What I like to call LIFE.SAVERS.

As I mentioned both here and here, this stage of pregnancy is really weird. You don't really feel outwardly pregnant anymore since you no longer have the urge to puke 24-7 nor are you eating jars of pickles. You basically feel like your normal self, only all of your fat has gone directly to your stomach as if you have been on a 3 month binge of thanksgiving day type meals 4 times a day. You aren't even that much heavier, maybe, say, 5 pounds but it feels like more because EVERYTHING has gone directly to the center of your body. It's not even blatantly noticeable to anyone else, you definitely do not have a bump yet but still, every morning as you go to button your pants? THEY DON'T BUTTON. Hmm. It's so perplexing. And so awkward. You don't fit in your pants anymore and you aren't big enough yet by any means to warrant maternity clothes. 

What's a girl to do especially a girl that would like to maintain some sense of style and not spend $1000 every month on a new wardrobe times 6 for the next 6 months? (although I must say sweatpants and a giant sweatshirt is how I spend most of my weekends...thank god my husband still finds me sexy despite this.)

Enter the LIFE SAVER: Bella bands. My girlfriend told me about these and they are seriously amazing. 

This is what it looks like. It's basically just a tube of material that holds your pre-pregnancy pants together. It comes in different colors and different styles (there is some lace trim on the bottom to look like a lace tank). I have a plain black one but need to invest in more (and stat). Basically,  you put it on over your unbuttoned pants and under whatever shirt you are wearing and it allows you to still wear your pre-pregnancy clothes but it just looks like you have a tank top or something on under your shirt. The outfits flow seamlessly, no one can tell at all, and YOU feel like a million bucks because a) you aren't trying to suck it in without success (seriously, you CAN'T suck it in anymore at this point, it's so weird) and b) you still get to wear your clothes without having to buy new clothes yet. It's great for this "transition" awkward phase and seriously? Amazing. I actually think that having these on hand would be great for those times that you drink too much wine and can't button your skinny jeans at the end of the night. I might just keep it on hand for post pregnancy days.... I could definitely see the benefit.