I'm Pregnant!!!!!!

added July 2010

Leanna,

Your site looks amazing, and I searched all over the pregnancy questions, and didn't really find one that answered my question specifically (unless I missed it, in which case I'm sorry for asking again). I am currently 31 weeks pregnant, and my fiance and I just got engaged a week ago -- he just found the perfect ring :). We are pretty set on a December 2010 wedding, which doesn't leave a lot of planning time. I went today to look at dresses, and really tried a few on just to see the different styles I might consider. Size-wise my bust has grown a cup size (possibly more) compared to my pre-pregnancy weight, and my hips haven't gotten much bigger. Before getting pregnant I wore a size 6 dress, and now I'm really not sure. Do you have any suggestions on what size I should order? The dress size that "fit" at the store I went to was a 16, and it was a corset-style in the back. The women at the store said I would need to get a size 18 dress, and then have it altered, but the bust and hips did not fit at all, and the tummy was too tight. My due date is August 26th, and I am already mapping out a workout program to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight ASAP. What would you suggest for picking the perfect dress? And possibly for picking the right size?

Any help would be great! Thanks bunches!

~Kailey

Hi Kailey,

There are companies that have been doing a great job at designing for pregnancy. Choosing a style like a full skirt that can look good for any situation, will give you options. Also, understand that whatever size you are in street clothing has no relation to your bridal size, pregnant or not. Bridal sizing has nothing to do with reality. But if you are due in August and your wedding is set for December you could feasibly get back to your original size. I'd rather see you plan on 6 months to get back in shape but 4 months can be done. I had a baby in November and was back to wearing my regular clothing by March. It took a lot of work, but it can be done. 

Trying to figure out your normal size would be a guess. I would not order an18 or the16. I would order a size that is one up from your normal. The ladies at store should be more helpful than me for this. They know the companies they stock and their sizing chart trends. Didn't your lady understand that your wedding date is 4 months after your due date?

~Lea

added March 2010

hey leanna, 

your site has been so helpful as i made my own bustle with your direction.

I have had my wedding dress at home for months now, and it was too small but i was so excited when i zipped it all the way 3 weeks ago........

it is now one week til the wedding and we just discovered i am 6 weeks pregnant.

My fiance insisted we try the dress on again, and we have just discovered it will not zip anymore..... there is a gap of less than an inch width-ways near the top that wont close.

needless to say i am now an absolute mess as with only a week to go i don't know that there is anything i can do......or any dressmakers that will take on the task..... i worked so hard for that dress to zip!

Please help!

Kerry

Hi Kerry,

This is very common in the early stages of pregnancy. Many women are quite surprised to find their breast growing before the baby but I've seen it with many brides and maids. It was s good idea to try the gown on now and not the day of so you have some options. A half inch should be easy to get out of the side seams. Your big job is finding someone to do it fast. Where are you located?

lol, i am actually in australia....... perth, western australia. My dress is a Jasmine Bridal style T243.....plain style of dress but with lots of intricate beading and embroidery.....

we are going to go searching for some shapewear tomorrow in the hopes that this will help, and if that fails will be calling around every dress shop we can to find out if they can do a last minute alteration!

Hum . . . If you were in the states I might be able to help you find someone. If you can't and decide to try altering it yourself it shouldn't be as difficult as you are thinking. I took a look at the dress on the Jasmine site and it looks like there is not any lace on the side seam were you need to sew. There might be a tiny bit under the arm area. You simply take it off, fix the outer seam and all inner seams the same, move any boning necessary, resew the top together (this might be easier to do by hand), steam it real good, and sew the lace back on (again, by hand). It can be tedious, but it's not really difficult. You just take your time and go slow.

thanks....... i will let you know how it goes...... im feeling a little less stressed now :)

Hey Leanna.

Thank you so much, we called the store where i originally got the dress..... my fiance spoke to them..... he said they werent too helpful until he mentioned that we purchased the dress from them, then they became extremely accomodating and were able to take the dress on the saturday, and had altered it and fitting by tuesday. Despite it being let out my bridesmaids still had trouble zipping it on the following saturday...... but once on it felt fine and I had a fantastic evening!

The bustle i made held up wonderfully too, until a little girl stepped on the back of my dress and tore the hook and eye...... but by that point i was on the dance floor and the bustle had done its job, so all in all.....a success!

Wow Kerry,

I love your attitude. And your groom sounds like a great guy. I'm so happy for you and thank you for letting me be part of the celebration of your marriage.

