Mum-to-be Diary: Growing boobs and how to look after them!
Week 22 and counting…
Last week was a little bit hectic, so I missed an installment of the Mum-to-be Diary. The Sloaney team headed off to Dublin for a special weekend at the Irish Gold Cup to enjoy a final celebration for our Bride-to-be, Katie Ann Lamb, who gets married in a couple of weeks.
As the only pregnant hen, I was the designated driver. Thankfully it seems that the second trimester fills you with a burst of energy so I was able to dance the night away in House Dublin well into the small hours. Baby was definitely enjoying the music and there were plenty of kicks when Girls Just Want To Have Fun was played by the DJ. Other people in the club were very kind and a group of gentlemen even provided an escort for me whenever I wanted to move and they offered up their seat in their reserved section so that I could sit down. They renamed this the ‘throne’ for the ‘pregnant Queen’ – I could get used to this!
Being pregnant definitely didn’t deter me from attending the hen and I still think you can enjoy these types of celebrations as long as you are sensible. There are so many mocktails available in various bars that you can still feel as though you are part of the drinking fun even though you are teetotal. It is just important to try and get enough sleep when you can in order to see you through the party hours.
Needless to say everyone else got suitably drunk on the big night out and just after midnight one of the girls shouted across the table and pointed out my enormous looking boobs! And, yes, they are certainly growing.
I have always had a moderate sized chest and so this is one of the biggest physical changes that I have noticed during pregnancy. It feels so strange to have big boobs and you definitely have to manage them. They make such a difference to what you wear and how you carry yourself.
I used to be able to get away with going braless and wearing backless tops or dresses with a deep V. At the moment, this is a distant memory and my new boobs need serious support! Thankfully, I have discovered a great brand called Belly Bandit. Owned by experienced mothers, Belly Bandit is the best place to shop if you are looking for pregnancy shape wear pieces.
Belly Bandit caters for all stages of pregnancy and one of their most popular products is the actual ‘Belly Bandit’, which is designed to help you look fabulous after pregnancy (more on that later in the year!).
Meanwhile, when it comes to shape wear during pregnancy, they have a fantastic collection of excellent bras. I have been wearing the B.D.A Bra (£36.95), which has come to the rescue. It is like a sports bra in style but more elegant and provides excellent support. There are no clasps, snaps or buttons and it is wireless. The design is simple and you can also use it when it comes to nursing because it provides easy access. Also, the material is very flexible, so this bra grows with you and it will also fit when you reduce in size later on.
I have been so impressed with the B.D.A Bra and I have to say that it is an absolute pregnancy essential. I have it in black so that it goes with a few of my pregnancy winter outfits but you can also buy it in nude. I have yet to discover comfortable bottoms to go with the bra and I have been experimenting with various options from the high street – I will keep you all posted if I discover a similar essential range for this area.
Incidentally, with growing boobs (and other parts of your body) you can get stretch marks. My husband bought me Neal’s Yard Mothers Balm for Christmas and I have been using this as often as possible. It should help reduce stretch marks and it suits all skin types.
Your resident Mum-to-be
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