Maternity Clothing Review: Mama i Ja

Maternity clothes have come a long way. I’m not talking in the last generation, or decade. In that case they’ve come a LOONNNNNNG way. But even in the last two-three years (the last time I was pregnant), the styles have improved vastly. Gone are the days where moms need to hide their bellies under big capes or oversized shirts. Today’s fashions have moms-to-be (and second, third and fourth-time moms) showcasing their bump proudly, yet still in a classy, elegant way.  

It seems designers and retailers now understand that pregnant ladies like to look good, too. And when we look good, we feel good!

A few months ago, while shopping for new maternity wear, I came across a Polish designer named Mama i Ja. Luckily for us York Region mamas, Mama i Ja retails in Canada exclusively at Luna Maternity in Richmond Hill. I was really impressed with this designer and thought, “I need to tell people about this designer!” Not only are the styles trendy and on-point, fashion wise, but they are also flattering to the body, and hug in all the right areas.

Colour

What I really like about Mama i Ja is their continued use of colour in their designs. Sure, you can great a great black dress (see my black sleeveless number with the grey rose), but I love that they are not afraid to put bright colours on pregnant ladies.

Comfort

Who doesn’t like to be comfortable? Well, when you’re pregnant, and it’s 30+ degrees outside, chances are, you’re already not comfortable. How can you be?! For me, being pregnant in the summer is great (so far); I love wearing dresses, light-weight fabric and sandals! I was pregnant in the winter last time, and let me tell you, summer is definitely better. I may feel differently at the end of August, but for now, I love being able to slip on a cotton dress and my Birks and head out the door.

Most of the items I have purchased from the 2014 Spring Collection are indeed cotton; they are super comfortable, light-weight and easy to wash and wear. (I do hang to dry, though, as I’m afraid of shrinkage, especially with a growing babe inside) Each style offers a lot of stretch, which hopefully means I can get the entire summer out of them.

Cost

Another factor to consider with maternity wear is the cost. I don’t know many people who want to spend thousands of dollars each time they’re pregnant on a new wardrobe. That said, you do need some pieces to last you through the months, especially if you are working and need to be presentable.

Price points in the Mama i Ja line are reasonable, ranging from $50-$200, depending on the shirt or dress you are purchasing. But let me tell you – it’s worth it. Every time I wear a Mama i Ja item, I get complimented. It only makes me want to buy more!

Convenience

I love the versatility in the Mama i Ja collection. Not only can you wear the clothing to work, to hang out in at home and on weekends, but some of the styles double up as nursing wear! (The colourful coral and yellow dress above is actually a nursing dress). This just prolongs the wear of the clothing. Plus, because the styles are so very flattering, you can actually get away with wearing many of their items post-pregnancy as well. I’ve had many people ask: “Is that a maternity dress/top?” It’s about time maternity clothing doesn’t actually look like maternity clothing.

Confidence 

I mentioned earlier that when you look good, you feel good about yourself. I love that Mama i Ja fits slightly larger than other brands, meaning almost everything I own is a S! I know that you should never really care what the tag on your clothes say, but this also means moms of all sizes can probably find something in this collection that will fit --and look -- great.  

Mama i Ja is sold exclusively at Luna Maternity &Nursing in Richmond Hill.

Disclaimer: I received one dress to review in order to write this post. I own the rest of the dresses featured in this story. As always, the opinions expressed remain my own.