The best non-maternity activewear for pregnancy
Wearing all H&M Move in SoftMove
Pregnancy can be pretty uncomfortable at times. Our bodies are morphing before our very eyes, growing and leaking in ways we weren’t really prepared for. Our clothes don’t fit, and yet the maternity wear options online are more nauseating than first trimester. If we’ve done our job right at The Pregnancy Programme, you’re keen to keep moving throughout pregnancy, but then comes the next hurdle… what the hell are you going to wear?
In my trusty black Lululemon Align shorts (6 inch)
I truly believe that feeling uncomfortable in activewear can impact the quality and length of your workout. There is nothing more distracting and demotivating than an itchy pair of leggings with a waistband that slips down as you squat.
So what happens when you multiply the discomfort of pregnancy with bad activewear? Well, you get a short lived, half assed workout that leaves you feeling disheartened. You might even be inclined to throw in the gym towel altogether. Which is the very last thing we want at TPP. Our goal is to keep you moving comfortable throughout pregnancy, so you can keep feeling strong and confident well into the fourth trimester.
All of which was a long winded way of introducing this article, which is my tried and true best activewear picks for pregnancy. None of these products are maternity wear or sponsored:
Leggings/bike shorts: Go for a super high waist, super stretchy waist band. My favourites are the the Lululemon Align shorts (6inch) and the Free People Never Better bike shorts (5 inch). Both have legging versions for the colder months. I suggest wearing your normal size in first trimester and then purchasing two sizes up from your normal size for the rest of pregnancy. H&M Move is a good alternative, just make sure you buy the SoftMove range.
A soft but supportive bra: While I rarely deviate from my tried and true legging/shorts, I shop about when it comes to sports bras, mainly from TALA, Adanola, Lululemon and H&M Move. That being said, I find the Free People Never Better crop to be the fairest of them all. Like the shorts, it’s butter soft and has no wire, so I could wear it all day.
Stretchy crew socks: Prior to pregnancy, I wore whatever crew socks I could fish out of the laundry basket. But in my third trimester I’ve noticed that some socks are uncomfortably tight around my ankles. I find myself always reaching for the same Alo Unisex Half Crew socks that I was gifted at the Vogue Wellness Retreat. I really need to order a few more pairs. They are definitely on the more expensive side, so an alternative would be just to buy plain white crew socks from the mens section.
A man’s shirt: Gone are the days of tight zip ups, I now wear my boyfriend’s shirts as cover ups when I’m walking to and from the studio/gym. They’re comfy, light weight, sun proof and completely free.
A light weight, easy to sip water bottle: Staying hydrated is always important, but particularly during exercise and even more particularly during exercise while pregnant. I avoid water bottles that are heavy, screw top, able to leak, or that don’t have a straw. I’ve pretty much tried them all, but I always end up going back to something basic like this Smash 1L Sipper. If you live in a hot country, you may prefer an insulated water bottle. I was recently at a yoga retreat in Spain and I took my Stanley Quencher to keep water cool, although I personally find Stanley’s too bulky and prone to leaking to carry about London.
Cotton underwear. No explanation needed.
I hope that helps! Happy exercising!
Emma x
Wearing Free People Never Better range