style: what to wear when breastfeeding #4

Who doesn't love a Breton striped tee? I know I have a whole host of such tops in my wardrobe. So it is no surprise that I also have this nursing striped top. In fact, this is one of my favourite tops that is specifically designed for breastfeeding. It is a dual purpose, maternity and nursing t-shirt from Marks and Spencer. I got the green stripe version in the sale and have since bought the blue version because it is just so good! (You can see it in action when I was pregnant here.)

If you're after some stripes for your nursing wardrobe, I've also found this Topshop double layered nursing dress - which also works while you're expecting.

Shop the post: Marks & Spencer Maternity Feeding Striped Top with Modal; and Topshop Maternity Stripe Nursing Maxi Dress.

style: what to wear when breastfeeding #3

This week, it's all about the shirt for breastfeeding. It seems like the obvious choice but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. I'm actually loving the excuse to wear all of the shirts in my wardrobe. I seem to own a fair few but don't think that pre-baby I was all that keen on wearing them. I'm so glad I didn't ever get rid of them as they are certainly coming in handy now.

The jeans are still my maternity jeans. I'm still finding I need the band because of my c section scar which is a little uncomfortable from time to time and the band means that it's not rubbed. I'm hoping I can get back into my old jeans soon though.

Shop the post (left to right): white stripe sleeveless shirt; mint green sleeveless shirt; and pink stripe rolled sleeve shirt.

style: third trimester style

We're now just over three quarters of the way there! (Yesterday was 31 weeks.)

These photos were taken during week 30. My bump is feeling humongous! A feeling that has been confirmed at my antenatal appointment this morning. Apparently I am measuring quite a bit big and so may have to go for a growth scan. It sometimes seems to feel like each appointment brings up something else I hadn't thought of but I'm keeping an open mind as everything else has been unfounded. I'm really keen to give birth at our local midwife-led unit which is in our town (5 minutes from home!) but with each issue I keep being told, it might be that I have to go to the consultant led unit at the hospital a bit further away.

I am wearing: my new Dorothy Perkins maternity blouse (only £10 in the sale right now!), Next faux leather leggings and Clarks ankle boots.

During my second trimester I certainly preferred maternity trousers with an over the bump band but as my bump gets bigger and bigger I'm finding them more restrictive. These leggings from Next are under the bump and much more comfortable now.

I am wearing: Marks & Spencer breton tee, Next leggings and Clarks ankle boots.

style: the thing about maternity clothes

Advance warning: this post may contain content of a ranty nature!

Why do shops make maternity clothes shopping so difficult? And why is it all so dull?

Honestly, it seems the majority of high street stores don’t stock their maternity collection in store and most of the time it is so limited and so dull. I’m all for creating a capsule maternity wardrobe that revolves around a few core pieces with a lot of basic essentials to mix and match but most maternity collections seem to be just the basics.

Unless I want to spend a fortune on more bespoke pregnancy wear brands who seem to have a little more imagination, I end up with the same jeans, leggings, nursing vest and wrap top combos. Yawn.

Why is it so difficult for retailers to create pieces that women actually want to wear? I’m a huge fan of H&M. I also need to shout out to them because they do actually stock some maternity wear in some of their stores. But they don’t follow through the designs of their core collection to their maternity range. For example, this dress (below) would be great for a pregnant body but just needs a little alteration in the design to make it fit properly. I have considered buying it up a size but then the arms and shoulders are too big.

So this is my appeal to stores like H&M and New Look to create maternity pieces that reflect the core collections and don't just offer the boring basics. Obviously there is a place for the basics and I don't want these stores to stop stocking them too, but expand and offer something a bit more exciting than another wrap nursing top. Just because we're pregnant doesn't mean we've lost all sense of style.

While we're on the subject of maternity dressing, I spotted this post over at Dress Like A Mum which has some super handy tips for dressing through pregnancy and beyond.

style: re-working your non-maternity wardrobe

Pregnancy can be an expensive time with all of the things you need to buy in readiness for your soon-to-arrive baby, as well as the maternity clothes. So I've been finding myself re-working non-materity pieces in an effort to create new outfits without spending too many pennies.

First up is a workwear look I wore this week to the office:

The top is maternity but the pencil skirt is a stretchy jersey number from my pre-pregnancy days - I just pulled it up halfway over my bump. It was actually really comfortable and a really easy way to re-work my wardrobe with my new shape!

I am wearing: Marks & Spencer maternity/nursery t-shirt, H&M jersey tube skirt and Topshop pumps.

The next look was over the bank holiday weekend - when the sun made a very welcome, if a little brief, appearance. I spotted @amothersedit on Instagram wearing her denim jacket and immediately dived into my wardrobe to hunt out last year's summer jacket purchase!

I'm not huge on double denim but the jacket goes perfectly with my faux leather leggings which I'm still loving as an alternative to my jeans.

I am wearing: Mango denim jacket, Primark tee, Next faux leather leggings and Superga trainers.

style: Next maternity jeans

I bought my first piece of maternity clothing at 14 weeks. It felt like it was really early but my skinny jeans were feeling very skinny and as I was still suffering from nausea, I wanted something that felt more comfortable around my middle. So my first maternity purchase was a pair of jeans and they were a revelation. A friend of mine who was nearing the end of her pregnancy at the time said she’d gone out at 14 weeks and bought new jeans, a size up from usual, only to then have to buy maternity jeans a few weeks later. I figured I may as well save my pennies and just take the plunge!

