Guest post from of Kelli of Eat Pray {Read} Love
Having a baby is such an exciting time, and if you’ve been pregnant before, you know that the costs can add up quickly.
Sometime in the first few months of pregnancy, you realize you will need a whole new wardrobe. Since some women don’t even show until they are 20 weeks (I’m jealous!), the wardrobe only has to last about 4 1/2 months — which means dropping a whole lot of cash isn’t ideal.
When I walked into stores during my first pregnancy, I was shocked to see the high sticker price on many items just because they were “maternity.” I am currently in my 4th pregnancy, and have learned a few tricks for getting maternity clothes on the cheap.
1. Take advantage of combining coupons/Groupons with sales.
In this pregnancy, I just needed a few extra items to get me through the summer. I had bought two $10 Old Navy Groupons that were worth $20 each. When I found out I was pregnant, I went in and hit the clearance section. I was able to get two shirts, a dress, and a pair of maternity shorts for myself, as well as a shirt and dress pants for my son, all for $20 out of pocket!
2. Shop the non-maternity section of stores for bigger sizes.
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, the item is just too big all over — armholes are too big, or neckline is too low. Buying a bigger size has worked for me mostly in “stretchy” items like cotton T-shirts, skirts, and tank tops.
Recently, I was able to use a “$3 off any Merona item” at Target, and buy a nice shirt for $3 in a larger size. (One of the keys to buying shirts is to make sure they are long enough to cover your tummy, and fortunately, longer shirts seem to be fashionable right now.)
3. Shop consignment stores, thrift stores, and garage sales.
Consignment stores seem to be better than thrift stores in this aspect, at least where I live. Thrift stores often have the maternity clothes mixed in with the regular clothes, and it takes a while to sort – not something I want to do when I’m already tired and have swollen feet!
But you can get some amazing deals on barely-worn maternity clothes. Search Craigslist for garage sales in your area that specifically mention maternity clothes. As a bonus, you may be able to pick up some baby clothes for your new little one while you’re there!
4. Stick mostly to the basics.
This pregnancy, my “uniform” has been mostly tank tops and shorts since I am at home with my kids. When I was working part-time during my first two pregnancies, black and khaki pants, a nice pair of jeans, and a black skirt made dressing for work each day easy. I just added a maternity shirt to one of these, and I was good to go!
Save the majority of your budget for staples, as you’ll most likely wear these often. You will want to budget for at least one or two “dressy outfits”, as you may attend a wedding or other formal affair during the pregnancy.
5. Ask friends.
If you ask friends who are done having kids to either borrow or buy their clothes for a small fee, many of them will be happy to help you.
Put out a inquiry on Facebook — someone you may not have thought of may have a stash she’d be willing to part with at a great rate! My best friend had 4 kids before I had my first, and she gave me all of her clothes. A few of these clothes will make it through 8 pregnancies — 4 of hers and 4 of mine!
Most of all, enjoy your pregnancy! Your little one will be here soon and what you’re wearing will be the least of your worries!
How have you managed to save on maternity clothing?
Kelli Hays is a pastor’s wife, will be a mom to four kids in November, follower of Christ, avid reader, aspiring cook, and she blogs about it all at Eat Pray {Read} Love.
Ashley says
Berlington Coat Factory has cute cheap maternity clothes!
Ashley says
This was perfect to find! I’m 8 weeks with my 3rd and showing way faster this round. My jeans do not fit at all. But I realized my last 2 I never bought anything. Living in Florida I just wore dresses or long skirts. But now being in NC that won’t work.? and I really don’t have money for clothes
Angie says
I found some good deals at Old Navy Maternity, and then my Old Navy got rid of their maternity section by my second pregnancy. I was bummed out. The good news is the $10 maternity jeans I got from Old Navy were good for both pregnancies. While I doubt my maternity clothes budget was as low as possible, I was able to get some money back by selling my maternity clothes on ebay. I also borrowed maternity clothes from my sister-in-law. Not all of the clothes she gave me worked. We were pregnant in different seasons. But I could use some of the clothes, and didn’t have to buy everything.
Lacy says
I bought my entire maternty wardrobe second hand. I watched Craigslist often and got tons of great stuff at really great prices ($5 designer jeans). I also shopped the semi-annual consignment sales in my area. These sales are my top pick for maternity and baby clothing. I just wrote a blog post about how I got 43 kids clothing items (name brand) for only $60. http://www.1plus1equals9.com/?p=107
Rachael~The Thrifty Picker says
I am currently pregnant and just finished building my preggo wardrobe. Between the Goodwill and a few freebies from friends I spent under 40 bucks!