~Lea

added January 2010

Hello, 

http://www.lightinthebox.com/Empire-V-neck--Sweep---Brush-Train-Chiffon--Elastic-Woven-Satin-Maternity-Wedding-Dress--WSM0228-_p54246.html 

I really need some help. I'm getting married April 10th and today is 1/22. Above is the dress i want to order that is a maternity dress. as of now i am 12 weeks pregnant, and by the time i get married I'll be 23 weeks. This is my first child. The problem is since it goes by measurements instead of sizes....no one seems to know how big to tell me to order it in the bust. Since it's a higher empire waist, I'm not too worried about the belly as i am about how big my bust may get. Do you have any advice for me? i have call alteration shops and they're worried that if i order it too big itll alter the cut and style too much. And if i order too small they'll have a hard time finding the exact fabric to fix it. Please help if you can I'd really appreciate it!! 

Thank You, Hellena

Hi Hellena, 

This is a great design choice for your situation. The bust has some play already built in. Though it is true that no one can predict what size you will be at 23 weeks, most brides don't grow in the bust much until the 7th month. 

The usual advise is to order the dress one size larger than you are now and order a yard of fabric so it will be the same as the dress just in case you need a little adjusting. I doubt you will be needing the fabric but it sure gives you peace of mind to have it. I'm surprised the lady at the store did not tell you this. 

~Lea

Thank You Leanna, 

But my confusion is that since this dress doesnt come in a size 2,4,6 its all in measurements. Do I add 5 inches onto what my bust is now to play it safe? Thats what everyone was trying to figure out. If it came in number sizes itd be easy for me to just order it 2 sizes bigger. But they need the upper bust, bust, under bust, waist, hips, and hollow to hem measurements. So that's why i'm so confused and so frustrated! I love this dress and think it would really work. And it also doesnt take all that long for them to make and ship. I just need to know how many inches is safe to add to the measurements, so i don't end up with a too small dress. Also do I order the yard of fabric from the website, bc that is where i'm ordering the dress from. Not the store, so it's made tailored to me. Thank You so much!!! 

Hellena

One size is one inch in the bust & waist area. It can be more for the hips depending on the manufacturer. Since this is a maternity dress, I would guess that you give them the measurements as you are and they figure it out. But they aren't asking were in the pregnancy you are so it's not at all clear what you are supposed to do. 

There is a link for a live chat in the page you sent me. I think it would be a good idea to ask them how they work this out with the measurements you send. I really can't say how they do things.

added December 2009

Hello,

My name is Renee and my best friend asked me to be in her wedding a week before i found out i was pregnant....I am due July 21st 2010 and her wedding is Sept 11 2010(dont ask me why she picked that date i have no idea) 

Anyways, she wants me to order the dress (from an online bridal shop) in mid febuary and i will only be 17 weeks pregnant at that point...and she wants me to guess my size, and then get it altered afterwards....the dress is a 3/4 length, "a-line" dress with a tie up back...it is strapless....i have attached a photo of the dress.

now the problem i have with this is that this is my 3rd pregnancy....the 1st i gained 60 lbs and the 2nd i gained 25lbs so there is absolutely no way of telling/knowing how big i am going to be or how much i will loose within that month and a half before the wedding...as that too was different for both pregnancies. Now i have mentioned to her that it may be a better idea that i be on the sidelines as a guest and still help out with the planning...but she says that's not an option... i have also asked her to hold out until May to order the dresses but thats not an option either.

I was just wondering what your thoughts on this was.... will i be safe ordering the dress in Febuary, or should i just do as i tried, and bow out gracefully...?? and if it will be safe how would i go about "guessing my size"

Any help would be appriciated!

Very Confused..and worried bridesmaide!

Renee

Hi Renee,

This is the difficult dilemma every pregnant maid faces. How to order so far ahead when you have no idea what size you will be. As I have told other women and you can attest to, it doesn't help that it's your 2nd or 3rd pregnancy. Each baby grows at his or her own pace. All you can do is guess. Most bridal stores will instruct you to get a size larger than you are and order an extra yard of fabric, just in case. What ever your guess, you will need alterations. So, it is usually best to guess bigger than you think and have the dress taken in than it is to have a too small dress that is difficult to be made larger. 

I tell ladies that it is ok to gracefully decline to be a maid and offer to do something else that lets you pick a dress more appropriate for your pregnant state. Your bride may not agree with me now but once she becomes pregnant she will understand why you did what seemed to be an unnecessary thing back at her wedding. It's not an easy choice, but I tell maids that it is a viable option that they can consider. You can say, "No thank you". Just because you are asked to be a maid does not mean you have to say,"Yes".

