During our pregnancy’s, our body change dramatically and sometimes it can feel really hard to let go of certain clothes. The thought alone can be pretty daunting. Having to give up your favourite top or pair of jeans that you always thought you could never live without, for not only the pregnancy but also the many months following the birth of your baby, is something that, quite frankly, no one wants to do. But, alas, try we must! This is why I have put together a list of 4 main ideas to help extend the life of your clothes further into your pregnancy. This list is full of the tricks which helped me within my latest pregnancy and I just wish everyone else knew them too! Because honestly, they are a few little tricks that can be big life savers in the fashion world.
My first tip is what I like to call: the waistband extender cheat. This is a trick which can help you to stay comfortably in your favourite zip up button clothing (eg jeans, skirt, shorts, etc). All you have to do is take a hair elastic and thread it half way through your button hole. Then, just pull one end through one of the loops and pull on the loose end to tighten the hair band. Then I would wrap the loose end of the hair elastic around the button of my jeans and voila! Your waist band has just been extended along with your clothing’s life! This is a great solution for when you are just starting to show and need that few extra centimetres on your waistband. This method does however leave a gap in your jeans so be sure to pair it with a long top! When your tummy grows past the few centimetres stage, you can buy a piece of fabric which you tuck into your clothes to hide the gap which comes as a result of not being able to do your jeans up! I loved this piece of material, as it came in so handy! I got mine from Mothercare and it was an amazing investment! I also used this material after the birth of Rose due to my C section, it meant that I certainly couldn’t do my jeans up!
My next tip is all about the bras! When going into a pregnancy, I think we all have the common knowledge that our boobs get bigger, but what we can’t prepare for is just how big they will become, as well as, how quickly they will grow! As my boobs became larger and my bras tighter, I started looking for ways to find relief. This is how I came across the wonderful (and very inexpensive) bra extender. Oh, how welcomed that extra breathing room was. This wonderful little invention just attaches onto your pre-existing bra hook, so that it then added a few extra inches of comfort. You can get this wonderful invention in multiple different colours and varying hook counts and it is sold almost everywhere! If you are anything like I was when I was pregnant, then you will probably not want to be walking all over town looking for a bra extender, luckily for us though is that you can easily get hold on them online! One thing I will stress is getting regularly re-fitted. These bra extenders are amazing, but they can only help us out up to a certain extent! They’re a fab way to find relief, but when your cup size becomes larger or the extender is no longer able to provide that comfort, then it is time to go for another bra fitting! Although lingerie can be expensive, it is definitely worth investing in a good maternity/feeding bra. You can get professionally fitted at a lingerie department. John Lewis and Marks and Spencers are some great department stores to go to for a great fitting! If you’re planning on breastfeeding, I would suggest getting fitted for a feeding bra, as you will soon find that this is needed, even though your size and shape will change many times over the coming months.
Another great fashion trick I learnt is belting your top or dress high or low. This is a fabulous fashion trick to help accentuate your shape and celebrate your gorgeous bump! If you’re carrying high, then placing a belt under your bust, over your top or dress is a great way to enhance the entire look. If you are carrying low, then knotting your top or jumper underneath of your bump helps to bring your hips back and celebrate your womanly curves! I loved this fashion trick no end, as it made me feel much more comfortable knowing that those around me could actually see that I was pregnant, helping me to not feel fat!
My last tip to help extend your clothing’s life into your pregnancy, is through a little miracle known as fashion tape. This little life saver, like the bra extenders, does have to be bought, but luckily, it is very inexpensive! I used this double sided tape as a way to keep wearing my pre-pregnancy button up shirts. As my boobs began to grow, gaps began to appear in between the buttons of my shirts. So my solution was strategically placing the double sided tape in between the two layers of material in an attempt to close the gap that was being created. This tape was an absolute life saver!
So there you have it, my 4 favourite fashion hacks that will help you extend your pre-pregnancy clothing’s lives! I hope that you enjoyed reading this blog post as much as I enjoyed writing it for you! I would love to hear any comments you have, so please let me know using comment area!
Love,
Rachael x
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