Patent ID: 7676852

Claim:
A method for accommodating changes in the shape of a woman during pregnancy without the need for a series of different-sized maternity clothes, comprising: providing a band of flexible, stretchable material, generally cylindrical in shape and in a size so as to be expanded and stretched to be firmly but comfortably worn around the torso of a pregnant woman approximately at the waist, the band stretched and worn over normal pre-pregnancy pants or a skirt of the pregnant woman that has become too tight to accommodate the swelling of pregnancy by: wearing the pants or skirt unfastened at an upper end, stretching and placing the band over an upper portion and upper edge of the pants or skirt, wherein most of the height of the band resides over the pants or skirt while an upper portion of the height of the band extends above the upper edge of the pants or skirt and engages against the body, and wearing the band during transition of early pregnancy and continuing through a period of time when the pregnant woman cannot wear normal pre-pregnancy clothing but is too small to fill maternity clothing, whereby the band holds the upper end of the pants or skirt closely against the torso, retaining the pants or skirt in place and providing a neat, fitted appearance without lumpiness thereby enabling the woman to wear pre-pregnancy clothing through a portion of pregnancy.