My husband and I knew we would start trying to conceive in June 2011. So I could sort of justify the purchase. The truth is, I had a pretty awful wardrobe in my first pregnancy. It was an incoherent mishmash of clothes borrowed from friends, clothes bought on sale, and non-maternity clothes I tried to make fit well-past their expiration date. I did alright for the first 20 or 25 weeks, and then both my wardrobe... and my self-esteem... fell apart.
When I very gratefully returned to my non-maternity wardrobe after my son was born, I swore I would do better if we had a second child.
Knowing that I might be pregnant by late summer or early fall 2011, I started shopping sales as early as April and May. Totally premature, I know, but it had the following advantages...
- I am prepared this time, for whenever the first trimester bloating starts. In fact, I'm so much better prepared that gerry-rigging my clothes with craft tools (e.g., safety pins and rubber bands) may be wholly unnecessary this time.
- Shopping sales over time enabled me to spread out the expense. I didn't have to cram a multi-hundred-dollar expense into a one- or two-month clothing allowance.
- Because I could shop slowly, leisurely, I was never desperate to buy anything. I didn't have to cough up for an overpriced pair of work pants or a better-fitting bra. I know exactly what I'll need this time, and I could shop strategically for those things as time and budgets permitted.
- I was able to take advantage of spring and summer inventories, rather than having to choose my clothing from within one season.
This all might make it sound like I have a whole maternity wardrobe ready to go. I really don't. But I did nail down some key items (like dress pants) at good prices and -- this time -- in the right sizes and styles. Unlike many second-time moms, I don't have the comfort of a tried-and-true wardrobe.
Picture 1 is me on a good day (20 weeks). Picture 2 is me on a not good day (38 weeks, 6 days).
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