Medieval Parent Magazine – Maternity Clothes

 

Article – GET CRAFTY – How to make your own maternity robes (because it is your only option)

 

What women wore during pregnancy was what they wore all the time. They MIGHT have a second set of clothing to wear while the first set was being washed, but then again, they might not. Everything was made by hand. No stores. Sometimes a traveling weaver or spinner would make the rounds of the villages to turn raw materials into cloth.

 

It usually started with a pair of hose that were like loose leggings held up by garters or straps. Some had feet in them, some did not. Over that was a long shirt-like garment that was at least mid-calf long or longer. Over that was a heavier tunic that was usually floor length. Some had sleeves, others were sleeveless. Some kind of belt then usually finished the outfit. It was handy to hang essential tools from the belt, such as a knife, trowel or pair of scissors.

 

And that was it. If there was a worn place or a tear, it was mended. You wore that outfit until it was literally a rag. So no special maternity clothes. Just the same old, same old.

Just as a side note – they didn’t have pajamas, either. If it was hot, they slept in the nude. If it was cold, they wore their everyday clothes. If they got too warm, they might take a couple of layers off.

 

This picture is the closest I could come to what the outfit might look like, except that only the wealthy would have clothes with any color in them. Everything was pretty much the same color – drab.