A discussion during lunch time that always goes like this;
Skinny One – “God! I have eaten SO much! I am SO fat!”
Healthy One – “Come-on! Tu toh kuch bol hi mat! Look at these tyres man!”
Plump One – “God! Do we have to talk about this EVERYDAY! Just let me eat!”
I of course fall in the third category and get sick of people with great bodies trying to say how they have put on 350mg. I mean, with their weight maybe IT IS a big deal, but when your own weight gain is counted in kilos, you really can’t be sympathetic to a few milligrams here and there!
I have never been skinny and there have been moments of anguish that I have been through seeing XS but not XL in those really smart clothes being sold everywhere. Or the XLs today being as big as Ms of few years ago. If everyone around me seems to be shrinking, why am I NOT a part of the revolution?!
Then one fine day I realize I am pregnant! We are ecstatic to say the least. There is lot of congratulations and jubilations floating around and you are basking in all the love and pampering you are getting.
Next time you hear the lunch time weighty discussion, you just go Bah! The way shaadi is a license to mate, pregnancy is the license to gain weight!(Sorry for that bad rhyme!;)
Of course the euphoria is short lived when you realize you are growing out of your wardrobe quicker than you can say that Bah! Especially when you aren’t the skinny type in the first place. Now they are the lucky ones! They look the same almost till the end with just a cute l’il bump showing!
Soon you are hunting in your wardrobe for that “loosish” kurta or a pair of trousers! Raiding husbands cupboards for oversized shirts that DON’T make YOU look like the complete man. You look at yourself in the mirror everyday and wonder” When will I start looking obviously pregnant, rather than a woman with horrible paunch?”
I heard about this miraculous garment called maternity jeans which promised to stretch as far as you would go! I started pestering Mayunk to get them, but never got around to it. Finally, when he went to Philipines, he picked up a really smart pair of denim capris with elastic that promises to stretch to 43 inches. As of now I am living in those denims. They are ultra comfortable and let you look fat yet Hip!
Frankly the days when pregnancy meant dowdy salwaar kameezes and gowns are going away for good! As a mom-to-be you can look as smart and feel as good with a range of maternity clothes now available that suit your taste and style.
Be Comfortable
That’s mantra No.1. It’s extremely important that you dress in clothes that are comfortable for you. Avoid tight clothes, since the way you breathe makes a difference to the baby too! If it’s a salwaar kameez that makes you feel the best, go for it. Apart from this your underwear is very important. Give in to your growing size and get those accordingly. Don’t be stringy in this case ever.
Wear a good pair of footwear
Heels look great and no one can question that. But last thing you need is twisting your ankle and falling down. Plus increase in your weight and relaxing of the pelvic area is already putting a lot of pressure on your back and heels may only make it worse. Use a smart pair of flats that lets you balance well just for these days at least.
Where to buy maternity wear?
Frankly India is still to have the funda of maternity clothes in a big way. So there might be a couple of specialty stores that cater to these precious months(Studio Mom in Bangalore). Shoppers Stop stocks international brand Mother Care who have great stuff like trousers, skirts, dungarees and tops. They are quite expensive, but you might just have a sale around the time and get lucky the way I did. Got a beautiful pair of trousers at just 1200 bucks which I can wear after delivery also. Apart from that Westside too has started To Be Moms section which I have not checked out, but intend to soon. Apart from that Westisde Mix n Match kurti section is a great idea. A XL or XXL there should last you for quite some time and they are not too heavy on your pocket either between 400-600bucks each! So if you invest around 2 – 2.5k in a pair of denims and few of these kurtis n tops, you are set! Those oversized shirts your hubby owns also look cute with denims!:)
By the end of my term now, I have found out a l’il more that I want to share with you! Westside maternity wear section is really limited but VERY practical! The regular stretch pajamas make the most comfortable wear. They have REALLY cute message maternity tees that you will end up buying if you see them. They are slightly expensive, but quite worth it. Avoid machine dry for those PJs very often.
Fabindia has a lovely maternity wear section that is an absolutely must check out! You will find brightly hued PJs and capris that are to die for even post pregnancy! At around 300 bucks a piece they are a worthy investment. Other than that their angarkha style tie-up tops are really comfy and look classy to wear at work as well as do the wide at hips shirts. None of these go beyond 350bucks.
When to buy?
Ideally most women start not fitting into their clothes between 4th – 5th months. So it makes sense to wait for sometime rather than rush n buy stuff as soon as you come to know and realize that it doesn’t fit you in next coupla months. After all you don’t want to splurge too much on a short term investment, unless you don’t hope to get back into shape too soon! Apart from that, all those dress materials that you have been gifted which you wouldn’t dream of wearing regularly, make use of them during this time. They save you money of buying cloth and you get an excuse to make them use and throw.
Apart from all these things, just ENJOY your pregnancy! Eat well and stay healthy! Get pampered and take all the compliments for that lovely glow you have now.
It is YOU time before your baby becomes the centre of your and other people’s universe.
Make the most of it!:)
PS. Suggestions from other moms and moms to be and dads ho have been involved desperately awaited!
PPS. There was a point when my widening girth made me think I would have to resort to wearing bedhseets! thats why the title!