Miracle Tool or Torture Device? You Decide

Since I've been too cheap to buy maternity clothes, and am still not filling out some of the ones I borrowed that'll be better in a couple months when I am beach ball esque, I am finding myself STILL dressing in bigger sized regular clothes, aided by my Bella Band.

Which has been great, saving me tons of money, and letting my regular clothes still (more or less) fit me.

But which lately has also come to feel like some type of sausage wrap, and guess who's the sausage.

Right now I am just THINKING about getting dressed and my stomach hurts. It certainly does keep your pants up. But it also pushed your innards - and probably, baby - into your back and/or rib cage.

It's clearly meant for that little poochy preggo tummy you have at first - the one that might be too much pizza and beer that weekend, OR might be a 3 month fetus. Not a 5 month 1 lber like I have cooking now, finally.

Score TWO!

Thursday night brought not just a fun book club discussion at my house (read The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wallis, it's great), but a truckload more maternity clothes from my friend Karen.

I have already sported one snappy black and white flower print dress to work and received many compliments. And it's all free!

Which means I see another superfluous baby purchase in my future ...
Thanks, ladies-I-know-with-good-maternity-clothes network!

Now I just have to keep them all straight. Lisa and Karen, can't your mommies sew labels on the tags for me?

SCORE!

This weekend I went through a gigantic pile of maternity clothes from my friend Lisa. Getting them is a double bonus because (a) she has good taste and (b) I didn't have to buy them. Or pretend I bought them on sale to my husband.

And it ensures when I inevitably freak out from feeling huge, and buy something way overpriced one day this summer in a vain attempt to dress like an attractive female human ... I can feel less guilty. Cuz I got piles of clothes fo' FREE.

God love the mommy network.

Clothes Horse

Ha ha! Not that I feel like a horse (yet) but in anticipation of getting there soon, I bought my first two pieces of maternity clothing this week.

A black peasant style t-shirt from Target - and a pair of designer jeans that were SO not from Target.

The combined total is $120. I'd prefer not to give data on the split - but we all know Tarjay don't sell no $50 shirts so you can imagine the jeans were quite a splurge.

SOMEONE who shall rename nameless (but who might be a mommy to a daughter named Bridget) is to blame for making me even contemplate such high priced maternity wear as these jeans I purchased yesterday.

But really REALLY, don't judge until you try. They actually make me look good. They fit SO much better than any pair of jeans I had last time. They have this really thin, really soft and - if you don't mind it going up to your boobs - comfy.

But I will say - despite their physics-defying ability to make me look normal - even cute - in present condition ... they still get that saggy preggo butt - albeit to a less degree - 5 or 6 hours into wearing them.

I plan on washing them constantly and wearing them every night and weekend. Because I sure can't buy 2 pairs. AND, they will be the only expensive item I buy - no weddings coming up. AND, I don't plan to buy much new clothes at all. I am still hoping to borrow some, but also to hit resale shops.

To keep me honest - in the spirit of WW Points tracking - I will be logging purchases at right. Since half of you polled spent a few hundred bones and the other half might have hit four figures, I am figuring something in the middle seems appropriate - so I am aiming for $400.

Considering I'm wearing about 21% of that budget right now, that's an aggressive goal. But if I stick to clearance and sales ... use my Bella band to squeeze into normal clothes another month or two ... and swallow my pride to make use out of the now-too-big-but-probably-still-usable-clothes from Matthew's pregnancy ... I think I can do it.

And I really want to - because every dime I don't spend on maternity clothes can be pumped into (a) furniture for new house (b) cute baby crap I don't need but will be desperately trying to justify purchasing for #2 and (c) clothes for post-baby me when God willing, I lose this weight again next winter.