"Why didn't you have this store when I was pregnant?" is the question Crystal Pollard hears most often. Pollard owns Bellies to Babies, a maternity consignment shop in Richfield. At a time when it seems as if no retail stone is left unturned, stores that sell secondhand maternity consignment items exclusively are still rare, although two stores opened in the Twin Cities last year, Bellies to Babies and Nine.

Heidi Breitbarth of Bloomington, who just had her first child, liked saving green and being green by shopping consignment. But she found that regular consignment shops didn't have deep maternity sections. As a petite, she could never find pants the right length at most consignment shops. Fortunately, when she was pregnant last year, she saved 50 percent or more at Bellies to Babies in Richfield and Nine in Minneapolis.

Bellies to Babies (6638 Penn Av. S., 612-869-0164, www. belliestobabies.net) has a wonderfully simple pricing policy. Merchandise is tagged as high-end or moderate. High-end includes A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity, Japanese Weekend and Steena. Prices are $21 for tops, $24 for bottoms and swimwear, $27 for dresses and $45 for two-piece outfits. Moderate brands from Old Navy and Target are $6 for tops, $9 for bottoms and swimwear, $12 for dresses and $15 for outfits. The store also rents out special-occasion dresses for $35 to $55. If you're consigning, cash is paid upfront. The price paid to consignors is usually one-third of the selling price. Items should be clean but do not have to be ironed.

Nine (5456 Nicollet Av. S., 612-827-8144, www.nineconsign. com) concentrates mostly on upscale brands such as Mimi, A Pea in the Pod, Sweet Pea and Babystyle. Moderate brands are also accepted if the style is current and in good condition. Customers can get on a waiting list for one of the most popular items, premium denim. Consignors get 50 percent of the selling price for high-end brands and one-third to half of the sales price for moderate brands such as Liz Lange. Items must be current, cleaned and pressed.

Besides the two specialty consignment shops, other places with a good selection of maternity wear include Clothes Mentor general consignment (www.clothesmentor.com), semiannual sales at consignment franchises such as From Yours to Mine (952-564-7566, www.fromyourstomine.com), Just Between Friends (763-226-5526, www.jbfsale.com) and Munchkin Markets (651-253-0897, www.munchkinmarkets.com) and the Mothers of Multiples sales (www.stpaulmoms.org). The fall sales, posted on the sites by locations around the Twin Cities, occur August through October.

If you want high-quality maternity wear that's new, try Uber Outlet (6021 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., 612-869-0930, myuberbaby.com). The store has about 200 maternity pieces, all currently discounted 70 percent off original retail prices. Designers include Liz Lange Couture, Childish, Fat Belly Sporty and Prego swimsuits.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.