I hope this helps,

~Lea

added December 2009

Hi,

 i bought my wedding dress and it fits perfect. i am a big girl to begin with so i am hoping i don;t gain to much wieght but i will be 12 weeks pregnant when i get married. What can i wear under the dress to get through the day without having to buy a new dress. I am thinking i just need a little holding in. I tried the dress on yesterday and it still fit actually better than wheni bought it since i lost a little weight. I am including a picture. first one is wheni bough it second is last night. neither have any type of bodice under neath.

Hi Leslie,

At 12 weeks you should not be showing much and maybe not at all. No one can say until that time comes and you see how much the baby has grown. They don't usually grow much up to the 12 week mark. 

I do not recommend that any bride wear any garment that sucks her in while she is pregnant. That could be potentially harmful to the baby. 

~Lea

added May 2009

I ordered the Maggie Sottoro Benicia for my daughter and we just found out she is pregnant. She will be almost 6 mths pregnant. This is her dream dress. What are her options with this dress for expansion? Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Stephanie

I need to be able to look at the seams to tell you for sure, but I seriously doubt that at 6 months of pregnancy, that dress will be able to be let out enough to be comfortable. You will have to look at other options, like adding fabric to the side seams or taking out the zipper and making the back lace up. It's a good idea to contact the store where you ordered the gown as soon as you can and order some fabric so it will be the same as the dress. Even whites can vary greatly in color tone.

~Lea

Added July 2008

Hi Leanna,

I am an experienced amateur seamstress, I've been sewing for about 21 years, since I was 9. I am standing up in a wedding in August and will be 20 weeks pregnant. The first time I was pregnant I had just started showing at that time. I know women are supposed to "pop" earlier with their next pregnancies, so I will be adding gussets on the sides. Luckily another member of the bridal party ordered extra fabric and I can use the wrap that was included. 

I am writing to you to make sure I know what a gusset is. It is a triangular piece of fabric inserted between the side seams, right? Can it be a right triangle, like if I cut the wrap from one corner to the opposite corner. Or should it be more like a pyramid shape. I don't think I will need to increase the bust, so can I insert the gusset just under the bust line?

Thanks for all your help!

Gussets have no set shape. I usually start with a rectangle, sew that in and adjust as needed. Many ladies do need room added to their bust for that grows too with a pregnancy - sometimes a lot.

~Lea

added March 2008

I am a small store owner and wrote to you several years ago. You were very helpful when bridezilla made me feel like quitting a;; those years ago/ I have helped so many achieve their dream look thanks to your reassurance that I handled her situation correctly. Thank you. We do alot of pregnant bridesmaids and never avoid them because it's a fact of life. We suggest ordering theirs last and as close to the date as possible. Of course adding the extra fabric and the dress must be an a-line otherwise it doesn't work. We add just a triangular gusset and it works well but we order several sizes larger too allowing for mother nature to take its course hormonally. A wedding is a joyful event please don't discourage the pregnant maid to sit the sideline. As you know everything and anything is possible. You sound the a magician so with you I'm sure a miracle is an everyday occurrence. 

God bless. Kathy

No where on my site does it even suggest that I think a pregnant lady has to "sit on the sidelines". I list several options for dealing with this problem. I think it is mean of you to suggest that I am trying to discourage ladies just because one very legitimate option is to give the pregnant lady a different place in the wedding plans than being a maid. There are many wonderful things she can do to be involved with the wedding without being a maid. 

I will not be taking this option off my site just because some people think it awful. I have helped many pregnant maids and brides fit into their dresses over the years and I have one large page of advice and suggestion of how to fit dresses when a maid is pregnant. My message to brides is that this situation adds stress and cost to her wedding and she does have the choice to avoid it and still have her loved one in her plans by simply making a different place for her. I am not evil or uncaring or mean for making this suggestion. I just have the guts to do so when no one else will let a bride know that it is OK to look at other options for her wedding plans.

~Lea

added January 2008

I'm getting married June 28th and will be needing my dress altered/bustled. However, there is a catch! :) I am due to have my baby the first week of May. How long do alterations take to be finished? And is it too early to make an appointment, as I will be pushing my time limit as it is?

Thanks!

Jill 

I can not alter your dress now and have it fit after the birth. I would not agree to see you until after you have had the baby. The alterations can be done in that short time, but I will have to charge you a rush fee. 

