Pregnancy Planner

Another great thing about attending the Baby Show in Manchester this weekend, was getting to see all the other exhibitors and the fascinating products and information that they had on offer.

A great resource was the NHS Choices website. NHS Choices has all the information you need to make decisions throughout your pregnancy. They have expert advice and real-life stories and their on-line Pregnancy Care Planner can help you every step of the way.

Take a look now for some great information.

Cuddledry Baby Towel

We have just spent the weekend at the Baby Show in Manchester with the ladies from Cuddledry Baby Towel. We had a brilliant three days, chatting to pregnant women and parents to be.

The towel is designed to make bathtime a fantastic experience for babies, toddlers and most importantly, parents.

The cuddledry towel is the answer to a calm bathtime. You stay dry, you can lift your baby from bathwater easily and naturally, he/she stays warm and tenderly wrapped so everyone is happy and calm.

New parents we swayed to buy the product as soon as we let them feel just how soft the product was, versus your normal cotton towels, that get a bit itchy after a few washes. So if you are looking for a great gift for pregnant parents this Christmas, then look no further.

Checkout out the Cuddledry Towels in our Organic Maternity and Nursing section at Everyday Maternity

Breastfeeding Tips

About Breastfeeding

At Everyday Maternity we look for new products to enhance pregnant women's and breastfeeding mum's experiences. We have recently added Lansinoh products to our range. Breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts you can give your baby. However, as when learning any new skill, support and information are often needed, and welcomed. Lansinoh's aim is to provide support and encouragement to breastfeeding mothers.

Here are some tips from Lansinoh to help.

Find a comfortable position

Proper positioning of both mother and baby and in particular the attachment of baby to the breast is important, as this can help prevent sore nipples and insufficient milk supply. Most mothers get comfortable by either sitting up or lying in bed, or sitting in an armchair, sofa or rocking chair. Many mothers find creating a flat lap helps in the early days, either by elevating the feet or sitting on a pillow. Some mothers raise their babies to breast height, others use the natural nurturing approach of holding their babies diagonally across their bodies. The most common breastfeeding positions are across the lap and with the baby’s feet out behind the mother. Across lap-cradle hold – The baby’s head will rest in the crook of your elbow or on your forearm with her whole body facing you, and will be supported with the same arm beneath her back and your hand on the baby’s thigh or bottom. Cross-cradle hold – The baby is supported at breast height by the opposite arm to the breast being offered. Your elbow is on the baby's bottom with your forearm along his back. Your palm is on his upper back, fingers and thumb either side of the neck. Your forefinger supports the base of his head under the ear. Feet out behind - rugby hold or clutch position – The baby lies on his side between your side and flexed arm with his feet out behind you. The baby’s shoulders, neck and the base of his head are supported by your hand, allowing your opposite hand to hold the breast if needed. Regardless of the position, make sure that the baby’s head and body are facing the breast, and help her to come onto the breast chin-first, aiming the nipple to the roof of her mouth when the mouth is open wide. Your baby needs to take a good part of the areola tissue (darker in colour) into her wide, gaping mouth in order to be properly latched on. Proper positioning (where the nipple goes deep into the baby’s mouth and so is protected at the back of the mouth) can ease the pain of sore nipples and help ensure your baby is getting the proper amount of milk.

If Carlsberg made maternity t-shirts......

… it may look something like this! Fun Mum Maternity have managed to combine the classic flattery of black with a fun 'baby under construction' logo If you are looking for a gift for a pregnant friend then look no further, this extra-long super-stretchy top is just perfect for growing bumps ensuring that everything fits snugly right the way through a pregnancy.

Go on...treat a pregnant friend now - it will cheer them up. We also have some other great maternity gift ideas at Everyday Maternity

Maternity Coat

You ask, we look. We have had many searches on the site for a winter maternity coat that is affordable.

The Noppies padded maternity coat has been very popular, and is now almost sold out, so we have been on the hunt for you pregnant ladies to find you some more coats.

Valja Maternity do some great summer dresses, so we were not surprised to find that they have designed a fabulous black maternity coat

Fully lined and in a textured wool mix, the coat will see you through the winter in style.

Take a look online at Everyday Maternity

Breastfeeding Dress

Boob Nursing Breastfeeding DressMore new styles are now in stock at Everyday Maternity from Boob Nursing Wear.

