Underbelly style waist jeans

[m2tandk]

Anybody wear the under the belly style waist pants or jeans(any brand) and what did you think about them? Comfy or not?? I really like the ones I saw at Motherhood and the Japanese Weekend style too(although a bit expensive). The ones at Gap.com seem nice too. I am just beginning to buy maternity clothes. Any advice??

Thanks again!

kelly

[GreenIZ1971]

Well, this is what a 38 week preggie thinks....

Don't buy the traditional "panel" pants/shorts. In my case, maybe because I've carried low, I have had horrible binding problems across my lower belly. So, I stopped wearing my jeans (motherhood) around 6m, and just outgrew my denim shorts (Kathy Ireland from Kmart) at about 37 weeks. ALL of these bottoms have plenty of room in the legs, waist, everywhere... until I sit down and they pull on my lower belly. Used to, I was uncomfortable. Now HE squirms and won't allow me to wear them.

What do I wear? Solid, no panel stretch shorts/pants.

I think the theory behind the under belly pants are good, but if you're shy about showing your belly don't go there. Shirts do ride up (and shrink), you do grow, and your belly will get exposed. Probably a lot will depend on how you're carrying - low or high.

Try a pair and see. They may be the biggest blessing or worst try. Never know :).

[m2tandk]

Thanks for the reply. I will try them. They seem like they would cradle the belly. I carried pretty much "all over" with DD and low with DS so I guess we will just have to see once I get to be about 4 or 5 months(only 2 right now!). I do have a couple of pairs of stretch pants, kakhis, with a small elastic panel on the sides. They fit really nice and I have room too. Maybe I will try the jeans like that too.

Thanks again

Kelly

[caroliner]

I am at 35 weeks and have several pair of under belly pants. I refuse to wear anything with a panel as they are unattractive and uncomfortable. I have a pair of Japanese Weekend jeans that I bought before I even started showing and they still fit great now. They did cost more than the cheaper brands, but they have gotten me through the entire pregnancy, so I think it was worth it. I also have some capri jeans, black gabardine pants and shorts from JW, same story. Very comfortable and fit the whole time. I have no personal experience with the Gap stuff, but my sister ordered some of their panel-less jeans and was not happy with them. She said they barely fit her at 16 weeks when she had gained no weight, so she could not see how they would last through the pregnancy. Try www.estyle.com They have some good comfortable stuff without panels.

[m2tandk]

Thanks, I may pick up a paur from Japanese Weekend. They are a bit more expensive, but I usually spend about $40-$48 on my jeans now, I guess it won't kill me!! LOL!

Kelly

[mom2be]

I'm only 12wks but I'm 5 inches bigger in the waist already (thankfully I've only gained 1/2lb!). Well, I'm really not big enough to fill out the panel pants but then underbelly pants seem great. I bought a pair at Motherhood and I don't expect them to fit the whole pregnancy they are awsome for the next few months! They are way comfy. I plan on going to JW soon because I've heard great things about thier stuff. My sister in law just had a baby and she didn't like then underbelly pants at all. I think it's just personal preference. Good luck!

[jenneric_2000]

I loved my JW pants. They were great when I just started showing and I wore them all the way through. I highly recommend their undies too!

Also, I have to give kudos to Gap for their panel pants...I only had one pair, so I am not sure if all style have these but the one's I had had a spandex panel--sooooo much better than the cotton ones!

Enjoy this time!

[emeier1]

i live in underbelly style jeans and pants....not only are they comfortable, but the elastic really supports my back....and they actually fit from month 3 to month 8.5 (so far!)....if you sew, or know anyone who does, they are very simple to make....

i went to old navy, found jeans that went over my hips but just didn't zipper all the way on their sale rack for under $10.....then you cut the jeans just below the belt loops or to the level in the front that they don't zipper....cut out the zipper itself and sew the zipper shaft closed.....then, take a 3" elastic band found from a fabric store, measure it around the base of your belly, tight enough for support....i then cut up an old blue tshirt, taking a round strip from the waist about 7" (the bottom opening of the tshirt).....double this 7" peice over, and sew it like a long tube, leaving both "ends" open....then thread your elastic through the tube and sew closed into a circle for the new waistband....pin and then sew this to your jeans and voila....under the belly pants that match the ones in pea in the pod for under $15....the ones i found at pea in the pod were only $170!!!.....

