當馬克遇上莎莉

Before your bump arrives you’ll probably be manically inspecting your tummy every morning to work out whether there's any sign of it yet. 

Don’t worry, you’ll see it soon enough! When your bump starts to show depends entirely on you and your body shape. If you are tall you may not see a bump appearing until near the five-month mark, and if you are small you may see a bump after a month. There are no rules to pregnancy so you’ll really have to wait and see. By six months most pregnant women will be throwing down their skinny jeans in horror and discomfort and shopping for some looser, possibly maternity, jeans.

It’s not just your belly that changes during pregnancy, it’s your legs, breasts, feet, arms, bum and hips too! Thankfully for most women they go back to something near their old shape over the first year of their baby's life – although the greater majority of women do report that their figures have changed from pre-pregnancy (sometimes for the better).

So, how to go about buying maternity clothes? The trick is to buy key pieces and try not to fork out too much money. You’ll probably only be wearing maternity clothes for six months, with the possibility of wearing them after your baby is born before your baby bump disappears. Believe me, once you don’t need to wear maternity clothes anymore you won’t want to see or put them on ever again! 

Gone are the days when pregnant women had to wear tent-like dresses or dungarees – now most shops have stylish and affordable maternity ranges and plenty of styles, such as the smock dress, are suitable for pregnant women to wear from current collections. 

Maternity Jeans/trousers
Maternity jeans are probably one of the first items you’ll buy because your old jeans will quickly become tight around the waist. This is partly to do with the bloating you feel in the first trimester when your digestive system becomes sluggish due to the pregnancy hormones in your body slowing everything down. Some women may feel a little baby bump appearing in the first trimester and sitting down all day at work can be uncomfortable. 

Jersey panels
There are two styles of maternity jeans that offer the most comfort. The first are jeans with a full jersey panel attached to the top of your trousers that fits over the bump. Although this style is suitable for any stage of pregnancy, it offers support, particularly once your bump gets bigger during the second and third trimester. With this style of trousers, if you wear a long top it will look as if you are wearing normal trousers, not maternity trousers.

Under the bump
Lots of trousers offer an ‘under the bump’ style nowadays, which is ideal for the first and second trimester when you haven’t got huge yet. These trousers fit snugly under your bump and usually have adjustable waistbands so that you can loosen your trousers as you grow bigger with the next stage. These style of trousers can also be suitable for after the birth when you still have a little bump and want to be comfortable. 

Fully-elasticated waistband
This style of trousers have a fully-elasticated waistband that fits over your entire bump. It's a style that's particularly suited to the latter stages of pregnancy when your bump starts to get big and possibly needs some support. 

Drawstring
Drawstrings are normally used in comfier styles of trousers, such as jogging bottoms. They will have an adjustable back and you can adjust as you get bigger.

Jeans
Just because you get pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t dress in the way you want and if this means wearing skinny jeans – so be it! There are plenty of high street shops offering maternity ranges that are exactly the same as their normal ranges but with built-in maternity features. Remember when buying maternity jeans to buy your normal size – there is no need to go up a size as the waistbands should accommodate your bump effectively. 

Smart work trousers
Depending on where you work, you will probably have to buy some smart work trousers to get you through a few meetings. Again, the trick here is not to buy too many, but to buy one pair of black and one pair in another colour. You can always buy more trousers as your bump gets bigger and different styles feel more comfortable. If you are buying trousers for work, bear in mind that you may be sitting for long periods and may want a baggier style. 

Tops
There are plenty of different types of maternity tops and it is up to you which styles you prefer or feel more comfortable in. Lots of non-maternity wear is suitable for pregnancy now because of the current floaty fashions and smock top styles. Don’t forget that anything ‘non-maternity’ may ride up at the back as the material will only just cover your bump, so as you get bigger they might not be suitable. Some women get away with borrowing tops from their partners, a white shirt for example, teemed with a belt can look really elegant, but most women want their own maternity clothes, to help them feel appropriately dressed. There is no harm in borrowing your partner’s clothes at the weekend while vegging out, though!

Dresses
Some women can get away with wearing non-maternity dresses during their pregnancy, but because the bump requires extra material the dress will often ride up in all the wrong places and you may be showing more of your legs than you’d like! If you have a wedding to go to, or feel more comfortable in a dress (which can be handy in the summer when it starts to get hot), it’s probably best to stick to maternity wear.

