It sounds crazy to be shopping for maternity wear when I’m just over two weeks pregnant, but the combination of the hormones and the mandate to stay inactive until further notice has caused my belly to look more like I’m approaching the end of my first trimester. Some of my pants no longer fit comfortably, so I decided that it was time to take the plunge and buy a few articles of maternity wear.

Joyce and I went to Motherhood at the Waikele Premium Outlets on Saturday. Since Mars suggested the Bella Band, I decided to see if I could find that to prolong my ability to wear my pre-pregnancy wardrobe.

Motherhood has their own version of the Bella Band ($25.88 USD) called the Tummy Sleeve ($16.98 USD). The Bella Band comes in 4 sizes, but the Tummy Sleeve is one size fits all. I am curious to see if there are significant differences between the two products. After all, it’s basically a tube top that you fit around your waist, so you can leave your pants unbuttoned (and unzipped, if necessary) and the band keeps everything smooth and in place. The Ingrid & Isabel website has all the info on how to use this simple, yet nifty accessory and the cute story about how the Bella Band idea came to be.

Walking into a maternity store for the first time is a little daunting at first. The sizes went from S-3X, instead of the usual numbered sizes. I tried on two pairs of pants and decided to pick up one pair of black dress pants, size M. When I tried it on, it looked pretty nice — like they weren’t even made for maternity wear. However, I washed them today and they’re hanging on the line next to my other work slacks and they look strangely like parachute pants from the 80′s. I hope after I iron them, that they look a little less billowy. But heck, they sure are comfy — and I have a feeling that in the coming months, that’s all that will matter.

[tags]maternity wear, Motherhood Maternity, Tummy Sleeve, Bella Band, pregnancy[/tags]