Here is the blog post I wrote about it: http://www.thethriftypicker.com/2012/09/dont-do-it.html
Also, all of the Goodwill’s in my area have a separate maternity section making it very easy to quickly shop.
kelli@eatprayreadlove says
Very nice! Can’t wait to read your post about it!
jennifer says
If you can still fit into your jeans or skirts, but just need to leave them unbuttoned/unzipped, you can make your own belly band. I used a thicker/stretchy type of tank top and just cut the top off. Wasn’t as pretty as the store bought, but nobody saw it and it got the job done! You can use it to slide over the top of your skirt/pants and it will hold them up and in place. I just did this recently and was able to get by with all my regular skirts throughout the whole pregnancy. Also, if you can get a couple of maternity tanks or tees you can layer them with nonmaternity button up shirts or jackets.
Sarah says
I might actually try this! Great idea.
Becky says
I kept my eyes on the classifieds (some at work, online, etc) and luckily found a woman about my size and style preferences and was selling her entire (extensive) maternity wardrobe for $50! I got everything I needed for the entire pregnancy (minus a few pieces) in that one transaction!
Anna says
Fantastic! What a deal!
Rachel says
I second the craigslist suggestion. For my last pregnancy, I bought 80% of my wardrobe off of craigslist, and when I finished needing maternity clothes, I sold them on craigslist for exactly what I paid. They were cute too.
Anne Marie @ Married to the Empire says
I’ll be honest: I spent a good amount of money on my maternity wardrobe, and I never regretted it. It’s a time when a woman can feel unattractive, and I always wanted to look and feel my best. Wearing too-big clothes or my husband’s things was just going to make me look and feel frumpy.
To get more for my money, I made sure that everything I bought coordinated with everything else. Each top could be worn with any skirt, pants, or shorts. I could mix things up without it necessarily looking like I was wearing the same things over and over.
I did try to save a bit by ordering some things on EBay. However, I was horrified by that lot of clothes when they arrived. Some were mis-sized (and obviously so), one shirt was faded and pilled and only good for housecleaning, and then there was the 20-year-old-looking pair of Mom Jeans. The seller got a polite, but pointed email from me. It was obviously a random assortment of thrifted clothes he was trying to make money on. I will say I received a couple of nice pieces in that order, but most was unwearable. However, something nice occurred. I found cash in the pocket of one of the pairs of jeans. It was for exactly $1 less than I’d paid for the order. That’s the only reason I didn’t demand a refund. (And I would have told the seller if I believed it was his money, but it was a guy, and the clothes were so random and mis-sized that he’d obviously thrifted them to try to make money.)
kelli@eatprayreadlove says
Wow, I am glad you got your money back on that order! Sorry it didn’t go so well. 🙁
bekah says
I really like your advice. It is a good time to look nice even though you might feel huge!
Andrea says
I’m currently expecting my fifth child.
My suggestion is to do away with the idea that you need a “whole new wardrobe”. Examine everything you have in your closet and see what you can make stretch. Look at today’s styles (such as maxi dresses, long t-shirts and draped cardigans) for ideas.
I typically get by with 3 bottoms and 5 tops, plus one dress (or dressy outfit). Despite living in a four-season climate, I’ve never had a maternity coat. Make do or do without 🙂
Rebekah Williams says
I had a couple things I was able to wear until the very end! (And I gain everywhere!) A strechy jean skirt a size bigger than I was currently in (I have clothes in all sizes thanks to the kids) with a bella band lasted me until 39 weeks. Same with an empire-waist maxi dress, since I carried #3 as a basketball. 🙂
Andrea says
LOL, isn’t that the truth about clothes in all sizes!
I’m 28 weeks and have one pair of pre-pregnancy pants that still fit. They are loose and have a knit waistband that I can push below my belly some. I’m hoping to get a few more weeks out of them. I have one flow-y summer top that I’ll wear to the end with a long sleeve t-shirt underneath. It may not be fashionable, but it’s free!
MelissaZ says
I found that I could wear maxi dresses to work if I put a cardigan on top (both maternity & non-maternity maxi dresses). I also found it cost effective to buy a few camisoles & pair them w/ cardigans & jackets I already have. I can’t button the jackets or cardigans, but most of them I wouldn’t have buttoned anyway.
