Maternity Style

This isn't sponsored and ASOS don't even know I exist sadly, but it's just my go to for Maternity clothes. I have free next day delivery which massively appeals to my impatient side, and they use DPD who are the only courier that can successfully deliver my parcels so it's a no brainer. Read on to take a look at my current faves and how I dress the bump this time around compared to last time...

So now that I'm 21 weeks pregnant, I do have a little bump and although I can physically fit into my regular clothes, it's pretty tight and uncomfortable. I have some maternity wear leftover from my last pregnancy but as I was having a winter baby last time and I'm having a summer one this year, I needed a different selection. 

I absolutely LOVED dressing my Ozzy bump. I chose really snazzy clothes to fit my current style and it was a lot of fun. I was just me but with a football sticking out of my stomach so it was fairly straightforward and shops like ASOS and Topshop had a nice selection. 2 Favourites from 40 week Ozzy bump below (ASOS obvs).

Then I had a baby and lived in pyjamas for a while, and once I started trying to wear outdoors clothes again I had that all too familiar post baby style crisis. I'm sure most new mums get this. Things didn't fit me in the same way. My hips were wider and my boobs were much bigger than I was used to. My hair was completely different thanks to breastfeeding hormones (my curls disappeared and after 24 years of curly hair I don't know how to wear or style non curly hair) and I was flitting between trying to dress in a boring comfortable way and trying to recapture my sense of style by choosing ridiculous statement items. Eventually I found a kind of acceptable middle ground where the clothes in my wardrobe were suitable for crawling around on the floor with a toddler but I didn't always look like a bag lady. The problem was I never actually felt excited by my clothes anymore, but we were already thinking about and then trying for another baby so I never saw the point in investing in some lovely new clothes because I wouldn't fit in them soon enough. 

So I was in a boring black and white striped limbo and dressing very practically. It was winter and I was always wrapped up warm and then BAM morning sickness hit and turned into HG. All I wore everyday for months was pyjamas (sometimes mine, often Tom's). I didn't leave the house unless it was for Doctors appointments or Hospital trips. Then Christmas came around and I obviously wore festive jumpers every day. Then January turned into February and I realised I actually wanted to dress up and leave the house and I had NOTHING TO WEAR. I know, but this time I really didn't. 

Then one weekend I went into town alone while Tom took Ozzy out. I listened to music that makes me feel good and I grabbed a coffee and I just wandered around the shops and browsed for hours. I thought about what clothes I liked and what clothes would suit me. I thought about what would be okay to wear to soft play and get sticky and I thought about how much my bump would grow between now and June. Then I decided I didn't really care about what would be practical or 'suit my skin tone' or my shape or any of that bollocks (I'm sure it isn't bollocks really but it just isn't the way I want to live my fashion life). 

I bought clothes that I liked. Clothes that when I looked in the changing room mirror made me smile. Clothes that made me excited to wear them and get dressed and leave the house a bit more. I bought 3 striped tshirts because I just don't care whether stripes aren't right for my shape, I like them. For some I sized up to accommodate bump. For some I thought about boob access for feeding the baby. But for some I said Fuck it and bought what I liked. For a brief moment I forgot I had a toddler and a baby in my belly. I was just a 24 year old in H&M buying a jumper that looks like a lollipop. ​

So what have I learned from my brief style crisis?

• It can take time to get used to dressing a completely new body shape and you don't have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe straight away. Take a while to get used to your new body and remember it will probably keep changing as you go through your pregnancy and postpartum journey too. Particularly if you choose to breastfeed. I can't get my head around how tiny and then huge and then tiny my boobs have been so many times since February 2016. 

 

• Just because you are growing and raising a baby doesn't mean your style needs to change, you can still accommodate for activities like crawling around sticky floors in the same jazzy clothes you always wear. You'll find a way. Usually wear skinnies but find they aren't flexible enough anymore? Try jeggings. Need to access boobs every hour? Try the one up one down technique (google it) or size up and pull your top down to whip 'em out. Dungarees are great for boob access. 

 

• If you feel like your style has changed for good and that's your choice then GREAT and embrace it. Time for a whole new wardrobe which is always exciting. 

 

• It's totally normal to have a wardrobe wobble for a while. Major things are happening in your life and your hormones are crazy so just ride it out and don't make any drastic changes without thinking them through (eg dying your hair or chopping it all off. Wait until you're sure!)

 

• Don't look at photos from 2 years ago. It will just bum you out. That isn't your body anymore and it won't ever be again but hey you have a new better body that has accomplished more. 

 

• Not all maternity clothes are boring black and white stripes. If that isn't your style then you don't need to become boring overnight just because of your bump. Uninspired by high street stores (I'm looking at you Mothercare)? Try Asos or even have a little look on Ebay, there are so many hardly worn maternity clothes on there for great prices. 

 

• If you used to wear bright orange jumpers and dresses with bananas all over then YOU CAN STILL WEAR THOSE EVEN ONCE YOU'RE A MUM. I have finally realised that and I'm now back to buying the jazziest clothes I can find whether they suit me or not. And i'm 100x happier for it. 

So every few weeks I am going to do a little round up of my favourite maternity and nursing clothes. It won't always be ASOS but they're killing it at the moment. Below are 9 items I love and would have absolutely worn pre pregnancy. 

If you have a favourite place for maternity and nursing clothes that make you feel super jazzed and not bored out of your mind then please let me know! :)