my top 9 tips for shopping pregnancy clothes and baby gear
Val and I are expecting a baby! And in such short a time, I'd find myself balloon as the baby grows inside me. This means that I need to find myself some pregnancy attire and start gathering baby gear in a way that doesn't break the bank because (1) I'll be pregnant for only 40 weeks, a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things; and (2) baby gear and maternity clothes can get very expensive very fast.
So, as we await our little bundle of joy, I learned a few things about shopping while pregnant. I have to state that what I've learned in my experience may not be universally applicable but these might help. Also, I'm not an expert at shopping on a budget. Mommy and Anna are much better at it than me.
Rummage through my pre-pregnancy clothes.
I am not a fan of buying trendy clothes so I often end up wearing styles that last for a long time. When I started gaining weight because of pregnancy, I went through my existing clothes to see which ones could be worn well into my second trimester. The clothes that were too tight ended up in storage bins, particularly my denim pants, t-shirts, and many pambahay attire. Fortunately, my clothes that are panglakad still have room for growth so I'm still wearing them halfway through the second trimester. By habitually taking stock of what clothes still fit me, I have been able to minimise my purchases. For example, this Gap Factory sweater has been with me for at least five years already. I wore it last in Week 21. I could probably wear it again but I won't because it might become too stretched. So for the rest of the winter part of my pregnancy, I'll be wearing my Ann Taylor Factory knits, which don't hug my body. A bit more rummaging revealed that I have several Ann Taylor Loft blouses that can double as nursing tops and a Ricardo Preto blouse that I can still wear for a few more weeks.
And I also haven't bought a new pair of shoes. With my ever growing belly, wearing sneakers and running shoes has become increasingly difficult. So when the weather started turning warm, I switched over to my Dansko clogs (which I have been using on the regular since 2008) because they are really roomy.
As the second trimester closed, however, I started experiencing trace oedema in my limbs (my fingers and feet started swelling). I had to put my clogs in storage and use my Geox Respira ballet flats instead.
Borrow clothes.
In the interest of full disclosure, it's not only my clothes that I've been checking. My mom's clothes, particularly her pants with drawstrings and her tunics, have not been spared from my rummaging. Thank goodness she has a lot of spare clothes. I'm currently wearing some of her pants as loungewear in the house. I have to admit, however, that wearing clothes that are so baggy (being size 1X) can be depressing, so I continue wearing my clothes when I go outside the house.
Consider other brands.
But it's inevitable to buy clothes so I've been searching online for good brands with sensible pricing. This means, to me, that I'm still very particular with the fabrics, the silhouettes, and the mileage that I'll get wearing my new clothes. For example, will I still want to wear them after I've given birth? This thought process has made me stick to my go-to brands (sans Harlan+Holden because I can't buy it locally here). But I also started exploring other designers. Some shops I've been visiting:
On our trip to the California Academy of Sciences, I was wearing my J. Jill poncho over Lululemon Align yoga pants and Blanqi support top.
Wait for the pre- and post-holiday sales.
I'm quite lucky with my pregnancy's timing because I entered the second trimester just as the sales leading to Thanksgiving started showing up. Anyway, for some reason, Blanqi Maternity Supportwear kept popping up in my Instagram feed starting Week 10. I ended up buying some of my best investment pieces for pregnancy from Blanqi's online store. The support tops and the leggings I bought provide a lot of comfort particularly for my back and my belly. I was originally actually considering Lululemon leggings but the price points were beyond my willingness-to-pay range (but I eventually gave in... see above). Motherhood Maternity and A Pea in a Pod had discount for leggings as well, at prices way below Blanqi. So for days when I don't need the support (let's say I'm not babysitting my nephew or walking around a lot), I opt for the regular leggings.
Also, because my second trimester's happening during the winter, I had to buy some warm clothes. With my Columbia base layers and fleece jacket among those already in storage, I didn't have many options. I could still fit in my dad's fleece jacket (a souvenir from my parents' Alaska trip) but that's for casual and errand days. For parties and such, I could only wear my Uniqlo trench coat, which I had bought in Ginza. So, thanks to the big discounts at Banana Republic and at Costco, I was able to buy a waterproof jacket and a knit sweater.
