Maternity workout clothes can be tricky to navigate. You want pieces that are tight enough to support a growing belly and breasts without feeling constricting. And you’ll want to find clothes which can also stretch as you grow. “It’s about looking for clothes that breathe really well to keep you cool and that fit the shape of your changing body,” explains Laura Jawad, a doula and personal trainer. “I recommend to my clients really trying to invest in the pieces that are really going to give you the most bang for your buck, to support your ease and comfort throughout pregnancy,” says Cat Geiser, founder of Mama Flow Studio and certified postpartum corrective exercise specialist. “Then also look for pieces that will actually last you longer than just pregnancy, that can take you through postpartum.”
We asked Geiser, Jawad, and five other experts — including trainers, instructors, and moms who love to work out — about the comfy clothes they recommend for exercise during pregnancy. Many of the picks come in a wide range of sizes, and we also explored options that are either affordable or can be worn postpartum and beyond. Finally, while this list focuses on clothing, if you’re looking for accessories to wear with any of it, don’t miss our lists of the best women’s gym shoes and socks.
Best maternity workout pants and shorts
Lululemon’s Align Pants are approaching icon status, and for good reason. You can continue to wear these workout favorites through pregnancy, and according to Jawad, “they also serve really well into postpartum, so they really multitask.” Geiser is also impressed by their versatility: “All the Lululemons that I bought during my pregnancies I still wear now, and I’m three years postpartum after my second — so, money well spent there.” Jessica Silvester, a senior editor at the Strategist, wore them “almost every day” during her pregnancy and was still wearing them two years later. “Somehow they withstood constant wear all the way up until my belly was ready to burst, and kept with me through the postnatal deflation process,” she says. Geiser describes the fabric as “buttery soft,” while Jawad says they offer “pretty amazing stretch.” All three women found that the leggings don’t lose their shape, staying snug during pregnancy and beyond. Meanwhile, Presley Pritchard, a medic, mom, and fitness coach, prefers shorts rather than longer workout pants, and especially likes the coverage options provided by Aligns. “The nice thing about Lululemon is that it specifically has different inseams and sizes for different heights, and a lot of companies don’t do that,” she explains. She loves the fact that they can go over the belly and thinks that the fabric is amazing. “When I’m pregnant I get so much hotter, but they’re really lightweight,” she says.
Unlike the Align pants, Bao Bei’s maternity leggings, which we heard about from four folks, are specifically designed for pregnant women. These maternity leggings were recommended by four of our experts, all of whom were impressed by the combination of comfort and support on offer. Bao Bei was founded by a physiotherapist who is “incredibly passionate about properly supporting pregnant and postpartum bodies in a safe and functional way,” according to Erin Pasquet, a birth and postpartum doula, lactation counselor, childbirth educator, and yoga teacher. Pasquet “lived in the leggings” while pregnant, while Irene Donahue, women’s health fitness specialist, also counts herself as a fan. “These garments utilize a bit of support and gentle compression,” Donahue says. “Gentle compression can be helpful in the second and third trimester, especially when active, to support the growing bump but also help alleviate common pregnancy discomforts like round ligament pain, low back pain, and SPD [symphysis pubis dysfunction].” Jawad frequently recommends these pants to clients, describing them as feeling like a warm hug. “I think they are extremely well made and I get really great feedback about them,” she says. “These garments allow the wearer to breathe well without too much restriction in the core,” explains Donahue. “Sometimes, too much compression can actually exacerbate pelvic-floor symptoms. This is a company that’s very aware and conscientious about core and pelvic health which should be a primary focus of prenatal and postpartum exercise.”
Geiser recommends these leggings for people who need some extra support for their bump. “There does get a certain point in your pregnancy (and sometimes it comes early for people, but it’s usually in your third trimester) when your bump is out. Sometimes having a legging that is actually designed to go over the belly is a little bit more comfortable.” Geiser herself owns the leggings in teal and black, which she thinks that you could wear day to day too. “There’s a bit of versatility — if you’re going to buy something that’s maternity wear, how can you make the most of it throughout your pregnancy? ”
Upasna Gautam, a senior product leader at CNN, wanted a set of maternity workout clothes that could keep up with her active lifestyle but also, being only temporary, wouldn’t cost a fortune. “I bought one pair of these leggings first, and immediately fell in love,” she says of the capri leggings. “I bought four more pairs the following week after putting them through a test of yoga and weightlifting.” She’s a fan of the super-high waist, which can be “comfortably adjusted to accommodate my growing baby bump.” They’re very durable — Gautam says they’ve survived being washed regularly for 25 weeks so far — and they’re so comfortable that she plans to keep wearing them postpartum too.
