I can’t believe it but I’m down to just the last few weeks of this pregnancy! That means it’s absolutely time for me to hustle and put together the most requested reader posts from the last few months – first up: my maternity wardrobe essentials. 
Without a doubt, buying maternity clothes is a pricey endeavor – which can be frustrating considering you’ll only wear them for a handful of weeks. I am a huge fan of sharing maternity clothes with my girlfriends (we actually ship a giant box across state lines when we’re ready to pass them on), relying on non-maternity pieces for layering and keeping certain maternity staples on rotation. After two pregnancies, I’ve narrowed down my go-to leggings, denim, tees, tops, dresses, sleepwear and slip on shoes to the absolute musts for a basic maternity wardrobe.
Maternity Wardrobe Essentials From A Second Time Mom 
Bottoms
leggings | cropped skinny trouser | distressed denim | white denim | dark denim 
bonus: denim shorts
It should come as no surprise that the number one piece of clothing I rely on when I’m pregnant are my full panel leggings. I own three different pairs and wear them constantly. Before my second pregnancy, I really didn’t see the point in side panel maternity pants…and then I got pregnant a second time and started to see bloat/bumpage around 5 weeks. I invested in this pair of straight leg, dark wash, side panel maternity denim and am still wearing them at 34 weeks pregnant. I honestly can’t recommend them enough.  Add in a pair of distressed denim, black cropped skinny slacks for the office and a pair of crisp white denim and I’m all set!
Maternity Wardrobe Essentials From A Second Time Mom
Tops
white tank | blush v neck tee | long sleeve scoop tee | tunic blouse | black layering tank with wide straps 
I use basic base layers when I’m pregnant and let the accessories do the heavy lifting – which means I wear a ton of tanks and tees. I prefer maternity tanks (preferably with wide straps to accommodate regular bras) from the start so that I only have to invest once – and try to make my regular, tunic length tees last as long as possible! Once the bump is too much for a regular tee to handle, this v neck maternity tee is absolutely my favorite. I sized up (I always do in ASOS) which gave me more of a boyfriend fit at first and now, late in the game, the fit is certainly more fitted but still comfy and flattering. I also cannot recommend this tunic enough – it has a cult following for it’s fit, washability and price point (and often goes on sale!) and it happens to be so incredibly flattering before, during and after pregnancy. I wore it to conceal my early bump and just rocked it at 34 weeks pregnant. 
P.S. It works perfectly as a going home from the hospital top, too!
Maternity Wardrobe Essentials From A Second Time Mom
Dresses 
Grecian maxi | tee shirt sleeve maternity dress | 3/4 sleeve dress | tank maxi | patterned shift with hidden nursing zip 
bonus: the same patterned nursing dress in a longer cut
I have summer babies, which means super hot, Southern months at my biggest and most tired stage, so I rely on dresses that stretch to keep me relatively put together and hopefully relatively un-sweaty. Old Navy has some of the best basic maternity dresses in town in soft, forgiving, basic colors that fit all the way through the third trimester. For special occasions I love this Grecian maxi – I wore it at 34 weeks pregnant and it hugs your bump and natural waist while being very forgiving on your rear and hips. It also comes in a gorgeous shade of blue which would be perfect for attending a wedding or event. 
Maternity Wardrobe Essentials From A Second Time Mom
Sleep and Layer
robe | sleep shirt | olive parka | wrap sweater | utility vest
I’m a big pajama girl so I like to have at least one go-to, bump friendly set in my arsenal. Each pregnancy, I also treat myself to a new robe for the hospital and post baby survival – while neither are required for pregnancy survival, having a new set of pj’s and a new robe make me feel reasonably put together when we have visitors at the hospital and help the transition to post baby life. 
For layering, I like to have one light to medium weight jacket that can zip over my bump, a cute vest to wear over my tees and dresses and as many wrap sweaters as I can get my hands on. Toss on white jeans, a black tank and your chosen layer and you’re all set!  
Shoes
flats | nude sandal | slip on sneaker | bootie | espadrille
At some point, I just can’t quite make it all the way down to my shoe laces so I rely on slip on everything to make it through the home stretch. My feet tend to swell (and actually grew a half size with my first pregnancy!) so I lean towards forgiving options with a friendly price point like these adorable flamingo espadrilles. Hey, if I have to be swollen and puffy, at least I can rock a cute flamingo!
Shop my Ultimate List of Second Baby Must haves here
Ultimate List of second baby must have
What did I miss? Tell me your fave maternity basics, essentials and must haves in the comments below!