How to Dress in Early Pregnancy

First-time pregnant women often rush to the maternity store at the earliest sign of a baby bump--only to find they look ridiculous in pants with belly panels and big, draping tops seeming to swallow them whole. Yet pre-pregnancy clothing can get uncomfortably snug very early in the game. Here's how to dress before you can wear maternity clothes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Sort through your closet, packing away any pants that feel tight on you. If it closes with a button and zipper rather than elastic, it probably will not fit comfortably. Pack away tight bras and blouses that now fit you like crop tops. Stick to stretchy fabrics.
2. Buy a transitional wardrobe. Shop Old Navy Maternity to pick up some of their "First Trimester" attire, and get the Belly Basics Transition Maternity Kit, which you'll love in early pregnancy and in your first month or two postpartum.
3. Check out clothing lines fashioned for women beyond their childbearing years, like Chicos, Coldwater Creek and SoftSurroundings.com. Designed with drawstring ties and elastic waists for a mature women's figure, these clothes are often surprisingly stylish and will keep you from feeling frumpy when your regular clothes don't fit.
4. Purchase a two piece bathing suit with a skirt bottom and a top that doesn't cling, if you will be swimming in early pregnancy. Order two sizes bigger than usual for the top and one size bigger for the bottom, and you will be set until your belly reaches beach ball proportions.
5. Buy a larger bra if your current one is tight. Chances are that if your breasts have already increased in size, they will continue to do so as your belly grows, so your best bet is to buy a bra that fits a wide range of cup and width sizes.
6. Replace control-top pantyhose with hose that have no spandex panel. You won't be able to contain your growing girth for much longer, and a body slimmer will be more uncomfortable than usual during pregnancy.

Tips & Warnings

• Borrow clothes from friends who wear a larger size for special occasions rather than spending a lot of money on a transitional dress you might only wear once.
• To extend the life of pants with a button fly, tie an elastic band around the button and lace it through the button hole.
• As you outgrow your transitional maternity clothes, put them aside for your postpartum days. You most likely will be wearing them again until you return to your pre-pregnancy size.
• Don't spend too much money on transitional maternity clothes. By the time you're halfway through your pregnancy, you may need to buy a whole new, larger wardrobe.
• Don't buy more than two bras after your first size upgrade. There is a good chance you will need to buy an even larger size in a few months or even weeks.