All guides and recommendations
Best swim mesh bags – Our recommendations in 2026
Menu
Summer is well and truly upon us. The temperature is well over 20 degrees, making a trip to the beach very tempting. But what about when you’re pregnant – what do you do about a swimsuit? Fortunately, there’s a special type of maternity swimsuit.
And that’s exactly the kind of swimsuit I’ll be talking about in this guide. I’m going to set you up with everything you need to choose the perfect maternity swimsuit just for you.
In this guide, I’ll cover:
With the plan in place, let’s get started!
For you who want it simple and affordable 
Arena maternity swimsuit 
Let’s start by looking at what makes a maternity swimsuit different from a regular one. Because even though they serve the same purpose, maternity swimwear has slightly different requirements.
The main difference is the fit. When you’re pregnant, your body changes continuously throughout your pregnancy. So to avoid buying a new swimsuit every month, having plenty of stretch in a maternity swimsuit is essential.
With plenty of stretch, the swimsuit adapts to your current size without feeling too tight. That applies whether you’re at the beginning of your pregnancy or nearing your due date.
Many maternity swimsuits also provide extra support for your bump and bust. It’s no secret that both your bump and breasts grow as your pregnancy progresses, which means you need extra support in those exact areas.
And as an added bonus, the stomach area on most maternity swimsuits also offers UPF 50+ UV protection.
When you need swimwear while pregnant, you don’t necessarily have to stick to a swimsuit. You can also go for a maternity bikini.
And I’ll explain the pros and cons of the two different types of swimwear below.
A swimsuit is the type of swimwear that protects you and your baby most from the sun. They’re often UV-treated with UPF 50, and they also cover your entire bump.
Even though it shouldn’t really be that way, many women still feel self-conscious about their pregnant body. Especially the bump, which naturally gets bigger and bigger as your pregnancy progresses.
And this is where a swimsuit covers your entire bump. Other people at the beach can see you’re pregnant, but they can’t see your bare tummy.
Here’s an example of a great maternity swimsuit. It offers great comfort, UPF 50 UV protection, has plenty of stretch, and adapts to your body no matter what stage you’re in.
A maternity bikini is a great choice if you want to sunbathe, head to a spa, or just relax outside in the shade on a warm summer’s day. If you want to show off your baby bump, a bikini is also the obvious choice.
On the other hand, there’s a chance you’ll have to replace your bikini along the way during your pregnancy. That’s because your bump, hips, and bust grow, and a bikini unfortunately doesn’t have the same amount of stretch as a maternity swimsuit.
With the features, functions, pros, and cons of maternity swimwear covered, it’s time to share the best maternity swimsuits with you. As a man, for obvious reasons, I haven’t been able to test the different suits myself.
We’ve selected these maternity swimsuits based on experience and feedback
To find the best models, we’ve gathered a selection of the best-selling and most popular maternity swimsuits – both from Ireland and abroad – and evaluated them based on our knowledge of fit, comfort, and functionality during pregnancy.
Arena maternity swimsuit – Pregnancy G9
The maternity swimsuits are assessed on factors such as regular swimsuit vs maternity swimsuit, sizing, design, fit, price, and overall user experience and customer feedback. These assessments form the basis of our recommendations below.
That’s why – based on user reviews and product knowledge – we’ve selected the best maternity swimsuits across three different categories, making it easier for you to find the model that suits your needs best.
If you just want a simple and affordable maternity swimsuit, you can’t go wrong with this Carriwell maternity swimsuit. Despite its modest price, it still offers really great support. Plus, it has factor 50 UV protection to shield your bump from the sun’s rays.
My wife says it fits really well around the waist, bump and bust. And even though it has plenty of stretch, it doesn’t feel tight. It was also easy to get on.
She especially appreciated the stretchy leg openings, which allowed the suit to adapt to her hips. That meant she didn’t get that numb, tight feeling in her legs that she’s had before with regular swimsuits.
So for anyone who just wants something simple and affordable, the Carriwell maternity swimsuit is the best choice!
If you want a great design, a bit more functionality, and don’t mind spending a little extra, then the Arena maternity swimsuit – Pregnancy G9 is the best buy you can make.
First of all, the design speaks for itself. It looks fantastic and comes in several different colours, so you can choose the style that best suits you. It also fits exceptionally well.
The bust support is particularly good in the Arena maternity swimsuit – Pregnancy G9. It features an underbust band that ties at the back. It also expands a lot, so you can wear it throughout your entire pregnancy.
There’s plenty of room for your thighs in the leg openings, and it features an open back and a V-neck. So the comfort really is top-notch.
A maternity swimsuit that my wife was really happy with – and felt completely comfortable wearing!
She did note, however, that you should probably go down a size from your usual. It fit really well on dry land, but once the fabric got wet, it stretched a little.
