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Get Creative – Celebrate Pregnancy in Art, Fashion, Movement & Music

Your nine months of pregnancy is a totally unique and special time in your life – your creative body is achieving something utterly remarkable, and you are playing a part in the miracle of life! It’s mind boggling when you stop to think about what is actually happening – so enjoy it, celebrate it and capture the moment in the best way you know how!

Get inspired and celebrate your creative body in art, fashion, movement & music:

Art

One of the most popular ways of capturing those beautiful new curves is to organise a pregnancy photo shoot. Check out our photo-tastic Pinterest board for some ideas and inspiration for your own – however you decide to go about it, you’ll come away with some beautiful images to keep for years to come.

Or if you’re looking for a more unusual option, why not explore the weird and wonderful world of Belly casting – creating a plaster cast replica of your baby bump as a cool art project, and a physical reminder of the changes your amazing body went through.

Dance & Movement

Staying active throughout your nine months is great for you and for baby, and dance can be a wonderful way of staying in tune with your body at a time when it’s easy to feel out of control. Stunning Dutch super model Doutzen Kroes enjoyed ballet classes throughout her pregnancy and found that her Seraphine maternity leggings were perfect for dancing in!

And just check out this inspiring acrobatic mama who carried on with her trapeze training until she hit the 39 week mark!

Fashion

Having fun with fashion is a fantastic way to celebrate your blossoming body every single day. It’s a simple thing, but taking the time to put together outfits that flaunt & flatter your shape will provide a welcome lift to your day. Beautiful maternity lingerie is a great place to start for an instant confidence boost, then try a form fitting style in a fun pattern that emphasises your empire waist line – our brand new Polka Dot Asymmetric Twist Dress is perfect! Finish off the look with your favourite accessories, then get out there and strut your stuff!

Writing

If you’re more of a literary type, writing about your experience of pregnancy can be incredibly therapeutic. You could keep a pregnancy journal and document your thoughts, feelings and hopes for baby’s future as well as keeping a record of pregnancy mile stones like the first scan and the first time you feel baby kick.

Or if you’re feeling particularly inspired, you could even pen a pregnancy poem like this empowering piece recently shared by one of our Seraphine mummies:

Music

If you or your partner are blessed with a musical streak, writing a song to celebrate the new life you’re creating together could be a really wonderful thing to do. Back in March Tom and Giovanna Fletcher welcomed their son Buzz, and celebrated his arrival by recording an original song penned by the proud new daddy (who, when he isn’t on nappy changing duty, is the lead vocalist and guitarist of McFly)!

Watch the video & spot the Seraphine nursing top at the end!

Other Articles You May Like:

Breastfeeding your baby just got glamorous!
How to spill the beans – the best pregnancy announcements ever
Get inspired to create a beautiful nursery for you and baby

Celebrity Stylist Kimberly Lavey’s 6 Top Tips for Styling Your Bump

Kimberly Lavey is a freelance Online Fashion Editor and Celebrity Stylist working on Strictly Come Dancing. She spends her days dressing stars such as Tess Daly, Claudia Winkleman, and Dame Kelly Holmes, styling commercial shoots for the likes of L’Oreal, and writing/ editing for online publications such as InStyle, LOOK, and Marie Claire amongst others… Follow her on Twitter @Stylistatlarge

It’s hard to believe that I have just reached the 16 week mark of my first pregnancy. It feels like an eternity ago that my husband and I first found out our exciting news and now hitting my second trimester, the reality that a baby will arrive in less than 6 months is finally starting to set in! However, with all the nervousness there is of course excitement, coupled with worry, raging hormones, fatigue, headaches, mood swings and nausea; just a few of the early symptoms which, so I’ve been told, are perfectly normal.

Due to my miniature size (I’m 5’ 1”) I showed super early and now have quite a rotund tummy when other expectant mothers’ belly’s still appear to be flat. But there is of course a silver lining: With my insider fashion knowledge I am aware of what will work for my body shape and others’, so here are my top tips for surviving early pregnancy with a telling bump…

1) Picking the Perfect Underwear

Just as my body is expanding, so too is my wardrobe; gone is the sexy underwear and in are the super comfy pants! Just remember that throughout pregnancy it is imperative to make sure you get measured regularly as your bust and derriere will (sorry to say) widen during this period of time, and having correct underwear will be key to feeling snug in any outfit.

2) Maternity Jeans

You will also need a pair of perfect go-to maternity jeans or leggings that help keep you comfortable all day when shopping or spending time friends: this also includes casual Friday’s at work and especially on long drives during a mid-summer break.

3) Managing your Shape and Bump

I love maxi dresses, which are lightweight and show off your expanding tum perfectly and are flattering on all shapes and sizes. You can also try swing style tops in A-line shapes and elasticated dresses which nip you in at the empire waist. But of course don’t be afraid to show your bump off by wearing form fitting dresses, tunics and work wear.

4) Cover Up in a Kimono This season the style du jour that all the celebs are adorning is the kimono – therefore choose a colourful print to wear with a skinny belt, jeans and heels if dressing up at night or throw on over a dress or shorts for hot summer days.

5) Dressing for an Occasion

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on May 27, 2016 at 4:31am PDT

Just as pregnant model Ashleigh Good hit the runway for couture week in July (you can thank Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel) you too can emulate the perfect maternity look with a range of luxe dresses for less. Let your pièce de résistance be a jewel coloured gown (ruby red is set to be on-trend for AW14) which will help get you noticed in a sea of LBD’s this coming winter.

