Swimming also is a non-weight-bearing exercise which means that it is unlikely to cause any strain on joints. This is fantastic news for the pregnant woman who has already got stretched and tender ligaments and joints. Nature softens them so that the pelvic joints can open wider to allow the passage of the baby’s head during delivery. Unfortunately, this can lead to aches and pains, although anyone who suffers from chronic joint pain or arthritis may find that the opposite happens as stiffness eases. Swimming is also a godsend after the birth when ladies start to think about toning up and getting their trim figures back. It is one of the few exercises that work the whole body at once with no impact and works the cardio-vascular system.

Add the thoughts of beach holidays to the marvellous benefits of swimming and the need for specially-designed maternity swimwear is obvious.

2. You will be a VIP. Everyone wants to make a fuss of you. Work colleagues will grin and possibly cuddle you when you break the news, your girlfriends will shriek and unlimited love will ooze from relatives who generally love the idea of an extra little person in the family.

3. In the UK, your NHS prescriptions will be free. Get the doctor or midwife who confirmed your pregnancy to give you an FW8 form. This will enable you to get an exemption certificate. The free prescriptions continue until your baby is 12 months old.

4. You also get free NHS dental treatment via the same exemption certificate. Time to make a dental appointment and get those gnashers into tip-top order.

5. These are not the only benefits that your doctor or midwife can help you to obtain in the UK. You can also claim for the Health in Pregnancy Grant. Click on Money 4 Mums 2 be. You must be at least 25 weeks pregnant and have to claim from HMRC (the new name for Inland Revenue) within 31 days of your midwife or doctor signing the form. HM Government is getting all trendy, as they will send you a free text message or email reminder to help you remember to claim but you need to sign up for this in the link above. Many private hospital savings schemes – the sort that give you grants towards dental care, for example – also have a maternity grant component but you will need to find this out and claim it yourself. These often only pay out after the birth and there may be a qualifying period, so you can’t claim after falling pregnant.

6. Working pregnant women may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). This lasts for 39 weeks. You get at least 90% of your normal weekly pay for the first six weeks, and for the remainder of the term you get 90% of your average gross earnings or £123.06, whichever is the lower figure. This is not affected by any money you get from the one-off grant above.

7. It’s not all about money – think about your tresses. Your hair normally falls out and gets renewed regularly; you see the evidence in your hairbrush or comb. During pregnancy, the whole cycle slows down so your hair looks thicker. This is caused partly by an increase in your blood flow and partly by a change in hormone levels. It’ll catch itself up after the birth, so make the most of your locks now.

8. Chill out! You can get out of doing the most heavy jobs at work and at home. You have to protect your body and the growing baby so you should be having lots of lifting and carrying work done by someone else.

9. Boobs. You have the best breasts of your life! Make the most of your fuller figure with a well-fitting maternity bra and show off those gorgeous bangers.

10. Last but not least, lots of today’s fashions go well with a bump – think easy-to-wear leggings with long tops and tunics, and wrap-front dresses that flare out from underneath your bust.

For more pregnancy advice, read Maternity Lingerie . For flattering and feminine maternity bras, click on Maternity Bras for some ideas to start you along.
Read this article for advice on choosing and fitting your first maternity bra.

You need to ensure a good, comfortable fit when choosing a maternity bra. It must fit you as the size you are now, even if you think that your boobs will continue to grow. Getting one to ‘grow into’ is not a good idea as it will not support you correctly. A bra that fits properly will help your breasts to feel less heavy and achy. It will also support their growing weight and prevent your back from aching. You may find that your breasts grow so quickly that you get some stretch marks, so proper support is essential.

Your breasts may start to be uncomfortable at night. This is alleviated by buying special sleep bras. Some of the sleep bras available are rather soft, rather like a crop top but with soft cups, and do not offer much support. If your boobs are large, look for a sleep bra that is a little more substantial. Do not make do with a normal day time bra as it will not be comfortable to sleep in, especially if it has wires under the cups as they will dig in. You may also find that putting a cushion under your breasts at night is helpful to prevent their weight dragging down if you are starting to get uncomfortable in bed.

