Do I really need specialty maternity clothes?

The first question is whether you'll NEED special maternity wear. Many large women need it--but not all do! Large women as a group tend to gain less weight in pregnancy and show less; this means that sometimes we can 'get by' in our regular clothes or by buying clothing a size or two larger than normal. Some choose to get along without any special maternity wear in pregnancy in order to save money; others have been forced to 'get by' without it in the past because of a lack of resources in this area. 

Large women who need to have special maternity clothing (and those who simply want it) should of course be able to find companies that carry quality items in their size. Clothing manufacturers are beginning to understand this now but the situation is still not ideal. Right now, the best idea is probably to combine regular clothing in larger sizes for early and mid-pregnancy, with a few true maternity things for the final months. Take a wait and see approach until you know what your needs will be.

Wearing regular clothes in slightly bigger sizes tends to work best for women who are around a size 24 or larger at the beginning of the pregnancy, as they tend not to gain much weight or size. Women who are size 16 - 22 are more likely to need the special fit of maternity clothes earlier and more extensively, as they gain weight and size more like average-sized women. Body type can also make a difference, with "apple" body types tending to need the special fit of maternity clothes more than "pears" or "hourglasses". Of course, your experience may differ! But generally speaking, if you are a size 16-22, you should probably plan on buying a fair amount of maternity wear. If you are a size 24 or above, you have the choice of buying maternity wear or regular clothes in larger sizes, or combining the two approaches.