2020 has arrived and you might be expecting your first child this year – congratulations! As a first time mom, you might be completely overwhelmed, not only by the physical side of the pregnancy and how to prepare for the babies’ arrival but also what you would need to buy. That’s why we have put together this post, in hope that it helps you in some of the purchasing decisions you will need to make and also give you some shopping tips. Let’s start with you, the future mama and help you dress your bump! The most important thing is to feel good, look beautiful and stay true to your style. 

If you are new to this and absolutely don’t know where to start, we recommend you buy “the Bump Kit” from a brand called Seraphine (https://www.seraphine.com/). The Kit includes 4 essential pieces that you can combine together or with your regular clothes. The kit includes a dress, skirt, leggings and a T-shirt, all of which come inside a canvas bag.

Besides that, one of the first things you will need to invest in when you get pregnant is pregnancy trousers or jeans, probably around 4th-5th month of your pregnancy. A favourite go-to brand of mine for jeans is H&M and their over the bump jeans. They come in several colours.

Another pair of trousers we love are from Seraphine, they are the faux leather panel leggings.

What you might not know now, is that you will probably still wear the pregnancy trousers a few more months after giving birth, until you get back to your regular weight again. I still wear the leather leggings as normal trousers, because they are under the bump and I just love their look.

The Bump Kit and several pairs of pregnancy trousers will probably get you to about the 7th month of pregnancy. I was able to still wear a lot of my regular clothes at that stage. I worked in a corporate environment, where I was wearing a lot of my regular dresses, which were A shaped. I pulled my midi skirts over the bump and wore suit jackets and shirts with the pregnancy trousers. 

Before you even see the bump growing, you might realise that you will need to change your bra. Most of the brands that carry pregnancy clothes also offer lingerie. To give you an example of a brand that is purely lingerie, Anita (anita.com) is a favourite. They offer pregnancy underwear, swimwear, breastfeeding bras and also postpartum shape wear, which supports the regeneration of your body. What you might not know is that you will even need to wear a bra at night when breastfeeding, which should be more “sporty”. You can either get some seamless breastfeeding bras for at night, or what we prefer is a night gown with an altered upper part, designed for breastfeeding. It will also come in handy at the hospital. Wearing the right bra is very important, because once it’s down; it will never get up again! Don’t be afraid to invest, because you will be wearing it as long as you are breastfeeding. I recommend getting at least 2 colours, black and nude. Also wear briefs without a waist band. Depending on the season and your location, you also might need to buy pregnancy tights. Again, buy 2 colours, nude and black. You can also find a few examples on Seraphine.

Finding casual pregnancy clothes is quite easy, but if you are looking for something more work appropriate or evening wear, it might be harder to find. Around the 8th month of my pregnancy, I wasn’t able to wear any of my usual evening dresses anymore. It was winter, so I also couldn’t just go out and buy a bigger size summer dress. I decided to buy an evening dress from Seraphine. The brand is very popular between celebrities and royals alike. They have a big selection of dresses – long, short, you name it. It is also a great brand to turn to if you are planning a pregnancy photoshoot or baby shower.

To be honest, Seraphine was my favourite go to brand. I also bought the changing bag there, which looks elegant and I used it for the hospital too. I can easily use it for traveling later as well. What I like is, that it doesn’t look like diaper bag at all. 

So to recap all of the above. At the very least, we would recommend you buy the following pieces: 

• 2 pairs of jeans – black and blue (or other colour you prefer)
• 1 pair of faux leather leggings or elegant trousers, depending on your lifestyle
• 1 elegant dress
• The “Bump Kit” or 4 items below
• 1 skirt
• 1 casual dress (wrap dresses are a great option)
• 1 pair of sporty leggings
• 1 casual t-shirt (or more if you cannot wear your usual T-shirts and sweaters)
• 2 elegant bras (black and nude), 1 sporty bra
• 2 night gowns with breastfeeding cups
• 2 pairs of tights (depending on the season)
• Flat shoes

Seraphine was very kind and offered a 15% discount code for the readers of this blog. T&C’s: Valid on your online order over 60€, until the 30/06/2020. Full price items only. Excluded delivery, gift vouchers, sales, promo. Enter code: JADRANA15 at the checkout. Valid on US, UK and EU websites.