Kristie Speakman says
Ugh…I bought maternity clothes and really should have waited. See I LOST 40 lbs while pregnant and easily could have lived with out buying anything. So my advice is wait until you ABSOLUTLY need them to buy maternity clothes.
That being said I am plus size which makes finding maternity clothes even tougher. Also maternity jeans suck! I ended up wearing streach jeans, a size bigger than I was wearing when I got pregnant through the whole pregnancy(luckily these I had and didn’t need to buy). Oh yeah, draw string yoga pants in black are great too, just add a sweater or dressier shirt and they can pass as black pants. Also I loved my invisabelt when pregnant because it wass adjustable and could grow with me and would hold my pants under my belly. The bella bands didn’t thrill me because they seemed to either bunch or slide down. Instead I bought a pack of big mens wife-beaters to wear under too short t-shirts, these were a whole lot cheaper than the bella bands and worked better for me. I also had a bunch of empire waist dresses that worked for most of the pregnancy.
We are trying for baby#2 (cross your fingers for us) and this time around I doubt I will buy much, and I doubt I will wear my maternity clothes either. Between the oversized shirts I own and the yoga pants/streachy jeans/dresses I should be fine. If I need summer clothes I will just roll up may pants to capri length. The bigest lesson I learned with my first pregnancy I HATE MATERNITY CLOTHES!
-Kristie
Sarabell says
Fingers are crossed!
Sarabell says
This is great advice for me since I am a new mama-to-be!
One thing that has helped me a lot though is the stores who send out $10 off coupons in the mail just to lure you into the store to buy more. I have decent self-restraint so I almost always get something free or basically free when I get one of those. Kohls, JCPenney and Macy’s all send those out if you’re on their mailing lists so I started stocking up as soon as we decided to start trying. I am usually only able to hit the clearance racks with these, but that’s fine by me! I have a few dresses, a few shirts, a pair of jeans and a pair of leggings and I didn’t pay more than $2 for any of it!
kelli@eatprayreadlove says
That is a great idea! Way to go!
Anna says
Congratulations !
Sarabell says
Thanks ladies!
Charity says
Awesome post! I’m expecting our fifth baby and am still using the maternity clothes I bought (used) with my first pregnancy! I have found the most expensive thing is nursing bras but have been blessed to find some good quality ones at consignment sells. Also, be sure to check out the free section on Craigslist. I have seen lots of maternity clothes listed there!
Anna says
This is a great post and has really got me thinking! I’ve had 3 babies on hand-me-downs and dirt cheap sales. My favorite for new is Kolh’s 90% clearance racks.
I’m a decent seamstress and have found a few tricks to make things work. If you already have skirt patterns you like take the sides straight up from the widest point of the hip. Scratch the original waist style and just turn down the top to form a casing after putting in a button hole. Run elastic through it tacking down the end of the elastic and allowing the other end to come out of the button hole. A simple safety pin and you have an adjustable waist that will carry you for months.
My favorite, though, is to take a regular skirt and attach a tee shirt waist in a mock motherhood style. All you have to do is cut off the original waist and cut off a sturdy tee shirt under the arms. Fold the tee from top to bottom keeping it a tube. Sew it to the skirt. Follow the above elastic instructions and you’re good to go. It is extremely comfortable!
Sarah J says
I agree with spending more if it can be used for nursing. I also found that maternity tees or just long, stretchy tees are great whether pregnant or not. There are a few of my maternity clothes that are still in my drawers 🙂
Jessica says
Mom to mom sales are a great way to find pieces. Around here, several thrift stores have a separate maternity area. Also Clothes Mentor is a consignment store with a maternity area.
Finally, if you need clothes but can’t afford them, some organizations will loan out clothes or give them to you at no cost (return the favor and bring them back when you’re done). These include churches with maternity centers and places like Pregnancy Decision Health Centers and Birthright, which are Christian organizations who help mothers who have decided to keep their babies despite difficult circumstances such as low income.
Martina says
If you have a sewing machine you can make very simple skirts with a elastic in the top, i bought some very cute fabric on clearance for 2 dollars and just left made the elastic a little looser so i have room to expand… yeah it might not be the prettiest skirt in some people eyes but as a SAHM, homschooling 2 kids… i really do not go out every day, just add a large t-shirt and you dressed that growing belly very cheap.
