maternity clothes, maternity wear, plus size maternity clothes

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A guide to breastfeeding in style. - August 08, 2003
Chic expectations. - August 27, 2001
Finally! Maternity clothes go chic. - July 24, 2000
Motherhood store born from desire for choices. - November 09, 2000

How to take care of your child’s breastfeeding needs
without losing yourself in the process:

A Guide to Breastfeed in Style.

Melissa, a 34-year-old executive from Manhattan, once asked me how a woman who had always paid a lot of attention to her image could attend to the nursing needs of her baby without losing her sense of style and personality in the process. That question stood in my mind then like one of those bubble gums you used to find at school underneath your student desk. Back then, nursing in public meant either running to the next available bathroom you could find and hide with your baby until she was finished nursing and you could finally breathe, or wearing one of those out-of-style, oversized t-shirts that do nothing but to make you cry out of pity for yourself. Nowadays, styles have changed, and the addition of wonderful man-made fibers, such as Lycra® or Spandex® (as it is also known), has become a tremendous help for stylish breastfeeding moms. Those days when moms resented nursing in public because they could never look “normal” are over. Moms don’t need to suffer any longer. Now they can look stylish and feel comfortable while addressing their babies’ nursing needs.

The 5 pieces of clothes you cannot live without:

There are five basic pieces that go a long way in any breastfeeding mom’s wardrobe.

A black linen nursing dress. This is a great classic dress no woman can live without. Black is always fashionable, and linen, or better yet, stretch linen can add shape, comfort and breathe ability to satisfy the stylish woman as well as the mom in you. We all know how much we need clothes that breathe with us, especially during those first few months when our mommy-hormones are at their peak. The elasticity and comfort of stretch linen can make any mommy feel sexy.

A nursing pant suit, a must-have for almost every occasion. You can get wonderful sets of tops, blouses or tunics with their matching pants. This type of outfit is as versatile as it gets. You can wear both pieces together as they are, add a jacket to make it more formal, or combine the top with jeans, a skirt or just about anything to achieve almost any style you can think of. You can get sets in cotton, rayon or stretch linen. Ah, what a wonderful idea!

A cotton/Spandex® top, this is the IT piece for everyone. Whether you are a stay-at-home-mom or a corporate executive on Wall Street, this would be the piece you could not forget to wear. The combination of these two fibers creates the perfect marriage. Cotton makes it comfortable, breathable and affordable; Spandex® makes it stylish, adds more comfort and gives you that sexy look to die for.

And finally, two pairs of nursing bras, of course! And you thought I would forget the bras? No woman can have only one bra, so why should the nursing mom be the exception. At least, you would need a white or beige (commonly called “ecru”) and a black nursing bra. As you already know, we need one that can be worn with almost any light-colored outfit and one that should be worn with dark-colored ones. Bras should fit comfortably, snug, never tight. If you have problems finding the proper nursing bra size for you, you can always consult a lactation consultant who can measure you and advice you on the best shape and style that suits your needs and likes.

Now mommies can feel like that sexy goddess they thought they left hiding in the closet and nurse in comfort and style. And, remember, what you wear today will haunt you for ever.

Copyright© Contributed by Frances Pflaumer, founder, president and chief designer of Mamámoda, Sophisticated Breastfeeding Wear (www.mamamoda.com )

Chic expectations.
By Jeff Levick.
Printed with permission from JNC.

Moms-to-be are showing off their figures in Euro-style form-fitting ensembles. Say good-bye to tent-like dresses; maternity clothing now takes its cues from high-fashion runways. Wearing maternity apparel that looks like it came off a runaway in Milan, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elizabeth Shue and Cindy Crawford and other recently pregnant celebrities have helped changed the face of maternity clothing.

Gone are the days of "tent-like" styles, says Julia Blumin, owner of Expecting in Style maternity clothing store in Landerwood Plaza. "So many models and celebrities are showing off their figures, it's no longer an embarrassment to be pregnant in public," says Blumin. "People don't mind showing off pregnant bodies anymore." Maternity clothing is now tighter and form fitting, notes Blumin. New "Euro-style" clothing does away with confining "maternity panels," which extend from below the belly to just under the chest. Most manufacturers use Lycra and Lycra/cotton blends to create comfortable, yet breathable, apparel that accommodates the changing physical needs of the expectant mother. Not only are clothes functional, they're also stylish, says Blumin.

This season's maternity wear mimics some of the hottest trends seen on runways around the world. Pucci prints, tube tops and rhinestone jeans are all popular choices for the mom-to-be. The biggest trends now, says Blumin, are cut-out tops and matching hat and belt ensembles. With more pregnant women in the workplace, the clothing has become more functional, adds Blumin, noting that women can wear specially designed skirts and suits to the office. "Nowadays, you can't tell the difference between maternity clothes and non-maternity clothes."

Finally! Maternity clothes go chic.

