plus size maternity rant

OK, I know this does not apply to most of you but I have GOT to get this off my chest. I wear a UK 22. This is only ONE SIZE larger than what most shops carry as their top size. I know I'm overweight and one of these days, I swear I won't be. But until then, I have to suffer the CRAP that the UK calls plus size clothing.

My mother has sent me most of my maternity clothes from the US. They're better and cheaper. And I don't expect to be a fashion plate right now.

However, I really need some more knickers and I have just spent the last hour Googling plus size maternity underwear in the UK and got virtually nowhere. WTF?!!!!! OK, I did find a few pairs at £11 a pop. No thank you.

What do all the other large women in this country do? Surely just buying really big normal underwear won't solve the problem?

It now looks like I'm going to have to suffer for another few weeks while I order online in the US and wait for Mom to ship them over here. And it'll still be less than £11 for one measly pair.

If I weren't so pissed off and tired, I'd smell a business opportunity here... meanwhile, if you think I've missed something somewhere (shop or online), let me know.

asda carries them.  a fiver for 3.

pretty sure my asda doesn't but will go look again. cheers!

What kind of undies are you looking for? I wore a UK18 when I was preg with Jack and got my underwear at Mothercare. I found the best (cheapest) thing for me was to buy oversized bikinis and wear them under the tummy.

I'm going to need the over the belly type. I've never been a bikini kind of girl and any pressure on my lower abdomen now just aggravates my gastro-intestinal issues!

Mothercare only goes up to a 20. I might try just larger knickers from Evans but I'm not optimistic because I never even liked them when I wasn't pregnant!

I was just looking at Mothercare online. They have maternity thongs! OMG! As if pregnancy wasnt uncomfortable enough!   
When I go out to ASDA I have a look for you and see if they have any over the tummy kind in your size and let you know. If I can find them I dont mind posting them to you. 

http://www.babybecoming.com/

http://www.plusmaternity.com/

http://www.momsmaternity.com/

Can't vouch for the sites but they look like they'd do the job for you. Lane Bryant is also an option you might consider, they have a maternity department too.

Also, men's bikini briefs can be comfortable under the bump, and you might find bigger sizes in the men's department here easier than in the women's.

When I go out to ASDA I have a look for you and see if they have any over the tummy kind in your size and let you know. If I can find them I dont mind posting them to you.

Thanks! We have an Asda but it is one of the smaller ones. They have planning permission, I hear, to enlarge soon.

Stella, thanks for those links. They are all US sites though and I'm not having any problem finding stuff there. Motherhood has some great looking packs of cotton panties, too. It's just a hassle to order, ship to Mom, then ship here. Might have a look at the mens stuff here but pretty sure I can't do the under the belly thing.

They have maternity thongs! OMG! As if pregnancy wasnt uncomfortable enough!   

Ugggh. 

I agree, over the bump is the way to go. 

Ugggh. 

I agree, over the bump is the way to go. 

I was SO HUGE with Jack that even the over the bump kind ended up round my knees by the end of the day! 

I was SO HUGE with Jack that even the over the bump kind ended up round my knees by the end of the day! 

lol now thats a sight

I wore mini-type ones under the bump.  over the bump would have driven me crazy.  the pressure from the trousers was bad enough. 

A lot of people will hate me for this,.... but the biggest I got while pregnant was a size 12. But I did find underwear so uncomfertable as well, I had to wear it under my bump cause over the bump was too painful because of the pressure. Have you checked out Bon Marche (sp??) My MIL use to be a size 20 something and I know she bought her underwear there.