Readers Respond: When did you start wearing maternity clothes?

Responses: 40

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About 8 weeks. I could still wear my regular pants they were tight and I wanted to be comfortable.
—Guest C

I was 14 weeks along with this one (second pregnancy) I was 16 weeks along with the first.
—Guest Sarah Pearson

I was a little over 5 months. I was a little over weight but I started walking a lot & eating better.
—mrs.pelletan

I didn't show until I was 7 months with my first, but my second and now my third left me with a belly at 12 weeks. None of my pants fit! The bella band is my hero, it makes the maternity pants tight enough and lets me leave my old pants unbuttoned.
—Guest cincygirl

I am 17 weeks along. My clothes still fit nice, however I am noticing a little bump in my belly so I am sure it won't be long.
—Guest LylaAnne

I started wearing maternity clothes at 5 months just because my waist band on my regular pants just got to be uncomfortable at times. The elastic just would dig into my belly and hurt so the maternity pants where a must.
—Guest Kelly davis

Am 18 weeks gone but am not showing yet but my hubby says otherwise so am still disguising it in my not so tight clothes. A bit uneasy about wearing maternity clothes. I am a 1st timer.
—equi1

I started wearing maternity clothes at about 28-30 weeks. The bulk of my wardrobe consisted of leggings, empire waist shirts and long button up shirts before pregnancy so i used that to be able to get through the first 28 weeks then i checked out second hand maternity stores to find things like maternity jeans and larger maternity tops. I am now down to my last 9 days of this amazing journey and have decided that if it doesn't potentially double as pajamas I just won't wear it.
—MammaGizz2010

I am 19 weeks today and my pants are just starting to get snug. I bought my first pair of maternity pants today and I am far away from needing any tops. Low rise jeans still work but my size 3 is getting tight.
—Guest Teanna

Try cotton sports bras. You can't wear them with everything, and you may need to be a little choosy to find the ones that are right for you, but I cut down on the number of expensive nursing bras I bought just by augmenting my undies with simple cotton sports bras. (They were easily half the price, sometimes less, of a nursing bra.)
—Guest Donna

I am 11 weeks, but would have started wearing them at 9 if I could find any. None of the stores in my area carry maternity clothes anymore, and when I try on larger regular pants, they look so baggy and bulky, I can't stand it! I've always loved dressy tops with empire waists that kind of look like maternity tops, and I've always had huge boobs, so had to buy them a few extra sizes up. I am pretty sure I won't need to buy any new tops since most of mine already have extra belly room because of that. I don't know what I'm going to do about pants. I'm down to two pairs that still fit me... barely...
—Guest Ember

When I was pregnant with my Son, BJ, I started wearing maternity clothes at about 16-18 weeks into my Pregnancy. I think next time around I might have to start earlier, as I have never got back into a size 4-5 dress size. I still nurse him so nowadays I wear a size 6-8 Dress size.
—BriansMama

I started getting very bug very fast both times. By the time I was 22 weeks I looked more like full term. I was of average weight to begin with, had singletons and put on no weight either time so it wasn't just me being an eating machine lol. I starting showing (like obviously, and everyone noticing) at about 8 weeks. By the time I got to 20 weeks VERY little fitted anymore. I mostly lived in larger stretchy things rather than maternity things though. And despite having to wear maternity clothes for almost my entire pregnancy, I never got sick of the clothes and still occassionally wear one of my maternity tops.
—Guest Jade