You can wear a regular swimsuit while pregnant, at least for the first little while. But the best maternity swimsuits are designed for the perfect fit. They are stretchy enough to grow with you and designed to feel comfortable and look flattering during pregnancy. Unlike traditional bathing suits, maternity swimwear doesn’t have to be sized up and won’t end up too tight or too baggy in all the wrong places.

Why is a maternity swimsuit better than a regular swimsuit while you’re pregnant?

You might be hesitant to spend the money on something you’ll only wear for a few months. However, if you love water sports or spending time at the beach or poolside, it’s worth it to get a maternity swimsuit. That’s because they’re supportive and comfortable, and they fit much better than a regular swimsuit can.

Most maternity bathing suits have adjustable straps, stretchy fabric, extra room for the belly, and good bust support. Just as important, some brands make it easy to breastfeed with quick-release straps or button closures.

How do I choose a maternity swimsuit?

Shopping online is a little harder because you can’t try it on before you buy it. But if you measure your hips, waist and bump, and bust, you can find what you need by looking at the brand’s size chart. Moreover, maternity clothes use the same sizing system as regular clothing, so if you wore a medium-size swimsuit, you’ll be a medium in maternity swimwear, too.

Here are things to consider when shopping for the best maternity swimsuit:

Return policy

It’s smart to check the return policy before you purchase anything. If the swimsuit happens to be the wrong size or isn’t what you hoped for, it’s nice to be able to swap it or get a refund.

Fit

Measure yourself and check the size chart. Typically, you’ll need to wrap the measuring tape around your bust, waist and bump, and hips.

If you’re concerned about the fit being true to size, skim the reviews if people have mentioned their measurements and what size they selected. If the suit has 15 to 20% spandex, Lycra, or elastane, it will be elastic enough to grow with you as your body changes.

Comfort

Along with fit, comfort is crucial. It doesn’t matter if you get a one-piece, a tankini, or a bikini because it’s not about style. It’s about trips to the bathroom! If you can’t get your swimsuit off to go, that’s not comfortable.

You might also want to think about how adjustable the swimsuit is. Can you loosen or tighten the straps or the bottoms? Does it have an underwire or padded cups? Can you remove the padding?

Some maternity swimsuits have easy access for nursing which is handy as you’ll probably want to wear them while your body gets back into shape.

Check out the best swimsuits for pregnant women below:

Best Maternity Swimsuits in 2024

Summer Mae Maternity Swimsuit

[su_amz asin=”B08Y5NJD7M”]

It’s common to feel self-conscious during pregnancy. There’s no shame in choosing modest maternity swimwear as it has certain advantages. For one, a one-piece bathing suit keeps your bump from getting sunburned. And more coverage on the bottom hopefully translates into fewer wedgies.

Consider this pregnancy bathing suit with a button closure on the front. It’s handy for breastfeeding as it’s easy to open and has removable padding in the bust.

The suit is 82% nylon, 18% spandex for plenty of elasticity. It’s also fully lined with polyester.

We like how the cross-back style supports a larger bust and the ruched sides make the suit flatter a growing tummy. The ribbed fabric feels surprisingly soft.

What’s nice is that it can be machine-washed in cold water and hung to dry. It comes in a variety of colors in sizes small to extra large. The brand recommends sizing up for a large bust or wide hips.

Pros:

• Trendy style with ribbed fabric, ruched sides, and cross-back support for the bust
• Button plaket in the front is convenient for breastfeeding
• Machine-washable
• Available in sizes small to extra large in a variety of colors

Cons:

• It’s not much fun to take off a wet one-piece suit when you’re in a hurry to go potty

Ziola Women Two-Piece Women’s Maternity Swimsuit

[su_amz asin=”B07R8PVL9X”]

Here’s an affordable maternity tankini that allows you to adjust both the top and the bottom. The faux wrap top has scrunched-up (ruched) sides and adjustable straps so that you don’t need to worry about slippage or running out of space. Feel free to remove the bust cups if you don’t need them. Then, the bottoms have ties on both sides for a more flattering fit.

The fabric is a sleek and stretchy blend of 82% nylon and 18% spandex. It comes in several different colors and prints but all of them need to be hand-washed, unfortunately.

Lastly, the brand offers sizes up to XXL and provides rapid exchanges.

Pros:

• Maternity tankini available in sizes up to XXL
• Nice selection of colors and patterns
• Adjustable top and bottom with removable pads
• Brand offers exchanges

Cons:

• Hand-wash only

Tempotrek Maternity Swimsuit

[su_amz asin=”B07RY5JJQ8″]

I don’t know about you, but I prefer machine-washable swimsuits, especially during pregnancy. Otherwise, it’s just too much work. This brand says the swimsuit is machine-washable but they recommend hand-washing. At this price, I’m willing to take the risk.

There are several things to love about this maternity swimsuit. First, it lifts the bust and secures it with an adjustable crossover tie that’s quite attractive on a pregnant belly. Second, has a low scooped back and ruched sides for a fashionable yet but spacious fit.

Happily, there are several patterns and solid colors to choose from. Plus, the brand offers a halter maternity swimdress, a ruffled maternity swimsuit with V-neck, a maternity tankini, and a one-shoulder one-piece maternity swimsuit.

Pros:

• Adjustable and stylish swimsuit with a low scooped back and ruched sides
• Several patterns and solid colors
• Lifts the bust with removable padding

Cons:

• It’s recommended to hand-wash the bathing suit, but it’s also machine-washable in cold water

MiYang Women Maternity Swimwear

[su_amz asin=”B089B3Y61F”]

Here’s another machine-washable maternity swimsuit. The suit has a high-cut bottom with scrunched sides, a flounce in the front, and stretchy, soft fabric.

Although it’s a one-shoulder bathing suit, it has good support in the chest and it’s fully lined. One reviewer is pregnant with twins found that it fit nicely even though she has a long torso.

Another reviewer pointed out that it feels like a sports bra and provides good coverage with plenty of room in all the important places. It doesn’t feel tight on the belly even though it’s supportive of the bust. Moreover, you can remove the padded cups.

Lastly, it’s machine-washable in cold water.

Pros:

• Machine-washable one-piece swimsuit with good chest support and removable padding
• Flatters a long torso and stretches enough for a belly with twins
• High-cut bottom

Cons:

• If you’re not a fan of the one-shoulder style, the brand also makes maternity swimwear tankinis

EastElegant Maternity One-Piece Swimwear

[su_amz asin=”B0882W49TC”]

Let’s face it, it’s hard to reach certain spots for hair removal when you’re pregnant. This swimsuit has the ideal solution – a cute boyleg bottom. It’s just long enough to save the extra effort and yet short enough to look stylish.

Furthermore, the machine-washable swimsuit has a front cross design with a padded bra and adjustable halter neck ties. There’s no underwire, but reviewers with larger busts (38D, for example) say that it’s supportive and comfortable.

Another bonus is that this is a plus-size maternity swimsuit that goes up to size 3XL. It checks all the boxes – it’s both cute and comfy.

Pros:

• Cute and comfy maternity swimsuit in sizes up to 3XL
• Adjustable halter ties in a front cross design
• Removable padding and no underwire
• Boyleg bottom offers good coverage in a stylish way

Cons:

• The swimsuit is described as machine-washable but swimwear lasts longer when it’s hand-washed

Women’s Plus-Size Twist-Front Underwire Bikini Top by Land’s End

One challenge was to find the best maternity swimsuits for a large bust. We selected this bikini top that’s made like a sports bra but looks much cuter. Check out the sweetheart neckline.

Moreover, it has a nice list of features that made it irresistible. Just don’t forget to get matching bottoms which are sold separately.

Not only does the Lycra fabric offered UPF 50 sun protection, but it also resists destruction by sweat, chlorine, and sunscreen. Sadly, you’ll need to hand-wash it, but that’s smart because it has an underwire. Just like a regular bra, it has adjustable straps and a hook closure in the back.

Pros:

• Underwire bikini top maternity swimwear
• Supports like a sports bra but is cute with a sweetheart neckline
• UPF 50 sun protection
• Resistant to sweat, chlorine, and sunscreen

Cons:

• This is a bikini top only – the bottom is sold separately

Maacie Maternity Bikini

[su_amz asin=”B09NDJTTTC”]

I’m a fan of polyamide because it’s soft like nylon but doesn’t pill up as easily as polyester. This two-piece maternity swimsuit is made from a polyamide/spandex blend and it’s delicious to wear.

Let’s start from the bottom up. Obviously, a bikini is much easier to dress and remove than a one-piece bathing suit, especially when you’re pregnant. The bottom here is lined with a soft fabric and has a high waist design that wraps the belly protectively.

Then, the ruffled top has a personality of its own with just the right amount of plunge. If you don’t like the padded cups, you can pull them out. Reviewers say it has decent support for the average chest.

The suit is available in sizes up to XXL. Fortunately, it can be machine-washed.

Pros:

• Polyamide/spandex blend is silky soft and can be machine-washed
• Bikini has a high-wasted bottom and a ruffled top with padded cups
• Available in sizes up to XXL
• Machine-washable

Cons:

• Some reviewers said that the bottom may be a little baggy if you wear the swimsuit early on in the pregnancy

Conclusion

A nice soak in the pool will relieve an achy back and make you feel buoyant and free. It’s cooling and relaxing – two things that every pregnant woman values. Those are just a couple of the reasons why you need a maternity swimsuit.

At the beginning of the pregnancy, you can probably get away with your old swimsuit. But as your belly grows, it will be more comfortable in a bathing suit made to fit a curvy body. Even after giving birth, you’ll be able to enjoy maternity swimwear.

We hope our reviews helped you find your new favorite swimsuit today. If you love how it fits and looks, we’d be happy to hear from you. Feel free to leave us a comment below.