Best tried and tested maternity activewear: bump-friendly gym clothes on trial

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...