Keep warm this winter in your favourite breastfeeding tops from Boob, as we have updated the range with the Boob Nursing Boat Neck Top and the Boob Nursing Turtle Neck Dress

It is important to feel comfortable when breastfeeding, and the double layer on this dress means that no-one will really notice you nursing your baby.

You will also be able to stay warm, and the clever overlap ensures no great exposure of your tummy is going to happen.

Maternity Massage

Massage has many scientifically proven health benefits such as stimulating the blood and lymph systems, thereby increasing immunity and removal of toxins, stabilizing hormonal levels, and adding tone and flexibility to muscles, all of which enhance the health of both you and your baby.

As the baby develops in the womb, the mother’s centre of gravity gradually shifts. As the weight of baby and mother increases, added stress is placed on weight bearing joints. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also cause joints to loosen, leading many women to experience discomfort, particularly in the pelvis and lower back. Massage increases flexibility, enhancing the ability to carry this extra weight whilst helping to alleviate aches and pains, leg cramps, muscle spasms and water retention.

Massage is also particularly beneficial in increasing circulation throughout pregnancy. Improved blood flow increases the supply of oxygenated blood and nutrients to the placenta. Similarly, a therapeutic touch speeds up the elimination of toxins and excess fluid to help boost your immune system and energy levels.

And of course, the power of relaxation brought about by massage is never to be underestimated during pregnancy. Regular massage sessions can bring back a sense of body-mind integration, putting you in a state of calm acceptance of your continually evolving physical form. There is after all, no other time in a woman’s life when she more deserves to be luxuriously pampered than when she is pregnant ………

Check out Everyday Maternity for our special maternity massage offer.

Boob Nursing Wear Hot Seller

As you know the new collection from Boob Nursing Wear has arrived at Everyday Maternity

And the hot selling item is the Electric Red Nursing Tunic!

This new style breastfeeding top with its tie-back design hiding the nursing function, has proved to be very popular. The tie-back creates an interesting design feature, and is available as a breastfeeding dress or nursing tunic.

Check out this stunning new breastfeeding dress - we promise you will not be disappointed.

Winter Maternity Coats














Brrrrr - so the colder weather is setting in, and you gorgeous pregnant ladies are all starting to think about keeping warm this winter, and we are already starting to see people looking for a winter coat that fits their bump.

Well here at Everyday Maternity we have your warmth in mind and have searched high and low for some wonderful winter jackets that will see you through your pregnancy.

So far we have found a great long jacket from Noppies Maternity, a couple of wool jackets from MBC Maternity. These are available now.

Take a look at these lovely maternity jackets in our winter section. And if there is nothing there that suits, call again, as we will be adding more in the Winter season. We have the check jacket from 9fashion due in soon.

Or how about the Maternity Denim Jacket for an up to date look.

Car Seat Safety Guide

I spent some time at Nursery World this week helping out with their launch of Kids World - a showroom specifically for kids and mainly things like car seats.

They are doing a lot of work with their team on fitting the right car seats, especially infant carriers. If you are looking for a car seat for your new baby, then take a look at their site:

www.nurseryworldonline.co.uk

Here are a few pointers from them:

Guide to Car Seat Safety

The Regulations

The law says that all children up to 135cm tall, or under the age of 12, whichever is first, traveling in a vehicle must use the correct child restraint for their weight. There are very few exceptions to this.

Each year, about 30 children under the age of 11 are killed while traveling in cars and around 400 are seriously injured. The proper use of child car restraints would prevent many of these deaths and injuries.

In a 30 mph crash, an unrestrained child would be thrown forward with a force more than 30 times their body weight, injuring themselves and possibly others in the car. The safest way for children to travel in cars is to use a child seat that is suitable for their weight and size. A properly fitted child restraint keeps the child in their seat and reduces the likelihood of death or injury in a crash.

Nursery World have trained car seat fitters to ensure you can choose the correct car seat for both your child and your car. Below is a Guide to Choosing a Child Seat, but nothing replaces the one-to-one assistance the Nursery World team can offer at the store in Blackpool.

Choosing a Child Seat

The most important thing is to make sure that the seat you choose is suitable for your child and for your car. If you use the child seat in more than one car, if for example a partner or grand-parent also uses the car seat, you should check the fit for each vehicle.

Before you buy review the manufacturer's websites and brochures to help you gain an understanding of what is on offer.

