Things Your Mother Didn't Tell You About Being Pregnant

Things Your Mother Didn't Tell You About Being Pregnant
By Julie Wickenden

You can wear maternity clothing from very early on

You don't need a bump the size of a spacehopper before you buy maternity clothes! In fact, the earlier you buy, the more comfortable you will be and the better value you will get from your new wardrobe. For some women, a "thick" waist comes along within the first few weeks (even with a first pregnancy) and feels very uncomfortable, as though you have eaten too much. Don't try to ignore it; you will just feel irritated all the time and, frankly, it's just going to get worse. At this point, look at underbump trousers or skirts, as these will give much-needed relief around your tummy. This design can also be worn during the months after you have had your baby and are waiting for your waist to return. You don't need to go mad in the early stages, just cut yourself some slack!

It's a really bad idea to buy clothes in a bigger size

It might seem like a good idea at the time, but clothes in a bigger size are not cut to accommodate a growing bump, and will probably make you look baggy all over (low-slung crotches, off-the-shoulder seams etc). Far better to invest in proper maternity clothes that are adjustable, fit you properly and will see you right through your pregnancy and beyond.

It's an even worse idea to dress in black all the time

OK, black is a good slimming colour and easy to match with all the other black things you may have in your wardrobe. BUT....not all British complexions look good with this colour right next to the face. You can sometimes feel very washed out and tired when you are pregnant and wearing black can make things worse. Try experimenting with brighter colours (with black trousers if you like!) which will lift your colour and leave you feeling more energized and positive. Teal blue is a great colour for the typical "mid-brown" UK colouring and is great with jeans or those black trousers.

You won't look like you're "having it tomorrow" if you wear fitted clothes

Now here's a thing. The snugger the fit, the slimmer we can look. Really. Large busts shrink magically with a v-neck, scoop neck or cross-over top with a camisole underneath. A wrap top with side detail and an interesting pattern can iron out any lumps we don't like around our midriff. Unhappy about the hips? Try a shorter tunic or a top that comes to the top of the thigh, lengthening the leg and decreasing the bottom. Tops that skim over the bump are much more flattering than ballooning smocks or half-mast clingy t-shirts.

It's OK to be curvy and to show off your bump

In the past, there was a view that pregnant women should hide away until they had produced their offspring, or at the very least should be condemned to wear enormous smocks, reducing them to the status of breeding sows in tents (heavens, just look at those pictures of Princess Diana emerging with baby William in 1982). But then along came Demi Moore on the cover of Vanity Fair and all that changed. Sexy and pregnant were at last compatible and a whole new style began to emerge. Many of the designs we sell at Nu Nu are fitted, made from gorgeous soft stretchy fabrics and do amazing things for our customers' figures! Brands such as Amsterdam's Vida Vita and UK's Melba are especially good at skimming the bump and creating a waist whilst keeping things demurely under wraps.

We've never had it so good

All in all, there are some things that will never change about being pregnant - morning sickness, anxiety about our changing shape, the feeling that we have been invaded by aliens and that life will never be the same again. But, thankfully, time has marched on in other areas and help is at hand for mums-to-be, particularly in the world of fashion. There are more brands to choose from than ever before, fabrics have improved enormously, particularly with the addition of lycra and spandex which give added stretch without bagging, and there is a much more relaxed attitude to bumps on show. Producing the next generation is a big enough challenge. Thank goodness we can now get on with it dressed like we mean business.

Link to: NuNu Maternity Dresses

Julie Wickenden is the owner of Nu Nu Maternity Wear

7 Cheltenham Crescent, Harrogate HG1 1DH

Link to: NuNu Maternity

Tired of struggling to find fashionable maternity clothes online? Nu Nu Maternity Wear is Harrogate's only specialist maternity boutique, where you will find a wide range of designer clothing at high street prices! New stock every week from across Europe includes smart and funky casual, business wear, occasion and bridal wear, swimwear, lingerie and baby accessories. Brands on sale include Crave, Valja, Attesa, Vida Vita, Arabella B, Melba and Amoralia.

Nu Nu Maternity Wear 7, Cheltenham Crescent (on the approach to Jubilee car park) Open 10.00 - 5.00 Monday to Saturday. Tel 01423 817373.

http://www.nunumaternitywear.co.uk