Thrifty hacks to create a maternity wardrobe without spending a fortune

Maternity clothes can be a pricey investment for some, not to mention the fact that most of it you won't be able to wear after giving birth. While this largely depends on your personal style, your budget and the climate you live in, below we offer a list of hacks for you to be able to save time, effort and money.

Where to save: Use your existing clothes

Wait and see how your pregnancy develops before planning to shop for maternity clothes. Many pieces of clothing that you may already own can actually be used during your pregnancy. It's important to also keep in mind that you need to see how your body develops during pregnancy.

Some women barely show until well into the second trimester, which means they only really need maternity clothes for three months, while others show sooner.

Given maternity clothes' higher price range and limited variety, we recommend buying regular clothes one or two sizes up that you can later reuse during the postpartum period.

There is without a doubt certain staples in everyone's closet that can be used during pregnancy, and in case your wardrobe is missing any of these, below is a list of affordable pieces.

Sports bra: Sports bras are something that most of us already have in our closet, and also something you can wear instead of having to purchase a nursing bra. Not only can you wear it during your pregnancy, but also after giving birth.

T-shirts: Go for the looser fitting T-shirts in your closet, and eventually you can just size up when approaching your due date.

Dresses: If your due date is in the warmer months, then loose-fitting dresses are your best option.In case you don't own any, then make sure to go shopping since you can easily wear them during and after your pregnancy.

Rompers: Just like summer dresses, rompers are another item of clothing that you can wear well into your pregnancy, as long as they are loose-fitting.

Workout clothes: Not only are they incredibly comfortable to wear in general, be it for exercise, running errands or just having your coffee, they are just as comfortable to wear during pregnancy given its stretchy material.

Where to spend: Affordable maternity clothes

Regardless of when your pregnancy will begin to show and how much of your existing clothes you can still wear, there are some that you simply cannot substitute: shorts, jeans, workwear, day dresses and cocktail dresses.

While most of them can likely only be worn during pregnancy and postpartum, we have found a few pieces that are sure to make you look great without hurting your wallet.

Shorts: H&M Mama clothing line has a great selection of fitted denim shorts ranging from $19.95 to $39.95, with wide jersey panel at the waist and low-cut panel available to choose from.

Jeans: Next.sg has a great selection of casual maternity clothes.

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What stands out in particular are their black maternity skinny jeans ($38 - $55) and blue denim maternity jeans ($35 - $65), with styles featuring an over-the-bump band for support, and the traditional 'grow with you' jeans which sit just under the belly button for support.

Nursing dresses: Singapore label Dear Collective has a fantastic selection of nursing dresses, most of them for only $49.

The range includes bodycon dresses in stretchy viscose material and loose button down polyester dresses which you can easily wear throughout your pregnancy and into the postpartum period.

The great thing about their buttondown nursing dresses is that they include tie details on the sides to allow for your body to grow while remaining supported and comfortable.

As a bonus, many of their outfits, both casual and classic, include matching outfits for kids as well, so you can start planning your family outings before the baby is here.

Workwear and cocktail dresses: Mama.licious offers a great selection of maternity dresses that are formal enough to be worn to work but sophisticated enough to be worn on a night out. The price ranges from $41 to $67 for dresses on sale, and $59 to $79 for those that are not currently discounted.

Another bonus is that Mama.licious is currently having another promotion on Zalora – buy any two items for an additional 35 per cent off, on top of the sale.

When paying for your dog's grooming services, make sure to use a cash back credit card to earn rewards on your purchase and save even more money.

This article was first published in ValueChampion.