Consider how you will use the seat. Answer the following questions:
• Will be constantly lifting it - a lighter weight seat might be preferable
• Will you be moving it in and out of the car - a base unit may be a good idea
• Do you do long journeys - a reclined seat or carry cot style may be better
• Will a child minder/grandparent use the car seat - isofit may be better to avoid confusion of belt routing

Choose a seat that is suitable for your child's weight and height.
• Babies need to be in rearward-facing infant carrier, and should stay in this for as long as possible. The maximum weight for most infant carriers is 8kg - but check the handbook for the car-seat to double check their weight limits.
• Once your child has reached the maximum weight for their rearward-facing seat or the top of their head is above the top of the seat, they can be moved into a forward-facing car seat.

Buying a Child Car Seat
Always try before you buy. Most retailers will not allow you to return a car seat that has left the shop. At Nursery World we will help you try the car seat. Pop in to see us - we have ample parking.

Do not buy a second-hand seat, you cannot be certain it hasn't been involved in an accident. The damage can be invisible and could have seriously weakened the protective properties of your seat. Second-hand seats are likely to be older and not designed to updated regulations. The instructions are often missing.


For more information take a look at the Car Seat Safety Guide on the Nursery World Website.

You can always access Nursery World via www.everydaymaternity.com

Boob Nursing Wear

Hurrah - the new collection from Boob Nursing Wear is here - and we simply adore it.


Autumn brings the red tones of changing leaves and this seems to have iinspired the Boob team. The collection incorporates some amazingly vivid colours; lustrous Lipstick Red, juicy Cassis and vibrant Electric Red.

A little bit of colour is essential for a quick pick me up. Black is great, but every now and again we need to jazz our wardrobe up. No new mum will feel jaded in the Electric Red Nursing Tunic! More subtle browns and blacks compliment the red shades.

New for 2008 in breastfeeding clothes are the new tie-back designs, that hide the nursing function, whilst creating an interesting design feature. Check out this stunning new breastfeeding dress - we promise you will not be disappointed.

Breastfeed Babies get the Flavour

There are always many good reasons to breast feed your baby, but researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that what a mum eats has an effect on the taste of her breast milk, which eventually influences what the child will prefer to eat when they start weaning.

An infant's first flavour experiences may be through the transfer of dietary flavour compounds into breast milk, say researchers.

The researches found that flavours passed into the milk and could could potentially be tasted by the baby. Stronger flavours such as liquorice lingered longer, whereas a flavour such as banana only lasted for around an hour.

The findings may explain why breastfeeding babies sometimes refuse the breast, as the flavour from mum maybe too strong........although of course there are many other reasons why they might not want to feed.

It may also mean that breast-feed babies are more likely to take to weaning, as they have become used to the differing flavours through their mothers breast milk. So come on mums, get baby used to their veggies early on, and fill up on your fruit and veg!!

A Pain in the Rib

A good friend experienced terrible rib pain towards the end of her pregnancy as her baby, the recently arrived Rhys, grew leaving himself less room to move.

His feet seemed to find their way between her ribs - which became uncomfortable, and wearing a bra was beyond her comfort threshold. And it only got worse as he became more active.

So she came to me to find a comfortable solution - which we found in the Arabella B seamless vest. She tried a sample we had in the office, and didn't take it off. The relief on her face was brilliant. The vest offered just enough support for her not to feel like a bra burning hippy, but enough freedom from the tightness around her rib cage.

The vests come in three colours - white, black and pink. And really do stretch and stretch!

Beyond a wonderfully comfy vest, some other things that may help are:

• Sit up straight to give your baby more room
• Use an exercise ball to sit on
• Be patient....the baby will be ready to drop soon, when they move into your pelvis, you should feel more comfortable.

Size 6 Maternity Wear

We have reorganised our Petite and Tall sections to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for. The new section on the site has clothes that are for both petite in height and petite in size. So if you are looking for shorter leg length maternity trousers then this is the section to look in. Similarly if you are a UK Size 6, then as with all pregnant ladies you will need a maternity size 6, and we have placed all clothes in these sizes in the Petite Maternity Wear section too

This is something new for us, so the range is limited at the moment, but we promise to bring you more as our brands introduce more items in smaller sizes.