My waterproof jacket in December 2019 (Week 19) when Anna and I had dinner with Manuel, and in January 2020 (Week 23) when Tita Tessie was with us at San Francisco Premium Outlets in Livermore. I'm amazed at how fast my belly further grew in four weeks.
Then there's the Presidents Day long weekend sale. It's not as popular and busy as the major holiday sales but I was still able to snag serious discounts.
Collect coupons.
My adventure into couponing began with Motherhood Maternity. When I made my first purchase in-store, the saleslady gave me a gift pack containing a lot of coupons. Some of them were actually gift cards (which I haven't used yet) and others were discount coupons. Since then, I started noticing the coupon codes in emails I receive from my go-to brands. So each time I shop, I always ask if the coupons I have can be used towards my purchases.
My biggest savings through couponing, so far, has reached around 40%. Note that's a far cry from the extreme couponing savings I've seen on the telly. Other more experienced discount coupon collectors might make bigger savings than I have. Otherwise, I'm quite content with what I was able to buy at lower prices: the baby's bed, monitor, and travel system, and a car mirror... probably, the biggest single-time purchases for expecting parents (I'm planning to buy the all-in-one car seat, another big-ticket purchase, when the baby is about to outgrow his infant car seat).
Buy at liquidation sales.
Motherhood Maternity has filed for bankruptcy in 2018, I think. So I followed it on social media to find out where liquidation sales were going on... which meant I could buy clothes at 50–70% discount. So when the brand's Vacaville outlet announced its closing out sale (when I was on Week 12, I think), I went there and bought a few pants and blouses. Again, I didn't want to buy too many pieces because I wasn't sure how big I'd be. When I entered my third trimester, the Walnut Creek boutique announced that it was closing as well! So I went there and bought clothes that could double as nursing tops.
Search the clearance racks.
I quickly learned that maternity clothes line of The Gap is not available in boutiques or in the outlet. Rather, I have to buy online... which I am not a big fan of. The helpful staff at the Walnut Creek boutique, however, told me that I might be able to find what I needed in the clearance rack. This was where the returns were being sold at rock bottom prices (perhaps of wrong sizing of the previous buyer). So, I was able to get a $74 pair of maternity pants for less than $10. I wish I could have bought more but only one pair fit me. All the other maternity pants were too small for me.
In the case of Lululemon, I was able to buy Align yoga pants in petrol blue in my size off the clearance rack as well. This was a rare occurrence both in store and online because Lululemon yoga pants sell hot like pancakes! And it's so rare to find Align yoga pants in the clearance rack as well! I guess I arrived on the day that the clearance rack was freshly restocked and nobody had snagged the Align just yet.
Create a baby registry.
Though Val and I aren't planning to hold a baby shower, we created a registry because it's a good way to gain access to discounts and freebies for baby gear. There are many places to choose from. But I ended up selecting Buy Buy Baby as our registry of choice because of the wide selection of brands that we (or anyone who wants to send gifts for the baby) could buy at reasonable prices. This was where I bought our baby's Graco travel system and playpen, the baby monitor, the bottle steriliser, and the bottle starter kit (including bottle warmer). I still have more things to buy from there but because I didn't want to crowd the house with baby gear that we wouldn't be able to use, I opted to space out the purchases to when they are needed. For example, I'd get the high chair when the baby is ready to eat while seated at the table.
Order online and pick up in-store.
I'm doing this for items that don't need to be fitted. I couldn't do this for clothes or shoes because I love to feel the fabric and to see how the pieces fit me before I buy. But baby gear is a different story. Still at Buy Buy Baby, I love the idea that I could order the gear online and only drop by the store when the items are ready to be picked up. This allows me to save on time and be able to do other errands while waiting for my purchases.
So, as we await our little bundle of joy, I learned a few things about shopping while pregnant. I have to state that what I've learned in my experience may not be universally applicable but these might help. Also, I'm not an expert at shopping on a budget. Mommy and Anna are much better at it than me.
Rummage through my pre-pregnancy clothes.