~Lea

added January 2008

I am a bridesmaid in my friends wedding. I JUST found out I was pregnant. We ordered our dresses last month. I called the shop, its already to late to change my size (and get fabric from the same dye-lot). It's an Alexia Design dress (#1902) It's heather and white and has an A-line skirt. 

http://www.alexiadesigns.com/main/index.php?p=39 

My measurements (34.5 - 27.5 - 40) put me between the 8 and 10. I ordered the 10. Her wedding is either going to be Mid June or mid July. So I will either be 5 or 6 months pregnant. This is my first and have no idea how big I will get. I am only 5'4" so I know there will be extra length to take off the dress. But the top and bottom of this one piece dress are two different colors, PLUS it has a little ribbon around the waist. I don't like the dress much to begin with, so I am not concerned with looking perfect. I want to know if you think its possible that this dress will even fit. I figure some fabric from the skirt can make a new ribbon for the waist and possibly add to the skirt? But what about the rest of the dress? I am sure if I need more skirt fabric I can get it from one of the other three bridesmaids (well the two short ones). 

Thanks so much for your help!! Rachel 

There is a very good chance this dress might be just fine. You ordered a size that was already a little large. Most of these dresses have some room in the seams to let out a little bit. The most I have gotten without adding more fabric was 3 inches. If you do use the fabric from the hem, make the pieces as wide as possible so they don't look like inserts. If it's done carefully, inserts can look like just another panel in the dress and perfectly natural.

I do not understand the store telling you it is too late to get fabric from the same dye lot. When are these dresses due to be delivered? 

The main problem with this situation is that no one can predict what your size will be in 4 months. Waiting to see what this will be is really hard on the nerves, yours and your bride's. Knowing you will have some fabric from the hemming is reassuring but still not helpful for stress control. Get yourself an alteration lady lined up for the job and ask her what her experience has been and what ideas she may have for what you can do. I would ask you to see me as soon as the dress is in to see what the seams offer and figure out what else may need to be done. I would see you again 2 weeks before the wedding to refigure the needed changes and start the work then.

Have a talk with your bride about alternatives if you can not find someone who can fix the dress or if it's too small to be fixed. Be willing to consider things you may not wish to do if this did not happen, but it has and there is now a new little person being added to your life. Your friend should be happy for you and willing to seek other solutions. Having some ideas of what you and your bride are willing to do will help you relax and be more joyful about being pregnant.

~Lea

Thank you so much for you help. I am calling the dress shop again on Monday to talk to the owner and see if she can be more helpful than the associate I got when I called last time (she was not helpful when we were in the store). The dresses are due to be delivered in at the end of April. 

Is there any kind of resource for finding good seamstresses? I live in south Mississippi and all the dresses I've needed altering in the past were done by the same woman who altered my wedding dress. However, she lives 1200 miles away in my hometown! 

thanks again. you have been so helpful! 

Many fabric stores have names of ladies who sew that they give out. If your city is large enough there will be a section in the Yellow pages for Alterations. Or use Google. 

~Lea

added October 2007

Help! 

I have ordered a size 10 dress and have found out that I will now be 8/8.5 months pregnant on the day of my wedding! 

My dress already has loops rather that a zip fastener is it possible in any way to still wear this dress??? 

Thanks a lot. 

It's hard to say how you will be at 8 months, but I think it's possible. You could plan to open up more of the area that the lacings are at. By this I mean open the seam at the bottom and make more loops for more lacings. You will have to add to the panel of fabric that goes behind the lacings, but that should not be difficult. 

~Lea

added June 2007

I am presently four months pregnant and just received my bridesmaids dress that was ordered 4 months ago (even before I knew I was pregnant). The dress is a size 14, two-piece dress with a skirt and a halter bodice, and it does not fit. Not even close. How difficult is it to alter a dress to make them bigger? Is there a way to purchase fabric from the maker (this one is an Alfred Angelo)? I still have a month and a half until the wedding and have no idea how big I might get between now and then. Any advice? 

Thanks - Jessica

I have often been able to let out seams so a dress can fit a pregnant maid. It depends on how much is in there and how many seams you have to work with. Since your dress is 2 pieces the altering of the waistband may be hidden by the top so you might have more options than a dress that is one piece. 

You need to ask the store about purchasing fabric. They will know how that works for the companies they work with. It's not difficult to do, but it can be expensive. Usually, the fabric is ordered at the same time as the dresses so the die lot will be the same. A small difference in die lot can make the color of the fabric look off from the dress.

~Lea

added May2007

Today is May 28. 10 days to my daughter's wedding. I am beginning to panic. 

I am sewing a dress for the matron of honour who will be about 8 1/2 months pregnant.

