Please rec your under belly maternity jeans

[Susie]

In my last pregnancy I literally never found a pair of jeans I liked.  It was kind of ok, because I was due in Nov, so I spent most of the summer/early fall not really needing long pants, and by the time it got cold I was big enough to get away with leggings.  But this time I am going to need jeans for 2nd tri into 3rd in winter to early spring.

Over-belly pants don't work for me, which eliminates so many.  I tried to like them in my last pregnancy (everyone loves them!), but they leave me with barely 1" between the top of the pants and my bra band, and it pinches when I sit.  So I tried a bunch of Old Navy side panel jeans, and they were all crazy huge.  I can try to size down, but they're so stretchy I'm not sure they'll stay up even in a smaller size.

I have a few pairs coming from Nordstrom, but I feel like I'm probably going to need to try a lot to find my unicorn.  Does anyone have any recs?

[scm1011]

Following. Dressing for a November pregnancy was so much easier. I lived in dresses until September and then switched to leggings like you mentioned.

[pooh8402]

No recs because I hate under the belly jeans. They roll up under my belly and put more pressure on my bladder.

[pinkalicious]

Susie, I can't recommend based off personal use, as this is my first pregnancy. However, I used to work at Motherhood, and they do have some under belly jeans. When we had clients with the issue you had, we always suggested folding the full panel down so that it doesn't go up so high on your torso.

[Mrs.flang]

Nov 9, 2018 10:55:48 GMT -5 Susie said:

but they leave me with barely 1" between the top of the pants and my bra band, and it pinches when I sit. 

How are they supposed to fit?  I only have one pair of maternity jeans and they are over the belly and I have about 2 inches between the top and my bra band, but I feel like I'm constantly trying to pull them up higher.  Having the band fall mid-belly seems like it'd be uncomfortable.  

I'm no help really because I am so super cheap about maternity clothes that I only bought this one pair during my last pregnancy and didn't even try on any others.  They are from old navy.

[Susie]

Mrs.flang, since I can't wear them comfortably I'm clearly the wrong person to ask. It just really really bothers me having multiple bands really close to the same spot, but not exactly so I get the pinching. And why drive myself crazy trying, since there are under belly/side panel alternatives out there.

[pandorica]

I'm probably not helpful since I like my ON side panel jeans (their jeans in general are what I usually wear, pregnant or not).

I do have a pair of skinny side panel jeans from Target that I like even more than the ON ones. I'm 20 weeks and have been wearing them since about 15 weeks, and I find them so comfy.

I was considering asking for over the belly jean recs, but now I'm not sure after this thread haha
Are side panel jeans comfortable for the whole pregnancy? A friend told me no, but also told me the over the belly ones are annoying and fall down, so I'm not sure what the right answer is!

[Mrs.flang]

pandorica , I've never tried the side panel ones because they seem like they wouldn't stretch enough to get you through the whole time. But I AM constantly pulling at my over the belly ones. Just another thing to make pregnancy super uncomfortable and annoying.

[hamster]

I believe I had a pair of under belly from Target but ultimately returned them because I prefer over belly. But I did fold down the band halfway on pretty much everything.

[pooh8402]

pandorica, I think over the belly is more comfortable. For one thing, I don't feel like my belly is falling out of my jeans. When I wear under the belly jeans, I can feel the breeze on my belly, lol. With over the belly pants, I feel like it's contained. I like the band as high up as it goes (touching my bra if possible) because I feel like it gives more support (although I know intellectually that it doesn't).

It really is personal preference.

[babybuffalo]

I also hate over the belly panel pants! I thought I was the only one!

Target has a pair called “postpartum” jeans that I have managed to make work all pregnancy, and I am 34 weeks. They have a thick elastic band that goes under the belly.
Link: www.target.com/p/maternity-comfort-fit-post-pregnancy-jeans-isabel-maternity-by-ingrid-isabel-153-dark-wash/-/A-52308353?preselect=52203077#lnk=sametab

I have another pair from Target that has a “crossover” panel, which can be worn up and over your stomach, or you can fold it down and wear it as an under the belly. The panel kind of crosses in the back so it lays flat and isn’t a ton of extra fabric.

Bonus is that they’re less than $30, so you could give them a shot inexpensively.

[namasteak]

I love the Paige inset panel jeans - I think I have the sky high (or maybe sky line) skinny style.

I need to switch our sizes but the gap ones were good too.

[poppyseed]

Honestly, I hate maternity pants so much. I have some maternity leggings from Pink Blush that are ok, but otherwise I just wear a Bella Band over my pants to keep them up and call it a day. I’m still wearing regular jeans and work pants because I cannot find anything I like enough to buy :/

[centralsquare]

Paige Verdugo.

I got a pair for $80 at Nordstrom Rack online in 1st trimester. They are still super comfy at 36w

The Madwell pair I got stopped being comfy in 2nd trimester.

[clairebear]

So I found a pair of LEI knit jean skinny pants at Walmart that were my absolute fav during my 3rd tri. They aren't maternity, but they are super stretchy and had a thick waistband. No zippers, they just pull on. They were in the junior's section. This is very similar: www.walmart.com/ip/L-E-I-Juniors-Luxe-Pull-On-Ankle-Jegging-Pants/54610928 

I hated the over the belly kind and preferred the under kind. However I am a size 0 and stayed fairly small. But be open to non maternity options! I feel like most of what I wore last time was not maternity. 

