#3things: I miss about not being pregnant

Sitting on the sofa the other evening, watching TV and thinking about how things have changed over the past few months and that got me thinking about the things I miss...

1. Brie - this is a weird one. I wasn't ever really that into brie before (I mean, I'd eat it and enjoy it) but almost the minute that I found out I was pregnant, I wanted brie - A LOT! Go figure!
2. Prosecco. This really isn't a weird one. For anyone who knows me, they'll know that I love prosecco! A glass of gorgeous fizzy bubbles is my idea of perfection. I miss that. A LOT.
3. My waist. Admittedly, this isn't quite how my waist looked before bump appeared but I really don't think I made the most of having a waist when I wasn't pregnant! I intend to change that after this little one is born!

style: poncho

Last week I posted the six pieces (maternity and non-maternity) that are seeing me through my pregnancy right now. In addition, during the winter months, I’ve found my collection of non-maternity ponchos have come in handy. They are so easy to layer over a long sleeved t-shirt (either maternity or non-maternity) and leggings or skinny jeans.

See what I mean in these photos! Just please excuse the silly poses!

I’m wearing an H&M non-maternity poncho (£7 in the sale – still in some stores), H&M maternity jeans, Clarks ankle boots and Next bobble hat. Underneath I’ve layered an old Primark t-shirt that has enough stretch to go over my bump (which feels huge right now!). The poncho still has loads of growing room – I’m hoping it’ll see me through to the warmer months.

brand: Isabella Oliver - plus 20% off discount code

One of my favourite non-maternity brands is Baukjen. Baukjen was launched in 2009 by the founder of maternity brand Isabella Oliver to provide fans with a ready-to-wear collection that would work all of the time. Baukjen originally launched as Isabella Oliver 365 but three years later rebranded as Baukjen, after Baukjen De Swaan Arons, the creative brains behind both brands.

So it was only natural that when I found out I was pregnant, I would look to the maternity collection by Isabella Oliver to get me dressed.

In their own words, Isabella Oliver creates effortless outfits you can wear again and again. Prints are pared-back, colour palettes are subtle and every piece must pass their "can I wear this 100 times?" test.

They know that your body and tastes constantly change throughout your pregnancy. Whatever your preference, they design shapes that fit you perfectly, in fabrics that grow as you do.

Isabella Oliver source the finest quality fabrics. The ones that are kind to sensitive skin, wash well and flatter you completely – at every stage of pregnancy. While you look after your bump, their clothes look after you.

If you're looking for wardrobe essentials that will see you through your pregnancy, for work, for play, for dressing up and for dressing down, then look no further than Isabella Oliver.

The best thing too, is that the clothes at Isabella Oliver are designed to grow with your bump but also to fit post-pregnancy too. So you're investing in pieces that will last beyond the nine months.

I've picked out my top three favourite pieces from the collection that will help to build the foundations of your maternity wardrobe:

1. The Betty Stripe dress is perfect for a growing bump. Stripes are always in style and this dress could be dressed up for the office - add a blazer and a pair of flat or heeled court shoes - or dressed down for the weekend - just add a pair of your favourite trainers and a denim jacket and you're good to go. This is top of my list right now!
2. The Harris maternity cardigan is a great but that will certainly see you well beyond your bump. It's a great cover-up for cooler weather - can totally see myself wrapping this around me in the evenings.
3. The Libby maternity shirt tunic is another piece that will work well for the office. I'd layer this over leather leggings with boots for a day in the office.

Plus, Isabella Oliver has a great offer for all newly expectant mums right now - 20% off your first order AND free UK standard delivery and returns. To get the offer, use the code NEWMAMA before midnight GMT on Sunday 20 March.

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happy mother's day

To all the fabulous mums out there - and mums-to-be!

style: six pieces to see you through your pregnancy

I’ll be honest – I didn’t want to spend a fortune on clothes throughout my pregnancy that I will wear for a few months and then never again. Also, what is it with stores adding an extra “0” to something just because it says maternity?! With this in mind, I've been keen to re-purpose pieces I have in my wardrobe. But I did quickly realise there were a few things I would need to buy. These are the six pieces accommodating my growing bump right now:

1. Trousers/jeans/leggings – I live in my skinny jeans and these were the first thing that got tight. Some people suggest wearing low slung trousers/jeans under your bump. I did not find this an option – around week 13/14 your uterus starts to move up and very quickly hits the point at which your trousers do up. At this point, the pressure was so uncomfortable that I succumbed and bought a pair of maternity jeans. I’ve not worn anything else since!
2. Tights – if you’re planning to wear dresses, I would definitely advise investing in maternity tights. When I first saw how expensive they were, I thought I would stick with my old pre-pregnancy tights. But very soon they were digging in too and really uncomfortable. And then I spotted that Primark do maternity tights for about half the price of other shops (£3.50 for a pair of 100 denier maternity tights) and there was no looking back!
3. Bras – this was something that I was hoping to really not have to buy. I already wear non-wired bras most of the time anyway (the perks of a small chest!) but what I didn’t count on was the expansion of my ribcage/back. Plus, my chest also grew a fair amount too! Most maternity bras look a little like scaffolding to me. I wanted something that would be plain, simple and fairly inoffensive. I’d also decided to get nursery bras, so that they would last a little longer. Enter Primark – again! My local store stocks two maternity pieces: tights and bras. The bras are two (one black, one white) for £8 – another bargain!
4. Long-line t-shirts – long sleeved/sleeveless/whatever. These will stretch with your bump and will cover any elastic waistbands. I’m wearing out all my old Primark tees and vests and figure I’ll buy nice new ones after the baby arrives.
5. Trainers – ok, so I guess this should really read flat shoes but I’m having a trainer moment! They’ll be comfortable now as you get bigger and will be useful in the months and years after the baby arrives and you’re first, pushing a pram around and then, running around after a toddler!
6. Oversized dresses – I’ve found that many maternity dresses are wrap style or body con style. Neither of these are what I would normally wear. Instead, I have maxed out of oversized t-shirt dresses from Primark that fit loosely and comfortably over my growing bump.

pampering before the pampers!

I’ve said before that I’ve struggled with being pregnant. The morning sickness – which lasted all day for most of the period between week six and week 16 – meant that any pampering went out of the window really. Just showering and getting dressed each day and going to work felt like an achievement.

Before I was pregnant, I would paint my nails at least once – sometimes, twice – a week. It was my little treat to myself, a little bit of time out when I would completely concentrate on me for half an hour or so. I love the whole process of removing old polish, filing my nails, moisturising my hands, applying a base coat and then choosing a coloured polish.

As I finally begin to feel a little more like myself, I decided to dedicate a little time to myself. No7 sent me a box at the end of last year (yep, terrible blogger for sitting on it for this long!) with some different coloured make-up products as a part of their #ColourYourWay campaign. Have you seen the advert on TV? It’s running at the moment - I love it – it makes me really excited for summer!


In my box from No7 was the gorgeous blue polish from the ad – No7 Gel Look Shine Nail Colour in Persian Blue. I totally love this colour (so much so that it was one of the colours for my wedding – think, shoes, bridesmaids’ dresses and more!) So I decided to give myself a pedicure – while I can still reach my feet! Again, I love the whole process of doing my toe nails too. I allow them to soak, I then cut them and shape them. Then a use a separator and take my time, applying a base coat (the No7 Ridge Filling Base is my current choice) and then the colour.

Next up, tackling my poor finger nails...

*Disclosure: No7 sent me a box of make-up to try out. As always, all views are my own.