The Yummy Mummy’s Survival Guide. Liz Fraser

cut longer to fit snugly over your bump, which is essential for everyone who has to look at you. I bought four from Top Shop and used them until they fell apart, which was about three months before I did.

       3. Jeans or Trousers

      I feel a bit hypocritical telling you to buy a pair of maternity trousers, because I didn’t for my first two pregnancies. I found the stretchy panel over the bump part just soooo unattractive that I stuck to my regular jeans and tucked them under my bump. However, during my last pregnancy, I discovered the truly gorgeous Earl Jean maternity range, which succeeded in making me neither look nor feel particularly pregnant at all, and anything which can do that is worth serious consideration. I’ve since noticed several pregnant friends looking great in H&M and Next maternity jeans, so have a look and see what feels good.

       4. Workwear

      If you need to look suit-smart at work, investing in a proper maternity one could be a great investment, unless you are one of the 2% of (lying) pregnant women who manage to fit into all their normal clothes until the birth.

      If you work in an office where shirts are the norm, it’s worth buying a maternity one, because they will fit much better and you’ll avoid the button-popping look over the waist and bust-line. You might even consider getting a smart, properly fitted maternity skirt if your ankles are still worth seeing, and if not, then stretchy bootleg black trousers will see you most of the way through. Check out Formes, Séraphine, Tête-à-Tête, Upfront and Top Shop B maternity range for some good work gear.

       5. Eveningwear

      You will be invited to a stylish function when you are absolutely humungous—it’s Mrs Murphy’s Law—so be prepared. It may feel like a huge waste of money, but buying a glam maternity dress which will make you the most attractive, sensual woman in the room is worth it. If you are not brave enough to do the top-to-toe clingy black dress à la Victoria Beckham, then go for something a little more conservative but equally stunning. You can’t pretend you don’t have a massive stomach, but you can pretend that you feel sexy. Cunning.

      That’s about it to be honest. Above all, have fun with your temporary wardrobe. Hiding away for three months because you have nothing beautiful to wear is absolutely not acceptable: you are a gorgeous Yummy Mummy-to-be, so show the world what you’re made of and strut!

       Where to Buy Your Yummy Maternity Clothes

      Good Value: Shops

      

Top Shop: Already everybody’s favourite shop, but it just got a little bit better for mummies-to-be. Great!

      

Dorothy Perkins: Good for staples like vests and definitely affordable.

      

H&M Mama: You wouldn’t expect this range to be anything less than fashionable, beautiful and well within budget and it doesn’t disappoint at all.

      

Gap: No maternity range yet—watch this space!—but their generous sizing means you can get away with non-maternity stuff for a long time, and it’s all very preppy and cool.

      

Formes: Now here’s one of the most stylish places to buy maternity wear. A tad more expensive but gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

       Good Value: Online

      This is a great way to shop if you feel so queasy or fat that you can’t face trawling through the shops. Many websites are beautifully designed, so you can stock up your new wardrobe feeling confident and lovely. Just go easy on the ‘buy’ button: you’ll only need most of this stuff for a couple of months, so four pairs of maternity jeans is probably overdoing it a bit.

      

Blooming Marvellous: Plenty of choice and it’ll see you through the ‘big’ months looking fine.

      

JoJo Maman Bébé: Très chic basics and dresses.

      

Isabella Oliver: Beautifully designed flattering wardrobe essentials for you to look fabulous throughout.

      

Bumps Maternity Wear: Pretty lingerie and also baby clothes.

      

Maternity Exchange: For fabulous second-hand designer labels (which, don’t forget, won’t have been worn for more than a couple of months).

      

Homme Mummy: The Essential Maternity Wardrobe is a fabulous capsule wardrobe of stylish maternity basics—looks great, saves time!

       Budget Blowers: Shops

      

9London: Extremely exclusive. Breaks the bank, but the Yummiest Mummies shop in there so may be worth the overdraft. And it smells lovely.

      

Diane Von Furstenberg Maternity: Well, the queen of the wrap has now launched an equally marvellous maternity range, so you don’t have to stretch your normal dresses and tops any more!

      

Bumpsville: This is really special stuff, and a couple of basics from here will be worth the minor splurge.

      

Blossom Mother and Child: Already visited by Kate Winslet, Thandie Newton and other A-listers, Blossom stocks regular designer labels which you’ll still fit, as well as their own gorgeous maternity one.

       Budget Blowers: Online

      

Séraphine: Prettiest, most feminine maternity clothing I’ve ever seen. Well what did I expect? It’s French.

      

Arabella B: Excellent denim collection.

      

Push: The most un-glamorous name imaginable, but the collection is as sexy as it gets, and Push has a huge celebrity following so you’ll be logging on soon.

      

Serendipity: Stock super-stylish and glam stuff, from designers such as Earl Jean, Liz Lange and Urban Baby.

       Gym Babies

      To start with, a small disclaimer, so that you don’t try and take me to the High Court if things go wrong: what follows worked for me, through three healthy pregnancies, and I know many other women for whom it worked too. I’m not saying