Best maternity sportswear for active mamas-to-be (tried and tested)
Maternity activewear is just one thing on a very long ‘to buy’ list you accrue when you’re pregnant. But while a lot of maternity wear can be avoided (instead adapting your favourite items from your existing wardrobe), activewear that adapts to your changing body is essential - and there's a lot of great, chic stuff out there.
Who says pregnant women have to spend the whole nine months sitting down? With pregnancy comes a lot of body changes, and maintaining a pregnancy exercise regime can bring a much-needed sense of control. Plus, it’s great for you in so many other ways too.
“Staying strong is important for helping manage the physical changes that come with pregnancy,” says pre- and post-natal exercise specialist and founder of online fitness studio Bumps & Burpees, Charlie Baker. “Keeping active not only helps with the physical side of pregnancy, but it’s also hugely important for mental health too. Exercising during pregnancy releases endorphins which are the hormones responsible for lifting our mood and making us feel good, which is more important than ever while your body is busy growing a baby,” she adds.
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
You’re not exactly used to having a beach ball-shaped bump attached to your front at all times, so it’s natural to feel protective of it. But the resounding answer is yes: generally, exercising is safe during pregnancy — and encouraged.
Of course, you'll want to adapt your usual routine and generally it's suggested to avoid starting anything new and too taxing which you've not already been practicing pre-pregnancy (ie now is perhaps not the time to try Hyrox for the first time or sign up for that ultra-marathon if it's not in your existing repertoire!).
“There are actually fewer hard nos in pregnancy exercise than you would think. It's all about adapting it to make sure it works for you,” notes Charlie. Her main advice? “Be mindful about lying on your back for long periods of time towards the end of your pregnancy, make sure you’re not overheating or overexerting yourself, and listen to your body. It will tell you pretty quickly if something doesn't feel quite right. Oh, and avoid lying on your stomach when the bump starts to pop out (but that’s not news to anyone).” And that’s why some super comfy (and chic, naturally) maternity activewear is well worth investing in.
If you have any questions at all about exercising while pregnant, it’s always worth speaking to your doctor or midwife about them, as they’ll know more about your personal pregnancy journey. Although it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking 'Oh, I don’t want to bother them or look silly by asking!' – we promise it’s always best to put your mind at rest (and it’s part of their job to help you feel well-informed and at ease!).
What to wear working out while pregnant
Dressing your changing body while pregnant isn’t always easy. And just as you’ll probably have started to make adaptations with your regular clothes, you should expect to do the same with your workout gear. “If you aren't feeling comfortable, you won't be motivated to keep pregnancy exercise up,” Charlie points out. “If your clothes are too restrictive over the bump it can make you feel dizzy or sick, so make sure to find some maternity activewear that feels good on you or size up to give the bump plenty of room,” she adds.
Luckily, there are a tonne of decent maternity activewear options out there, ranging in price, and we’ve pick out some of the best below to save you some time. Oh! And it doesn’t mean you should feel limited to specially-designed ranges for pregnancy either. Lululemon doesn't actually make maternity wear (yet! we're still hoping) but there are some great pieces they do that do work brilliantly throughout pregnancy — and postpartum, too. You’ve just got to know what you’re looking for.
When should I start wearing maternity leggings?
This one is up to you! As you’ve probably realised by now, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to pregnancy bodies. We all change shape and size in very different ways throughout those nine months. If it’s not your first pregnancy, for example, you might find that your bump pops out sooner than it did the first time round. Which means those leggings could be digging into your stomach a whole lot earlier than you’d expected.
Generally, you'll get a sense when your old faithful gym gear is starting to rub or press. And the good news is, with our top picks, most of them are ideal to start wearing before you've even popped.
As Charlie points out, the most important thing is to be comfortable when exercising during pregnancy. So if that means hunting out some maternity activewear just a few days after seeing that ‘positive’ line on a pregnancy test, you do you! The earlier you invest, the more wear you’ll get out of them, and don’t forget you’ll be reaching for your comfies in the days and weeks after giving birth, too…
Read on for our best maternity activewear picks...
Nike Women's High-Waisted 7 8 Leggings
These over-bump leggings are ideal for pre- during- and post pregnancy, and onlookers will be none the wiser thanks to their clever high waist design. They also work folded down when the bump needs a breather. The clever Dri-FIT technology also means that these help to reduce sweating — great for pregnancy temperature increases — and natty little thigh pockets can store your essentials.
Nike Women's Nursing and Wearable Pump-Compatible Sports Bra
Although this nursing sports bra is designed for post-partum fitness, with it’s clever leak protection technology and unclippable fronts, it is also ideal for during pregnancy thanks to its super supportive structure to comfort sore and growing breasts while you focus on your nailing your PB. Why wait?
All Day 6" Maternity Short
These magic shorts became a maternity go-to for our tester. Their over-the-bump high waist cups the growing stomach so comfortably and (dare we say most importantly?) so flatteringly, that you may be tempted to continue wearing them post-partum to enable comfort after a big lunch. The soft recycled polyester is smooth on the skin and our tester wore them right up until her due date (at which point she was, admittedly, less active and more… horizontal). Only downside? We’d love a pair slightly longer on the leg. As the bump grows, we were exposing a little more thigh than we’d like.
All Day Maternity Vest
We fell in love with this maternity vest, with its clever side ruching which flatters and comforts bumps at all stages of pregnancy. The recycled fabric is also supremely breathable and soft, so it feels lightweight as you carry on with your fitness routine.
MP Women's Maternity Seamless Short Sleeve T-Shirt - Black
MP has got a pretty extensive maternity activewear range, and comfort + style is the name of their game. The hero piece I’d recommend trying is the Seamless T-shirt. The length is perfect, the bamboo material skims over your bump in the most flattering way, and soft? That just doesn’t cut it. It’s heavenly to wear. In fact, this might be a pregnancy activewear piece, but the fit is such a dream I’m planning on wearing it outside the gym, too.
MP Women's Power Maternity 1/4 Zip - Black
The Power Maternity 1/4 Zip top is ideal for those naff weather workouts (a sentence I hate typing mid-summer but there we go!).
Navy Blue Bamboo Maternity Leggings
Designed to 'grow with you', these sustainably made bamboo leggings are super soft and promise to stay put throughout your workout. It's advised to buy your pre-pregnancy size (but word of warning: Seraphine don't offer returns on leggings unless faulty).
Cosy Maternity Sherpa Half-Zip Fleece
Another cute and cosy addition to your maternity wardrobe (which tbh can be reworn post-baby's arrival) is this sherpa fleece, also from Mountain Warehouse.
£29.99 at mountainwarehouse.com
Align HR Pant 28"
Think activewear, and many of us will think Lululemon. While the brand hasn’t launched a pregnancy activewear line just yet, it still has a cult following among pregnant women who swear by one piece in particular: the Align Pants. Known for gently stretching alongside your pregnant belly, these lightweight (and butter soft) leggings come in an array of leg lengths.
lululemon Align™ Ribbed High-Rise Crop 23"
They also have different styles on offer, including high rise, which serves as the ideal protective band around your bump.
Vital Seamless 2.0 Leggings
Gymshark's seamless leggings tend to fit well throughout most of the pregnancy thanks to their elasticated waistbands. A no-brainer, right?
MAMA Before & After sports tights
H&M kills it with their maternity jeans offering, so how about pregnancy activewear? Also a big yes from us. These leggings are designed to take you from bump to postpartum.
MAMA Sports vest top
Another fab option from H&M's MAMA range? This bump-friendly vest top.
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