Swimming costumes
Buying a maternity swimsuit is a must if you swim a lot because a normal swimming costume will feel uncomfortable as your bump gets bigger. Most maternity costumes will adapt to your growing bump so you’ll only need to buy one for the duration of your pregnancy. Lots of women prefer ‘tankini’s’ which are basically Lycra tops and bikini bottoms which cover your bump and look like a one-piece, but can be more comfortable as your bump grows.

Underwear

Knickers
Some women can get away with wearing their normal knickers as their bump might fit under the top. Other women might find their pre-pregnancy styles restrictive, especially as their pelvis begins to widen during the last stages of pregnancy. It might be enough to buy a pack of pants that are slightly bigger than normal, but maternity knickers may be more comfortable. Again, you’ll only be wearing them for six months and possibly afterwards for a while so there is no need to buy hundreds or spend vast amounts of money. If you have a Caesarean you may want to buy bigger knickers as many knickers end just wear the scar is and can be uncomfortable.

Bras
It is very important to wear the right kind of bra during pregnancy because your breasts will go through a series of changes and for most women, they’ll get bigger. It’s important to wear a non-underwired bra during pregnancy because the wires can interfere with the delicate milk ducts that are forming in your breasts and preparing for breastfeeding your baby. Lots of shops such as M&S offer a bra fitting service with lots of different styles to help you decide on the right bra. Some women find it unsupportive to wear a non-underwired bra especially as their breasts get bigger, but a good lingerie shop or maternity wear specialist can help you to find a style that is right for you.

Once your baby is born and you have decided to breastfeed, you will need to invest in a few nursing bras. These are bras that unhook at the straps so you can easily breastfeed your baby. It’s probably best to wait until after your baby is born and your milk has come in to buy a bra as your breasts will get bigger still!

Tights
It’s probably better to buy maternity tights as they will fit over the bump, but some women find their normal tights are sufficient at fitting under the bump. Either way, tights aren’t particularly comfortable when you are pregnant but in the winter months they are a must! If you can’t find any suitable tights try pull-ups instead.

Shoes
Obviously what shoes you choose to wear in pregnancy is up to you, but after about the fourth or fifth month your centre of gravity changes as your bump grows and you may feel yourself getting clumsier. This means that you may have to say goodbye to your kitten heels for a while and invest in some comfier shoes. Whether it is a myth or not, some women claim their feet got bigger in pregnancy. Some people report that their feet get half a size bigger and some say they stay bigger! A quick poll around the gurgle.com office showed that 50% of us experienced bigger feet and the other 50% were the lucky ones whose feet stayed the same size! Having to buy bigger shoes to accommodate this is very annoying in pregnancy, especially if they shrink back. Invest in some baseball boots or sneakers that aren’t expensive to save your pennies.

Bump bands
A bump band is basically a band of Lycra that fits over your trousers and bump. It means that you can wear your normal tops and jeans (or maternity jeans) and the band covers the gap between your top and trousers. The bump band is ideal if you still fit into your non-maternity clothes but don’t want any bare midrift around your growing belly.

Maternity hints and tips

Buy your own size
When buying maternity clothes, don’t be tempted to buy them too big - stick to the size you were before pregnancy. This is because maternity clothes will allow for the bump and will hopefully fit you perfectly everywhere else. The last thing you want are clothes that engulf you. 

Borrow as many clothes as you can
This could mean borrowing your partner’s jogging bottoms or shirts, or ringing round a few friends who have had their babies and can lend you their maternity staples. There really is no point in splashing out on a whole new wardrobe and if you can borrow clothes it makes it easier on your bank balance.

Keep it simple
When investing in new maternity clothes try to keep it simple. Buy two pairs of trousers, three tops and two vests to start with. You can always buy more if you feel you don’t have enough.

Put your comfort first!
Easier said than done, but if you are trying a maternity outfit on and it’s a little bit tight or restrictive – don’t buy it! You’re only going to get bigger and the more comfortable you are the better you will feel throughout your pregnancy.

High street shops that sell maternity ranges:

Topshop Maternity - www.topshop.co.uk

Dorothy Perkins - www.dorothyperkins.com

Next - www.next.co.uk

H&M - www.hm.com

Zara - www.zara.com

M&S - www.marksandspencer.com

Mamas & Papas - www.mamasandpapas.co.uk

Mothercare - www.mothercare.com

Mail order:

www.bloomingmarvellous.co.uk

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

www.vertbaudet.co.uk

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional