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