[akc]

Hi - Just wanted to say I loved the under the belly pants. Lived in an estyle capri jeans that had this nice big elastic band around under my tummy - and I found shirts long enough to cover for when I was outside the house. Also, Mimi Maternity had cute ones that are under but drawstring so I'm planning on bringing them to leave the hospital when I'm still big but smaller (also, they had back pockets which hides the fact that my rump was bigger as well!)

good luck!
akc

[newbelly2002]

I too loved the underbelly . The denim shorts in that style from Motherhood are fantastic--I only wish they had more. The panel style drove me crazy the minute I started showing (also seemed to set off contractions waaayyy too early). Since I really started showing (I'm at 34 weeks now) I have lived in underbelly only pants, shorts, or the drawstring variety just tucked below my belly. I'm a little shy about showing it off, but with long shirts it's generally okay.

ONe tip: Old Navy (the regular stores) has some great sweat/yoga pants with a thick waistband that mimic under the belly waistbands almost exactly. I was even able to buy them in a small! They sit low but are clearly intended to do so and it was nice to pay "regular" price as oppose to the maternity which always seems to be at least $10.00 more.

So much depends on preference, how you're carrying, etc. Good luck!

[Eilly]

They're fantastic. I have two pairs, now in 8th month, and have worn them all pregnancy. Expect I'll be wearing them for a while afterwards too. Also got some shorts in same style. Very comfortable and ideal for those who can't deal with the whole "belly panel" thing!

Eilly

[nola]

I love the under the belly style! and I tend to avoid anything with panels. My shirts cover me up just fine.
Since I went through an awkward stage where maternity clothes seemed like an overkill and my normal jeans were too small, I bought some non-maternity low rise jeans in a size or two larger than my normal. One pair was made by Old Navy and the other by Levi's. The low rise waistline fit nicely under my belly and I ended up wearing it throught out the rest of the pregnancy,which is shortly coming to an end. Each were about $20, so they were much cheaper than maternity jeans.
I did by another pair at Target recently that were under the belly style also. They had a stretchy waistband and stretchy denim fabric. Very comfortable. Worth every penny.

Nola

[bnme]

I am another under belly fan. I am 29 weeks and gained about 20 lbs so far. I think they are soo much more comfortable than the panel types. ALthough some of my under bellies now seem to be constantly drooping down. Proably won't wear some of them much longer..

I have a great pair from Mimi. They were $50, which is a little more than Motherhood but totally worth it I think. The cut is so much better, for me at least.

Buy a couple of different styles and see what works best for you.

Gap.com is also great. Easy to return or exchange stuff. I have some of the panel type pants from them and the are the only panel pants I've found to be comfy.

[Sarah1]

I have LIVED in my underbelly maternity jeans since about 15 weeks! I am now 37 weeks and they still fit great--they are the only pants I have that are truly comfortable! Granted, I paid up for them (they are Juicy Couture maternity--I bought them at Marshall Field's in Chicago)--they were $136. But they are far and away my best maternity purchase.

Make sure you get underbelly pants with a big thick waistband. I bought some black pants by Nom (also pricey) that have a drawstring and not a thick band, and I constantly am pulling them up (lovely!). Add those to my list of things-I-wish-I-hadn't-bought.

The panel pants never worked for me. I found them very tight and constricting. But, every woman's body is different. My biggest advice is buy a few things at a time because you never know how you may grow. Good luck!

[m2tandk]

thanks for all your replies. I have a few styles of each kind of belly so I should be set. If I find I don't wear some of them I can always consign them or sell them on ebay!

Kelly