How to Choose the Correct Size for a Maternity T-shirt

You have the heart-warming glow of pregnancy on your face, you’ve chosen out the crib set for the nursery, and have already started to scribble baby names on random sheets of paper. Congratulations! As a pregnant woman you will enjoy such life-affirming emotions as one aspect of the pregnancy. Of course, you also have to deal with less thrilling aspects like break-outs, swollen feet, and that moment when you realize that you can’t fit into your old jeans anymore.

How to Choose Maternity T-shirts for Appearance and Comfort

Never fear, ladies. There is a wide array of cute, elegant, and attractive maternity wear available. But you first need to shop for the basics. Having been through this process a number of times, I advise any first-time mother-to-be to arm herself with a variety of shirts, stretchy pants and a decent dress or two. The most basic piece of apparel has to be the maternity t-shirt.

Sadly, I’ve seen one gal too many wearing an oversized men’s undershirt, or tight fitting non-maternity clothes. Before you start to stretch the spandex of your current clothing, here are a few ideas of how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt.

What is a Good Fit?

When considering how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt you will need to remember that comfort is a pregnant woman’s number one priority. Yes, I know, you still want to look good and attractive, and you will. Just remember that this is not the time to think that beauty equals pain. On the contrary, your body is shifting and changing in new, and often unwelcome, ways (yes, even if this is your third pregnancy!) The whole point of maternity clothing is to make this time in your life more comfortable.

You want something that will drape loosely, while still displaying the pleasing curve of your bulging belly. Anything that clings or rides up is not a good fit. Most maternity t-shirts will run in small, medium, large and extra large. You will probably wear the same size in maternity clothes as in regular clothes. However, it does depend on how much weight you gain during your pregnancy and whether you carry it out front or all around.

Experienced moms will have some insight to this, although women often get bigger, faster with subsequent pregnancies. The only given is that you will get bigger before you get smaller! So a key factor in how to choose a maternity t-shirt is that bigger is better. Just make sure you are not wearing something so big that it looks like a moo-moo. Proper fit means being able to see the feminine curves of your body without looking like you’re being squeezed to death by the fabric.

How to Choose For a Good Fabric

When you think about how to choose the correct size for a maternity t-shirt, you will also want to consider the fabric. Different fabrics drape the body in different ways. Make sure that the maternity t-shirt you choose uses fabrics that are easy to care for and to move in. You’ve got nine months to plan for! So enjoy shopping around for your maternity t-shirts, and good luck.