Your bra should fit nicely when fastened at the tightest hook. This means that you will have a little leeway when your bump gets bigger. You can then let out the hooks and you will also get more space as the elastic relaxes with wear.

Many pregnant women suffer from sensitive skin. If that is a problem for you, it may be a good idea to avoid lace next to the skin or synthetic fabrics like nylon when choosing maternity lingerie. You will also have to do what our larger-breasted sisters do and buy bras with wide, comfortable straps to prevent them from digging into your shoulders and leaving sore red lines as your boobs get heavier.

You may consider economising by buying nursing bras early on in pregnancy instead of maternity bras. This doesn’t work for a lot of people. This is because you may find that you will need separate ones later anyway, as your boobs may be a completely different size after the baby is born. The nursing bras that fitted you before the birth may well be two or three cup sizes too small.

Article copyright Maternity Lingerie

The First Trimester
Nothing much happens at first then your pregnancy hormones go into overdrive soon after the egg burrows into the lining of the uterus to make itself a little nest for the next few months. Some women know within days that they have conceived – especially if it is not their first pregnancy. Caroline says, “Oh yes, with the first baby, the first outward sign was my boobs. They were significantly tender. I have had mastitis in the past and it felt a bit like that but without the lumpiness”.

After a month, her sense of taste changed. “I had a strange metallic taste in my mouth all through the next eight months and I could not face drinking tea. Eating fruit and frozen sweetcorn kernels helped me to forget about the metallic taste. The cup of tea I was given after giving birth tasted fantastic – it was the first one I had enjoyed for ages”.

Some women find that their bladders are more irritable early on, making them need to urinate more often. Others don’t get this problem until the uterus grows big enough to exert pressure downwards onto the bladder.

Most women suffer from varying degrees of nausea, the so-called ‘morning sickness’. Eating little and often can be helpful, especially for those people who get it during every waking hour, as it can be worse when the stomach is empty. Fatigue may also start to become a problem, partly because the mother’s body is pre-occupied with growing a new human being, and partly due to hormones.

The waistline will be starting to thicken by the end of the first three months and tight clothing may be a no-no due to discomfort. If the woman normally wears hi-leg briefs, she may need to think about changing to bikini-height pants or look at maternity briefs or maternity panties. Maternity bras may not be necessary yet but she may well need to move up a cup size already.

Article copyright Maternity Lingerie

Um, not always.

My first clue that I was pregnant – apart from the obvious missed period – was breast tenderness. Mine started growing almost from day one and kept growing…and growing for nine months. I started off as a cute 34B, and by the time the baby was a week old, I looked like Jordan.

BEFORE her implant reduction.

I needed new maternity bras before I needed any maternity dresses, and I had to keep purchasing new ones as I out-grew each cup size. As my waist started to thicken, to be honest, I felt a little bit of relief, as I no longer had to worry about maintaining an hourglass figure – I began to turn into more the shape of a rugby ball by the end. I spent the first four months feeling nauseous and I had these huge bangers which kept getting in the way when I crossed my arms. My legs ached. At least I didn’t suffer from what my friend Jennifer did (men look away now) as she had pregnancy haemorrhoids…I was grateful for small mercies. Although all the magazine articles and old wives’ tales said that I would be feeling ultra-feminine, I started to have my doubts and didn’t feel as attractive as I used to.

Just because you are growing a new life doesn’t mean that yours cannot continue to go on. You have to make a few modifications, obviously. Medical advice tells us that a pregnant woman should not drink alcohol or smoke as both can affect the baby. Avoiding smoky atmospheres is so much easier since the smoking ban in public places came in. I didn’t even take any paracetamol tablets during pregnancy, I just went for walks in fresh air if I got a headache; I was determined to give my baby a healthy start.

I like to wear low-cut bikini-style panties and they are still great as they just fit underneath the bump. Some of the maternity underwear I saw looked like a Victorian granny’s bloomers. Yuk. Maternity lingerie can be sexy too!

Thankfully, these days, pregnancy is not a time when women keep themselves tucked away, being served endless cups of tea. Just because you are growing a baby, you can still have fun, have a laugh with mates and wear smart, sassy and sexy clothes.

Article copyright Maternity Lingerie