Jennifer @ The Preschool Plan says
I have a wonderful church family and the women are great about passing around maternity clothes and baby clothes. When I was pregnant four years ago, at least three people gave me maternity clothes, and as many gave me baby clothes. After I was done, I passed them on and I’ve seen those same clothes being worn on other women (there’s always at least one woman pregnant at my church). The same thing with the baby clothes.
Sometimes this didn’t work though, as a friend who was pregnant at the same time as me pointed out, “There were so many people pregnant that year that the maternity clothes were around passed out! I spent a fortune on maternity clothes!” There were eight women all pregnant at the same time!
Marie says
I definitely agree with the tip to check with friends. My last pregnancy I just needed a few tops and my friend helped me out. Then when another friend was pregnant after me my clothes went to her. Now I have them back and another friend is pregnant, at the time I was pregnant with my last one, so I can pass the clothes onto her. It’s her third baby. I also have seen maternity clothes at GoodWill and also look at Kohl’s in the clearance section and pair with a coupon for great deals!
Having a baby doesn’t need to break the bank. These tips can go for baby clothes or equipment etc. Also if you are able to shop sales definitely stock up on baby supplies. Since I was pregnant I have not needed to buy diapers or wipes for my little one who is almost two!! We stocked up when we could get diapers at Walgreens for $2 a pack!!!! And the great thing was that when she outgrew a size I was able to just go in and exchange for the right size.
Natalie says
I am just starting to wear maternity clothes now for my 4th pregnancy. I looked on Pinterest and found lots of simple diy alterations, and they all turned out great! I took in some old, out-of-date maternity jeans, and now I have two pair of cute skinny jeans!
I also cut up men’s XL cheap, solid t shirts and now have a long tunic style maternity shirt with a ruffled neckline…super cute! Dyed some old canvas flats a bright color for some fun color. Also planning to make my own maternity jeans and denim skirt out of regular old jeans. Will do lots of layering with long tanks and cardis I already have.
I haven’t spent a penny, and I’ve added all the items I wanted to my winter maternity wardrobe…I’m so excited! The clothes I have all mix and match, and they are SO much cuter than any “maternity” clothes I could buy. Crystal, you inspired me to try to look cute w/o putting out any cash.
If you have basic sewing skills, I’d highly recommend checking Pinterest/the web out for ideas! So fun!
Kathy says
I am done having children and gladly gave all mine away, but I remember hating getting maternity clothes. I am a plus size and tall in normal clothes. Finding maternity clothes that size, professional for my job, and not super expensive was near impossible. I did the rubber band trick with my pants for as long as possible because the waist was hidden by a shirt.
Cassi says
I spend around $40 and invested in a 3 pack of Bella Bands-I didn’t have to purchase a single pair of maternity pants! I was able to wear my regular pants all the way through the 9 months of my pregnancy with no problem-they just made it look like I was wearing a tank top under my top. I also shop Old Navy clearance maternity. I have a very small wardrobe of maternity clothes but after my current little bundle arrives, I know I will be able to get a good resale price for the Old Navy stuff because it is name brand-same with the Bella Bands 🙂 They were totally worth the investment-got me through 3 kids!
becky says
I’d say buy fewer things but be willing to pay more–one or two well-made (comfortable!) pants and tops that you love will be so much better than a full closet of scraped-together thrift store finds.
Debi says
I take my kids old toys, clothes, and shoes and sell them to a resale shop like Kid to Kid or Once Upon a Child and use that money to hunt for affordable maternity clothes at the same resale shop, the Goodwill, clearance sales, and or garage sales. It’s also great to offer your clothes to friends and family to borrow, and usually they return the favor when it’s your turn. Great post!
lisa says
I bought a whole season of maternity clothes from someone on craigslist. I think it cost me $50 and everything was really good quality and my size.
Wendy says
Don’t forget about your husband’s closet. I wore some of my husband’s t-shirts or sweat shirts around the house most of my pregnancies.
This article reminds me of a joke I heard. Your first pregnancy you wear maternity clothes as soon as possible. Your second pregnancy, you wear your regular clothes as long as possible. Your third pregnancy, your maternity clothes are your regular clothes. 🙂
Kristen says
I don’t know about the third pregnancy, but this is definitely true for the first and second!
