Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it can also be expensive at a point when you’re already investing in a big list of items for the baby.

But while there are lots of products designed for pregnancy, often you don’t need a lot of new things. Follow our tips on how to save money during pregnancy and save money on maternity clothes.

14 Ways To Save Money During Pregnancy

1. Find Out What Benefits You are Entitled To During Pregnancy

Make sure you find out about all the benefits you are entitled to during pregnancy. For example, did you know that pregnant women can receive free NHS dental care and prescriptions throughout pregnancy, up until your baby is one? This is potentially a huge saving at what can already be an expensive time. Speak to your midwife about the relevant forms you need to fill out.

2. Be Strategic With Maternity Clothes

You do not need to invest in an entirely new wardrobe when you are pregnant. It is likely you won’t even need maternity clothes until the second half of pregnancy.

You can wear stretchy fabrics, floaty tops and dresses and also size up in normal clothes for a while.

When you do need bigger sizes, think about a few key items maternity items you might want to invest in to keep yourself feeling happy and comfortable. A good pair of maternity jeans, maternity leggings, tops and possibly a dress you can wear to smarter occasions could work well. You do not need to buy everything, especially not all at once.

3. Ask Around Your Friends Before You Buy

If you are not the first person to be pregnant in your friendship group, it’s likely that some of your friends will already have maternity clothes left at the back of the wardrobe. Hopefully, they will be happy to lend them out to you!

4. Use Clever Clothing Tricks

You can also make your ‘normal’ clothes last longer with several tried-and-tested tricks. Wear your jeans for longer by looping an elastic hairband through the eyelet and over the button, with a loose top, for example. This adds several extra inches of stretch.

5. Invest In A Bump Band

You can also buy bump bands, which are thick loops of fabric that cover your stomach as it grows and hide any gaps in your clothes.

6. And Buy A Bra Expander

If the band of your bra becomes tight, you can also buy bra extenders, which hook into your bra and expand the size by a couple of inches.

However, if your cup size increases it’s important to go for a bra fitting to check you’re wearing the right size.

7. Look For Second Hand Maternity Style Bargains

You do not have to buy maternity clothes brand new. Look on eBay and Vinted for maternity bargains. It’s likely you’ll be able to find big-name brands at a much cheaper price. You can also try charity shops and Facebook Marketplace.

8. Sell Your Maternity Clothes On After The Baby Arrives

If you do buy maternity clothes, you can always sell things online after to recoup some of the money back.

9. Look Out For Pregnancy Freebies And Offers

There are several organisations that will offer packs with free products and discounts during pregnancy, including Bounty and Emma’s Diary.

Shops and brands often have parenting ‘clubs’ for you to sign up to. These offer discounts during pregnancy and when you baby is born. Boots Parenting Club, for example, is free to join and offers increased points and product discounts.

Stocking up on your favourite pregnancy items? Make sure you use story loyalty cards to collect points.

10. Use A Free App To Find Friends

You can meet other mums-to-be via a free app like Peanut. Designed in the style of an online dating app, it’s a handy way to meet other local mums.

Sites like Mumsnet have pregnancy message boards for people due at the same time as you. This can be a good way of swapping advice and meeting up with other mums.

11. Ask Your Midwife About NHS Baby Classes

If you do not want to pay for pre-baby classes with organisations such as the NCT, ask your midwife about any free NHS classes or sessions. These are also an effective way of meeting other local mums-to-be.

12. Take Part In Online Fitness Classes

There is a wealth of excellent quality fitness content online. Joe Wicks has a series of free pregnancy fitness videos on his YouTube channel here.

Always check with your midwife first before undertaking any new exercise during pregnancy.

13. Try Hypnobirthing Online

Hypnobirthing can be useful when you’re pregnant, and for the birth. While courses can be expensive, you can find free hypnobirthing clips and podcasts online. These can help to relax you and regulate your breathing. Look on Spotify or YouTube.

14. Join Your Library For Pregnancy Books

While it can be tempting to buy every pregnancy book going, you can borrow these for free from your library. Most libraries also offer free digital downloads if you have a kindle or e-reader.

If You’re Pregnant:

Look out for our ‘three-for-two’ product offer, where if you purchase any three products across our entire range, including Pregnacare, the lowest priced product will be free. More details at https://www.vitabiotics.com/ 

Once You’ve Read Our Pregnancy Money-Saving Tips:

Read our post on how to save money when you have a baby / Read about pregnancy food to eat and avoid / Read our Pregnacare A-Z of pregnancy and nutrition / Follow our Pregnancare Instagram account