If you simply want the absolute best maternity swimsuit, you should go for the Speedo Essential Grace U-back Maternity. And that’s truly for good reason.
Among the maternity swimsuits we’ve received the most positive feedback on, this model stands out as the best fitting – all the way around your body. It’s incredibly stretchy, making it both comfortable to wear and easy to take on and off.
In addition, it’s often highlighted for providing great support for both your bump and bust.
It also gives you full freedom of movement in the water. Whether you’re splashing around or swimming, it’s easy to move without any resistance from the fabric.
Speedo is already renowned for making some of the absolute best swimwear on the market. And since they’ve used the same fabric as in their Endurance range of swimwear, it’s incredibly durable against chlorine – something that’s usually harsh on regular swimsuits.
If you’re looking for a maternity swimsuit for both the beach and the pool, this model is an obvious choice thanks to its comfort, support and durability.
A maternity swimsuit is designed to grow with you. So instead of buying bigger and bigger sizes as your pregnancy progresses, you should generally just buy a maternity swimsuit in your normal size.
If you’ve been pregnant before and know that you tend to grow significantly more than other pregnant women, it might be an advantage to choose a maternity swimsuit that’s one size larger than your usual swimsuit size.
However, I only recommend this if you already know you’ll grow more than average during your pregnancy. Otherwise, just go with the size you’d normally wear in a swimsuit.
You usually don’t need a maternity swimsuit for years. Even so, it’s a great idea to take good care of it so it isn’t ruined after just a few uses. Below, I’ve gathered a few tips and tricks on how to extend the life of your swimsuit.
All the tips below don’t just apply to maternity swimwear. They work just as well for regular swimsuits.
Even though it might be tempting, never wash your swimsuit in the washing machine. It exposes it to detergent, hot water, and a lot of wear and tear. That strips away the great qualities your swimsuit has.
When your swimsuit is wet and you need it again soon, tossing it in the tumble dryer might seem like a quick and easy fix. But it really isn’t good for the swimsuit’s fabric.
Instead, hang it up to dry in the bathroom or outdoors in the shade. The material will hold up much better. And try to avoid hanging it by the straps, as this gradually wears out the elasticity.
Every time you’ve used your swimsuit, rinse it in cold water. And skip the soap. Soap (or other chemicals) isn’t good for the fabric, while hot water weakens the elasticity.
It’s still important to rinse away bacteria and sweat from your swimsuit. Cold, clean water is more than enough to do the trick.
When your swimsuit is soaking wet, it’s tempting to wring out the excess water. But don’t do it. Wringing your swimsuit damages the elasticity, which unfortunately shortens its lifespan.
If you’re in a hurry, fold the suit up and gently press the water out instead. Otherwise, the best thing is simply to hang it out to dry. Luckily, swimsuits dry quite quickly.
As soon as you get home, take your swimsuit out of your bag and hang it up to dry. If you leave it in the bag, you give bacteria the best conditions to break down the fabric.
On top of that, a swimsuit won’t smell particularly pleasant either if you’ve left it wet in a bag for a long time.
The heading might be a bit misleading, because it’s always a good idea to keep your swimsuit on when rinsing before and after going in the water. But never wear it when using soap, shampoo or other chemicals.
Soap, shampoo and other chemicals break down the material of your swimsuit. And then it simply won’t last very long.
It might be tempting to lend your maternity swimsuit to a pregnant friend. But the swimsuit fabric adapts completely to your body shape (and quite quickly too), so if your friend is larger than you, for instance, it will be stretched out unnecessarily. And when you need to wear it again yourself, it won’t have the same great fit as before.
If you’re heading to the beach and the sun is beating down, simply wearing a maternity swimsuit isn’t enough. Hormones in your body make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays, for better or worse.
That’s why I’ve rounded up a few products below that are absolute must-haves when you’re visiting the beach while pregnant.
It protects your face from the sun’s rays. At the same time, it brings a lovely tropical vibe.
When you’re out of the water, slipping on a beach sarong is a great option. It covers more of your body than the swimsuit does, while looking effortlessly stylish.
It’s important to stay well hydrated to prevent sunstroke for both you and your baby. Make sure to bring a large water bottle filled with cold water, so you can keep yourself cool and hydrated.
Due to your hormones, your skin absorbs the sun’s rays more easily. This means you tan faster, but it also means you can get sunburned quickly. So make sure you apply a high-factor sunscreen (preferably SPF 50) to avoid getting sunburnt.
There are many shops where you can buy a maternity swimsuit. However, we recommend buying it from us at Watery.ie.
Here you’ll find the most popular and top-rated maternity swimsuits – at reasonable prices and with fast delivery. Our high customer satisfaction on Trustpilot shows that many have had great experiences shopping here.
That’s why we recommend buying your new maternity swimsuit at Watery.ie.
