The Maternity Stuff I Actually Wore During My Second Pregnancy

Before I started showing but after my normal clothes started to feel uncomfortably snug, I bought these, Gap’s version of theinfamousHigh Sport Kick Pant, which I would never consider buying as a regular pant, let alone a temporary maternity pair. But these are 11 times cheaper than the High Sports and do pretty much everything the OG pair claims to: They are as easy to wear as leggings, yet still feel and look structured — and they continued to do so until my stomach became more than their non-maternity elastic waist could handle (we all have our limits). That little flair at the ankle made them incredibly flattering, kicking out just enough to balance my bottom half against my growing midsection. They also made me feel pulled together (in every sense of the word) during my first few postpartum months. And unlike the High Sports, they can survive a run through the washing machine.

Hands down my favorite pair of actual maternity pants, and they’re from Old Navy of all places! They’re another High Sport dupe straight down to the center pin tucks, but with a stretchy, over-the-belly, full-panel extension — the kind I first laughed at and later loathed on the only pair of actual maternity pants (some H&M denim) I attempted to wear during my first pregnancy. On this pair, however, the extra fabric was a pleasure to have on, nicely snug without being constricting. And while the name says “Straight,” the silhouette does have a little kick-out at the bottom that hit slightly above my ankle bone (I’m about five-foot-eight, for reference), belling out just enough to make me feel proportional whether I paired them with an oversize sweater or a snug tee, a Blundstone or a ballet flat. And at their regular price of $55, the cost per wear made them practically free.

The flowy, wide-leg cut of these pants could push them into loungewear territory, but the pin-tuck detailing and sturdy material pulls them back from the brink. They’re comfy, but with a trouser-esque polish that keeps them from being sloppy. They’re also an over-the-bump style, but without an over-the-bump panel — instead, the thick stretch ponte fabric extends seamlessly from the ankle to the ultrahigh waistband, so you can wear a more cropped top while keeping your belly covered or even do a French or full tuck (which would look bizarre with a pair of paneled pants). The $128 price tag isn’t nothing, especially for pants you’ll be done with in a matter of months. But I wore these a lot — they’re flattering and noticeably well made — and despite regular use, I was still able to pass them along to a pregnant friend looking relatively like new, so it ultimately felt like a fair price.

These aren’t the actual pants I wore —mine were a non-maternity pair from Uniqlo that are no longer available. But this Ann Taylor pair looks like a viable stand-in: wide-leg, high-rise, pull-on, and made from a thick and tight knit with a bit of stretch. I’m anti-loungewear-as-streetwear, and my Uniqlo pairs (I bought my normal size for the first half of gestation and one size up for the second) had sweatpants-level comfort yet looked suitably polished.

The Uniqlo pants (which, for reference, were $40) also managed to maintain their shape in spite of mine changing on a daily basis, and they were extremely helpful to have on hand for the fourth trimester. Here’s hoping this Ann Taylor pair can do the same. But for even more options, I found some possible stand-ins fromMango(I really like the split-hem detail),Aritzia, andH&M— the latter of which also makes anactual maternity style.

There’s so much I like about this jumpsuit. It’s made from a thick pointelle that’s very cute but not “cutesy.” I have it in black, which is neat enough to wear during office hours (especially if you pair it with actual shoes and throw achore jacketon top), but it’s also comfortable enough to wear to bed. It has a wide, straight cut that stretched enough to fit even in my final weeks (and I wasbig), yet it looks intentionally oversize and flatteringly drapey now that I’m almost back to my pre-pregnancy shape. I wear it a lot now because the functional buttons are great for breastfeeding, and I plan to wear it even after I’ve stopped offering up the boob because it’s just so comfortable. And to top it all off, it has pockets! As long as you get it in a color you can wear to lunch and to lounge (for me, that’s any dark solid), $128 is totally worth it.

I dreamt to be the kind of pregnant lady who proudly flaunted her bump in bodycon clothing at every opportunity. This top is the closest I came to making that dream a reality. While it’s not particularly revealing, it did fit my true shape in a way that I was more than happy to show off. As the name promises, it really is “the softest rib,” and it felt endlessly stretchy but still substantial, draping in a way that felt paradoxically forgiving and so sleek. The low-cut henley neckline had a lengthening (and confidence-boosting) effect and was modest but still low enough to make me feel demurely sexy in a nonchalant “who, me?” way. It’s not cheap per se, but it made me feel good. And given how often I wore it, it basically paid for itself.

I did try wearing larger sizes of standard tees while pregnant, but the proportions were usually off — too short, and with too-broad shoulders that looked even moreawkwardly boxyon account of my protruding tummy — so while I felt physically comfortable, I definitely didn’t feel cute. But this non-maternity oversize tunic tee really worked for me, I think because the purposefully oversize cut was longer and more spacious in the torso. The shoulders still fit the way they’re supposed to and thus lay close to my body despite my belly pushing everything else out. You could probably go with any intentionally oversize style, but this very affordable Old Navy option does the job perfectly. It’s made of very basic but pleasantly lightweight 100 percent cotton jersey; the oversize shape is also perfect for staying comfy in the fourth trimester and beyond; and it’s big enough to lift up for nursing without totally exposing yourself.

My desert-island undies. They’re not the only style I wore during my pregnancy, but they’re undoubtedly my first choice if I had to pick just one, thong or otherwise. The waistband has a moderately high rise all the way around and looks like a proper bikini, yet it hits firmly below my bump without getting scrunched or rolling down and lies flat on my hips without digging in even a little bit. The nylon-spandex blend is thin and stretchy and feels barely there, but it’s also sturdy. Not only did these pairs stretch to fit comfortably for all nine months, they also bounced back into place so perfectly that they continue to fit comfortably now. They’re the best thongs I’ve ever worn, one of the few maternity-specific styles I’ve actually looked forward to wearing, and maybe the best no-show (an no-feel) undies I’ve tried … ever. At $40 for six pairs, they’re an absolute steal.

[Editor’s note: The Second Skin Maternity Thongs are currently out of stock, but you cansign up for restock notificationson Quince’s site.]

This is a style I buy even when I’m not pregnant. They’re definitely not fancy, but they are soft and truly seamless, sturdy enough make me feel held but not squeezed, and affordable enough that I can replace them regularly without a second thought, which is also why I had no qualms about buying a few sets in one size up (any bigger and they would have bagged out around my butt) just for the purposes of pregnancy. The waistband is properly high but also stretchy enough that I was able to fold it over and convert them to an under-the-bump style when my stomach simply got too big.

Hatch isn’t cheap, but it isreallynice. And when your body is changing in ways that you don’t recognize, can’t control, and sometimes may not feel great about (hello, unbearably swollen ankles!), pampering yourself with a fewreallynicepieces is important. Bonus points if those pieces can make you feel hot when you’re practically naked, which is what these briefs did for me. It helped to get them in the delicate Demi Fleur Bordeaux print rather than a more matronly solid, and to pair them with an equally adorable bra (see below, or try a coordinatingHatchstyle). The combo made me feel sexy, which isn’t the easiest thing to achieve with maternity undies and something I would have easily paid double to achieve.

Here’s yet another undergarment that helped lift both my spirits and my newly ample bosom, thanks to the adorable floral print and delicate yet supportive bralette shape. (Note that I’m normally a solid A-cup and didn’t get much bigger than a very small C while pregnant, so “ample” is very relative. This bra might not provide enough support for bustier ladies.) The $50 price feels totally fair, especially since I’ve found it’s also incredible for nursing.