Clothes Shopping

Didn't actually end up buying any of this stuff. But here, for posterity, is the trawl from the web ... I appear to be a size 14 now, pregnant or not! Wonder what sort of a Heffalump I will be by the end of September, or indeed by Christmas, once baby is well and truly here!

As you'll notice, I rarely make it out of Royston, so ended up improvising with stretchy cheapo items from Peacocks (it's in Royston, it's a chain a bit like Primark).

Yoga pants - I've actually been using pyjama bottoms from Peacocks - I have a very charming (not!) pink pair and a mjore subtle black pair. Should these fail me before beby gets here, I could go for these from Definitely Baby.

Leggings - Should I ever need any past the Peacocks ones that seem to cope with my bump (and are, like £2 each) ... I could go for These from Definitely Baby, these by Crave, available at Funkybump Maternity, or the more obvious Topshop ones.

Jeans and Trousers - I tend to stick to my leggings, my stretchy American Apparel basics, and stuff like that as they support my bump best. I did end up buying a blue pair and a black pair of jeans from New Look's Maternity range, and I love them. They were cheap and are way nicer to look at than a lot of the expensive jeans ... which looked kinda like something someone older would wear ...? Maybe I'm just stuck in the past ... My choice before I stumbled accross the jeans I eventually bought were these from Seraphine. The drak ones seem ok. I like the ones I bought a lot more though!

I did consider cords ... from Funkybump Maternity or Crave.

Tops - I kind of have enough to get by thanks to the 'oh I'm not pregnant I just wear clothes like this' trend from the last 2 years ... and the fact I was tubbier than usual then too. I did come across the following - Mamaway do tops, not sure I want special 'nursing' ones, but they seem nice, some of them. Next do a load of basics, in basic colours. I really do like this top from Dorothy Perkins, in Lemon, and this Pink Topshop top. Funkybump have a load of nice tops too. I aloso think tops like these from Bumps Maternity Wear (this is a Noppies top) or these from Definitely Baby would help once baby gets here. My dream top is less attainable, it's the pink Geisha wrap top from Isabella Oliver. Of course we could buy the second car seat or the baby swing with £85, so really ... no way! Thought this was a nice wrap top, from Definitely Baby, or this one , a crossover in black.

I really did not like what Mothercare and M&S had to offer. Really.

H&M and New Look appear to be a better bet, I like a lot of their stuff. Fabric that is very removed from cotton is not really working for me right now, so that becomes an issue though. Cotton or jersey with stretchyness in it is great. A mix of stuff that still lets me breathe and feels nice against my skin is great. Just plain synthetic nasty is not so great. Am loving ruched bump hugging stuff - supports my bump and lets me see my bump, which I prefer by far to being swamped in a tent-like garment. Who would I be kidding anyway??

Jumpers and Cardis - Tricky to deal with this when summer is beginning. When baby gets here, if the whole breastfeeding thing takes off as plans, layers and reasonably easy access would be the way to go, bearing in mind baby will be in a sling too. That's a lot of access and logictics issues! I doubt hoiking my top up all over the place will work out well for anyone but the baby ... so have been adding to my collection of zippy hoodie tops - perhaps they will suffice as a shield, they should work with the sling too, and I tend to have a shawl or something anyway, so we might well manage not to look like a right spectacle (baby and me). Perhaps an extensive cardigan collection is in order! This is the kind of thing I normally go for, a little wrappy one, but that won't really do will it!! I did find a really old-fashined looking jumper and cardi company ... and ignoring the ladies-who-garden in the catalogue, I liked the cardis themselves, and they don't cost the earth, so might just go for them: Woolovers. I do get stuff from La Redoute too, and they do cardis.

Jumpers, I found this black number from Crave, Oh I love it! I also saw some more colourful jumpers - a green and a purple one at Funkybump (darn it, their pages expire so frequently there is no point pasting in a link).

Better than all that, I love the Seraphine Poncho and really, really, really want it. Not sure how useful it will be with a sling though, so haven't bought it - it's an extravagance and I can't really buy it myself.

Skirts - I only have a couple that will withstand the new belly (maybe). Skirts might well be necessary before the baby comes - summer is coming. I don't like most of the maternity skirts I've seen. I liked a few denim ones in H&M, but they were not very practical or cool. This tube skirt from Topshop might have to do. Although I do quite like this brown number from Bumps Maternity Wear. This is pretty too, from Crave, kid of swishy - but I'd feel a bit old in it perhaps. I might have to just make a skirt. I have my now-unsuitable big jeans from last year, they are too big now, and yet too small for the bump, and could do with being recycled into a nice skirt.

Tights - don't need them now, might need them close to baby's B-day if I'n out somnewhere nice (and cold) in a skirt. Topshop seem the best bet, although obviosuly it's not hard to buy maternity tights.

Dresses - Now I do love dresses. I found some loveley options. Can't say I'm going to fork out for any of them, sadly. Here they are though - I love this little dress in yellow from Crave, or this one, a stripy brown dress from Bumps Maternity Wear, this slinky crossover dress from Definitely Baby, or this pretty one maybe, (but where on earth would I need to wear this?), or finally this A-line number from Picchu.