Grab your purse, fix your ponytail, and hold your head up high. We're going shopping, and these are the four qualities you need to look for while you shop for your maternity activewear:

• Fabric designed for stretching and removing sweat away from your skin

• Supports your belly and back

• Designed to fit pregnant women

• Good breast ventilation and support

Buying Maternity clothes is tough

Shopping for maternity activewear isn't like shopping for non-maternity activewear - and it shouldn't be! 

Let's face it, your body probably isn't going to look or FEEL the same one month from now, so you need clothes that can adapt to what your body needs at each point during your pregnancy.

What will fit, what will flatter you, what will be comfortable and supportive? These are all questions that should be lingering in the back of your mind.

 

1. Fabric designed for stretching and removing sweat from your skin

If you are a sweaty mess after your not-so-intense workout (or your walk to work - let's be real), then you’re wearing the wrong kinds of fabrics. Specifically, look for fabrics that are moisture-wicking and breathable + non-chafing and smooth. You also want to avoid synthetic fibers because the moisture can't be absorbed by them. That means the sweat just kind of hangs out there, trapped between the fabric and your skin. EW. 

When designing our line, we found a nice ventilated-mesh fabric we LOVE that’s incorporated into our clothes. This makes sure you’re not a sweaty mess once you’re done with your workout, and provides the ultimate comfort and compression you need while pregnant.

2. Belly and back support

There's nothing more important than finding the right kind of belly support for your quickly growing bump and your achy back. During pregnancy, the weight of your pregnant belly pulls your center of gravity forward, putting a LOT of pressure on your round ligaments and back.

Gone are the days of bulky support belts that are hard to hide under your clothes and restrict your movement. No thank you! 

Look for styles that have a belly panel that covers the entire abdomen and grows with you, comes up high enough in the back to prevent your pants from falling down, and actually SUPPORTS you. (You think that's redundant, but many maternity lines have tight belly panels that end up doing nothing for your overworked ligaments.)

The Mumband® (shown above) built-into all of our clothing, provides the coverage of a belly panel and the strength of a support belt, all in one piece! 

3. Designed to fit pregnant women

Pregnancy gives you all kinds of new curves, not just the new large belly you're toting around. Shapelier thighs, a bubble butt, and larger breasts are just a few common changes we hear about from our moms. 

Look for seams in "all the right places," empire waist lines, bubble hems, and form-fitting (but not excessively tight) pieces. These will flatter your new figure much better than non-maternity clothes or your husband's sweats you might have been hanging out in until now.

(Photo of the inside of our Boost tank, via KinetixFix)

4. Good breast support

This is, quite possibly, one of the most important criteria to meet. It's a bit of a hassle to worry about putting on a sports bra underneath your maternity tank. You can do it, but wouldn't it just be easier (and more affordable) if it came built-in to your maternity activewear? We think so.

Why is this so important? Because your girls could be gaining at least a few ounces EACH, so you need extra support to stay comfortable.

If your maternity tank doesn’t have two separate cups, odds are each breast is not getting the support and ventilation that it needs. Bonus points if the style you find has thick, absorbent removable bra cups that will help with any leaking that might occur. You can find these removable cups in our tank tops with built-in sports bras.

So to recap, you're looking for great FIT, built-in SUPPORT for your belly, back, and breasts, and breathable FABRICS.

In closing

You can find all of these qualities in our entire Essentials Collection, so get shopping now without ever leaving the comfort of your couch!