I am not a fan of buying trendy clothes so I often end up wearing styles that last for a long time. When I started gaining weight because of pregnancy, I went through my existing clothes to see which ones could be worn well into my second trimester. The clothes that were too tight ended up in storage bins, particularly my denim pants, t-shirts, and many pambahay attire. Fortunately, my clothes that are panglakad still have room for growth so I'm still wearing them halfway through the second trimester. By habitually taking stock of what clothes still fit me, I have been able to minimise my purchases. For example, this Gap Factory sweater has been with me for at least five years already. I wore it last in Week 21. I could probably wear it again but I won't because it might become too stretched. So for the rest of the winter part of my pregnancy, I'll be wearing my Ann Taylor Factory knits, which don't hug my body. A bit more rummaging revealed that I have several Ann Taylor Loft blouses that can double as nursing tops and a Ricardo Preto blouse that I can still wear for a few more weeks.
Wearing my old Gap Factory sweater in Week 17 and in Week 21. What a difference in four weeks!
And I also haven't bought a new pair of shoes. With my ever growing belly, wearing sneakers and running shoes has become increasingly difficult. So when the weather started turning warm, I switched over to my Dansko clogs (which I have been using on the regular since 2008) because they are really roomy.
 |
| My 11-year old clogs, which I bought in 2008, have seen a lot of use (as evidenced by the discolouration and the scuff marks). |
As the second trimester closed, however, I started experiencing trace oedema in my limbs (my fingers and feet started swelling). I had to put my clogs in storage and use my Geox Respira ballet flats instead.
Borrow clothes.
In the interest of full disclosure, it's not only my clothes that I've been checking. My mom's clothes, particularly her pants with drawstrings and her tunics, have not been spared from my rummaging. Thank goodness she has a lot of spare clothes. I'm currently wearing some of her pants as loungewear in the house. I have to admit, however, that wearing clothes that are so baggy (being size 1X) can be depressing, so I continue wearing my clothes when I go outside the house.
Consider other brands.
But it's inevitable to buy clothes so I've been searching online for good brands with sensible pricing. This means, to me, that I'm still very particular with the fabrics, the silhouettes, and the mileage that I'll get wearing my new clothes. For example, will I still want to wear them after I've given birth? This thought process has made me stick to my go-to brands (sans Harlan+Holden because I can't buy it locally here). But I also started exploring other designers. Some shops I've been visiting:
- Zara. I wasn't a fan of it because I found its clothes too trendy, but Mommy insisted that I check it out. So far, I have found two tops (they're actually dresses but I use them as tops) that I like because the fabrics felt really nice to the touch.
 |
| My aunts thought that I was wearing a maternity dress over my leggings. When I said that this is a regular dress from Zara, they were pleasantly surprised. |
- Motherhood Maternity. I particularly like the Indigo Blue denim pants with the belly panel because the denim ends just where my belly starts popping; this meant that the pants won't dig into my belly and make breathing and moving difficult for me.
- J. Jill. Despite not being a maternity brand, some of its collections are actually friendly to pregnant women. I got myself a poncho that I (rightly) thought would last until after I give birth... totally worth the investment.
- Lululemon. Yes, I finally succumbed to buying those Align leggings that many pregnant women have been waxing poetic about. It's not exactly a way to save money, because getting just one pair is actually a splurge. However, the Lululemon "educator" said that the leggings' material provides enough stretch that I actually just need to get leggings in my pre-pregnancy size.
- Time and Tru. Now this was an unexpected discovery while Mommy and I were shopping in Walmart. I always thought that the brand only has regular clothes until one of the sales associates directed me to the not-so-obvious and unlabelled maternity section... I mean, even the website doesn't highlight the brand's maternity line. The timing of this discovery was perfect because I needed to get shirts I could wear to barre classes. The other shirts I wear to class are too loose for me to notice if my belly is doming during core work (hello, diastasis recti) so getting a few of the ruched shirts that fit snuggly at the tummy area should be okay.
Wait for the pre- and post-holiday sales.
I'm quite lucky with my pregnancy's timing because I entered the second trimester just as the sales leading to Thanksgiving started showing up. Anyway, for some reason, Blanqi Maternity Supportwear kept popping up in my Instagram feed starting Week 10. I ended up buying some of my best investment pieces for pregnancy from Blanqi's online store. The support tops and the leggings I bought provide a lot of comfort particularly for my back and my belly. I was originally actually considering Lululemon leggings but the price points were beyond my willingness-to-pay range (but I eventually gave in... see above). Motherhood Maternity and A Pea in a Pod had discount for leggings as well, at prices way below Blanqi. So for days when I don't need the support (let's say I'm not babysitting my nephew or walking around a lot), I opt for the regular leggings.
