TrendLife Baby

If you have a winter bump and want to keep your little bundle toasty – then look no further than Boden.  Their maternity collection is a delicious combination of their signature prints mixed with a rich palette of winter brights.

Our particular faves are:

Knot Front Top in yellow. This works well for both work and casual… making those pennies stretch further.

Blue spotty Maternity Cosy Brushed Pull-Ons – super soft and perfect for those last few pregnancy months when you want to be uber-comfy and cost-effective.

Jersey Party Dress – with pretty flowers on the neckline and in a vivid pink, we think this one isnt only great for parties, but works in a variety of occasions.

www.boden.co.uk

The Emma Jane Seamless Nursing Bra is one of the most comfortable we have tried at TrendLife. Its super-soft microfibre material is lovely to wear, especially when your breasts and nipples are a little tender from constant nursing! The microfibre is very stretchy, meaning the bra fits you throughout pregnancy and nursing when you can change sizes repeatedly.

The hooks are easy to use and stay secure between feeds and the price at £9.99 makes it very affordable too.  The only downside is that the designs are fairly plain.

All in all this is a superb buy for nursing mums and TrendLife give the Emma Jane Seamless Nursing Bra 9.5 / 10

£9.99 http://www.fromheretomaternity.co.uk/product/165/177/emma-jane-seamless-nursing-bra-in-black

Versatility is crucial for maternity-wear. You want as many opportunities to wear clothing to make sure you get the value out of them as they are only worn for around five months at a time. This printed dress from Mamas and Papas is a brilliantly versatile choice; wear with heels and a glam necklace for a night out, or team with tights, boots and a long sleeved black top for work or weekend shopping.  The gathered style with large pockets works from the small bump stages to the big bump latter weeks, and I even wear mine five months post pregnancy.

It washes easily and holds its shape and colour

Trend Life give this a whopping 10/10 “Such a versatile style and a maternity must-have , at £45 it is a bargain”

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, get in the mood with this heart print maternity dress from Mamas and Papas. Team with long-sleeved top, tights and shoe boots for cooler days, and bare legs and sandals for the summer.

£42 www.mamasandpapas.com

One of this season’s maternity classics is  Mama’s and Papa’s deceptively soft and flowing denim maternity dress.  The pleats work perfectly with a bump as well as post-pregnancy, so it means you get more wear for your money than with some pregnancy-only outfits.

£42 - www.mamasandpapas.com

At the fantastic Baby Show at Earl's Court on Saturday, I was lucky to have the opportunity to be styled by Prima Baby's Deputy Editor, the very lovely Claire Lavelle.  I was looking for a work outfit for a big 'media' meeting I have coming up where my faithful Mama's and Papa's jeggings just won't cut it... so I booked myself in for a styling session and Claire worked her magic and picked out a delectable selection from the Next Maternity range. 

I tried on a huge range of clothes, from the lovely Ditsy Print Maternity Dress and the Bat Wing Stripey Maternity Tunic.  But I went for the Black Maternity Tunic £25 with Jeggings - £9 and will team with my 'killer heels' ... if I'm feeling brave... or the flats, if my feet are their normal swollen size!  And the tip here is to 'accessorise, accessorise, accessorise!'

Chunky knits are a hot trend for this winter. This deep purple jumper from Funmum at Isis will keep you and your bump toasty warm.

£39 www.isismaternity.co.uk

You've got to be quick... Mama's and Papas have a huge sale, where a massive range of their fantastic maternity jeans are now just £10!

The sale even includes the Slim Jeans, which came top in our maternity jeans review: http://www.trendlife.co.uk/blog/baby/08/2010/maternity-jeans-review-to-complete

Holly Willoughby is pictured here in the Slim Jeans in grey.

http://www.mamasandpapas.com/range/denim-sale-from-10/6056/page-1/sort-0/format-grid/size-all

One of the best maternity vest ranges on the market for growing bumps is the 'Luxury' Mamalicious vest top.  The vests comes in one size and stretch to accommodate any bump which means they are good from the early stages until post-birth.  Available in two lengths - the 'Heal' is regular maternity length and the Longline is particularly good with 'under-bump’ maternity jeans. Trousers have a tendency to sit very low so this covers up any flashing knickers nicely!

And lastly, they really shows the bump off too which means you might get offered that seat on the tube (if you’re lucky!)

They are available in a multitude of colours from Asos £12 www.asos.com

The Pronto is a compact and portable clutch-style bag that holds everything you need to keep your baby clean and dry. Suitable for quick visits to friends or a jaunt to the shops, it is essentially a compact changing mat with handy pockets. 

Attach it to your wrist with the  strap, place it under the buggy, or strap it to the handles. The changing mat has a padded head area and is extra wide for wriggly babies. It's also very easy to wipe clean. 

£26.00 www.bibsandstuff.com