Petite Maternity Wear

Sale Sadness

Is it me, or is it sad to be putting all the summer clothes in the sale already. It is only July!! And to be honest we really haven't had a summer yet. I don't know about you, but I can count on one hand how many times I have been able to sit out in the garden with my shorts on, so it doesn't seem right to be selling off our summer stock. It seems to be saying to the weather, you may as well stay cloudy and rainy, as we are getting ready for autumn.

Well we don't want to tempt the weather into Autumn just yet, so while we have put some of our bright summer items in the sale, we have some new items that we will bring out in August, to keep the collection fresh. So we are offering the best of both worlds; great maternity bargains in the sale, and some fab new stuff arriving in August.

Take a look at the sale for some really affordable summer maternity wear, and keep on visiting Everyday Maternity for the new collections.

Mum Knows Best

I had a meeting this week with a mum of three, Victoria, who runs a website for mums, called www.mumknowsbest.co.uk.

Apart from swapping stories on our businesses, she gave me an update on the website, which is going from strength to strength.

It is a great site that is simple to use, straight talking and has great articles from a range of experts. The site is aimed at mums to be and mothers of children from 0 to 5.

They cover product reviews, a coffee room, recipes for babies and toddlers and regularly have a range of offers and competitions.

So if you are a mum and there is something you need to know, then take a look at Mum Knows Best

Maternity Sleep Bra

A few posts ago we put down some of the items you need in preparation for breastfeeding, and one of them was a sleep bra.

We've added a great crop top from Anita Maternity to the range, which you may find useful as a sleep bra when breastfeeding.

The crop top is a good investment, as you can wear it through pregnancy, especially if your boobs do increase in size, and you feel you want some extra support to have a comfortable night's sleep.

This one is in a super stretchy material, so will grow with you, as your chest increases, so no need to keep buying more bras, each time your boobs have a growth spurt!!

Once baby arrives, the crop top can be used at night, if you find you have milk leakage. The top is seamless, so no uncomfortable seams to dig in, but room enough to place your breast pads.

Swimming during Pregnancy

Summer holidays loom, and we are seeing an increase in swimwear sales, as our expectant mums head for a 'Baby Moon' holiday before the arrival.

We are in the process of writing a style guide for choosing the right maternity swimsuit for your shape, which is timely as we have added a couple of new swimsuits recently.

The majority of ladies who buy swimsuits in our shops are buying a one to join a local aqua natal class. These are great to keep mobile and fit during pregnancy, but it is also good to meet other local expectant mums, as you are likely to remain friends after the birth.

Many pregnant women take up swimming as the low impact nature of it gives them the opportunity to exercise without stress and strain. Its the one place you don't feel the extra weight of your bump!

Swimming gives your circulation a workout and helps with toning, and provided you have no complications you should be able to swim for all 9 months. (Check with your midwife first)

There are lots of theories on which stroke to do - but you should avoid breast stroke if you have back or pelvic problems.

Happy swimming, and don't forget to check out one of our fab maternity swimsuits at Everyday Maternity

Feeding Baby

At Everyday Maternity we cater for your breast feeding needs with some great nursing tops, but there is more to breastfeeding than tops and dresses, so we've pulled together a list of things that will make nursing your baby easy......well easier!

Preparation is key - and your midwife is always a great source of advice and encouragement. There's nothing more natural and healthy for your baby than breastfeeding, however many new mum's find it hard at first. Persevere and don't be afraid to ask your midwife or health visitor for support.

We've put together a list of items you should consider if you want to get prepared ahead of the arrival;

• Nursing Bras x 3

• Breast pads - disposable or washable

• Nursing clothing (including nightwear) with easy front opening

• Muslin squares

• Sleep Bras x 3 to keep breast pads in place at night

• Breast pump (manual or electric)

• Breast milk storage bags or bottles (milk can be frozen for up to 3 months)

• Nipple shields (to protect sore nipples)

• Nipple cream (from your chemist)

• Cooling gel breast pads

• Nursing chair (and optional stool)

• Nursing cushion (for support to help get your body and baby's body in the correct position

• Feeding bottles x 6 for water

• Steriliser (steam, cold water or microwave)

• Sterilising tablets

• Soothers

Avent do a great all-in-one pack that has everything you will need - this is available at www.nurseryworldonline.co.uk

Having difficulties with feeding?
Some babies suffer from colic which is a form of trapped wind. This often results in the baby crying a lot and sometime the baby can appear to be in pain after the feed. Seek medical advice from your GP or health visitor. Some mums find that some of the anti-colic bottles available on the market help this condition.

When to stop?
There are no strict rules as to when to stop, but the World Health Organisation recommends that baby should be fed on breast milk for the first six months, and advises to continue with some breast milk until they are two. Now in reality, many factors in our society mean that this is just not possible, or even socially acceptable - so go with what you feel is right for you and baby.

For more advice take a look at the NHS site

Make way for the Bump

Everyday Maternity has added a neat little accessory to the site that helps pregnant women who are on a budget with their maternity wear - the waistband extender from Emma Jane Maternity.

This maternity accessory lets expectant mothers use their pre-pregnancy clothes for just a little longer, before you take the plunge into maternity wear.

The extender pack is designed to fit jeans, trousers, shorts and skirts, and works by adding an extra panel to give you some 'breathing' room. It may also come in handy after the birth as you wear your normal clothes, but need that little bit of extra space.

Nursing Tops for Breastfeeding

We are looking at our range of breastfeeding tops that we have for sale at Everyday Maternity, so thought we upload some videos of our current tops and see if there is any feedback.

The top above is the Kaj Nursing Top from Carriwell.

The top below is the Tina Nursing Top from Carriwell

Take a look at the two videos as they show two different types of access for when breastfeeding your baby.

Let us know what you think!

Everyday Maternity in Bolton

Bolton, Bury and Greater Manchester's Premier Baby Fair

We are excited about attending our first baby fair, where we get to meet loads of mums-to-be and new parents all in one afternoon. We are going to be at Tower FM's Baby Show at the Last Drop Village in Bolton on Sunday 20th July, along with Nursery World. We will have on show a great range of our maternity wear, and are even taking part in the catwalk show. The event is a great opportunity to meet other expectant mothers and see a wide range of baby products. There are changing facilities at the venue, so you can try on all of our maternity and breastfeeding clothes before you buy.

We hope to see you there, we will post more details of the show nearer the time.

Maternity Wear Essentials

At our Nursery World shops, where the maternity wear is sold we are constantly asked what are the essential items a pregnant women needs for her maternity wardrobe, as first timers are really unsure as to what to buy and what to make do with.

So to help those who are struggling we have made a list of 5 key items to invest in to see you through your pregnancy in style. The cost of maternity wear can quickly add up, so these are our 'must haves maternitywear':
Maternity Jeans - if you were never out of your jeans before your pregnancy, this will not change. We don't need to tell you that jeans can be jazzed up for nights out or dressed down for weekends.So it is going to be important to find a great pair, in a style you like. Maternity Jeans have various waistbands to accommodate your bump, and don't be fooled into thinking you can just super-size on normal jeans - they will just look saggy around your bottom and legs. Make sure there is an element of elastane too.
Black Maternity Trousers - again these work well in many situations, used for work, dressed up for a night out or just a change from your jeans. As with the jeans there are a variety of different waistbands.

Maternity Wrap Dress - this dress suits most shapes and bumps, and can be very comfortable. Avoid non-maternity ones otherwise you could have an uneven look with more material at the back and the front sitting 4 inches above your knees. Your wrap dress will also fit your post-birth and can be used if you are breast-feeding, so it is really worth the investment.


Classic Fitted T-Shirt - again opt for a maternity one, that will stretch and grow with you. Choose one in a neckline that suit your shape and if you want to play it safe go for black and jazz it up with necklaces, brooches or scarves. Your boobs and back will grow, but your shoulders are unlikely to change, so buying larger regular clothes will make you look over-sized across your shoulders.

White Shirt - every season, without fail, the white shirt makes an appearance in the fashion pages. We've had pussy-bow, oriental collar, wrap around.....so with a white maternity shirt in your wardrobe you can always pull a smart outfit together either with your jeans or your black trousers. You can get away with a man's shirt here, and no doubt your partner will find it a sexy look, but for a more together look, opt for a stretch maternity version.
So if you only buy 5 things this pregnancy, we suggest you consider these!

www.everydaymaternity.com

Organic Breastfeeding Tops

Everyday Maternity introduces Organic Nursing Wear

Our favourite nursing wear brand, Boob, have always manufactured their clothes ethically in factories where employees are treated well and where the production process is environmentally sound.

