Your life changes when you have a baby and one of the first changes is feeling too big for your clothes while pregnant!

Some women start to show after three months, others get by in their own clothes until about six months, but at some point you'll find your lower half gets too big for your current clothing and your upper half will start stretching your tops.

Right before you start straining seams, it's time to seek out maternity wear. Here are some tips to help:

• Choose good supportive bras while pregnant, the better supported the delicate tissues of your breasts are, the better the chance of returning to the shape you were.
• Don't buy bigger sizes, instead choose clothes in your size that are well-cut for pregnant women to fit both your bump and the rest of you.
• Make sure you have room to grow; you don't want to outgrow your maternity clothes so if something is tight at five months, it will not last. Innovations including stretchy front and side panels will help.
• Especially in warmer months, look for cotton fabrics to keep you cool.
• Remember that your body is unlikely to snap back into shape so your maternity clothes may be worn for up to three months after the birth. That may mean a change of season, so ensure you have at least a jumper and trousers for cooler weather or lighter clothes for hot days even after baby arrives.

Buying maternity clothes for the eight months or so you will need them will let you stay fashionable in clothes tailored to your changing shape - much more flattering than buying two sizes bigger and covering yourself in extra fabric. Visit our size guide for more help.

Ready to see just how stylish you can look? Click here to look at our maternity wear.

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