Yes, these are maternity pants

Maternity clothes and I have an uneasy relationship. Maternity tops...I'm not there yet. However, I have dipped my toe into the maternity pants pool. 

I haven't fit into most of my real pants in quite some time. My Bella Bands have allowed me to make them work, for the most part.

I have worn a pair of Old Navy maternity jeans. They are not ideal. Either I need to get bigger, or they need to shrink, or perhaps they're just not meant to stay up. A belt did not help. I have considered throwing them into the dryer to bring about some shrinkage, but I worry that they then wouldn't be long enough. You can get away with too-short maternity pants in the last month, when people should just be happy that you showed up to wherever you are, but I'm not there yet. I still have to make some semblance of an effort. Perhaps suspenders...

My other stand-by maternity pant is from the Gap and is that stretchy black yoga-y type material that I see all the time in my doctor's waiting room. These pants arrived in the mail, and I wore them every day for...well, quite some time. These pants might not be dressy, but they're so darn comfortable. And because they don't really look like maternity pants, I'll be able to wear them in the weeks after the Rooster arrives.

But it's much harder, mentally, to start wearing the tops, perhaps because they are all so obviously maternity clothes. I think part of me is pretending that if I ignore them, I won't have to wear them. And by "part of me," I mean most of me, even the normally rational part (though I haven't started crying over them...yet).

However, it's time to face facts. B hasn't asked me (jokingly) in quite some time, "Are you sure you're pregnant?" because, well, I'm starting to look like I am. I've bought some tents maternity shirts, and they're hanging in a closet. Eventually, I will have to try them on and remove the tags and maybe even wear them.

In my defense, at my last visit, my doctor agreed that it was too soon to wear them, as they are still too big for me. For now, it's best to continue wearing my baggier tops, which I tried to stock up on in preparation.

If you're considering pregnancy in the upcoming months or years, now is the time to start buying some less tailored clothing. You can wear Bella Bands and low-cut maternity pants after you start getting bigger, but it's so nice to have pants that give a little (my favorite is Lucy's Walk About Pant, which come in long sizes). And if you're reluctant to wear maternity tops, make sure you have some not-too-fitted tops that will stretch. Open cardigans and empire-waist tops work great and feel like better investments because they're not specifically for your pregnancy.

How long can I last wearing my normal clothes? Only time and my growing belly will be able to answer that question...