Clothing for the In-Between Stages: Necessities for Pregnancy and Beyond

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One of the worst parts of the miracle of growing a baby is that awkward in-between clothing size stage. On the way up, you’re getting bigger and you get to the point where you can’t button your pants, but maternity pants are still too big. You don’t look totally pregnant yet, so your regular clothes just make you look frumpy, yet maternity shirts make you look frumpier. It happens in the other direction too: Once the baby arrives, it takes awhile to deflate, so your regular clothing is just too tight and maternity clothing just makes it look like your pregnancy is lasting for an eternity.

What to do about this pregnancy conundrum? Invest in a few pieces that will serve  you well in those in-between stages of pregnancy and the postpartum recovery period! You’ll get so much mileage out of clothing that can do double duty, we promise. Here are a few staples we couldn’t have done without…

Dresses

Maxi dresses are a godsend during hot summer months.

When it comes to ladies’ dresses, the maxi dress is perfect for pregnancy and all of those weird stages in between. They’re loose enough to be comfortable on your expanding waistline and will keep you cool in the summer when you don’t want to wear anything restrictive. Plus, they’re super forgiving after you’ve had the baby. We also love this white one or this bright orange one that’s perfect for a cheery summer.

Room-to-Grow Shirts

Tops that flow around the midsection like this one camoflauge a postpartum belly.

Shirts with extra room in the belly region are perfect for those in-between stages. Think empire waists, tunics and button-ups that you can keep unbuttoned. Jennifer Lopez has a line at Kohl’s and I found a few great, affordable options there, like this cold-shoulder top with a flowy waist and this crossover top.