guest post- maternity

How to get maternity clothes on the cheap.
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, so 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 sizesNow, sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, the item is just too big all over- arm holes are too big, or neckline is too low. Buying a bigger size has worked for me mostly in “stretchy” items- 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 or thrift stores, and garage salesConsignment 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 Craig’s list 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 basicsThis 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 friendsIf 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!

Our family the day we found out #4 was on the way!

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 eatprayreadlove.com.

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