Getting ready for the arrival of twin babies is an incredibly exciting and joyful time. Maternity clothes are going to play a big role in your twin pregnancy. But shopping for them can pose a dilemma because you don’t want to be wasteful. You don’t want to buy a bunch of outfits in advance only to find out they aren’t going to fit later on. Even if you come across a great sale, there are a few reasons why it’s best not to buy a lot of maternity clothes right away. Moms of multiples do have some maternity clothes recommendations, which I’ll share below as well.
Reason number 1: No two pregnancies are the same.
You don’t know how your body is going to develop or how fast it is going to grow during a twin pregnancy. Just because you may have gained a lot of weight with your first pregnancy does not mean that you will gain as much with this one. It may seem like a good idea to buy a size up because it should fit, but you may be surprised at how fast you will grow. It is best not to buy the next size until you are close to needing it and know it will fit.
Reason number 2: Every woman develops at her own rate.
You simply can’t predict what your pregnancy is going to be like based on the experiences of someone else. There is no ‘normal’ when it comes to pregnancy. My twin pregnancy story was different from that of other women I know. Some women have to be put on bed rest early on while others maintain a busy lifestyle right up until their babies are born. Doctors and scientists can come up with some good mathematical averages, but each woman will still experience a growth rate different from the next.
Reason number 3: Your comfort level is very likely to change the farther along you are in your twin pregnancy.
What feels comfortable in the beginning may not be comfortable by the end of your pregnancy. If your babies are growing straight out in front, the pants that you thought would last you for three trimesters might be causing you to itch like crazy as the skin on your belly stretches. Or you may find that as your belly grows, your dresses will start to pull up pretty high in the front. Dresses that began at a nice knee length will be showing off your thighs and more the closer you get to the end of your pregnancy. If you plan to buy in advance, maxi dresses are probably the safest bet.
I’ve spoken with my fellow twin moms about their maternity clothing and noticed similarities in what other moms experienced. For one, carrying twins makes your belly grow – BIG! It’s ok if the only thing that fits you in the maternity section are the plus size outfits, even if you weren’t a plus size before. Another complication that twin moms experience is, because your belly is so big, the average maternity shirt won’t fully cover you in front. And pants can be very uncomfortable. Towards the end of your pregnancy, you may want to get creative about wearing dresses. If you’re pregnant during the winter, use layers to keep warm. Personally, I couldn’t see spending piles of money on clothes that wouldn’t fit in a few months, so I shopped at thrift stores for maxi dresses and long cotton dresses. These were great because I ended up wearing them long after the babies were born too!
Maternity clothes shopping can almost be a gamble because it’s hard to know when advance what your body is going to look like 4 or 5 months from now. Don’t get too caught up in shopping for maternity clothes. It’s best to think twice before loading up your shopping bag since you have no idea how your twin pregnancy is going to go. Take clothes shopping slowly, buying only a little bit at a time. This way you can be sure to get the best value for your money.