It goes without saying that women going through pregnancy for the first time will have a thousand and one worries and concerns on their minds already, making the question of what to wear something of an afterthought. Sadly however, said afterthought usually lands with quite the wallop the very moment nothing seems to fit anymore and most things than do look and feel awful – not the most comforting of scenarios in a time of fragility.

The good news however is that we are of course no longer living in the dark ages of fashion and style, which means that allowances have been made and lessons learned from past experiences to bring some genuinely useful advice for those who are struggling to cope. So, with the health, wellbeing and sanity of thousands of new mums in mind, experts offer the following essential tips for looking and feeling great during the first crucial months of pregnancy:

1.     Clear Out – Job one on the list should be to ruthlessly rummage through your cupboards and drawers in order to take out and pack away anything and everything you won’t be wearing anytime soon. The last thing you want is dozens of reminders of your body-woes in front of you every hour of every day so be prepared to bite the bullet and get them out of the way for a while. And make it as simple as possible, assuming that any evening dresses with a zip or button fastener aren’t going to cut it – keep out only the stretchiest of items with elastic closers.

2.     Shop Wise – Head out and treat yourself to a new set of items from a specially tailored first-trimester range, which these days can be picked up from pretty much any leading maternity clothing retailer. It is of crucial importance to accept this transition stage and not just straight from normal everyday clothing to full-on late-maternity wears, for the sake your sanity if nothing else.

3.     Think Senior – If not exactly blown away by the early maternity lines on offer, never forget that there are some incredible lines on the market aimed at slightly older or senior women that come with the most forgiving elasticated waistbands and the softest materials imaginable – try these lines as an alternative in the early stages.

4.     Bra Busting – It’s inevitable that your breasts will continue to grow as too doe your belly, therefore rather than upgrading to a slightly larger model that fits ideally, but sure to go for something with a little breathing room – otherwise you’ll be investing in a new one every fortnight. Again, try to go for something supportive but stretchy enough to grow.

5.     Beach Belly – If you’re planning to hit the beach while pregnant – which you of course deserve and therefore should – go against your first instinct and opt for a two-piece swimsuit rather than a clingy, tight one-piece. Go for one with a skirt at the bottom for an even more flattering look.

6.     Lose Control – Last but not least, accept that this is really not the time to be using control-top tights of other flab-fighting garments and accessories – use of any and all of these everyday “essentials” will make your pregnancy endlessly more uncomfortable than it needs to be.