Where to shop when pregnant: the best maternity clothes from high street brands, including ASOS and H&M

Pregnancy is a funny thing: simultaneously long and fleeting, joyful and often exhausting. The issue of how to dress when your body is changing so fast can be a sensitive one - after all, you don’t want to invest in an entirely new wardrobe for a 9 1/2 month long stint, but of course you need clothes to accommodate your changing body.

We recommended a capsule wardrobe: a couple of pair of jeans (maternity jeans are miracle workers, being able to be worn and stylish from first trimester to third), a few tops of varying styles.

If you’ve got chunky cardigans at home these can be good, and a new coat isn’t necessary unless you’re heading into a third trimester across winter - in which case a pea-coat can look stylish, and still be wearable once you’re post-partum.

One ‘occasion’ dress (more if you fancy, of course!) will be necessary, though, in case of special events or if you just want to feel attractive for a night!

Oh, and if you don’t own a pair of UGGs - can we say, now might be the time to invest?

Where should I buy my maternity clothes from?

Happily, you won’t be short of choice when it comes to buying clothes throughout your pregnancy. While there aren’t many brands which are exclusively for expectant mothers, there are many brands which offer maternity clothing lines within their overall range.

Here are some of the best brands to buy your maternity clothes from:

• ASOS maternity
• H&M maternity
• Tiffany Rose maternity
• M&S maternity
• JoJo Maman Bébé
• Gap maternity
• River Island maternity
• New Look maternity
• Tu maternity

What do I need to consider when buying maternity clothes?

One key thing to consider before buying any clothing, according to award-winning celebrity stylist Natalie Robinson, known as Style Icon Nat, is the fabric it’s made out of.

She said: “Fabric composition is one of the core ingredients to looking and feeling your best; soft textures, cotton lycra, airy cotton, cashmere, any fabric that will provide your baby bump with the warmth and comfort it needs.”

She also recommends layering, as this makes it easier to adapt to the changing temperatures - both within your own body and out their in the world.

She said: “Layering is everything. For super casual days, team a comfy pair of tracksuit buttons with a stretch-cotton top or jumper. Do not be afraid to mix and match prints and textures but ensure the latter allow your skin to breathe.”

Personal stylist Lindsay Edwards, of Reimagise Personal Styling, agreed that layering is important and said that some existing pieces in your wardrobe could be layered with some new maternity wear - saving you money and allowing you time to shop around for the pregnancy clothes that suit you best.

She said: “It is very likely that you will need to invest in some maternity wear during your pregnancy, but there are some items within your wardrobe that you will accommodate your changing shape. Cardigans, empire line dresses and leggings are some examples.

“You can tweak the way you wear some items too, such as unbuttoning shirts to wear over Camis or t-shirts as a layering piece.”

You also want pieces that will last throughout your pregnancy - and throughout your first few months of being a mum, so it’s a good idea to look for items that have been designed to adapt to how your body will change throughout those nine months and beyond. Think stretch fabrics and elasticated waistbands.

That way, you can pick a few good quality items to invest in, rather than having to go out and shop for a new wardrobe every time your baby grows or your shape changes. This would not only be very expensive, but also very difficult to do since no woman can predict exactly how her body will change throughout her entire pregnancy.

We’ve chosen ten top items of maternity clothing below.

For even more fantastic fashion buys for all the family, check out our Recommended section.