When it comes time to start shopping for maternity clothing, the expectant mom has a number of options. From designer stores to discount department stores, there is no shortage of places that want your business. The savvy shopper will start her search before she needs to start wearing maternity clothing to be able to take advantage of store sales. The budget conscious shopper will also consider buying second hand to save some cash.
You can expect to have to start wearing maternity clothing by about week 16 of your pregnancy. This is the point where the shape of your body changes dramatically as your abdomen rounds out and your waist line disappears. So you should plan to start shopping for maternity clothing in your third month, a little sooner if you are carrying twins or triplets.
There are a number of national chain stores with extensive maternity departments that will be more than happy to outfit you during your pregnancy. You will wear the same size in maternity clothes that you wear now. There are also several well known specialty maternity stores that deal exclusively in maternity clothing and nothing else and the store clerks there can help you get the right fit. All of these stores are going to charge more for maternity clothes than they do for regular clothing items, unless you can catch an excellent sale.
You can also buy maternity clothing online. There are a number of web sites which offer name brand merchandise from Motherhood and Liz Lange at discount prices. If you know your size, buying maternity clothes online can be a very convenient way to shop with the items delivered right to your door. Another way to save money buying maternity clothing is purchasing it second hand. Since maternity clothes are not worn for very long, they make excellent items for resale. Whether you purchase the clothes in a second hand store or at a discount site online you can often find very good bargains on quality clothes. For example, a Liz Lange Maternity Chloe Dress that sells for $150 new might be found at a discount store for $25.