Maternity Wardrobe Must Haves

I'm entering my third trimester soon and looking back I realised I could have saved money and time if I started preparing my maternity wardrobe earlier. Here are some of the things that I think are great to invest in if you've recently found out that you're pregnant :)

1. Undergarments 

These are soooo important! I've wasted so much money on this because I didn't bother to do enough research and just went down to the nearest lingerie store and bought larger sizes. During your first and second trimester, your busts and your hips will grow continuously at record speed! I remember buying 4 cotton bras only to realise that they're super uncomfortable after only 2 weeks, and then I'd have to go to the nearest store to buy more in larger sizes. No matter which size I bought, they were generally uncomfortable mainly because I was vomiting so bad then and the bras just felt like they were suffocating me. It's only during my 2nd trimester, when I decided to invest in proper nursing bras, did I feel a lot better. So now I have like at least 20 new bras, of which about half don't fit me properly :/ 

For those still in the first trimester, I'd recommend getting the one size fits all kind. They are generally soft, without wires, and can accommodate different sizes until you 'stabilise' at one size later on during pregnancy. By then you'd probably know what sizes would be a good fit and won't have to waste money on smaller bras that you'd outgrow really quickly. Do note that a lot of the sports bra looking kind of nursing bras are usually smaller that the size suggests, so try to go for one size bigger when you order! I've been wearing sizes L and XL. You can still wear these after you've given birth when you're breastfeeding your baby so it's really worth it! 

Some great sites that sell nursing bras are..

Allemom , Maternity Exchange and Amazon 

2. Comfortable Flat Shoes

Despite seeing a lot of stylish pregnant moms still trotting around in heels, I personally feel that flats are more realistic for daily wear. Pregnancy is tiring, and sometimes when you don't feel like dressing up much, a pretty pair of ballet flats or slip-ons can brighten up an otherwise dreary outfit. I regret not stocking up on more of these and ended up spending most of my first trimester in one pair of flats, one pair of slip-ons and slippers  -.- Also, these will still be useful for everyday wear after birth when you have to run around a lot to bring baby out for checkups and stuff.

3. Non- Maternity Basic Dresses 

I'm actually wearing basic dresses in size S despite my belly being so big now. These basic cotton dresses are must-haves because they are so light and easy to match! Don't bother spending $50 or more on "maternity" ones, I realised non maternity ones fit just the same and cost so much less. You can easily find simple cotton dresses under $20 at online blogshops or chain stores like H&M or cotton on. They come in all sorts of colours, length and cuts :) 

4. Maternity Bottoms

The only kind of maternity clothing I feel is totally worth spending on is shorts/pants. I stubbornly wore non maternity shorts in larger sizes for a long time and they really don't fit nicely. On top of that, they were very uncomfortable. So when I finally purchased my first pair of maternity shorts, it felt like heaven.

5. Light Fabrics

This is more for moms-to-be who are residing in Singapore. During pregnancy your body tends to heat up a lot, and wearing thicker material clothing is just going to make you feel very uncomfortable no matter how pretty the design is. I bought a dress made of thicker material from Korea that I really really loved, and regretted the moment I was out shopping in it. Since then I've been opting for clothing made of lighter fabrics and thinner cardigans, comfort is key!