It can come as a shock when you suddenly realise that your normal pre-pregnancy clothes no longer fit……it’s the time when you have to go in search of maternity clothes! It can be a little daunting….where do you start looking and what to buy! 

We’ve all seen photos of ladies wearing shapeless tracksuits or skimpy t-shirts with their belly on full show but if this look isn’t for you, there are plenty alternatives. 

• Lots of high street shops have a maternity range, check them out first before the specialist shops, they normally have a good range to choose from and are fairly inexpensive.

• If you only want to buy a couple of items, get some good quality maternity trousers or jeans. They will accommodate your bump as it grows, and you will be able to wear them with lots of different tops.

• Always buy maternity clothes in your normal dress size, they will have made the clothes larger in certain areas without you having to go up a size!

• Really make the most of the fashion at the moment. High street shops are full of flowing smock tops which will have plenty of room to accommodate your bump and you’ll look fashionable too!

• Don’t forget to accessorise with jewellery, ear-rings, scarves and hand-bags!

• Forget your sky scraper heels and get some comfortable shoes. Your pregnancy hormones will loosen your joints, this can make it more difficult to keep your balance. You may not want to have to add to the mix a pair of stilettos!

• Your ankles and calves will expand too, so your lovely snug knee length boots may no longer zip up or if you manage to get them on you could be throwing them away after birth due to them being too stretched!

• If you really want a bargain, check out what people are selling on-line. Some of the items people may never have worn and you could get a whole wardrobe of clothes if they are selling them as a package.

Don’t worry if you feel you are wearing the same clothes all the time. Maternity clothes are not forever, soon you’ll be wearing all your old clothes again. Many of your pre-pregnancy clothes will have been out of circulation for a few months, so it’ll be like getting a brand new wardrobe of clothes and there will probably be a few items you forgot you had.