When I was pregnant I hated the fact that I got bigger, particularly in the first 5 months, because I just looked like I had downed three hundred pies. By the end of my pregnancy I had gone from a size 12 to about a 16 in normal clothing sizes, which was a 14 maternity. Not too bad, but for me it was a lot and a definite need for bigger clothes.

The biggest problem I had about maternity ware was the price as for some reason you only have to mutter the word ‘maternity’ and Roberts your fathers brother, there’s an extra £10 on the label. Having said that, it is there to accommodate the shape of a pregnant tummy and I expect that there is a little more material and extra effort that goes into them, so it’s pretty much how it goes.

As with, I imagine, a lot of pregnant women, for the first 6 months or so I just bounced about in some hideously comfortable velour joggers and a camisole top, which I really cant recommend highly enough, especially if you are pregnant in the summer, like I was. Then, I really got daring and bought a pair of…dare I say it…maternity dungarees. I may have looked like I should have been sitting bare foot on a porch, playing a banjo with a wide rimmed straw hat on, a piece of barley hanging out of my chops and 3 teeth missing, but at least I was comfy! I got made fun of something rotten by a certain friend of mine.

Right, on a more serious note, maternity fashion has grown quite a lot these last few years. Women no longer have to don a flowery smock and can choose from beautiful evening wear, night wear, lingerie, swim wear and casual clothing. I can vouch for tankini’s being very comfortable and stylish at the same time. And let’s not be forgetting the all important maternity bra. I went from a 32C to a 34DD and a well fitting, supportive but comfortable bra was essential really. Ahh, and flat shoes. Flip flops were fantastic for me and the good thing about feet is that they stay the same size, so they can be used after the baby has been born too. And I know that I mentioned nightwear, but to be perfectly honest, I was so hot all the time that I just slept starkers! A well aired bump and you won’t get the ‘ump.

Above all, comfort is the most important when pregnant. Carrying around an extra 2 odd stone is enough to battle with, so having the waist line on your trousers digging in is the last thing you want to be thinking of. So I would say that it is a good idea to get some elasticised maternity trousers (or if they are a bit pricy, just get larger normal sized trousers. I did this quite a lot), cool (by cool I mean not hot and sweaty, not The Fonz) tops and a good bra. After all, they can always be put into storage for when you decide to have more children (or if you catch unawares). And don’t forget, your baby bumps are beautiful!