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I stayed active throughout my first two pregnancies because I knew it would help me feel better, and more importantly I knew it would help ease labor and delivery…enough incentive for this girl! However, putting on my maternity fitness wear was sometimes less than inspiring. I’ve tried fitness clothes from Nike, Prana, and many others. All make great regular fitness clothing, and their maternity gear actually worked out okay for me. But I can’t describe my relief when I learned about BornFit maternity sportswear. In a word, WOW! Not only are the clothes incredibly stylish, but their moisture-wicking, wrinkle resistant poly/spandex fabrics help keep you cool so you can kick up your workout that much more if you choose.
That’s one of the greatest things about the Outdoor Retailer conference — you run into the most amazing up-and-coming companies. With BornFit, I had heard about them before the conference and decided I had to go check them out while I was there meeting with the top outdoor brands in the industry. Sometimes ‘maternity wear’ is nothing more than some guy putting a stretchy piece on the front of jeans. Nice try. But when I met up with founders Julie and Lisa — former college roommates and both active moms — I could tell their products would at least be well-intentioned. Then I saw the spring 2010 collection and was impressed with the style. But would it perform?
I have been running in my BornFit Oxford skort several times now and, although I’m not currently pregnant, once I tie the inner drawstring it fits great! That’s the brilliant part — although this is maternity athletic wear, it is designed to be worn pre-pregnancy, throughout your pregnancy, and even post-pregnancy. The 2-inch waistband on the shorts, pants, and skorts can be worn over or under your belly, depending on what is more comfortable for you. What’s more, there’s a drawstring within the waistband so your clothes will still fit before and after pregnancy. I especially love the side slits on this skort, which makes for even better range of motion. Another bonus is the mesh side pocket hidden under the skirt for your keys, GU packets, or some cash. The material is excellent at wicking, and breathes quite well…so you don’t suffocate under your clothes if you happen to be pregnant in the summer.
BornFit touts the Oxford Skort as being good for running, biking or hiking. However, since the undershorts are not padded I wouldn’t recommend them for any ride longer or more grueling than a spin class. And while they are ideal for running, I don’t stop there. The skort is modest enough (14″ skirt length) that you will feel comfortable with the coverage when in a yoga class or hitting the store later in the day. That’s what I love about this kind of gear — it’s active, but attractive.
Now that I’ve discovered BornFit, I know that when I’m walking into the gym 7 months pregnant I can hold my head high and know that I still look great. And if I didn’t have the option of cinching up the waist, well these cute maternity clothes might inspire me to go for baby number 3 just so I could wear them! Thankfully that’s not the case — I can wear them now, and I’ll wear them when I’m pregnant.
;)
