Happy Tuesday my dear friends!
I'm now 28 weeks (7mths) and I honestly can't believe how fast time is going. It's weird, sometimes I feel as though time is going by really fast, yet other times I feel like I have such a long way to go to meet Baby A. I think it just may be my excitement :)
I've shared with you my struggles in searching for a pair of maternity jeans for the past few weeks. I'm glad to report that I've finally found a pair, which were super affordable (under $40). It took just a couple of weeks ago for me to actually find them (I'll be styling and talking about them in an upcoming blog post) but before that, you know that I've been pretty much sticking to my all time favorite denim, all of which are non-maternity.
I've raved about New York & Company's Soho collection (specifically their skinny jean curve creators) enough for them to sponsor me, haha. Hey, I'm welcoming the opportunity with open arms ;) The stretch last been amazing and has enabled me to wear them throughout much of my pregnancy, but obviously they no longer button up. They stopped buttoning a looooong time ago and it was then that I was contemplating maternity jeans; I knew no other option. I mean, I tried the whole Pinterest hack for using a hair tie, but you could still see that my fly was open, not cute!
But, my bump wasn't large enough to fit into maternity jeans.
Thankfully a number of YOU suggested I give belly bands a try. You yourselves either tried them and loved them or knew someone who did. So, while shopping at Target one weekend I spotted them and decided to give them a try and I'm glad I did because they've been heaven sent. At first wearing them felt awkward because I, of course, have never worn anything that covered my stomach before and wrapped around my upper hip area. I also felt that they weren't doing the job because I foolishly tried to fit myself in high-waisted jeans. Though they fit perfectly everywhere else, I figured the belly band would help to conceal the button and zipper as it had with all my other pairs. Well, no. It felt SO uncomfortable and compressed the denim against my stomach which was really uncomfortable, so don't try wearing them with anything high waisted! I also tried wearing them with faux leather jeans, another foolish attempt because they obviously have no stretch and again, the compression made it uncomfortable. I learned that it wasn't the belly band that was at fault, it was just that I was being impractical. Hey, I'm a first time mama; I'm learning as I go, lol!
So to wrap this up, let me list why these belly bands are helpful in allowing you to continue wearing your beloved non-maternity jeans and save you some shekels, you're welcome! (Keep in mind I'm reviewing the ones by Ingrid & Isabel "BeMaternity").
- They are adjustable. You can position them under or over your belly. As your bump continues to grow, you can pull the fabric up and over your bump. There are a number of sizes to chose from, which go by pre-pregnancy measurements and sizes (small-x-large).
- They have a silicone strip that allows for the band to stay in place and over your crotch area, so you don't have to worry about your fly being exposed.
- There's three colors to choose from. I only purchased the black and nude, but I think I may get the white as well.
- The fabric and design doesn't scream Spanx or underwear when spotted, except the nude design, which is why I want to add the white. If the bottom becomes exposed a bit, it simply looks as though you have a tank layered under your shirt, which I like.