Amber says
Ha ha! 🙂
kelli@eatprayreadlove says
That is without a doubt true! Like I said, I am on #4, and was showing at 7 weeks. I had to wear maternity pants pretty soon but have still tried to wear my “regular” shirts using undershirts this time around! I miss my real clothes! 🙂
Anna says
Yeah, that’s just about true! LOL… I only had a six-month break between the second and third, so really accurate for me.
Alicia says
I shop eBay! I recently bought two Motherhood dresses for about $15 each (one still had tags) and a skirt for $8, also motherhood. This works if you know your size for various brands of clothing. I know my size in Gap, Old Navy and Motherhood so I can filter by my size.
Another great idea is to convert shirts if you have some basic sewing skills. Just yesterday, I put rouching into three shirts for the next time I’m pregnant. I also pinned a site giving a tutorial to make your own bella/belly bands for layering. If you have a few if those, you can stretch non-maternity clothes pretty far.
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
Luckily, the current style is longer, more flowy shirts, so I was able to wear non-maternity clothes the duration of my pregnancies even though I got huge. (My husband is 6’4″ and both kids took after him 🙂 Also, my friends gave away a lot of their clothes after pregnancy, as they would rather have them get good use from a friend than sell them for a quarter at a garage sale.
Carrie says
Another tip: A maternity belly band makes a great strapless bra and helps make maternity tops more modest (so many of them were low cut I found).
Rebecca says
Thanks for this tip! I have had such a hard time finding a shirt that doesn’t droop down when I bend over or am carrying one of my other kids. I am going to try this right now 😉
Amber says
You are a genius!
Rebekah Williams says
GENIUS idea! Wish I would have had you around 3 months ago. 😉 I just kept wearing my non-maternity undershirts I found at Macy’s up high over my belly.
The Prudent Homemaker says
I’ve found great deals at children’s resale shops. They usualy have a small maternity section as well as baby clothes.
I’ve found a few things at thrift stores.
I shopped clearance and sales for some clothes.
I’ve also learned to get by with less maternity clothing. By having 4 pairs of winter pants, I could make it through the week. Just a couple of outfits for church worked well for me. I followed the same pattern for summer clothing.
I don’t live in an area with super cold winters, so I was able to wear my regular coat without buttoning it, and a maternity sweater underneath it. If I lived in a colder climate, I would look for a maternity coat on ebay.
Because I’ve had 7 children in 10 years, I’ve also gotten a lot of wear out of my maternity clothes!
Catherine @ A Spirited Mind says
I agree about spending your money on a few key pieces. I have made the mistake in the past of getting great “deals” on maternity clothes that didn’t really fit, weren’t really my colors or my style, and didn’t work with other pieces I had. I learned that it’s better to buy or borrow fewer things, but things that really fit well and make me feel good.
This post was a great reminder as I am about to have to haul out the maternity clothes bin again in the upcoming weeks!
Crystal says
Congratulations, friend! 🙂
Michelle says
Be careful at Motherhood Maternity. They have a 30 day return policy. Good quality though.
Anna says
I loved MM, because I was able to get a few really pretty things for a decent price. One sales associate I spoke with said they’d had issues with women buying clothes, wearing them, and then bringing them back when they no longer fit. That may have influenced the return policies.
Darcy says
Keep a watch for the Motherhood Maternity coupons they send to your email! I recently used a $10 off $25 to purchase two items from their clearance section – a bathing suit set, plus a nice dressy shirt, and a belly lotion (impulse buy to use the coupon and save more on overall purchase) – all for less than $20 with tax. I was proud of that deal for buying new! 🙂
Katrina says
My little one is 5 weeks old.
My suggestion is to spend a little extra if the shirt will be one that you can use for nursing later on.
Sarabell says
That’s a good idea. I’ve just suddenly started realizing that most of my clothes aren’t going to work too well for nursing.
Andrea says
When you nurse at home, just about any top will work, because you don’t have to worry about modesty. Layering a nursing tank under a button up shirt or sweater is easy and cheap. I’ve only ever owned one nursing top.
Katrina says
The only problem with the nursing tanks is they don’t give me enough support for daily wear! I love them for nighttime and being lazy around the house, though.
They don’t have to be specifically nursing tops – V-neck tops seem to work well (depending on how they’re cut). I also found one with a stretchy top at Walmart the other day. That and the clearance maternity section at Babies R Us!
Andrea says
I wear a bra and a tank 😉
Alicia says
I have loved using the bella bands as a layer under neath…my skin isn’t showing if I lift my shirt to nurse when not at home.