Choosing the Right Size of Maternity Clothes

When pregnant it can be hard to know what sizes of maternity clothes are likely to fit as your pregnancy progresses. Fortunately clothing manufacturers have this in mind when sizing their maternity clothes.

Most maternity clothes are designed so that their sizes correspond with the sizes you would normally wear when not pregnant. For example, if you were a medium before pregnancy, the medium sized maternity clothes should work for you.

Of course, all women are different and carry their pregnancy weight differently. You might find that you will need a bit more room than average in late pregnancy. There is no way to know if this is likely to happen early in pregnancy, so stick to clothes that are sized for your usual size, and if late in pregnancy you should get too large you can always pick up one or two outfits to wear for the last couple weeks if you don’t fit anything.

The following sizing chart should help you if you are not sure where your sizes might fit in.

		XS	S	M	L	XL	2X
Pre-Pregnancy Size		0-2	4-6	8-10	12-14	16-18	20-22
Current Chest in inches		30-33	33-35	36-38	40-42	44-46	48-50
Current Hips in inches		35-38	38-40	40-42	42-45	45-48

While your pre-pregnancy sizes are generally work well as guides to your size for maternity clothes, go ahead and get out your tape measure and find out where you fit according to the above chart. You might find that you will need a slightly different size due to the changes pregnancy has made to your body.

Some types of maternity clothes allow for adjustment over time beyond the average maternity clothes and might be worth looking at. This can be done through adjustable waist bands or wrap-around styles that can be tied loose or tight as required for your current stage of pregnancy.

Often in early pregnancy nothing seems to fit right. Instead of moving directly to maternity clothes you could purchase some comfortable clothing a couple of sizes larger than you would normally wear. After your baby arrives it will take some time to get back to your old size, so these clothes will come in handy during that transitional phase where you body is recovering from its pregnancy shape. Of course, as with any clothing, it is important to get a feel for your maternity clothes. If it is uncomfortable now, it is unlikely to feel much better later. Pick clothes that you are comfortable in and that make you look your best.