I have left it until last week thinking that it would be easier to fit her. She is also my daughter and she is 5' 6" tall , and normally a XS or S or size 6 and I would say she is petite. Her wrists are very, very small. But she is curvy none-the less. I have enclosed a picture of her on May 5 -- she is due on June 29. 

The pattern is Maternity Vogue 2750. View C. (sleeveless, straight lines) attached

According to her 36" bust, I purchased the 12, 14, 16 size. After basting the size 14 together, the fitting was a disaster. It hung on her like a sack and where left overlapped the right, the centre line was about at her sternum, much too low. I used this bodice as a template and pinned and tucked where it needed to fit. I tried altering the pattern and decided to start from scratch.

I bought the size 6, 8, 10 and used the size 10. Again, the size is too big on the chest/neck area. Also, when crossing the left over the right at the center lines, it is too tight and too low. I am at a loss to how to make it fit.

The fabric store people have suggested that the view called for a moderate knit and my fabric is not stretchy enough. It is a "faille" type. But, I still think it can be done. Since the other bridesmaid's dress is finished, I cannot change the fabric. 

Any suggestions as to how to make the top fit properly? I have three books from the library and they don't seem to address the asymmetrical front fitting adjustments. 

The main thing is : there is bunching at the armholes about half way down on the front chest... If I shorten this area, do I have to lengthen it under the arms? How do I get it to lay flat? Also, how do I get the top to come under the breasts so that when she pulls ties it up at the left, it will conform to her body and not hang down like a sack.

thank you in advance

Anne (mother of the bride)

p.s. I also have not purchased my dress, so an immediate response would be most appreciated.

The fabric store ladies are correct. It is very hard to take a pattern designed for stretch fabric and use regular woven fabric. It usually just won't work. But you did say this daughter is the maid of honor - you can use different fabric for her than the other maids. You can even use a different color as long as it blends nicely with the other maid's colors. You can even change the pattern. The maid of honor can be very different than the other maids in many ways. You don't have to limit yourself to this fabric and this pattern. 

Whatever your skill level you sound like a very creative type lady. Set the pattern, fabric and your size 14 dress on a table, make yourself a cup of coffee and sit quietly looking over these items and an idea will come to you. I often stare at a gown for hours before a way to fix a problem comes to me. Without seeing this dress on your daughter I have no way to make suggestions, but I am fully confident that you can figure this out. Ten days is a long time. Give yourself a little time to step out of the stress you are feeling so it will clear your mind and you will think of a solution.

~Lea

added May 2007

Hi there! I have been looking over your Bridal studio site and it is great! I have a very close friend who purchased her wedding gown when she got engaged 2 years ago. A few months into the planning, she became pregnant, and therefore pushed out he wedding date nearly a year past the original one. 

I am going to attempt the alterations for all of the girls in the wedding party including this bridal gown. As you may have guessed she is now probably 2 sizes at least bigger than she was. The gown Is already a size 20W. 

It is a floor length gown in the back and very plain with a zipper. I already planned to add a removable train, but attach it permanently to the back. It will have flowers at the waist. I was going to add flowers down the zipper as well. She carries all her weight in her upper body and therefore the waist still fits, it is the waist up that wont close. I have now decided it may work well to add a corset style lace up to the back. 

I am looking at the example of this that you show on your web site and see there may be hope! The question I have is, can I seam the panel, sewing in the loops as I go, to the dress where the zipper had been attached? Or did you sew on the loop separately, then add the privacy panel in another manner? This will have a matching white satin Panel. I can picture the entire thing, but am hesitating as I'm not certain as to how much room I need to allow in the panel for the dress to be taken on and off, or if this type of construction will be strong enough to support the weight of the strapless gown.

Also. Sorry I am so wordy. The Maid of honor's gown has already been purchased and needs to be shortened a lot. 4 or 5 inches really. The trouble I'm having is that it is an A-line gown with no waist seam. and the decorative front has 2 swooping panels that are embroidered and beaded all the way to the bottom. I don’t know how to hem it and have it still come out looking right. I am scared to take it to anyone here in town as I know the work will not be up to my quality standards and will most likely be quite expensive. None of us have money. 

If you can lend me any advise or thoughts it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time. 

I do have picture I am able to send if you would like to see what I'm describing.

Lisa

The modesty panel is a totally separate piece. It is not included in the seam with the loops. Most are tacked on one side with snaps on the other side. The snaps are just to hold it in place while the lacings are looped. While lacing the panel will move so the snaps need to let go to allow this. 

For the dresses with the embroidery panels, I think you are going to have to cut into the embroidery design to shorten them, but it won't look odd. Some dresses are that way to begin with. No one at the wedding will know. 

~Lea