Week 16: Welcome back, maternity clothes!

Well, I did it—this weekend, I carried two tubs of my own maternity clothes, one laundry basket of my sister’s and a tote bag from a friend into our closet. One by one, I pulled normal-sized-me clothes off their hangers, folded them and packed them away in the maternity tubs … not to be seen again until a couple months after Baby No. 2 is born (although that may be wishful thinking). I loaded those same hangers with ruched-sided shirts, dresses with a little extra fabric in the middle and pants with incredibly comfortable belly panels.

And I’ll tell you what—I’ve never felt more comfortable. When you finally put on a maternity outfit after you’ve been squeezing yourself into your normal clothes for weeks (or, let’s be honest, pants a size or two bigger than normal), you feel such freedom … such breathability … such bliss. There was nothing skinny about the lack of a waistband in the adorable pair of skinny jeans I slid into, and I could not have been happier. I got to look trendy and cute and still be ultra-comfortable, and I love feeling like my baby isn’t being squished and shoved by pesky things like buttons and zippers.

There are so many amazing things about maternity clothes, particularly during this time of the year. When I was pregnant with Olivia, most of the visible part of my pregnancy was during the spring and summer—a time when the less clothing you wear, the better. That doesn’t always mesh well with pregnancy. Don’t get me wrong, I rocked some cute dresses and capris … but I’m finding out that there is just something about being pregnant in the fall. It’s leggings and sweater weather now, people! It’s jeans tucked into boots with a long duster weather. It’s cool to be comfy-cute in the fall, and I cannot even WAIT until winter (minus the crappy weather and multitude of indoor recess days). The only necessity I don’t have is a winter coat—where does one find a flattering maternity coat? If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share!

I’m not sure if it’s the clothes or the fact that Baby Phillips is starting to show him or herself, but I’m developing a distinctively motherly shape. In fact, one of my second graders grinned at me across our Math Workshop table yesterday and said, “Mrs. Phillips, I can see your baby is in your stomach.” I chuckled and said, “Yes it is!” It’s not a super noticeable baby bump, but a handful of colleagues have started commenting on how adorable I look … and I don’t think it’s just because of my fashion choices (though I do have pretty good taste in clothes, if I do say so myself)—it’s my changing profile. Unfortunately, I feel like I’m growing in a few more places that just my stomach—pretty sure there’s no part of my baby hanging out in my thighs—but whatever. I’m getting to that fun point where I start to look pregnant!

So instead of my closet transitioning from summer to winter clothes, it’s going from normal to maternity. It kind of makes me want to raise my glass of sparkling cider and say, “Here’s to you, maternity clothes! And a comfortable season to come!”