If you start wearing panelled pants during your second trimester and keep them on for a few weeks after the birth, as many women do, you'll be in maternity clothes for about six months. That's a long time to wear the same few items, but who wants to spend a lot of money on clothes they'll only wear for a year?

Keeping in mind that some of these options may be unavailable due to the coronavirus, here are seven suggestions for shaking things up without breaking the bank.

1. Take a fresh look at your closet Loose-fitting clothing that can be worn to work includes trapeze dresses or coats, palazzo pants, blousy shirts, empire-waist or wrap-style dresses, and yoga pants with fold-down waistbands.

Layering a button-down shirt over a camisole with the bottom few buttons undone is a tried-and-true method. Many pregnant women use "the rubber band trick" as well: Loop a rubber band or hair tie through the buttonhole and around the button to extend the life of your regular pants and jeans. After that, you can buy even more time by using a Bellaband or other stretchy cloth band to keep your jeans up without having to button or zip them.

2. Search your partner's closet Button-down shirts for men are especially useful. Unbutton them over a stretchy T-shirt for a cardigan-like effect, or belt them high over leggings to create a shirt dress. Boxer shorts and tank tops for men also make for comfortable pyjamas.

3. To save money, use coupons from websites and apps Many websites and apps now specialise in money-saving coupons, such as Askmeoffers and CouponsABC, which all provide deeply discounted clothing site coupons and offers.

If you want truly massive discounts on maternity wear "lots" – batches of same-size clothing – are by far the best deal. When looking for maternity clothes, keep in mind that popular items such as leggings, T-shirts, maternity bras, and belly bands are less likely to be found. You'll have better luck looking for items that will last a long time, such as jeans, as well as lightly worn work and vacation outfits. To ensure that any pests are removed, wash used clothes in hot water with soap or have them dry-cleaned if possible.

4. Make a replacement You want to get rid of a few things. There's more you'll require. Other parents are in a similar situation to you. The solution is to participate in online swap groups. Try searching your city and terms like "buy sell trade," "swap," "moms," and "parents" on Facebook to find swap groups. There are also non-geographically restricted groups, such as Maternity Clothes Swap Site. You must apply for membership in these groups because they are always "closed" (which happens quickly and simply).

Moms' groups also enjoy passing items around. "There is always a table at my Mothers of Preschoolers group where we put used maternity clothing, children's clothing, and toys for free exchange." Alternatively, you can organise pickup with your friends and neighbours, as long as you can plan pickup with social distance in mind. Even as some of the clothes became out of date, new items were constantly added to keep all of the pregnant ladies looking fashionable.

5. Go to a thrift or consignment store This is obviously not an option if your city or town is on non-essential business lockdown. Normally, most cities and towns have at least one consignment shop or thrift store that specialises in or sells cheap maternity clothing. It may take several visits, but keep in mind that you don't require much.

6. Look for moms' group and special-event sales This option is also dependent on the removal of business-as-usual restrictions. When this happens, many cities hold special-event sales organised by moms groups or local used-gear vendors. Ask around and look for flyers at local baby stores; many sales occur once a year or twice a year and provide some free local advertising.

7. Attend garage sales

When life returns to normal following the pandemic, and the weather permits, many families will be eager to resume the tradition of garage sales to clear out the boxes of maternity and baby items they may no longer require – and this perennial source of great finds has entered the modern era. Otherwise, keep an eye out for tacked-up notices and flyers. If the sellers are selling baby toys and clothings on low cost, there's a good chance they're also selling some barely worn maternity jeans.