Buying maternity clothes is a badge of honor that proudly says my body is able to store and give life. And, I have news for you: (come closer I will whisper in your ear) you look smaller in your maternity clothes than you do stuffed like a sausage into your regular clothes.

The real question is when to buy
I have heard time and time again from women, "I can't imagine spending money on clothes I will only wear for four months," or "I have bought clothes three times now and I am still outgrowing everything."

Do you need to wear clothes for the next four months? Can you go to the market, work, gym in your bra and underwear, which probably don't fit you anymore either, ( that is the subject of another article)? Well of course not, so buy your clothes, enjoy pampering yourself a little, and if this is the only child you are having, give the clothes away to a community center or the Salvation Army. You would be very surprised to know how short these organizations are on maternity clothing. Our store, Generations Maternity Shoppe donates new clothing twice yearly to such organizations.

Depending on where you buy your clothes and from whom, you can probably get away with buying clothes twice during your pregnancy. Be careful to buy from experienced sales staff who have had children and understand about fit. If you find yourself stranded in a store with a well meaning 17-year-old girl, look for the following: make sure the clothes fit you with room to spare in the hips and thighs, or upper arms and bust. Pull out the panel or the front of the shirt and make sure there are a good 3 inches between you and the clothes.

Secondly, there are just some circumstances under which it is impossible to buy clothes one time only. Speaking as a mother of four, I have done pregnancy and weight gain every which way possible. Those times when I have gone through three sizes of maternity clothes, I have no choice but to buy bigger clothes a mere four weeks before my due date.

Maternity clothing has come so far
Gone are the trapeze tops and peg leg pants. Maternity clothing is really fashionable now. Enjoy the new styles! Enjoy the thrill of shopping with other ladies and swapping your pregnancy stories! Enjoy your expanding body and life! Wear your clothes with confidence and proudly say, "Yes, this is maternity!"

About the author: Claudia Roberts is the owner of Generations Maternity Shoppe and Little Luxuries Children’s Store. She lives in Los Angeles California and is the mother of four children. Generations Maternity Shoppe clothing as well as Ms Roberts' expert advice have been featured in several national magazines. Her clothing and store have been featured on several news programs and are enjoyed by celebrity and noncelebrity moms alike. To learn more about Generations Maternity Shoppe or to contact Claudia Roberts, please visit www.generationsmaternity.com.