The two-bump moment nobody warns you about
Picture this: two pregnant women in black maternity bike shorts, facing each other against a plain white wall. One in a blue tank, one in pink. One has her shorts pulled snugly over her bump, hands cradling it like it's a very opinionated watermelon. The other is wearing the same shorts under her belly, reaching out to touch her friend's bump like she's meeting a tiny celebrity.
That photo could be a museum exhibit called: "Second Trimester: What Is My Body Even Doing?"
The second trimester is wild. One week you're rubber-banding your old jeans, the next week those jeans become a punishment from a past life and you are suddenly a bike-shorts person. Your belly is big enough that you can't pretend it's just bloating anymore, but small enough that random people still ask, "So... are you…?" and you have to decide if you're in the mood to confess your whole life at the pharmacy counter.
I remember one day walking around the grocery store, my bump pressed into a waistband that had seemed fine at home. By aisle three, I was silently bargaining with the universe: if this band stops digging into my ribs, I swear I'll never judge anyone who wears pyjamas to Target again. By aisle seven, I had my hand actually inside my shirt, trying to peel the band off my skin without making eye contact with anyone. That was the day I officially defected to maternity bike shorts.
Second trimester is the "in-between" — your outfits need to flex
Here's what makes second trimester dressing so confusing: everything is changing, but not on a schedule. One day you want firm support around your belly; the next day, even a gentle elastic feels like it's judging you.
That's why I love maternity bike shorts that can go under the belly or over the belly. They're like the only thing in your closet that isn't asking you to choose who you are right now.
When under-the-bump wins
- Those "can't breathe" days: Maybe you woke up feeling puffy. Maybe you ate three bowls of cereal at 11pm. Under-the-bump gives your stomach a break.
- If your bump sits low: Some bellies just pick a lane and head south. Under-the-bump shorts can feel less restrictive if your uterus has decided to hang out near your hips.
- Heat waves and hot flushes: Less fabric over the belly = one less layer to sweat through.
When over-the-bump feels like a hug
- Extra support on busy days: If you're on your feet a lot, that gentle support around the whole bump can feel like someone is very calmly holding you together.
- Under clingy tops: Over-the-bump creates a smoother line under fitted tees and dresses when you just don't feel like dealing with a harsh waistband line in the middle of your stomach.
- On the "everything feels wobbly" days: You know those mornings when even your organs feel like they moved overnight? Over-the-bump can make you feel more secure.
The point is: you don't have to commit. You can start the day over-the-bump, and if the baby decides to practice karate at 3pm, just fold the band down under the belly and keep going.
How to style maternity bike shorts in real life (not on Pinterest)
This is where the lifestyle part comes in. You don't need a whole new wardrobe; you need a few outfits that don't make you cry in your car before brunch. Ask me how I know.
1. School-run / errand outfit
- Over-bump shorts on days you're lifting, bending, and chasing small, fast humans.
- An oversized tee or your partner's sweatshirt (bonus points if it still smells like their cologne; instant mood lift).
- Sneakers you can slip on without tying because the ground feels very far away now.
2. Work-from-home but still a person outfit
- Under-bump shorts with a longer, soft button-down shirt.
- Hair in a messy bun that took 40 seconds but somehow looks like you tried.
- A bra you can forget you're wearing during Zoom calls. If you find that, hold onto it forever.
3. Moving-your-body-just-a-little outfit
- Whichever bike short setup feels best that day – under or over the belly.
- A tank top that covers what you want covered and lets your arms actually move.
- A playlist that distracts you from the fact that rolling off the couch now requires a game plan.
The real trick to second trimester maternity outfits is this: if you'd wear the top or jacket when you're not pregnant, you're onto something. Let the maternity bike shorts do the pregnancy heavy lifting, and keep the rest of your outfit very you.
Bookmarked for later: shapewear shorts for after baby
While you're deep in second trimester outfits, it's totally fair if you also have a tiny voice in your head whispering, "What about after?" Not in a panicky "bounce back" way, just in a "what will make me feel held together when everything feels loose and strange" way.
That's where pieces like the Body Shapewear Shorts come in. They're shapewear that actually looks and feels like activewear – high waisted, designed with compression support originally for after pregnancy, and now used worldwide as comfy shapewear you don't have to hide. At around $35, they're the kind of thing you can wear under a dress or with an oversized tee when you want a bit more structure without feeling like you're being vacuum-sealed.
If you're a pockets-or-nothing person (I see you, trying to carry keys, lip balm, and your phone in one hand), the Body Shapewear Shorts - Pockets give you all that same smoothing, high-waisted support, plus built-in pocket space. Photos of the pockets are on the way, but the idea is simple: shapewear that doesn't have to stay hidden.
You absolutely do not need to figure out postpartum you right now. But if you like having a plan, screenshotting or bookmarking these for future-you can feel oddly reassuring.
When getting dressed feels like a lot
Can I just say this out loud? There are going to be second trimester days when pulling on a pair of shorts feels like climbing a mountain. I've had mornings where I sat on the edge of the bed, half in, half out of my shorts, and just started crying because the waistband felt wrong and suddenly it wasn't about shorts at all. It was about how my body wasn't mine in the way it used to be.
On those days, the goal is not to look put-together. The goal is to feel as little friction as possible. Soft fabric. Waistbands that move with you. Options that adjust as your bump, your hips, and your sanity all shift during the day.
If that means wearing the same pair of maternity bike shorts two days in a row, congratulations, you are doing pregnancy exactly right.
Listen to your body, not the size tag
Second trimester is your invitation to ignore the number on the label and pay attention to the signals from your actual body. If your skin is begging for under-the-bump, listen. If your lower back is screaming for over-the-bump support, listen. If your thighs want longer shorts that don't ride up when you waddle quickly across a parking lot in the rain, listen.
You are not failing because your shorts fit differently this week than they did last week. You're literally growing an entire person. Let your clothes adjust to you, not the other way around.
If you ever have questions about orders, billing, or delivery, send us a DM so we can help you out one-on-one. And if all you manage today is pulling on your comfiest maternity bike shorts and making it to the couch, that still counts as getting dressed.
