Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Pregnancy can be an expensive business if you let your inner shopaholic run wild and free in the maternity section of your favourite shop. So before you hit the high street or start shopping online, make sure you know which five items are the essential buys.

1. Maternity bras

Maternity bras are the first pregnancy essential. From as early as eight weeks, you may find your old bras no longer fit, and you need the comfort and support of a well-fitting non-wired maternity bra and sleep bra.

You’ll need to be measured and try on a handful of different styles to make sure your maternity bra provides the comfort your tender boobs need. It’s best to opt for a style that provides full coverage with wide straps but you can still feel sexy and feminine with a touch of lace or diamante embellishments.

2. Maternity jeans

Maternity jeans should be the next item on your shopping list. It’s up to you whether you prefer waistbands that go over the bump or sit beneath it, but a good pair of straight leg or skinny jeans will keep you feeling hip and trim throughout your pregnancy. Or keep cool in cropped maternity jeans, which look great with a pair of flat sandals.

3. Maternity leggings

Simple black maternity leggings are another must-have, being so versatile. You can continue wearing any loose fitting tunics or dresses for the first few months of your pregnancy if you have a supportive and comfortable pair of leggings to team them with.

4. Maternity tops

You won’t need maternity tops until your second or even third trimester but a well-designed fashionable T-shirt or stylish top will keep you feeling good once your bump really starts to grow.

A well-cut maternity top should fit you snugly around the shoulders and back with plenty of room for your bump. Wrap or crossover tops are always a good buy, as they expand with your bump and can be worn post-pregnancy, while your bump is gradually shrinking.

5. A versatile dress

Investing in one simple dress, which can be worn a number of ways for different occasions, will mean you never have to utter the phrase “I have nothing to wear!”

A sleeveless dress in black or another neutral colour can be styled up for nights out or kept casual with flat sandals.

Save your pennies

As your maternity clothes will only be worn for a few months, there’s little point in spending a fortune on lots of expensive items. Many of the more affordable shops on the high street now stock fashionable maternity clothes that can get you through your pregnancy cheaply and chicly.

If you save your pennies while you’re pregnant, you can treat yourself again in the months after your baby is born, when new clothes can give a tired mum a fantastic confidence boost.