an alternative to the belly band ideas called the BabyBumper. It allows me to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans and shorts by leaving the zipper and button undone. The band is comfortable and stylish and oovers the opening of the undone button and zipper so I can go out in public without embarrassment. I wear it all day long and it allows me to feel free with no pressure around my precious belly.
I did the wait-as-long-as-possible approach and I’m not sure I’d recommend it. One issue you may encounter is that you ruin some of the pre-pregnancy clothes by stretching them out. Since you will almost certainly need at least a couple items, why wait til the last minute when you could be more comfortable earlier on in the pregnancy? Absolutely try to find them secondhand if you can, but really, if you’re going to need them at month 7, the money is just as spent as if you bought them at month 4 and you’ll get much more wear out of those few pieces if you have them when your pre-pregnancy clothes first stop fitting properly.
I’m not pregnant and never have been so far (I do want children in the future) but about a quarter of my clothes are maternity clothes. Due to a chronic pain condition that also causes my tummy to bloat daily they’re just much more comfy.
I have 2 pairs of maternity leggings, a pair of maternity jeans, 3 or 4 maternity tops and a dress.
Years ago, when I was pregnant and worked in an office every day, I bought 2 pairs of decent maternity pants which I washed on the weekends and borrowed some tops from my MIL who was my height but heavier. I also got some borrowed clothes from friends. I gained about 40 pounds each time and it took me about 9 months to lose the weight.