Pritchard was wearing these shorts before pregnancy, but was happy to find that they can stretch to accommodate a bump. “They’re extremely stretchy so they stretch with you. I could wear a medium before, during, and after pregnancy, and they still fit me.” She likes that the waist seam is soft and won’t dig in, and there’s no front seam at all. “If you like high-rise ones that go over the belly, then this does provide a bit of extra support. I think in the gym that feels more comfortable — I feel more secure and confident.”
Best maternity sports bras
“I owned a lot of maternity sports bras,” says Pasquet, “but this one was my go-to, and I got it in several colors.” Designed for low-impact activities like yoga and hiking, it’s also a nursing bra and has clip-down panels that provide easy access for breastfeeding.
“The thing that I loved about Go With the Flow is that it actually provided real support for bigger boobs,” says Jawad. This bra can accommodate the fluctuations in breast size experienced by many pregnant women, as Jawad explains: “I’d recommend it to somebody who maybe has a larger bust and just wants to stay active, or for people who want to keep doing like CrossFit or higher impact exercise. It’s really important to find a bra that really can support growing milk-filled breasts.” These bras come in six different sizes and a whole range of cute shades — Jawad had them in three different colors, and felt like she had “found a gem” when she discovered them.
Silvester swears by these affordable pullover bras from Hanes that she has worn for years and discovered are just as comfortable while pregnant as long as she sizes up. “Nothing has ever held me in and lifted me up quite like them,” she writes. Again, it’s not maternity- or even sports-specific, but Silvester says the bra is supportive enough for yoga and other low-impact exercises.
Of this (neither maternity nor sports) bra, Strategist contributor Kase Wickman says, “Much like a sports bra, it’s made of body-hugging nylon and elastane that will expand as your chest does,” which is a big reason why she wore and loved it while pregnant. Another reason is that it is very supportive. “Unlike any bra I’ve ever tried as a larger-busted woman, it supports my chest without back bulges, strap-tugging, or quadra-boob (when your bra cups are so tight your boobs ooze over the top),” Wickman says, adding that the bra, which is free of underwire, is “made of the softest fabric and gives the comfiest fit.” While she did not talk about working out in it, the fact that she compares it to a sports bra when it comes to stretch and support makes us confident that the bra would be another good one for low-impact exercises.
Although this bra isn’t specifically designed for pregnancy, Pritchard says she reaches for this Nike bra for intense workouts. “I wear it if I’m going to go sweat. The material is really nice; you don’t get too hot.” It comes in a regular and plus-size fit, and there are tons of colorways, including a zesty lime green and a soft lavender. “I like how the straps are really supportive on the back,” says Pritchard. And the removable pads mean you can free up some extra space later when needed — “toward the end of my pregnancy, I’ve taken them out,” she adds.
“I’ve been wearing this one a lot,” Pritchard says of the Gymshark Ruched Sports Bra. Available in seven different colors and six sizes, it has removable padding and a scrunched effect across the bust. “It has medium support, so it’s not too tight and it’s also not too loose where you feel like you’re gonna fall out,” Pritchard explains. “I really like to have the straps go across the back versus like just over your shoulders, so it just feels more secure.”
Best maternity workout tops
“This tank I really loved because it didn’t have super-obvious ruching like a lot of maternity clothes,” says Jawad. Instead, it’s more subtle and stylish, along with being long enough to cover even a late pregnancy bump. “It’s really nice when something is long enough to fit all the way to the end,” says Jawad. She describes it as soft, stretchy and breathable with the added bonus of being relatively inexpensive — “that was a bar I was going for with all of my maternity workout clothes, because I only get to wear them for a couple of months,” she adds.
“For my workout tops, I wanted something simple, cute, and comfortable that would also wick sweat,” says Gautam. “Not only are these tops supersoft and comfy, but they’re also flattering! I even ended up wearing them in my day-to-day outside of working out.” She says they have been an “absolute lifesaver” during the hot Austin summers, thanks to their lightweight material. They’re also an affordable option that will stretch as you grow.
Cadenshae, a New Zealand–based maternity activewear brand, sent Strategist writer Lauren Ro this tank and a couple of other items to try shortly after she returned to work from maternity leave. While she had already given birth, after wearing it for a bit, she quickly saw how the tank — which is long, roomy, stretchy, and so soft — would be just as comfortable to wear and work out in during pregnancy. Like many other pieces on this list, this is something you can certainly wear from pregnancy into postpartum and beyond; in fact, a year and a half after receiving it, Ro says, “the tank is still the first top I reach for when dressing to work out.”
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