Since spring 2008 all jersey garments are certified with the OEKO-Tex Standard 100, which guarantees that the clothes are completely free of toxins.

And now their clothes are as friendly to human skin as they are to nature with the introduction of Organic Cotton on their basics range.

Boob Organic Cotton is grown without using any chemical pesticides and fertilizers. It is then dyed and prepared in a way that is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Why not take a look at the organic range now.

Back Ache During Pregnancy

My best friend is one step closer to her publishing deal, which is very exciting. As part of her 'writer's CV' the agent asked if she had written for other articles or forums.

Well actually she does, she writes for the Everyday Maternity Newsletter, and she is in the process of writing an article on back pain during pregnancy, as this ties in with the addition of the Babybelt on Everyday Maternity.

I'll post the full article later, but in the meantime, here is the press information from Anita Maternity.

During your pregnancy your tummy will expand to make room for a growing baby. Your tummy gains in both weight and circumference and as a general rule, you can expect to gain between 10 and 14 kilos in weight. According to the University Hospital in Frankfurt/Main, many women suffer from various complaints as a result.

Many women rely on Pregnancy Support Bands to help relieve the pain, and we have recently added the Anita Baby Belt to the range.

The Anita BabyBelt is based on the Anita support principle, the following improvements were noted in tests where pregnant women complained of back ache during pregnancy:

• In 82% back pain eased
• In 93% the feelings of pressure and tension were relieved in the abdominal/pelvic region
• In 93% the aching pains in the pelvic area lessened.

Look out for our newsletter coming soon with an article on back pain during pregnancy, and ways to combat it.

Organic Maternity Wear

I was approached earlier in the week by a lady who ran an organic baby wear company, asking if Everyday Maternity would be interested in featuring the products on our website.

I declined as we have a lot on our plate at the moment looking after our maternity wear clients.

I then spoke to another lady about featuring on an 'Employee Benefits' website. In the course of the discussion we talked about what category we could be featured in, and the topic of organic came up.

So I decided to Google the term 'organic maternity' and a staggering 1.9million items came up.

I then decided to check what kind of search volumes people were doing, and the volume is not so staggering - a low search volume, whatever that means!

None the less I decided to add a new section to the website - Organic and Bamboo - as amazingly, without really trying we already have 8 products that sit under that category. So it is another case of watch this space.

Hollywood Maternity Wear

Boob Maternity Wear spotted in Hollywood

At Everyday Maternity we know we have a lot of Boob Nursing Wear fans out there, with many of you coming back for new tops when you have second and third babies, but it seems that Boob Maternity Wear is also getting quiet a following, and that includes some Hollywood stars. Most recently seen was Minnie Driver in the Boob Tie Back dress. The good news is that we still have the dress in stock, but hurry as stocks are going fast!

Wedding Season

I have just come back from a wonderful wedding, where there we no less than three pregnant women. One of whom was the bride's best friend, who rather upsettingly was wrapped up in a signature Isabella O piece - her husband thought it was very funny that I knew instantly where her outfit was from.

So I spoke to all the ladies about their shopping experience when looking for their wedding outfits and the response was unanimous - it had been a struggle.

The mums to be felt that there was nothing really special out there that compared to an outfit they might have chosen had they not had their bump. Also they didn't want to spend as much on the outfit as they are less likely to wear it again.

I told them about the site and some of the maternity dresses we had, but suggested a more flexible and econimical solution would be to invest in a pair of white maternity trousers and a sheer top and dress the outfit up with a fascinator or hat and a great pair of shoes. The trousers are likely to be worn again for a less fomal occasion and the top can be worn to jazz up a pair of jeans. In addition your maternity trousers are quiet wearable after the arrival of the baby - I'm a non pregnant size ten, and have be know to wear a pair of maternity trousers!

So having learned a bit more about what pregnant women are looking for, the feedback is more affordable dresses and gorgeous tops with multi-use wearability. I'll keep this in mind when I go to the trade fair in July.

Jeans Shopping

I've just spent an agonising 4 hours trying to find a new pair of jeans to replace my slightly worn but very much loved Diesel Jeans.

I have come home empty handed. I thought I had found the 'ones' - but they failed at the final hurdle, the sitting test. Upon sitting, the beautifully fitting, reasonably priced and very comfortable pair of Diesel jeans (once a Diesel girl, always a Diesel girl) quiet clearly showed more than a little builders bum. Not a good look, even for a builder.