Pregnant women, rejoice! The long-ignored maternity market is getting a much-needed makeover. This is not a dream or a fairy tale; some of the nation's top designers and retail chains have finally figured out that moms-to-be want trendy maternity apparel to wear during the long pregnancy months. It is no longer necessary (unless this is your style) to wear tent dresses and oversized T-shirts with a giant "BABY" pointing to your expanding belly.

"Being elegant and pregnant should be synonymous."

"Some 4 million women in the United States give birth each year, and while most don't want to buy a brand-new maternity wardrobe, they would like staple items such as pants and shirts, and maybe even dresses and suits that they can wear as they grow bigger." (Courtesy of CNN)

Until recently, besides having a very poor selection of maternity apparel available, expectant mothers had to put up with paying higher prices for poor quality maternity apparel.
"This was a niche market that was completely under addressed, which is so surprising because there was such huge demand. New women get pregnant everyday," said Cindy Weber Cleary, fashion new director at InStyle Magazine.

"Women don't want to compromise their styles just because they are pregnant."

Now a days, you can find fashionable and moderately priced maternity clothing, on the web and in the new retailers that are entering this every growing market.

Instead of oversized shirts that hide a woman's expanding figure, clothing is trendy and fits the body much more closely. Halters, tube tops and tight leather pants are a common fixture at maternity shops. Maternity stores are filled with the same styles and fabrics found in department stores: lace pants, capri's with beading around the legs, the current animal frenzy, is being seen from maternity bottoms to tops, even the diaper bags have been redesigned and reinvented, to compliment any mommy-on-the-go.

"Maternity clothes are finally being designed with the current none maternity fashions, in mind."

"While the mainstream market is expanding fast, there is even bigger growth in the high-end business. There are many stores catering to pregnant women who are willing to spend $500 on an evening gown and $300 on pants. Their clientele includes the fashion-savvy and urban professionals who aren't willing to compromise their style because they are pregnant". (Courtesy of CNN). Women are willing to pay steeper prices because of the high quality and sophisticated look that new maternity wear designers are offering.

At Maternity Clothing and Fashions, you will find oversized dressing rooms, bottled water and cookies always available, for the pregnant women who always get munchies. There are comfortable chairs for both moms and dads-to-be to rest and a place for them to read the current events.

Shopping at Maternity Clothing and Fashions is defiantly a pleasurable experience.

Motherhood store born from desire for choices.

Finding hip maternity clothes to match her personal style was "mission impossible" for Julia Blumin of Solon. "I’m naturally a very funky person," says the exuberant 28-year-old mother. "I’m into leather, ultra suede, and I just couldn’t find anything."

Her frustrations led to a new mission: co-ownership of Expecting in Style, a new motherhood boutique in Pepper Pike that specializes in designer maternity clothing commonly found on the Internet.

The boutique carries designers not commonly found in local maternity stores.

They include fashions by:

L’Attesa, makers of stylish European-inspired clothing;
Japanese Weekend, a popular line on the West Coast that specializes in casual, classic and contemporary maternity wear;
Duet Designs, a Montreal company known for its fashionable maternity suits;
and Mommy Chic, which caters to petite women and commonly features detailed embroidery and beadwork.

Good customer response has been so favorable that even nonpregnant women are shopping in their store, says Blumin. Grabbing a pair of black cigarette maternity pants with hot pink embroidered flowers off a rack, she proudly states, "These pants I’ve sold to ladies who are not pregnant."

Among the boutique’s exclusive items are:

Gucci-inspired lace pants by L’Attesa, which feature nude lining with a black lace overlay and retail for $180.
The "OK Waistband" by Japanese Weekend is another clothing feature found only at Expecting in Style. The special wide waistband cradles the lower abdomen and expands as it does, while giving added support to the lower back.

"People love it,"

says Bederman, citing the maker’s trademark elastic.

The boutique also has cornered the local market on the "Mamacoat" ($189), a multipurpose microfiber polar fleece by Japanese Weekend made for both mom and baby. The sporty hooded jacket features a drawstring waist, which grows with the mother during her pregnancy. After delivery, a detachable zipper panel can be added to carry the baby in a cozy, fleece-lined sling.
Special needs Expecting in Style soon will be carrying specialized maternity wear for Jewish Orthodox mothers with strict clothing guidelines, according to Blumin. "We’ll be carrying long skirts and high jewel-neck blouses that cover the arms at least to the elbows," she says.

Unlike many maternity stores, Expecting in Style also provides tailoring services so customers can continue to wear their clothes after pregnancy. Depending on the garment, the tailoring service ranges from $40 to $70.

For Blumin, it’s all part of the mission:

Making the fashion decisions of new and expectant mothers a little more "possible" and little less frustrating.

As she describes it,

"It’s fashion worth getting pregnant for."

By Ginger Burnett - The Plain Dealer

Burnett is a free-lance writer in Lakewood.

Expecting in Style can be found on the internet at

http://www.Maternity-Clothing-Fashions.com.