Everyday Transitional Maternity Smocked Linen Pant

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and got a medium. All my other maternity pants were getting too uncomfortable to wear. I hate the hot, itchy full panels when the weather gets warmer, and the below belly ones push in on my bladder and my belly where the baby's head is! So uncomfortable! When I first got these, I was a little disappointed because they looked small, were a little snug around my thighs, and kept slipping down off my belly. But I decided to keep wearing them and they did stretch to fit me better. They still slip down sometimes, but not as much as at first. After "breaking them in," they are more comfortable than any other maternity pant I've worn. The linen is soft and good quality, not too thin or scratchy, and I haven't even washed them yet. Since I still have 2 and a half months of this pregnancy to go, I am not sure if they will work till the end, but I hope so as I have no other option. I am looking forward to wearing them post-partum. I love the soft, linen fabric: it's much more comfortable to wear in hot weather than jeans or those hot, itchy polyester fabrics! I will buy more down the road when I have the money. I think a wider waistband would improve the fit of these. My belly is very round and not oval like some women's. I think the way my round belly sticks out right away makes it harder to keep these pants up on me than women with a more oval-shaped belly.

I have bought seven pairs of these pants now, so you can tell that I love their style and quality of fabric.

But I have had to keep buying new sizes -- I started with 2 smalls pre-pregnancy, then bought 4 mediums during second trimester, and just now bought 2 larges during third trimester. I was pretty surprised by just *how* small my mediums were feeling (have I really gained *that* much weight during pregnancy?) so when the larges arrived, and before washing them, I laid them all out side-by-side, and I was pretty amazed by the difference in sizes. The small and medium, both washed, are about 4" shorter than the unwashed large, even though all of them are the same inseam in theory. I think this explains why the pants have felt increasingly tight, that post-washing, they shrink. The new larges fit very comfortably (probably a little overly generous for what I need), but I'm terrified to wash them now!

I am really obsessed with natural fibers and only ever wash all my clothes on cold and hang to dry. There is no chance I have deviated from the care instructions. My washing machine is not very old and I doubt it is malfunctioning.

I'm pretty bummed by this, not just because I have spent a lot of money now on new sizes on a pant that is supposed to "grow with you," but also because pregnancy is a really challenging time for body sensitivity, and I have spent months convinced that I am just becoming extremely large. As it turns out, it was the pants' fault, and not mine, and…

I am 5’8’’ and 120-125lbs pre-pregnancy. Ordered size small extended inseam in olive green and burnt orange early in 2nd trimester and they continue to fit through today at 38 weeks 150lbs and 40” belly circumference. I same excited to wear post-partum as I regularly get compliments on them (even before I was visibly pregnant or telling anyone!)

I wear them below my belly, but they do stretch to fit the biggest part of my belly. I find that they currently slide less when I tuck in my shirt or wear an undershirt than when they are directly on my skin. I often wear with tucked in undershirt and sweater on top. They did not slide when my belly was smaller.

Extended inseam fit to the ankle at 5’8” but wouldn’t for taller folks so just know how you like it to look.