If it weren’t for the ultrasound you carry with you everywhere you go, your strong aversion to the smell of fish and your constant trips to the bathroom, most people would be oblivious to the fact that you are expecting. You are painfully aware of your condition, however, and so is your wardrobe.
There is a period between skinny jeans and panel pants. Your old pants are too tight to be comfortable (or even zip) and maternity pants are always on the brink of falling down to your ankles. In the warmer months, you still have the option of wearing a casual dress, but unless you’re willing to don wool tights, that’s not an option in cold weather. It seems as though you are doomed to wear sweatpants indefinitely.
Fortunately, there are alternatives. You do not have to look like you’re headed to the gym 24/7.
Low rise jeans and long tunics. I had a pair of Silver low rise jeans that I could wear up until my eighth month because they sat below my belly. They weren’t very comfortable after I “popped,” but I could still wear them. In the beginning, these jeans were my life line. If I was feeling extra bloated, I used a rubber band between the loop and the button to give myself some extra room. Pair a long tunic with your low rise jeans and you don’t have to worry about baring the bottom of your belly.
Maternity Belly Bands. These stretchy bands allow you to wear your old pants completely unzipped without anyone knowing the difference. They look like a layered T and will keep your pants in place.
Go up a size. If you’re not ready to pull on the panel pants, try going up a size. The extra inches may be just enough to get you by until you’re the right shape for maternity pants.