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The early stages of the pregnancy present many challenges for the expectant mother, and getting the clothes to fit is usually one of them.  Although not being able to fit into your regular clothes can be very frustrating, it does not mean that you have to resort to swimming in oversized “maternity” clothes or buy a whole new wardrobe. 

I didn’t start “showing” until my 4th month, but I noticed fairly early on that I was starting to get a little belly and the clothes that were close-fitting around my waist no longer fit. Yet I was still not big enough to wear maternity clothes, so I had to come up with some creative ways to extend my options without sacrificing my style or going on a shopping spree. Here are my top 5 solutions for getting through that awkward phase with style:

1. Start with your closet.  The best way to begin is to take an assessment of the things you already have.  Look for anything that may have been a bit too big for you before you were pregnant, anything with elastic or drawstring waist, low-rise waist, or any loose-fitting styles.  When I did that, I found quite a few things that I could comfortably wear through the early stages of my pregnancy (and some of them I’m still wearing now, in my fifth month.)
2. Use a rubber band.  One ingenious idea that I read somewhere is wrapping a rubber band around the button of your pants, then putting it through the button hole and fastening it back to the button.  This automatically creates an “elastic waist” for your pants, so that you can wear your regular pants, jeans, and shorts well into your pregnancy.  You can also simply leave your pants unbuttoned, as long as you wear something that’s long enough to cover it up.
3. Invest in a Bella Band.
   This was one of my first maternity-related purchases, and it has really been a life-saver.  In essence, it’s a wide elasic band that goes all around your belly.  Without being too tight, it grips the tops of your pants and skirts and helps hold them up even when they are unbuttoned or unzipped. It can also be used to wear some maternity styles early in your pregnancy by holding them up so that they don’t sag. It also provides a nice support for your growing belly without being at all restrictive or uncomfortable. Plus, it comes in great colors and looks cute even peeking from under your clothes.
4. Borrow.  If you have friends or relatives who were recently pregnant or maybe lost some weight, see if you can borrow their no longer used clothes. Especially when it comes to maternity clothes, most women are more than happy to share, and because those clothes tend to have been worn only for a few months, they are usually in great shape.
5. Buy non-maternity.  Although I’ve tried to resist buying anything new unless absolutely necessary, I’ve actually been surprised by how many suitable clothing options can be found at a regular non-maternity store. I especially recommend going to discount stores such as TJ Maxx, where you can find a lot of current styles are really affordable prices.  Look for clothes a size bigger than what you normally wear and that can acommodate your growing belly. Anything with elastic or drawstring waist works really well for skirts and pants (just make sure there is enough “give” there so that it can expand with your belly), as do the very popular now empire-waist styles for tops and dresses.

By following these ideas, you can probably easily go through the first three or four (and more!) months of your pregnancy without having to invest in a whole new wardrobe. As you adjust to your changing shape, you can then decide to invest in a few maternity outfits as needed. 

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