One of our favourite bloggers and now mum of two, Alana shares with us her must-have Maternity Overalls that made her feel fabulous, stylish and most of all comfortable during her second pregnancy. Read her blog below and shop her favourite looks!
For the first seven months of my last pregnancy, I never wore maternity clothes. Honestly, I should have.
I had seen so many pregnant celebrities wear heels, tight dresses and dressed to perfection and for some crazy reason, I thought I would be able to look like this. Hands up who also thought the same!!
My stubbornness in not wanting to spend my money on Maternity Wear and thinking that they were not all that nice meant that I often found myself squashing my growing belly into anything in my wardrobe which would fit. This frequented of baggy clothes and flowy dresses. Yes, I did save some money but more importantly - I was often left feeling not beautiful. I also discovered that there are heaps of Nursing Clothes which can be worn for pregnancy and beyond - value for money and keeping you looking stunning. Trust me when I say this - you will get a lot of wear out of your nursing clothes! Especially if you will be having more than one pregnancy as well.
There are two ways to approach maternity fashion - to wear what you already have or to start building up a maternity wardrobe. After seven months, I took some pants off and had an elastic rim around my belly and my husband said "why are you doing this? Just buy some maternity clothes and try them". At that stage, I was fairly big and caved. I jumped online, ordered some maternity pieces from Soon Maternity and loved them! I felt beautiful and enjoyed showing off the bump. I realise now that pregnancy is such a special time in a woman's life and this is the time where you should be feeling good about yourself.
Second pregnancy around, I am not mucking about! If anything, I am bigger this time around, so the maternity clothes are out! Below I will be showcasing my top five essential maternity fashion pieces worth investing in. These are pieces which you will wear over and over again. There will be hero pieces that you will reach for every time and ones which you can layer or style up to create so many looks.
1. Leggings
This is my hero piece. I reach for my maternity leggings at least three times a week. This one pair of bottoms will mean you won't need several pairs of pants as they are so comfortable and provide freedom of movement. Perfect for being on the go and exercising. It can be styled with sneakers, a tee, a long sleeve, with a cardigan, with a sweater, a singlet and best of all it stretches with your belly (whilst holding it securely) and can still be worn after birth too.
2. Crop Knits
This piece was a mind-blowing game changer for me! It is so versatile! It is worn as a layering piece to keep you warm whilst still allowing easy feeding access! I often wear these over my nursing dresses which zip down the front for some extra coverage. The crop knit can also dress up casual dresses and skirts. It is among one of the best Breastfeeding Clothes.
3. Slip Skirts
Maternity skirts are a bliss. So, this Slip skirts can be worn casually with a tee and sneakers or dressed more formally for dinner or work with a blazer thrown over. These slip skirts usually have an elastic waist to grow with your belly and works perfectly for fluctuating weight. These slip skirts also look great with flat or heeled sandals.
4. Overalls
I live in Maternity overalls at home but of course they can be worn out too. They are a fuss free item of clothing. I never have to worry about pulling my pants up, checking that i am not flashing anyone and they can be worn for all seasons. Perfectly paired with sneakers or sandals, a tee, a jumper or cardigan. These overalls from Soon Maternity have a little bit of stretch, have an adjustable side button, adjustable shoulder strap, five pockets, look super trendy and provides easy access when nursing too.
5. The Feeding Top
I cannot get enough of these Maternity Tops, These tops act as my essential piece. I had so many issues at the beginning of my breastfeeding journey and I was not a confident public feeder at all. These feeding tops provided me coverage when feeding in public and honestly when you are nursing baby, you can't see any boob. I eventually stopped finding feeding rooms and removed the feeding covers as they brought more attention than wearing these tops to nurse. These feeding tops provided me with a sense of security and also easy access.
So there you have it. These are my top five pieces to get you through those 40 weeks and beyond.