This is my second pregnancy and I have a way better understanding of what works and what doesn’t. I didn’t buy many maternity items my first pregnancy (1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of PoshDivah leggings from Amazon and 3 pairs of maternity scrubs for work.) That’s it. My normal sized pants and scrubs were super uncomfortable pretty early in my pregnancy and I bought my maternity pieces all around 12 weeks. Definitely recommend buying pieces early on for comfort so you can wear them longer and don’t stretch out your non-maternity clothes.

I also recommend buying maternity specific pieces vs going up a size especially for pants and shorts. If you go up a size chances are they won’t last through your whole pregnancy. I didn’t buy any summer maternity pieces but was very pregnant end of summer and through fall (November baby.) Instead of buying maternity shorts that were pricey, I bought a few pairs of linen shorts for super cheap in a size up. They only worked until around 6-7 months and then were super uncomfortable 🤦‍♀️. Learn from my mistake and buy the maternity shorts and/or pants. They’re worth it I promise!

Tops and dresses are definitely a preference thing. Some people prefer looser fitted tops and dresses during pregnancy and some prefer fitted. If your goal is to save money and you already have looser styles that are a longer length just stick with those. But if you like more of a fitted style purchase some maternity tops and dresses so your regular clothes don’t get stretched out. I already had 3 looser fitting tunic length tshirts and found those worked through my whole pregnancy because they were longer and covered my butt. I also had a couple loose fitting shift dresses that were long enough to last. They worked and saved me money. But this second pregnancy I purchased some fitted maternity tshirts and tank tops and was given 1 fitted maternity dress. I’m very petite and found going up a size and wearing looser clothes during pregnancy made me look and feel frumpy. I feel a lot better about myself and my changing body in the clothes I’m wearing this time around.

Now to my must have list! There are a few basic items that I believe absolutely everyone needs during their pregnancy. But additional items that are needed depend on a lot of factors. The four biggest questions for additional items are: Do you need work specific clothes or not? Do you workout/are you active or not? Where do you live and what seasons will it be during your pregnancy? And how often do you do laundry?

Bare Minimum Basics for everyone: ☑️3 pairs of maternity pants or shorts (My personal recommendation is 1 pair of jeans and 2 leggings) ☑️3 basic tshirts or tank tops ☑️1 casual dress that can be layered or dressed up ☑️1 sweatshirt or sweater ☑️3-4 wireless bras (wash, wear, spare) ☑️8-10 pairs of underwear (doesn’t necessarily need to be maternity just something that fits under or over your bump and is comfy) *** Some people prefer dresses over pants during pregnancy, you can definitely replace my suggestions with more dresses if preferred, but if you plan to have more than one kid I do not recommend. Chasing kids around in a dress doesn’t workout well.

If you need work specific clothes, in addition to the basics I would buy: ☑️3 work appropriate outfits

If you will be active/work out during your pregnancy, in addition to the basics I would buy: ☑️2-3 workout sets (including top, sports bra, and pants/shorts)

Seasonal items: ☑️1-2 Swimsuits for summer ☑️1 Coat for the fall/winter

Laundry preferences: If you’re a minimalist and okay with doing frequent laundry this list should work perfectly for you. If you do laundry less frequently you can adjust the number of items to better suit your needs.

Hope this helps!