Maternity Coat: Yay or Nay?

I was super excited for the stretchy waistbands and ruched tops of pregnancy. I was ready to let it all hang out. I embraced my pregnant form and did my best to adorn it in the cutest pregnancy fashions.

But, thankfully, I was never pregnant during the dog days of summer. All of my babies were born in the late spring and I was able to avoid my giant belly being kissed by the sweltering sun. Having spring babies meant that I was pregnant during the dead of winter, and I was faced with the dilemma, “Do I buy a maternity coat or just wait it out?”

Rihanna recently announcer her pregnancy while wearing a delightfully bright pink puffer and the Internet went wild. Many fans thought that the coat’s hot hue indicates the singer is carrying a girl. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but the real question is: Is she going to be able to button that sucker for the rest of the winter?

Some people will swear that a maternity coat is a must have. After all, there is nothing worse than being uncomfortable when you’re pregnant, including being cold. There are plenty of companies that make maternity coats, but as we all know, maternity fashion can be pricey. Do you really have to buy an actual maternity coat to stay warm? For me, it was a no all four pregnancies.

Instead, it was simpler just to buy a less expensive coat, one that I knew I was only going to wear for the short term, a couple of sizes larger. I had one black coat that covered every occasion from October through March. Was it the prettiest thing in my wardrobe? No. Did it serve its purpose? Absolutely. The best part, it didn’t cost a fortune.

Of course, there are definitely some benefits to having a maternity coat. It’s designed with a mom’s growing body in mind. It’s tailored to fit your changing body and will grow along with you. Even with my bigger coat, I was still being smooshed in there by the end. For maternity ware, there are a ton of great options out there.

Whether you chose to spend the big bucks to stay warm during the winter or just size up to save some cash, comfort during pregnancy is key. Do what makes you feel the best.