10 best maternity jeans that will have you and your bump covered

We were pleasantly taken aback by the vast offering of maternity wear at high street fashion forward brand River Island. What first attracted us to the maternity skinny jeans multipack is that we didn’t have to dither over the colour, as the multipack provides a black pair and a lighter stonewash blue pair, too. They’re a stylish tight skinny design, but we actually found them easy to put on thanks to the generous stretch.

These jeans had the highest cotton count at a whopping 98 per cent, providing day-long comfort. River Island also use responsibly sourced cotton with the Better Cotton Initiative, who work to improve cotton farming practices. The over-the-bump band is substantial in length to accommodate growing shapes, and it hugs the bump nicely to give a flattering look and ensure the jeans stayed where they should. We also have to commend River Island on its range of sizes and fits, and praise the tall range for providing plenty of leg length!

Dedicated London-based maternity brand, Isabella Oliver, has been dressing bumps for two decades, so it’s safe to say it knows a thing or two about adapting clothes to fit evolving bodies. The brand’s focus on environmental, ethical and sustainable style reached greener peaks in 2020 launching a rental service. But how did we find its maternity jeans?

The super stretch organic maternity skinny jeans are a staple as we found they make a great combo with a variety of tops. We love the skinny design, which have a great level of stretch meaning they’ll stay where they should, once you’ve gone through the task of putting them on, which is assisted by belt loops giving you something to hold on to.

Providing all-day comfort, the jersey belly panel is stitched into the bottom of the jeans waistband, rather than the more commonly used top, which deserves a shout out because it means shorter tops won’t reveal the elusive band. The bump panel isn’t as long as others either, so we found this a strong option for smaller bumps.

A brand which is known for obsessing over comfort, and making women feel confident, Spanx fans will be delighted to learn that they also have pregnant mamas covered. And there’s a lot to love.

These may have been the most expensive pair of maternity jeans that we tested, but the technology behind them is advanced. And you’ll feel the quality just by having a pair in your clutches; from a distance they look like jeans but once they’re on (and that does require quite a bit of contorting, with no belt loops to pull), you’ll appreciate the legging feel on your skin providing all-day comfort.

The trademarked “Mama Magic” waistband was the comfiest of those that we tested, it’s lightweight, breathable and super stretchy going right over the bump; designed to grow with you the waistband dips at the front to ensure nothing digs in. We can see ourselves still wearing these once baby has arrived, they feel like a second skin, which is a luxury when carrying precious cargo. The only downside is they only come in one length, regular.

Maternity brand Seraphine comes with royal approved status, founded in 2002 it’s gained a reputation as a trusted brand for everything from everyday basics to occasion wear for a pregnant woman’s wardrobe and there’s a great variety of maternity jeans to consider.

The over bump super-skinny maternity jeans look great on, we found them flattering and love the super skinny design. We also found the stretch generous for putting on and pulling over our bump, and thanks to the high cotton content (92 per cent) they’re incredibly comfortable. Meanwhile, the nylon bump panel is super smooth and lightweight, plus a good length to accommodate a growing bump.

If you’re used to high rise jeans, you may find the “waist” a little low, and longer walks did find us having to pull them up as they began to slip out of position. This is less of a problem if you’re milling about the house, but if you’re active it could be an issue. We also found the sizing with seraphine a little tricky to get right. Usually wearing a 12, we found sizing down to a 10 made for a better fit, so that’s something worth considering. This also came into effect with the length of these jeans, which even with the regular sizing is generous. Having said that, you can easily turn these up for a relaxed look.

For comfort, we didn’t want to take these maternity slim fit jeans off. A brand often praised for its baby range, we’re pleased to say Next perform in the maternity wear department, too. Not only were these one of the easiest pairs to physically put on, but the staying power of these maternity jeans took us by surprise.

Much like the Isabella Oliver pair (£69, Isabellaoliver.com), the jersey bump panel is stitched into the bottom of the jeans waistband, which meant matching these with different top lengths, a doddle. The cotton content is a whopping 94 per cent, and Next support the Better Cotton Initiative, a non-profit group that promotes better standards in cotton farming and practices across 21 countries. The slim fit design is not to be confused with skinny as there’s a slight flare, but they do come in a longer length option, too. All of this for £35, makes these a highly recommended purse friendly purchase.

For those who haven’t quite come to terms with their newfound shape, the “grow with you” skinny jeans from Next feel like a halfway house between normal and maternity jeans. If you’re used to high rise jeans, and tucking a top into them, then these have you covered. With all the usual attributes to your favourite jeans – think four pockets, golden inseam stitching, a button and zip – these are the closest we got to pre-baby jeans. We also love the adjustable internal tab for a more custom fit.

We tested these on a longer length and found the 31in inside leg perfect for taller ladies. We did find that some of the stitching around the waistband started to dig in after a few hours of wear, particularly when sitting down. The easy solution here is to tuck a top in, that way there’s no direct contact. At 20 weeks these maternity jeans work with our bump, but we’re a little dubious of the support for those in their third trimester.

As soon as we pulled these on the softness was a welcome treat to our tired legs. Boasting an under-bump design, while your bump is a manageable size, these make for a great pair of jeans. The back is designed to be little higher than the front, which is great if you prefer a higher rise. And the band itself, while just a small panel, also feels soft on the skin.

With a decent level of stretch, these were a breeze to put on and pull down (plus, you don’t need to pull any fabric over your bump), handy for those days when it feels like you’re constantly emptying your bladder. And if you’re on the look for a longer length, we can vouch that the “tall” caters for long pins.

Mamalicious is a Danish maternity-wear brand, founded in 2005 as part of the bestseller family, and we’re delighted it’s now available in the UK. If you’re a white jean woman, then buying a pair of lightly coloured maternity jeans is probably your last chance at wearing them for a while, as let’s be frank… white jeans and babies don’t mix.

We found these slim fit maternity jeans a joy to wear, and fashion certainly meets functionality, with adjustable internal tab for a more custom fit and a soft elasticated bump band. The light grey belly band is stitched into the bottom of the waistband, which kept the band hidden even with shorter tops. The timeless slim cut looks great with trainers for a relaxed look, but equally dressy enough for a more formal feel.

As a new parent JoJo Maman Bebe is a brand you’re bound to become well acquainted with as you clothe your new bundle of joy, and after testing out the mid wash straight leg maternity jeans we can assure you that they know how to dress bumps, too. You may find with your new body shape you no longer want to wear skinny jeans and want to trade for a looser fit, and we found these a great example of a straight leg style. Just note that the jean part is quite low at the front, so we did find we had to wear longer tops to keep the band hidden. These are comfy enough for all-day wear however, and come with four pockets and classic jean stitching.

Just because you’re expecting doesn’t mean you have to call time on ripped jeans. We wondered whether fashion might overrule function here, but thanks to River Island, we were pleasantly surprised by how comfy these maternity jeans were and we put this down to the cotton-rich qualities (94 per cent).

While they’ve been described as low-rise, we’d argue they’re more mid-rise and have brilliant staying power. There’s a button, faux zip fly fastening and belt loops, so other than the bump panel, they look much like a normal pair of jeans. We did find the bump band tight hugging, which offered a good level of support, but we’re dubious on how comfortable that would be with a larger bump.