Also, because my second trimester's happening during the winter, I had to buy some warm clothes. With my Columbia base layers and fleece jacket among those already in storage, I didn't have many options. I could still fit in my dad's fleece jacket (a souvenir from my parents' Alaska trip) but that's for casual and errand days. For parties and such, I could only wear my Uniqlo trench coat, which I had bought in Ginza. So, thanks to the big discounts at Banana Republic and at Costco, I was able to buy a waterproof jacket and a knit sweater.
Then there's the Presidents Day long weekend sale. It's not as popular and busy as the major holiday sales but I was still able to snag serious discounts.
Collect coupons.
My adventure into couponing began with Motherhood Maternity. When I made my first purchase in-store, the saleslady gave me a gift pack containing a lot of coupons. Some of them were actually gift cards (which I haven't used yet) and others were discount coupons. Since then, I started noticing the coupon codes in emails I receive from my go-to brands. So each time I shop, I always ask if the coupons I have can be used towards my purchases.
My biggest savings through couponing, so far, has reached around 40%. Note that's a far cry from the extreme couponing savings I've seen on the telly. Other more experienced discount coupon collectors might make bigger savings than I have. Otherwise, I'm quite content with what I was able to buy at lower prices: the baby's bed, monitor, and travel system, and a car mirror... probably, the biggest single-time purchases for expecting parents (I'm planning to buy the all-in-one car seat, another big-ticket purchase, when the baby is about to outgrow his infant car seat).
Buy at liquidation sales.
Motherhood Maternity has filed for bankruptcy in 2018, I think. So I followed it on social media to find out where liquidation sales were going on... which meant I could buy clothes at 50–70% discount. So when the brand's Vacaville outlet announced its closing out sale (when I was on Week 12, I think), I went there and bought a few pants and blouses. Again, I didn't want to buy too many pieces because I wasn't sure how big I'd be. When I entered my third trimester, the Walnut Creek boutique announced that it was closing as well! So I went there and bought clothes that could double as nursing tops.
Search the clearance racks.
I quickly learned that maternity clothes line of The Gap is not available in boutiques or in the outlet. Rather, I have to buy online... which I am not a big fan of. The helpful staff at the Walnut Creek boutique, however, told me that I might be able to find what I needed in the clearance rack. This was where the returns were being sold at rock bottom prices (perhaps of wrong sizing of the previous buyer). So, I was able to get a $74 pair of maternity pants for less than $10. I wish I could have bought more but only one pair fit me. All the other maternity pants were too small for me.
In the case of Lululemon, I was able to buy Align yoga pants in petrol blue in my size off the clearance rack as well. This was a rare occurrence both in store and online because Lululemon yoga pants sell hot like pancakes! And it's so rare to find Align yoga pants in the clearance rack as well! I guess I arrived on the day that the clearance rack was freshly restocked and nobody had snagged the Align just yet.
Create a baby registry.
Though Val and I aren't planning to hold a baby shower, we created a registry because it's a good way to gain access to discounts and freebies for baby gear. There are many places to choose from. But I ended up selecting Buy Buy Baby as our registry of choice because of the wide selection of brands that we (or anyone who wants to send gifts for the baby) could buy at reasonable prices. This was where I bought our baby's Graco travel system and playpen, the baby monitor, the bottle steriliser, and the bottle starter kit (including bottle warmer). I still have more things to buy from there but because I didn't want to crowd the house with baby gear that we wouldn't be able to use, I opted to space out the purchases to when they are needed. For example, I'd get the high chair when the baby is ready to eat while seated at the table.
To see what I have in our baby registry, click to this link:
Order online and pick up in-store.
I'm doing this for items that don't need to be fitted. I couldn't do this for clothes or shoes because I love to feel the fabric and to see how the pieces fit me before I buy. But baby gear is a different story. Still at Buy Buy Baby, I love the idea that I could order the gear online and only drop by the store when the items are ready to be picked up. This allows me to save on time and be able to do other errands while waiting for my purchases.
Wow!! Nice Blog. I read your article carefully. Firstly, I would like to thank you for sharing this useful information about the best pregnancy wear clothes
ReplyDelete. Great work. Keep it up.
Thank you so much for your positive words. I am glad that you have found the information I shared useful!
DeleteMost Welcome.......
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