Maternity Needs

Maternity needs expand beyond just what clothes you will need to get you through the next nine months. They include the nutritional, emotional, and financial needs you may experience during your pregnancy.

Maternity Clothes

The maternity clothes you need will vary with such factors as how much weight you gain with your pregnancy, your current size, your professional clothing needs, and how often you do laundry. While the average weight gain during a pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds, women expecting multiples can expect to gain at least an additional 10 pounds. If you are already wearing plus size clothes, your weight gain may not be as obvious. In fact, you may be able to get through most of your pregnancy in the loose-fitting clothes you wear now. On the other hand, if you are a size 5, and you are expecting quintuplets, you may need to invest in a totally new wardrobe.

Women who work at home or hold jobs where they can wear casual apparel will find their maternity clothes needs are very minor compared to someone who is expected to dress professionally five days a week. In fact, you may be able to borrow or purchased enough used maternity clothes to get you through your pregnancy.

How often you do laundry is most important when considering your maternity lingerie needs. It is recommended that you purchase enough maternity bras that fit properly so you will have a clean bra for every day of the week. That means if you only do laundry once a week, you will need to purchase at least seven maternity bras.

Physical and Emotional Maternity Needs

Maternity needs include more than just clothes and supplies. Pregnancy health and exercise is key to handling the stress, hormonal and emotional changes, and fatigue that goes with pregnancy. This includes following a diet that is high in nutrients and low in empty calories. Additionally, you need to develop a strong support system that will allow you rest when needed, and to shift daily duties to others as needed. For example, during the early months of pregnancy when morning sickness may make it difficult to tolerate the strong odors associated with cooking meals, you may need to be able to shift the cooking duties to your spouse, to order out, or to learn to replace warm meals with cold ones at times. If you have older children, they can help out with the younger children, and when friends and neighbors offer to help, let them. Most importantly, you must talk about your concerns, with your physician, the baby’s father, and others who can provide you with help you need to get through your pregnancy with the least amount of concern over matters that you cannot control.

The Financial Picture

There is no way around it. Maternity needs include money! Having a baby is an expensive undertaking. This is why it is important to research the costs of childbirth and baby's first year before you get pregnant or, at the very least, early in your pregnancy. You should also check the maternity benefits available to you through your health insurance, state agencies, and employer. This will give you time to prepare for the payment of health insurance deductibles and to come up with a plan for replacing your lost income while you are on maternity leave or in the event you end up on bed rest and must quit working long before your due date.

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• How to Conceive a Boy
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• Maternity Portraits
• Maternity Benefits
• Maternity Photography
• Maternity Insurance