Maternity & Pregnancy Books | Books & Reading

Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times in a woman's life. The gradual realisation of another life growing inside you, feeling it moving and planning for its future can be thrilling and daunting at the same time. It is one of life's experiences that feel like a true miracle and is one of the most difficult to explain in words.

Pregnancy Clothes

Changes in your body will happen immediately and after about three months into pregnancy, you may start feeling that your clothes are becoming slightly tighter. It is now time to start thinking about buying maternity clothes.

During pregnancy the uterus increases in size as the baby gets larger, so you start feeling a tightness around the waistline. Most women find that their breast size starts increasing due to additional fluids in the body and clothes which used to fit perfectly before will suddenly feel tighter around the chest. Even though your basic body structure does not alter--your legs and arms will still be the same length, obviously, a few pounds of weight gained together with fluid retention can make everything seem a little squashed!.

Well chosen maternity clothes can fit a pregnant woman correctly without looking oversized, and make the expectant mother look graceful. This can be a stressful time for women so if looking good makes you feel more confident and relaxed, well designed cloths will help.

When shopping, remember though that pregnancy clothes are basically normal clothes with extra room for heavy breasts, hips and a protruding belly. So, when you are buying these clothes buy your normal size as the manufacturers make allowances for weight gain and design the clothes accordingly.

Two to Four Months of Pregnancy

During this period clothes with elasticated waists should be sufficient to keep you comfortable. If your wear bikini style underwear, these will probably still be comfortable at this stage, but if you wear briefs, they may start feeling tighter. You may then want to consider 'maternity briefs' by the time you reach the fourth month.

Four to Nine Months of Pregnancy

This is the time when you start gaining weight and increasing in size. It may sound very funny right now, but it might be a good idea to try out maternity clothes by using a 'prosthetic tummy'!

These are usually available in stores that sell pregnancy clothing. If you can't get one, a pillow or a shopping bag with some items stuffed in it will also give you fair idea about the size clothing you should buy. Some pregnancy garments are adjustable allowing for future growth when a larger size will be needed.

Nursing Clothes

You should also remember to buy nursing clothes while you are pregnant. The most important among them is the nursing bra. It allows you to uncover one breast at a time. This is very convenient for discreet breast feeding in public. Buy a nursing bra when you are six months or more into pregnancy otherwise it may not fit you by the time your baby is born. Other items such as nursing shirts are also available which will allow you to easily and discreetly breast-feed your baby.

Nursing sleepwear is also available. These night dresses allow breast-feeding with minimum fiddling and disrobing. Before you buy anything though, check your existing wardrobe. You may find that many of your usual clothes can be used just as easily.

Allow yourself ample time for pregnancy clothes shopping though, as you may have to return to the stores more than once, because as your pregnancy progresses some items may not fit as well as you had hoped.

Some Important Things to Remember

It may not be necessary to buy maternity clothes at all. Many people, such as friends or relatives, may be happy to lend you theirs--after all they are not used for very long at a time, so don't get much wear. Second-hand shops are also a great place for finding clothes as are online auction sites.

If you do buy maternity clothing though, try and buy basics and items that can be mixed and matched with your existing wardrobe to keep the costs down. You can always add accessories like scarves and jewellery to boost your confidence and vary your look.

Comfortable supportive shoes are also especially important during pregnancy. It is not just your feet that may suffer though badly fitting shoes- your legs, hips and back will certainly feel the strain if your shoes do not support your larger size and keep you well balanced. Good shoes do not have to be boring though. These days there is a huge range of fashionable, comfortable shoes available. Consider buying shoes that are easy to fasten/unfasten. In the later stages of pregnancy bending down to ties shoelaces can be very awkward, not to say impossible!

If you have belly or naval piercings made of metal, it would be wise to get them replaced by plastic ones. As your belly becomes more distended, the metal piercing gets extended and becomes flatter and may cause some discomfort. In case of nipple piercings, these may pose a problem in breast feeding your baby. Consult your doctor or midwife if you are unsure what action needs to be taken.

Conclusion

Pregnancy should be a time for celebration. Try to enjoy it. Eat well, take exercise, rest. It is a natural condition that will lead to weight gain and a certain amount of bloatedness. Try not to agonise about your shape - think of your future child. Make yourself as comfortable as possible, in your underwear, clothes and shoes. Try and enjoy being the focus of people's attention for a little while. Let people stand up on the bus to give you a seat!