One Wardrobe – Before, During and After Pregnancy
 
Here's the secret: You don't actually need to buy an entire wardrobe exclusively for your pregnancy, and then another entire set of clothing to wear exclusively while you're breastfeeding.  You really, really don't!

All you need are a few easy, flattering staples that will fit, be comfortable and always look beautiful.  You might be saying, "Sounds great, but where do you get that??"  

1. Dresses: The first place to start is Dress Purely.  Some of your favorite pieces are sure to be Dress Purely's super soft and flattering dresses, which are available at DressPurely.com, or on Amazon.  They come in both short sleeve and sleeveless styles and a nice variety of colors.  These affordable dresses will likely be your favorite outfits throughout your pregnancy and afterward, and season after season after that as well.  Buy them in a few colors, as you will want to wear them often!

Though they are not specifically maternity dresses, they truly fit beautifully throughout a pregnancy.  They are also super comfortable to wear postpartum, and work wonderfully for breastfeeding as well.  You'll appreciate the extreme comfort, simplicity and femininity of these dresses even more as you transition through the amazing changes your body makes throughout your pregnancy and as you recover postpartum.  

There will be no need to buy additional breastfeeding clothes because you can easily breastfeed your baby while wearing this dress thanks to the way the neckline is cut, and because the fabric has a bit of stretch to it.  

And when you’re not pregnant, and not breastfeeding anymore, you’re still going to love wearing them because of how flattering, comfortable, soft and easy they are to wear.  The classic style will truly be a wardrobe staple -- not only something that you can wear this year, but for many years to come. 

When women are pregnant, we also tend to feel a bit hotter than normal, so the breathable fabric is a huge bonus.  These dresses are 95% MicroModal, which is made from beech tree fibers.  If you haven't heard about MicroModal yet, it’s a very soft fabric that is similar to cotton in that it is breathable and wicks moisture, but unlike cotton it is shrink resistant and fade resistant.  Once you feel it, and see it on you, you’re going to love it!
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These dresses are easy to dress up, or wear in different ways for different occasions.   Slip it on in the morning for something that is as quick and comfy as yoga pants, and continue to wear it for your night out!  The solid colors easily pair with a light scarf (so many gorgeous ones to choose from!) or some jewelry.  They look great with sandals, ballet flats, or boots. 

They layer well, too. When the weather gets a bit cooler, you can pair them with leggings or tights and your favorite pair of boots.   A simple bandeau top or camisole underneath is also great if it is showing a bit more cleavage or chest than you would like.  Or, if you are like me, and have a baby and a three-year-old who are constantly pulling at your clothes, then a bandeau top underneath really helps too!  I use a stretchy bandeau top, so it is still easy to breastfeed. 

Speaking of little ones pulling on clothes, I was so pleasantly surprised at how durable this dress is!  The softness and flow of the dress made me think it might be a bit delicate, so I was quite relieved when it looked perfectly fine after my baby was biting my shoulder, and also after my three-year-old was pulling on my skirt and twisting it around and around!  They are Made in the USA, so you can feel good knowing that you’re not only getting great quality, but also supporting workers making a living wage and working in clean and safe conditions. 
They are available exclusively on Amazon: short sleeve dresses here, and sleeveless dresses here.
 

2. Leggings: You don’t really need special maternity leggings.  Leggings are stretchy and have stretchy waistbands as well.  And as your belly grows, the waistband just goes underneath your belly.  So the leggings you have are probably fine. 

If your belly button starts to stick out though, and if you don’t like how that looks, then you might like maternity leggings because the stretchy part covers your belly, helping to give it a smoother look.   You can pair them with the dress above, or with some great shirts.  

Mistake to avoid: try not to buy fabrics that aren't breathable, otherwise you will be sweaty and miserable.  Look at the fabric content, and make sure you are getting breathable fabrics.  You still will probably be pretty hot, especially in the summer, but it will be much better than if you wear lots of polyester.  Modal, as described above, is breathable, and of course cotton is always a safe bet.  But with cotton, you’ll have to account for shrinkage.  If you’re buying cotton, either order a size up, or wash in cool water and hang dry.  Surprisingly, there are a lot of leggings that aren't cotton!  Or that don't look quite right.  Here is one that I found though that fits the bill: 95% cotton maternity leggings.    There is also this pair of leggings, which has an even smoother look, and claims to be breathable, though I admit I don't know much about the fabric type, personally.  

3. Shirts: I do recommend buying maternity shirts, though I really preferred to buy shirts that did not obviously look like maternity shirts, i.e., I avoided the side ruching, or really puffy, stiff shirts.  This way, I was able to wear them long past my pregnancy, so I felt I got a better value from them.  Also, by buying V-neck or wide-necked shirts, I was able to breastfeed with them too!  (Yes, even though they were not specifically breastfeeding shirts!  Just pull the neckline down and to the side.)  As with the leggings and dresses, breathable fabric is really nice.  Here are a few that I liked: a great long-sleeved v-neck, or cap-sleeved shirt, both 100% cotton.

4. Shoes: Sorry… You might want to take a break from your heels for a while.  When you’re pregnant, you may have already noticed that some of the hormones that your body is producing cause your joints to be more flexible.  I remember dropping things more easily, for example, and generally being more clumsy than normal.  The bigger problem, however, is that you can fall more easily, especially in heels.  And after baby is born, when you’re carrying your precious bundle of love, it might be better to stick to flats then too.  
Basic flip flops aren’t so great either.  My sister-in-law is a labor and delivery nurse, and said she sees lots of pregnant women getting checked to make sure their unborn baby is okay after having fallen while wearing flip flops.  

Keep in mind, too, that many women experience swelling during pregnancy, especially the farther along you get, and especially in the feet.  Avoid shoes that have lots of narrow straps, or are very constrictive.  So basically, be careful, and here are some cute flats that, of course, can’t prevent you from falling, but are better than wearing heels or slippery flip flops.  

My favorite shoes are from Merrell, a company that primarily makes hiking shoes.  My favorite style seems to have been discontinued, but this sandal from Merrell looks pretty similar and has a ton of great reviews.  The style is really pretty sturdy, while also being pretty enough to wear with a dress.  
These Cole Haan ballet flats are appropriate for the office or formal affairs, and come in lots of fun colors.

Those are the essentials, and they are things you can (and will want to) wear throughout your pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding, and beyond.  Just a few great pieces are all you need: 1) a few dresses from Dress Purely, 2) leggings you probably already have, 3) some non-obviously maternity shirts, and 4) comfortable, yet cute, flat shoes.  You're set!

P.S. If you don't already have an Amazon Prime membership, I highly recommend getting one!  I will go into more detail in a future post, but I will just summarize now by telling you that, especially as a new mom, the convenience and savings are completely worth it!  You can try out a free 30-day Prime Membership trial here.