Pregnancy

Maternity jeans with an over-bump panel or an under-bump band:

the full panel rises over the bump and holds the jeans up without a belt, which counts most in the last months. The low band sits underneath and passes for ordinary trousers under a loose shirt, so plenty of women start with one and switch to the other. For an office in Costa del Este, tailored trousers with a low band look like normal work trousers under a blazer. Wrap dresses stretch across the whole pregnancy and, if they open at the front, carry on into the nursing months. The tulle or lace gown bought for a maternity photo session is usually worn once and comes back on the market close to new.

Nursing wear for the hospital bag:

private clinics hand expectant parents a list of what to pack for the stay, and front-opening pyjamas and nursing bras are on nearly every one. A nursing bra has a clip at the top of each cup that opens with one hand, and it is worth buying late, because cup size tends to change after the birth. The going-home outfit for the baby sits next door in baby clothing, and the bag packed for the clinic often stays in service as the diaper bag.

Pregnancy pillows, from a full U to a small wedge:

a U-shaped pillow runs down both sides of the body at once, so there is nothing to rearrange when you turn over, but it takes up half a double bed. A C-shape curls along the back and round the front and leaves room for a partner. A foam wedge tucks under the bump and is the one that travels to the in-laws’ for a weekend. After the birth the long pillows often end up on the sofa for feeds or next to the co-sleeper in the nursery. Belly bands are simpler still: a wide elastic panel that wraps under the bump and fastens with Velcro.

Maternity boutique prices against a few months of wear:

in a specialist maternity boutique, panel jeans run around $125 and a dress anywhere from $70 to $150, while mass-market basics cost far less and lose their shape sooner. What a used piece fetches depends on months rather than years: most have only been through the second half of one pregnancy, so denim and woven trousers come back with plenty of life left, while a jersey dress washed every week shows it at the seams. A photo-session gown worn for one afternoon keeps more of its price than any other maternity piece.

Testing the elastic on a second-hand maternity panel:

stretch the panel hard and let go. It should spring straight back; if it stays rippled or the fabric has gone thin and shiny, the elastic is finished and the jeans will be sliding down by lunchtime. Check the seam where panel meets denim, which takes the strain every time they are pulled on. A nursing bra is worth taking only unworn, with its tags; open and close each clip before you pay. A belly band is only as good as its Velcro: hooks clogged with fluff will not stay shut. Pillows flatten and clump, so ask whether the filling still springs back and whether the cover comes off to wash. Stretch-mark creams and oils are worth buying only sealed, with the date legible; an opened jar has no resale value.

A bundle of maternity clothes sorted by size:

most of it moves on together a few weeks after the birth, and a bundle listed with the pre-pregnancy size, the panel type and whether it is early or late-pregnancy wear goes faster than single pieces. Photograph each item flat with the panel stretched out, plus the inside label. Say whether things went through the dryer, since heat tires elastic fastest, and wash the pillow cover before you list it. A buyer coming from Vista Alegre near the end of her pregnancy will not want to try jeans on in a car park, so give the waist measurement with the panel relaxed and bring a tape measure to the handover.