When I found out I was pregnant [1] for the first time, I had about one million thoughts going through my mind. One such thought was, "What am I going to wear for the next nine months?" As I learned firsthand, preparing for a baby can sometimes translate to creating the longest shopping list of your life, so thinking about having to also shop [2] for yourself can feel just a tad financially overwhelming. I personally wasn't really looking forward to spending money on clothes that I would only be wearing for a limited amount of time.
The good news is, there are a number of ways you can save money when shopping for your growing pregnant body [3]. With a little creativity, I've even found myself learning to enjoy the process. It's a little more work than my usual shopping routine but I like a good challenge and have been having a fun time finding cute clothes on a budget. These are the tips that are helping me save money [4] on maternity wear that I would recommend to first-time parents who don't have a single maternity piece to their name.
Disregard Brand Names
Don't get me wrong — there are plenty of trendy maternity brands [6] out there these days. But some of the trendier also come with a heftier price tag. If you're looking to save money when shopping for maternity wear, learn to disregard the brand name inked on the tag of your clothes. Throughout my pregnancy I've become a big fan of the Ingrid & Isabel line [7] at Target and Shein's maternity collection [8].
Think Ahead
While every pregnancy and every body is different, it's likely that you won't need maternity clothes until the second trimester and may not even really rely on them until the third. Knowing this, plan for when your bump will be at its largest and have fun shopping off-season sales. While everyone else is running to grab the latest summer fashion trends, you can be scooping up that majorly discounted winter coat you're bound to need for your January due date.
Get Thrifty
A thrift store [9] is a pregnant person's gold mine — so many gently used maternity clothes marked down an insane amount from their original purchase price! On your thrifting journeys, don't forget to also browse online thrift retailers including Poshmark and Facebook Marketplace. Parents who are done having children are often so eager to get rid of their maternity [10] haul that they list them at crazy low prices. During my pregnancy, I've even found plenty of "new with tags" pieces that cost me less than $10.
Buy a Bra Extender
A good bra doesn't come cheap. And while you may want to add some nursing bras or larger cup sizes to your wardrobe for pregnancy and postpartum, you can cut expenses significantly by purchasing a bra extender, which can help make your current bras work for you.
Shop Outside the Maternity Section
Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you're only destined to wear maternity clothes. While you may find yourself needing some maternity staples including jeans, leggings, a larger bra, and some basic tops, you'll find you can still enjoy indulging your usual shopping habits for things like accessories, shoes, cardigans, oversized tees, slouchy sweaters, and empire-waist [11] dresses, and tops. While shopping these pieces may not be saving you money necessarily, these purchasing decisions can feel like a better investment when you're swiping your debit card, knowing that you'll get to enjoy them well after the baby has arrived.
Make Your Pre-Pregnancy Pants Work
During the first trimester, you may not have a bump yet but pregnancy bloat may be making your pants a bit snug for comfort. To stay in your jeans [12] longer, take an elastic hair tie, looping it through the buttonhole and back around the button. This will put some give back into your pants' circumference and may even help you limit how many maternity bottoms you need to buy.
Borrow From Friends
Do you have similarly-sized friends or family members who recently had a baby? Consider asking if you can borrow their maternity wear for a few months. If they're done having children, they may even offer the clothes up for you to keep. If they do want the clothes back for future pregnancies, throw a few new pieces into the stash and pass the haul back and forth as you both need them.