[kate1482]

I had two pairs of paige Verdugo (blue & black) I wore them through the third trimester and a few months afterwards. They were kind of expensive but worth it since that and my athleta maternity pants is all I wore.

[minionkevin]

I had underbelly ones from Gap that only worked for me until 28w. Over belly is where it’s at. I basically tucked the top under my bra to keep them up, and I still do this pregnant and not with my Jockey Skimmies to keep everything smoothed out, so clearly this is a preference/YMMV thing.

[namasteak]

Nov 10, 2018 16:28:59 GMT -5 kate1482 said:

I had two pairs of paige Verdugo (blue & black) I wore them through the third trimester and a few months afterwards. They were kind of expensive but worth it since that and my athleta maternity pants is all I wore.

Wait! Athleta has maternity pants?!?

[purplepenguin7]

I wore maternity jeans almost my entire pregnancy and tried just about every brand possible. I also couldn’t wear the under-belly ones because they didnt stay up on me, but my favorites that I tried on were from the Gap. They looked just like regular jeans and were well fitted. I also got a great deal during of their 50% off sales.

[kate1482]

Nov 10, 2018 21:38:50 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Nov 10, 2018 16:28:59 GMT -5 kate1482 said:

I had two pairs of paige Verdugo (blue & black) I wore them through the third trimester and a few months afterwards. They were kind of expensive but worth it since that and my athleta maternity pants is all I wore.

Wait! Athleta has maternity pants?!?

I don’t think they do anymore though. I bought 3 pairs on sale in 2016. They are high rise chaturanga. (panel folds down). My ds is 17 months old and I still wear they all the time They had maybe 4 different styles they made in maternity so check Ebay!

[sparty04]

I had a pair from gap that I liked, but the rest of the brands that I tried wouldn’t stay up after I got to a certain point. Maybe try a brand that has a looser panel band? I also hated the punching but it was better when the band wasn’t so restricting. I mostly wore gap full panel but I bought a few indigo blue secondhand and the band was really stretchy

[oceanstbride]

Nov 10, 2018 21:38:50 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Nov 10, 2018 16:28:59 GMT -5 kate1482 said:

I had two pairs of paige Verdugo (blue & black) I wore them through the third trimester and a few months afterwards. They were kind of expensive but worth it since that and my athleta maternity pants is all I wore.

Wait! Athleta has maternity pants?!?

I had this same thought!

Also FYI to those shopping - Nordstrom Rack has a bunch of Paige maternity jeans for half off right now. I ordered 2 different styles in 2 sizes hoping for some success.

[Susie]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will check them all out (and probably try them all on).

Also for those who suggested some pull-on non-maternity pant options, yes -- I can share another rec along those lines.  I bought a pair of Jag pull on cords (Nora or Peri style?) for postpartum wear after #1 a couple years ago, and they have been one of my favorite pants to wear during first tri this time.  I'm wearing them today, we'll see how long they last me.  They are petite, but not maternity.

[Susie]

centralsquare ,kate1482 , thank you for the suggestion.  I finally got the Paige Verdugos over Thanksgiving that I ordered from Nordstrom Rack, and they are perfect.  I also kept a pair of Sevens that I ordered from Rack, that came sooner.  I don't like them nearly as much as the Paiges, but they were like $30, here before TG, and good enough.  Yay for having jeans again.

A final sale UD palette also fell into my Rack cart while I was jeans shopping.  Oops?  That always fits!

[pinkpeony08]

Susie are they true to size? I may splurge on those jeans in the next few weeks. I actually was at Nordstrom rack looking at shoes over the weekend and tried on the regular jeans to figure out size and want to be sure it’s the same.

[Susie]

Nov 27, 2018 13:56:23 GMT -5 pinkpeony08 said:

Susie are they true to size? I may splurge on those jeans in the next few weeks. I actually was at Nordstrom rack looking at shoes over the weekend and tried on the regular jeans to figure out size and want to be sure it’s the same.

I would say so.  Pre-pregnancy I wore an 8 short from ON.  I ordered in 29 and 30, and could have gone either way.  Ultimately I kept the 30 in hopes of them making it to/through 3rd tri.

[pinkpeony08]

Thanks! I felt the same way between two sizes and thought the bigger would be the way to go given I historically gain weight in my butt and thighs. Let us know if they stretch out/fall down after wearing them for a day.

[pinkpeony08]

Susie I just bought some on eBay for cheap, if they don't fit, I will just resell them.

[Susie]

Nov 27, 2018 14:01:31 GMT -5 pinkpeony08 said:

Thanks! I felt the same way between two sizes and thought the bigger would be the way to go given I historically gain weight in my butt and thighs. Let us know if they stretch out/fall down after wearing them for a day.

I wore them to work on Friday (had to wait for a casual day to report) and I give 2 thumbs up.

[pinkpeony08]

Susie thanks. I found out this AM that I had my 4th missed miscarriage in a row at 13.5 weeks. Of course they came in the mail today.