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Hey fellow mama birds and mama-birds-to-be! My name is Stephanie. I joined The Nest back in January as a lucky new member of our Design team, ready to jump into my new role for four short months before having a baby girl and heading out on leave. That day is finally here (eeek!) and I cannot wait to introduce a new wee bird to the Oiselle family.
I’ve been fortunate to be able to run through this pregnancy to the very end, and it’s been made oh-so-much-better by an all-new closet (ok, messy drawer) full of Oiselle. So when our web team asked me to write a blog post about my favorite O styles for pregnant runners I said hell yes! Then they told me photos of my 39 week or so bump would be taken… gulp. But hey, that’s the point right, running in Oiselle has helped keep me motivated because I feel strong and confident and beautiful – as every mama-to-be should.
When I was pregnant with my son three years ago, I didn’t own any Oiselle and by the time I was halfway through my pregnancy I was running in yoga pants and raiding my husband’s closet for old race t-shirts. Not the best good look. (Although I did try to “borrow” his Western States 100 shirt as much as possible as it made me feel like a pregnant bad-ass!) Fast-forward to this time around, with an entire line of amazing O apparel at my fingertips, and I can honestly say running through pregnancy has been so much more enjoyable. Here are a few of my favorite Oiselle styles that have helped keep me out there on the roads and trails from week one to 40.
STEPH'S STYLES | RUNNING WHILE PREGNANT
(Styles: EMC Vintage Tee and Roga Shorts)
EVERY MOTHER COUNTS
Oiselle is the official apparel sponsor of Every Mother Counts, a non-profit founded by Christy Turlington Burns dedicated to improving maternal health around the world. As a mom, there is no cause closer to my heart. 40% of the proceeds of our EMC Collection go directly to Every Mother Counts. I wore the EMC Vintage Tee and Full Zip Hoodie throughout my pregnancy (sized up) and feel proud and honored to be associated with and supporting this amazing organization.
ROGA SHORTS
Quite possibly the world's most perfect running short, rogas were my most worn style throughout pregnancy. I stuck with my pre-pregnancy pairs through the first half and then sized up two sizes to take me through the end. The wide stretchy waistband with drawcord rides perfectly under your bump and stays put, and the lightweight poly spandex fabric feels good and flatters your thighs and bum. I get bigger everywhere when I'm pregnant and my Rogas helped me embrace it! They are the perfect short for strong women of all shapes and sizes. I'm a fan of the classic length, but the entire family (Mac Rogas, Long Rogas, and the new Toolbelt Rogas) would be equally as good for mama-to-be-runners.
(Styles: Fast Cap, Birds of a Feather Tank, Jogging Knickers)
SEAMLESS COLLECTION
Oiselle’s seamless tops sit apart from other running brands thanks to the lack of spandex in the fabric. Because of the way seamless is made (knit-in-a-tube), you still get the serious stretch needed to cover a pregnant bump, but without the uber-tight look of a top with spandex. Chafe-free, soft, sleek and flattering – perfecto! My go-to seamless tops this pregnancy were the Birds of a Feather Long Sleeve (and Tank), and Flyte Long Sleeve (and Tank), and Wazelle Short Sleeve. They are all long enough to provide total bump coverage, and they return to their shape wash after wash.
WING WAISTBAND
Oiselle’s Wing Waistband is a bump’s best friend. My favorite styles: Go Joggings, Jogging Knickers, KC Tights and KC Knickers. The sculpted waistband sits comfortably below your belly in front and provides great coverage in the back, AND it’s super flattering. The super-soft nylon fabric of the Joggings grew with me (never had to size up), and the poly-blend KC’s were my go-to earlier in pregnancy if I wanted a bit more compression and a little flash. The built in zip pocket in the Wing Waistband fits my phone perfectly and holds it snug against my body – a necessity when you’re out for a long run with a toddler at home.
(Styles: Gwen Tank and Embossed Roga Shorts)
LUX COLLECTION
Ahhh, Lux, the cashmere of the running world. Amazingly soft and super-stretchy, this fabric is perfect for a growing bump (and bum). The Gwen Tank was my top pick for warm weather runs and gym sessions, and I live in my Lux Track Pants on the weekends. Another great benefit of Lux is recovery, or the fabric’s ability to be stretched over and over and always return its original shape and fit. I’m happy to say I’ve got Lux in my closet that will be worn before, during, and after pregnancy. For those of you that will be pregnant this Fall and Winter, we have some amazing new styles coming out that you will love!
SPORTS BRAS
Before pregnancy, as an A/B-cup, I never had too much trouble finding supportive sports bras. Boy did that sure change when I got pregnant! Throughout my first pregnancy, and then a year of breastfeeding, I learned that supportive sports bras are an absolute must-have in every woman runner’s drawer. For me, the Verrazano Bra and Runway Bra provided perfect support throughout pregnancy, and dare I say they made me feel sexy. Not an easy task. I sized up to accommodate my larger ribcage and growing bust. With this said, we know that many larger chested women find our bras to be lacking in support for running. We have heard you loud and clear and I’m proud to say our design team is working hard to develop more supportive bras. It takes time to bring a new product to market, and we’re 100% committed to getting it right, so please be patient with us! I’m looking forward to doing some serious product testing while I’m breastfeeding baby girl.
Thanks for reading mama birds, and congratulations! Pregnancy and motherhood are equal parts amazing and challenging, and as a running mama or mama-to-be, I salute you. It’s not easy, but we hope that Oiselle apparel makes it fun and helps you feel like the strong, tough birds you are!
