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Expecting, but not Expecting the Cost of Maternity Wear?
It’s well known that babies are expensive. Well, actually, it is kids that are expensive. Babies have surprisingly low expectations of the world and don’t really notice all the fussing we do. It’s not until later that we end up with kids wanting certain kinds of clothing or toys, or asking to be signed up for expensive activities.
But something that people rarely mention is the expense that comes with simply finding out one is expecting! You break the news to close family and friends and make your first venture into a maternity store, only to suffer sticker shock at the prices. For clothing you may only wear for 6-8 months, it can seem very steep to suddenly be looking at $80 jeans, $150 coats, to say nothing of $200 special event wear.
It all can add up quickly, and some pieces you may only wear for a portion of your pregnancy. A special event dress may only be worn once or twice, and something seasonal like a winter coat or swimsuit may only be worn for a few months.
A great solution is to borrow some of what you need from friends or look at buying certain pieces used. Basics might be reasonable to buy new as you’ll wear them over and over, but certainly deals are easy to find on anything from tops and jeans, to dresses and outerwear.
Want proof? Memory tells us it’s easy to find maternity clothing items new in price ranges from $30 to over $100 per item. With a challenge in mind to look for value, we found these items on the UsedVictoria site as examples:
Maternity dress $10
Collection of formal maternity clothing collection $85
Useful Links
Want other examples? Have a look at these:
Casual maternity clothing collection $75
There may be items that you want to buy new, but it’s a great idea to do some browsing and see what is out there for selection and prices. The money you save could go toward much needed items for the nursery, or toward a pedicure or prenatal massage.
And of course, the second part of this plan is to sell your maternity wear once you are done with it. There may be another expectant mom doing her first shopping and having the same idea you did. Gather it all up once you no longer need it and list it on your local Used.ca site.
Did you buy any of your maternity clothing used? Borrow from friends?
Jen Taylor
Writer, editor, recovering chocoholic. Most often found writing, drinking coffee, and chasing kids. Find her on Twitter @littlemissmocha.
Tara
I’m 8 months pregnant with my 2nd child and the only time I’ve bought maternity clothes was when my mom gave me a gift card to a maternity store with my first. I didn’t keep any of the clothes and have made it this far without buying any this time by just shopping smart. I bought a belly band ($16 at Target) which allows me to keep wearing my “normal” jeans/pants, and I’ve bought a few shirts in my pre-prego size that are cut so they allow for an expanding belly, and some shirts and dresses that are really sretchy, including one of those dresses that can worn in 8 different styles. I’ve also bought a couple shirts that were on clearance (under $10) that were a few sizes bigger than I used to wear. So you don’t need to buy expensive maternity clothes, or even used clothes that may not look good/current, when if you look for the right style/fabric you can buy normal clothes that you’ll still enjoy after the baby.
Amber R Bosma
Agreed!