Which got me thinking I should write a guide for Everyday Maternity on choosing your maternity jeans.

Which is precisely what I did:

It’s all about the waist - a maternity jeans buying guide


Jeans are clearly a staple in any wardrobe and that shouldn't change because you are pregnant, but maternity jeans come in many shapes and styles. So we have developed a brief guide to help pregnant ladies choose the perfect pair.

The biggest choice you have to make is your waistband style, and much like the following wise words from a mother of four, we find that pregnant ladies progress through the styles as they have more babies.

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as you find out you are pregnant (for jeans read under-the-bump)
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible (for jeans read over-the-bump with big comfy panel!)
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes (for jeans read - whatever is the most comfortable)

So here are our pros and cons for each of the styles:

UNDER BUMP

Popular with first time pregnant women are the under-bump style. These sit low on your waist and naturally curve under your bump.
Many women prefer under the bump as their tummies are sensitive, and they don't like anything on it.
The downside of under the bump is that you will need to invest in maternity tops, as your normal t-shirts and tops are not going to cover your expanding tum.

If you choose below you can always invest in a separate bump band to cover up any exposed skin.

With below the bump jeans and trousers look for how they expand with your bump. The important thing here is that they do expand, but you can still keep them reasonably tight, otherwise you will spend your days hiking your jeans back up! The majority have elasticated sides, internal button adjusters or elasticated waistbands with a tie-adjuster. All our jeans have one of these options; check out the product information for exact details.


OVER THE BUMP

This style sits high on your waist with a soft and supportive full jersey panel.
Many women feel these jeans offer two key advantages, the support of the jersey panel and the comfort of what is essentially a soft elastic waistband.
They may not look sexy but you can hardly see them once they are on, and they do offer the assurance that if you stretch up you don't expose too much flesh and they are so very comfy.
Both styles can also be worn after baby arrives, while you get rid of your 'jelly-belly'! (no-one tells you about your jelly belly, do they!!)
There is also an on-the-bump style that sits at the fullest part of your waist, but we don't currently stock this style, as they are not as comfortable and can't necessarily be worn after the birth.



Other tips

You shouldn’t need to go up a size – maternity jeans are specifically cut to accommodate your bump

Quality is key when buying maternity jeans. Elastane, lycra, spandex - call it what you will - is an important factor in maternity jeans. The material needs an element of stretch, as it is not only your tum that gets a little bigger. So look for some denim with an element of stretch, but not too much as you may get sagging around the bottom and knees. In our opinion, 2% is the perfect amount - and the majority of our jeans conform to this guidance

Everyone’s bump is different so there are no hard and fast rules as to what suits best, but we have spent time and energy looking at many brands and hope we have brought you some of the best.

Plus size maternity

Today's light bulb moment was about Plus Size Maternity.

I spoke to a lady yesterday who was a size 8 and said she hadn't bought much maternity wear, as she just got away with wearing size 10 and size 12. Which got me thinking of the Plus Size area on the website, which is receiving more hits now. Its amazing but as you start to think about a particular thing, something happens relating to it. A customer was on-line in the plus size area and order 4 things. I think this is something I need to develop, as larger ladies don't have the luxury of just buying bigger, as there are just not the larger sizes available. So plus sizes ladies more than any other group buying maternity wear need to be catered for. I'm off to the trade fair in July, so I will definately source so more interesting styles for size 16 and plus.

I'll also need to research on the styles and fit that suits plus size maternity, and write up a Trinny and Susannah style what not to wear.

We have some fabulous things that cover the larger sizes, but all the agents seem to steer you away from the larger sizes. The fact is the average British woman is a UK14, so we really need to meet their needs too.

Our maternity jeans are available in plus size, and in more than one style, so we need to look at the rest of the range.

Gok Wan would be proud!

It has been over a year that Everyday Maternity has been set up, and the buzz is still great.

I spent an hour last night emailing all the customers, with a 10% offer, and within an hour two orders had come through!!

Will celebrate this evening!

It is tough, and it takes over your life, but when you see the direct results of your efforts, it really makes it worthwile.

I thought last night I should write all this stuff down, so I can perhaps write a book about it one day, or at least have something to look back on.

www.everydaymaternity.com