I’m in need of a little rant about maternity clothes. First time around I didn’t really bother, I got a couple of pairs of trousers and some generic, non-maternity, stretchy tops and made do. Partly because finances were tight but also because I didn’t feel the need to buy anything special and saw it as a waste of money for clothes that would only be worn for a few months.

I’ve had a change of heart this time around though. I’ll be heavily pregnant right through winter this time, so I want to have clothes that don’t gape and that will keep me and the bump warm. So I bought some maternity jeans, a few tops (which I got in the Next sale in the summer and was thinking ahead!) and a maternity coat (fairly cheap on eBay). The bootcut jeans that I got are fab, if a little on the big side as Next do quite generous sizes, so I ordered a size smaller but they were too small. Sigh. Caught between sizes it seems. I also bought some skinny jeans to wear with my winter boots, but they only have an under-the-bump jersey band. My jeans from my first pregnancy had this type of band too and I really don’t get it. The band just rolls down and wedges itself under the bump. So what is the point exactly? (If anyone has an answer, do please leave a comment as I’d love to know) The jeans are also too big and fall down constantly. The bootcut ones, with an over-the-bump band, do slip down a little, but the band stays firmly over the bump so the jeans don’t fall down too badly.

So today I have been on a mission to find some skinny jeans or jeggings that have an over-the-bump band. Could I find any? No! I’ve searched all the high street shops and eBay. I’ve seen traditional leggings with a good bump band, but I’m so not a leggings gal. I wore them to death as a pre-teen, but as an adult woman with child-bearing hips I simply don’t have the legs or bum for them! I’m only just comfortable with the idea of skinny jeans or jeggings, much preferring bootcut style.

However, I did stumble upon one pair… the golden pair… a pair of jeggings/treggings, with an over-the-bump band, in a size “14/16”, right on the threshold of where I seem to be these days. The company that makes them is also incredibly ethical, they use exclusively European factories that are up to high ethical standards, use organic cotton, fair trade, and make nursing clothes too! Could it be possible that I have found the perfect garment from the perfect manufacturer?

Yes. I think it could. But do you know what happens when companies pay their workers and suppliers a fair price for their services and wares? The cost goes up. It goes up a lot. There is a reason why fair trade and organic produce carries a premium price tag and I have long advocated for such prices to become accepted as the norm, rather than extortion, as the common perception seems to be. It’s very hard to convince people of that though, when they are so accustomed to paying a fraction of what a product is really worth.

So, given how I feel, why is it so hard for me to click “Add to basket” on these trousers? Why do I splutter at that idea and say repeatedly to myself (and hubby!) that there is no way I can justify spending nearly £60 on one pair of jeans? The company, by the way, is Boob, and I think I may be in love with their clothes and their ethical standards. What is different about maternity clothes compared to food or other clothing? I think it centres on the brevity of their use. Maternity clothes are only required for a short period in the grand scheme of things and I’m a big advocate of making things last. There is one possible solution: I could probably sell them on after I’m finished with them, for a reasonable price if they are still in good condition.

I reckon there’s a great market for used maternity clothes. There are probably many women like me who are reluctant to spend much on them in the first place and a great many more who are happy to sell on when done. A quick eBay search indicates a huge selection available. But do they sell? How do women feel about owning pre-loved maternity clothes? (Answers on a postcard, please.) I’m happy to grab a bargain and extend the life of good quality clothes, on economical and ecological grounds. Sadly, these particular jeggings are not currently available on eBay, as far as I have been able to find.

I guess the point of my writing this post was to sort through my muddled feelings and come to a conclusion… I think I have managed that!