As your pregnancy progresses, you will find that all of a sudden, your everyday clothes just don’t fit anymore. Pants will get too tight at the waistband, and bras will become too small.
But how will the clothes you buy now fit into your life after birth? How can you make sure that anything you get is not just a good fit for a few months but that it can and will last beyond pregnancy?
Anna Stelmaszewska will give us all of her best tips on how to choose maternity wear that lasts. Anna is the founder of Wolf Mothers, a lifestyle brand supporting and empowering women in their decision to become mothers with sustainable fashion and accessories. A mother of two has called Berlin home since 2013.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, how long have you been in Germany and what has your road to motherhood been like?
In a nutshell, I came to Berlin from Warsaw in 2013 for an internship and never left! Then I met my husband, we got married, got a dog, first baby came, then a second. We had the infamous 2 under 2 (2 babies under the age of 2 years), which was… fun! And still is!
But I guess I can say that the road TO motherhood was easier for me than a road FROM it. For me personally, during this often challenging period of postpartum, the first years with the baby and then getting pregnant again, fashion turned out to be really disappointing. I just had a physical need for the right type of clothing.
How did you come up with the idea of Wolf Mother? What are the problems and pain points you are looking to solve?
Having a baby in your life, no matter if it's your first or fifth, always comes with a huge change. Not only your body is changing, but also your lifestyle. Those changes are often brushed off in society and in the media, which may encourage women to get their bodies and their lives back. But what does that even mean?
With Wolf Mothers, I want to communicate that it’s okay that things are different and that it’s something that can and should be celebrated. That you can be both yourself and a mom on top of it as well. I want to communicate this not only with words but with products that are actually designed, both practical and quality-wise, for this period of change.
What are your tips for choosing maternity clothes that mothers can wear for longer than just their pregnancy?
As I mentioned, after my first pregnancy, I was quite disappointed with fashion. Maternity clothes turned out to be completely unfit for life after pregnancy. Being pregnant, especially for the first time, makes it hard to imagine what life “on the other side” looks like. I put everything that I’ve learned into Wolf Mothers.
So here’s the list of values and features that are represented in each and every piece of Wolf Mothers clothing and that I would recommend using when picking clothes during pregnancy:
Breastfeeding friendly - if you are planning to breastfeed, this will be the most important thing for you for quite a while. That means that you will want to be able to take your breast out as fast as possible to feed your baby. It will also mean that you will need to pull up an entire outfit for the baby to feed, unless you are wearing breastfeeding clothes.
Natural and baby-safe materials - your baby will have more contact with your clothes than with your skin. Whenever you touch something, ask yourself how you would feel putting your baby’s skin on it.
Durability and sustainability - life with a baby can be very messy, and you may find that after 10 minutes of wearing a piece of clothing, you have to wash it again. Unfortunately, not every material is fit to withstand being washed so many times. After destroying some of my favorite clothes by washing them so much, durability and sustainability became very important to me.
Darker colors - while you'll need to wash your clothes frequently, opting for darker colors will help you maintain a cleaner appearance throughout the day, even if you've already encountered a few splatters of baby food or playground dirt along the way.
Pockets - I think this is self explanatory. You always need pockets!
Matching your wardrobe - make sure that clothes you buy will be easy to style, as you might not have time and energy to change after putting something on!
Playground friendly - before you notice, you will spend most of your time on the playground. It’s good to pick clothes that you will be able to wear at work and then go in them to the sandbox. And coming back to durability - clothes that will survive a sandbox!
What are some good places for moms (to-be) in Germany to shop, besides your online shop?
I can recommend the Avocado Store, which is a marketplace for sustainable products. They have quite strict and transparent sustainability criteria that you can learn about before buying any product.
You can also get maternity wear second-hand on Vinted, Ebay Kleinanzeigen, or through some Facebook groups (such as the International Families Berlin Shop group). Clothing swaps can also be a great way to update your wardrobe. There’s a monthly clothing swap for kids clothes and maternity wear in Kreuzberg. Plus, we at Wolf Mothers also organize regular clothing swaps for moms and moms-to-be to explore and have fun with fashion. Have a look at our website and Kietzee for upcoming events!
Anything else mothers (to-be) should keep in mind?
I like to think that, in some way, becoming a mom is like getting your first job after graduating. You are anxious, super excited, and also quite scared about your first day. You spend time preparing for it, and you also get clothes that will fit this new life. A smart blouse or a neat dress.
I would love for the Wolf Mothers dress to be that neat dress for your new lifestyle. Because this lifestyle does not change who you are. Becoming a mother should only add new layers to your identity, not limit it to just that.
Thank you, Anna!
Learn more about Wolf Mothers at wolf-mothers.com.
