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One thing I really struggled with during my first pregnancy was feelings bigger, fatter, exhausted and over all not in the slightest bit sexy. I have always been a bit of an underwear snob, I'm not ashamed to admit I physically can't leave the house in underwear that doesn't match. What if you got hit by a car??? So the move over to maternity bras was always destined to be a struggle for me. The fact my boobs went ginormous combined with my love of nice lingerie I wasn't about to stock up on M&S finest crop tops... don't get me wrong though they have their place. After searching high and low last time, I knew my go to brands second time around and even reused some of the original gear. So here I've pulled together my top picks.
My number one go to brand is Heidi Klum Intimates, this range has so many options from your traditional cotton to seductive lace. So, if you're not ready to go all mumsy with grey big pants (like me above) having a peep of lace under your clothes is a good way to retain a bit of your pre-pregnancy self. They are often on sale at secretsales.com too.
Second time around I'm all about comfort and simplicity, that's why I'm loving Bonds at the moment. I'm lucky enough that we recently had a trip down under so I was able to stock up, but you can order them online and there is also a limited range available in the UK, try John Lewis and ASOS. There are so many small, yet you'd think obvious, design tweaks Bonds has made which mean they are the comfiest ever. Such as having the pants cut into a V so your bump goes in between and crop tops with slits for your breastpads post baby - like duh why has no one else done this? It's these small design adjustments that make me love the brand, their baby-grows are also fab with fold over hands and feet, and zips rather than poppers.
Another brand that I have found does a varied range with some more feminine, sexy options is HotMilk. Bras go up to a H cup, which is good for those of us who have boobs that go mental, and they don't look like something your nana would wear.
Post baby, especially in the early days you will want something that is just comfortable. As your breastmilk comes in and your boob engorge it can be painful to just touch them, so you want something super soft and stretchy. The Emma Jane sleep bra was a God send for me and I can't rave about it enough. Once they have calmed down a bit, but you're still home in your PJ's you might want to have a couple of nursing vests you can just pull on, Mothercare and Gap both have great options for these.
And those M&S knickers that I mentioned..... well they are the best for post birth. No one wants to be waddling around in paper pants, so pop down to Marks and grab a few packs of big over the belly granny kickers in a few sizes bigger than your normal dress size. Once you've worn them you can just throw them out... I know it sounds wasteful but trust me it's a good option.