You’re pregnant! If you recently found out, you’re likely not showing quite yet and won’t need to think about maternity clothes for a while. But soon, that little bump is going to tell the world that you’re going to be a mama! While it sounds fun to use this season as an excuse for a whole new wardrobe, babies are expensive, so I strongly urge you not to waste money on clothes you might only wear for 6 months. That’s why I’m here – to save you money and keep you stylish (and hopefully to photograph the journey!) With a few pregnancies under my belt myself, and having chatted with many new mamas, I can tell you from experience what you need in your maternity wardrobe.

You need in your maternity wardrobe: The Basic.

Let’s start with the foundation of your wardrobe. The basics. Every woman needs a few good solid go-to’s in their wardrobe. Depending on when your due date is and what seasons you’ll be going through while pregnant, these might look a bit different, but as a general rule, three or four solid colour, comfortable but classic tees, tanks or long sleeves are a necessity. Of course, at least one pair of jeans is a must in your maternity wardrobe. Personally, for all three of my pregnancies, I’ve had one pair of comfortable maternity blue jeans, one pair of black jeans and third classic pant.

If baby is due late in the summer or in fall, you’ll definitely want three or four pairs of shorts and a couple swimsuits or more, depending on how often you frequent the beach or the pool. If you’re more of a two piece person, skip the swimsuits as most of yours might fit just fine!

You’ll need some maternity cozies.

Depending on your lifestyle, you may need more or less “cozies”. A great pair of maternity leggings are a must, and I also highly recommend that you add some active wear to your maternity wardrobe for hikes and walks, prenatal yoga classes or runs. Don’t forget a couple pairs of pyjamas as well if you generally sleep in anything with a waistband. Of course, your mans old tees and a pair of loose shorts will do the trick.

I would also recommend a sweater that you can zip up over that belly, especially if you’ll be pregnant through fall or winter. And I would also recommend some loose fitting dresses if you’ll be carrying baby throughout the summer. It’s going to get hot, and airflow is definitely a priority at that point!

Your maternity wardrobe needs some “pretties”.

As much as we may want to, most of us unfortunately can’t live in basics and leggings. I definitely recommend a few nice blouses, a dress or even two depending on what events you may have on the horizon, and definitely a nice midi or maxi dress that emphasizes that bump for maternity photos! If you’ll be pregnant throughout summer, a nice kimono is great for a light layer on a warmer day, and can be worn after baby as well!

Find what you’ll need for baby in my Newborn Baby Checklist post!