I've tried two different brands so far: H&M and Next.

The Next jeans (that I'm wearing in these photos) are more of a geniune denim which makes them a little less stretchy but the big bonus of the Next jeans is that they come in different leg lengths! For a short girl, different leg lengths is a must! I usually have to do a DIY turn up job on my jeans! The Next jeans also have a button on the lower waistband - in addition to the over the bump band.

Next (!!) up, I want to get a pair of their black leggings style jeans which I think will be a little more flexible.

I'm wearing: Next maternity jeans, Matalan maternity top (I love the scooped hem of this top - plus it was only £8!), Mango leather jacket (like cardigans, I'm making use of pre-maternity jackets and just not doing them up) and Superego trainers.

*Disclosure: I was sent the Next maternity jeans to try but all views are my own.

style: poncho

Last week I posted the six pieces (maternity and non-maternity) that are seeing me through my pregnancy right now. In addition, during the winter months, I’ve found my collection of non-maternity ponchos have come in handy. They are so easy to layer over a long sleeved t-shirt (either maternity or non-maternity) and leggings or skinny jeans.

See what I mean in these photos! Just please excuse the silly poses!

I’m wearing an H&M non-maternity poncho (£7 in the sale – still in some stores), H&M maternity jeans, Clarks ankle boots and Next bobble hat. Underneath I’ve layered an old Primark t-shirt that has enough stretch to go over my bump (which feels huge right now!). The poncho still has loads of growing room – I’m hoping it’ll see me through to the warmer months.

style: six pieces to see you through your pregnancy

I’ll be honest – I didn’t want to spend a fortune on clothes throughout my pregnancy that I will wear for a few months and then never again. Also, what is it with stores adding an extra “0” to something just because it says maternity?! With this in mind, I've been keen to re-purpose pieces I have in my wardrobe. But I did quickly realise there were a few things I would need to buy. These are the six pieces accommodating my growing bump right now:

1. Trousers/jeans/leggings – I live in my skinny jeans and these were the first thing that got tight. Some people suggest wearing low slung trousers/jeans under your bump. I did not find this an option – around week 13/14 your uterus starts to move up and very quickly hits the point at which your trousers do up. At this point, the pressure was so uncomfortable that I succumbed and bought a pair of maternity jeans. I’ve not worn anything else since!
2. Tights – if you’re planning to wear dresses, I would definitely advise investing in maternity tights. When I first saw how expensive they were, I thought I would stick with my old pre-pregnancy tights. But very soon they were digging in too and really uncomfortable. And then I spotted that Primark do maternity tights for about half the price of other shops (£3.50 for a pair of 100 denier maternity tights) and there was no looking back!
3. Bras – this was something that I was hoping to really not have to buy. I already wear non-wired bras most of the time anyway (the perks of a small chest!) but what I didn’t count on was the expansion of my ribcage/back. Plus, my chest also grew a fair amount too! Most maternity bras look a little like scaffolding to me. I wanted something that would be plain, simple and fairly inoffensive. I’d also decided to get nursery bras, so that they would last a little longer. Enter Primark – again! My local store stocks two maternity pieces: tights and bras. The bras are two (one black, one white) for £8 – another bargain!
4. Long-line t-shirts – long sleeved/sleeveless/whatever. These will stretch with your bump and will cover any elastic waistbands. I’m wearing out all my old Primark tees and vests and figure I’ll buy nice new ones after the baby arrives.
5. Trainers – ok, so I guess this should really read flat shoes but I’m having a trainer moment! They’ll be comfortable now as you get bigger and will be useful in the months and years after the baby arrives and you’re first, pushing a pram around and then, running around after a toddler!
6. Oversized dresses – I’ve found that many maternity dresses are wrap style or body con style. Neither of these are what I would normally wear. Instead, I have maxed out of oversized t-shirt dresses from Primark that fit loosely and comfortably over my growing bump.

style: leather maternity leggings

I've always loved the leather legging look but never found the right pair. Maybe I need to look at real leather but, for me, they always seem so expensive! Then I got pregnant and found the perfect faux pair! These were totally a spur of the moment "add to basket" that I didn't give much thought to. I was ordering some maternity swimming costumes to try from the Next clearance when I spotted these leggings and figured I had nothing to loose. All of my other maternity trousers/leggings have been over the bump style so, again, I was unsure about these.

But the minute I tried them on, I knew they were for keeps! They have just the right amount of elastic in to hug my legs but also mean that they are easy to put on. The under the bump band also works fine - although I'll reserve judgement to see if they last for the latter stages of pregnancy.

Plus, Next do different leg lengths for their maternity wear, which for a shortly like me is a godsend! We don't all grow taller just because we're getting wider!!

If you're looking to splurge, these Dover Maternity Leather Leggings by Isabella Oliver are just the ticket.

If you're on a budget, these Next maternity coated leggings are just £12!

I'm loving my faux leather leggings by Next - they are so easy to style. I'll be dressing them up for the evening with a lace top for evening and a pair of embellished flats (or heels if you fancy). For day, I'll be teaming the leggings with an oversized shirt and crisp white trainers:

Images via Pinterest here and here