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A FIRST TIME MOTHER’S GUIDE TO PICKING THE RIGHT MATERNITY LEGGINGS

5 minute read

A FIRST TIME MOTHER’S GUIDE TO PICKING THE RIGHT MATERNITY LEGGINGS

As a first-time mother, you might be feeling overwhelmed with all the new information you need to learn about yourself, your changing body, and your soon-to-come baby. During pregnancy, you will be experiencing a lot of hormonal changes in your body - some of these changes will result in changes to appetite, exercise behaviours, and support and stability in your ligaments, especially around the pelvis. Relaxin (and other hormones) cause a softening of the ligaments of your pelvis (and to your ligaments body-wide to a lesser degree) and so getting the right support early, as well as staying active, can help stave off any unwanted discomfort. 

With so many options on the market and conflicting information on the internet, choosing the right leggings can be really confusing. Here’s a DL on the basics to help you choose the best fit for you and your bump.

WHAT ARE MATERNITY LEGGINGS? 

Simply put, maternity leggings are tights or leggings with a pregnancy-specific cut to accommodate your growing bump, and give it some support and love! Picking a well-designed pair means that you don’t have to keep on pulling them up or adjusting them regularly, having good coverage on your hips and butt, and providing both comfort and support all throughout your pregnancy journey. Leggings that are designed to be repurposed postpartum are also well worth investing in, as you want to purchase items that will be wardrobe staples, not with short life wear! At Lenny Rose Active, all of our maternity leggings and tights range are designed to be worn postpartum, with a high-but-comfortable waist, or worn rolled down for a medium-high waist and extra firm support for your recovering belly. Check out our most popular maternity compression leggings and postpartum compression shorts.

WHY BUY MATERNITY LEGGINGS VS NORMAL LEGGINGS?

MANY. REASONS. Where to start! COMFORT IS KING in pregnancy - and so once you move beyond early stages of pregnancy, investing in quality and lasting maternity leggings will be imperative for comfort (and style, of course!) along your pregnancy journey. You want coverage (which you won’t get with a standard legging), breathability, right and targeted support for pain relief, comfortable compression for varicose vein relief and prevention, and quality material that will last and be squat proof on your cute preggy butt - these are essential features that are usually not present in your standard leggings.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR MATERNITY LEGGINGS SIZE CORRECTLY

Most maternity sizing takes into consideration a maternity cut on your standard sizing, and so you should be looking at your usual sizing when purchasing. It is VERY common to gain a fair amount of weight, and so a lot of women for this reason will want to size up by 1-2 sizes, but if you are following an average weight gain of 12-13kg (note we said average, not normal – everyone is very different and for some this won’t be enough to support a healthy pregnancy, so they will gain more, and for some, they may be instructed to keep their weight gain lower, for their own and babies health reasons) then you will likely fit in your usual, pre-pregnant size. See our size guides here or you can check out our video references to guide you through to get the perfect fit!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN MATERNITY TIGHTS?

Material

Quality! Soft peachy hand feel (as we said, COMFORT IS KING) with a stretch factor (cotton-elastane blend), breathable, and obviously a pattern that suits your look! We opt for a timeless, elegant, and monochrome palette at Lenny Rose, as we want your maternity activewear to last the whole pregnancy to motherhood journey.

Style

A super high waist allows coverage, support, and freedom of movement with minimal seams for max comfort and low front seams to avoid discomfort around the hips and make room for your burgeoning belly, as well as to steer clear of the scar area in the event you have a c-section - you still want to wear these babies all the way through your recovery in comfort.

Sleep & Night Use

We recommend more loose fitting attire for overnight wear to allow for blood to flow, for your skin to breathe more, and to avoid overheating - feeling hot and bothered is expected during pregnancy! For moderate-severe back pain though, a support garment may be recommended by your healthcare provider for overnight wear.

Multi-purpose

Go for a pair of maternity tights suitable throughout all trimesters (and after) that you can definitely wear for casual to corporate, as maternity activewear, or basically just for lounging around your home, like our Eco Magic Maternity Leggings

WHEN TO BUY MATERNITY LEGGINGS?

The best time to invest in a quality pair of maternity leggings is at the early-mid stages of the second trimester, or as soon as you start to see your bump appear. Well-designed maternity leggings will see you through from start to end (and beyond!) 

And for more guides on how to pick the perfect maternity wear for you, read our other guides here:

  • A Guide to Buying the Best Maternity Activewear
  • A First Time Mother’s Guide to Buying Maternity Tops
  • A First Time Mother’s Guide to Buying Maternity Bottoms
  • A First Time Mother’s Guide to Picking the Right Maternity Nursing Bra

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