Best Maternity Jeans UK: 5 Picks That Stay Up Comfortably

Maternity jeans are one of the few bits of pregnancy kit you'll wear almost every day, so it's worth getting the waistband right. The wrong pair digs into the bump, slides down every time you stand up, or loses all shape by lunchtime. The right pair does the opposite: it holds the bump without pressing on it, and still looks like a proper pair of jeans in the third trimester.

The five pairs below are all sold in the UK and cover different budgets, leg shapes and waistband designs. What separates them isn't the label — it's the panel construction, how well the denim recovers its shape after a day's wear, and whether the cut still flatters once your bump is at its biggest.

Maternity jeans come in three waistband designs, and the one you choose matters more than the brand.

• Over-bump (full panel): a wide stretch panel that pulls right up over your belly. Best support, sits flat under dresses and tunics, and keeps jeans up when you're carrying a big bump. It can feel loose in early pregnancy and warm in summer.
• Under-bump: the waistband sits below the bump with an elasticated channel. Less pressure on your tummy, good in hot weather, but it can slip down as your shape changes.
• Side panel: elastic inserts set into a normal waistband. Subtle and good for the first months or for wearing again afterwards, but it offers the least support late on.

The price tiers are relative to each other rather than fixed figures, and it's worth thinking about cost per wear. You'll wear one pair of maternity jeans perhaps three or four days a week for six to nine months, which is more than most people wear any single pair of jeans. A cheap pair that bags and slips is a false economy if it means buying a replacement in month five; equally, a premium pair is wasted if you only need jeans for the final stretch.

Ignore the marketing copy and check these five things:

• Panel height and finish. A wide panel that reaches over the bump sits flat under clothes. A narrow elasticated band tends to roll and leave marks.
• Stretch recovery. Denim with a small amount of elastane springs back after wear; denim with a lot of it clings beautifully and then sags. Reviews mentioning baggy knees are a warning sign.
• Inside leg and lengths. You can't move a bump panel, so the jeans need to be the right length out of the box. Check whether the brand offers short, regular and long.
• Where the seams sit. Flatlock seams over the bump are far kinder than a bulky overlocked edge.
• The returns window. Order two sizes if you're between them, and check you can send one back before you commit.

Maternity denim ages faster than ordinary jeans because the panel is under constant tension and the stretch fabric is washed more often. A few habits make a real difference: wash at 30 degrees on a short cycle, turn the jeans inside out, and skip fabric conditioner, which coats the elastane and stops it springing back. Line dry wherever possible — a tumble dryer is the quickest way to destroy a bump panel.

Rotating two pairs is better than owning one, because stretch denim needs a day to recover between wears. If you'd rather not buy new, maternity jeans hold their value poorly, which makes nearly-new pairs one of the better second-hand buys around.