6) Look After the Skin You’re in

Last but definitely not least is to treat yourself to a nourishing body butter or oil such as Elemis Japanese Camellia Body Oil (Victoria Beckham swears by it; £29.50 for 100ml), Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil (£39 for 100ml) and of course Bio Oil (from £5.99 for 60ml); they may be pricey but are 100% natural and will help firm and tone the elasticity of your skin and prevent stretch marks from appearing.

My final piece of advice for any worrying mums-to-be (just like me) is to purchase Heidi Murkoff’s best selling book “What to expect when you’re expecting”. Jam packed with helpful hints and tips, plus week by week analysis of baby growth, an A-Z index which covers every scenario plus parent-to-be tips, how to cope post-pregnancy and a section for dads – it really has been my baby bible and worth a read at any stage of pregnancy.

Other Articles You May Like:

What to read when you’re expecting: summer pregnancy reads
Pregnancy goes couture: Power to the pregnant lady
Maternity style and pregnancy yoga – by Pollyanna Woodward

Twins & Celebrity Babies: Double the trouble, triple the fun!

We want to talk about Twins. The arrival of a new baby in the family is always an incredibly special time, so just imagine what it’s like to have two, three or even more at once – we’re thinking double the trouble, triple the fun!

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Jun 30, 2016 at 9:16am PDT

With one in every 65 pregnancies resulting in a multiple birth, twins and triplets are on the rise right now, and the celebs – as always – are on top of the trend! Both Beyoncé & Jay Z and Amal & George Clooney are getting set to welcome twins this year, joining the already glamorous list of celebrity parents with twins including Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie to name but a few…

And of course a fair few of these stylish celebrity twin mamas have rocked Seraphine maternity clothes! ‘Devious Maids’ star Dania Ramirez chose one of our silk maternity dresses for her baby shower back when she was expecting her non-identical twins John and Gaia.

A post shared by Dania Ramirez (@daniajramirez) on Aug 24, 2016 at 1:49pm PDT

Stunning Spanish actress Elsa Pataky was a big fan of Seraphine knitwear while she was expecting her fraternal twin boys Tristan and Sacha. We love this picture of her husband, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth playing super heroes with his boys!

A post shared by Elsa Pataky (@elsapatakyconfidential) on Feb 4, 2017 at 4:33pm PST

Holly Branson, the daughter of entrepreneur extraordinaire Richard Branson, is mama to twins Etta and Artie. She wore plenty of Seraphine maternity clothes throughout her pregnancy, and loved our Faux Leather Panel Maternity Leggings so much that she continued wearing them after the babies were born.

A post shared by Holly Branson (@holly_branson) on Mar 21, 2017 at 4:08am PDT

If you are a mama expecting multiples, you may find that your bump begins to show earlier than your friends expecting singletons – sometimes as early as 10 weeks, so finding maternity clothes quickly becomes a priority! Shopping for maternity clothes online is an ideal option if you’re still suffering with first trimester queasiness, and here at Seraphine we offer free returns on all UK orders!

One thing that all mamas of multiples agree on is that though twins mean a double work load, they also mean double the fun. There’s nothing like watching your twins’ bond strengthen as they grow. They’ll learn to play together, enjoying each other’s company, sharing toys, and even working together to get around mummy & daddy!

You also get to be a part of hilarious moments like this!

To all the expectant multiple mums out there, we salute you, and wish you the best of luck for your coming adventures!

Breastfeeding Just Got Glamorous: Celeb Mums are Proud to Nurse in Public

Next week is World Breastfeeding Week and we are starting celebrations early!

There are few things more natural and beautiful than a mother breastfeeding her baby. It’s healthy for both mum and babe, it’s environmentally friendly, cost effective and convenient, and yet for some, the subject is still considered taboo. This week we’re celebrating the brave celebrity mamas breaking those taboos!

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Jan 20, 2017 at 1:25am PST

Get Eva Amurri Martino’s Look: Striped Nursing Top

Here at Seraphine we support your right to breastfeed whenever and wherever baby decides is best. But unfortunately there are still some strange social stigmas surrounding the process, which leave some mothers reluctant to leave the house without a breastfeeding cover. But World Breastfeeding Week, which kicks off on Tuesday, provides the perfect opportunity for women around the world to unite to change the negative perceptions and break those misplaced taboos!

Watch the Video: Celebs Talk about Breastfeeding

In recent years, breastfeeding has gained a glamorous new status as more and more mums in the public eye, like the stylish celebs in the video above, open up about their experience. Some of the world’s most stylish celebrity mums including Gwen Stefani, Miranda Kerr, Gisele Bundchen, Eva Amurri Martino and Natalia Vodianova to name but a few, have taken to social media to share their own stunning breastfeeding pictures, adding their voices to the rolling wave of positive energy surrounding your right to breastfeed.

Back in 2014 Actress Olivia Wilde took the internet by storm with her stunning breastfeeding photo shoot for Glamour Magazine. The shoot was set in a retro style diner, and showed the new mum looking gorgeous in a designer dress as she proudly breastfed her baby son Otis.

Otis ordered milkshakes. Luckily I had some on me. Then he peed on my dress. Good kid. #boobfood #whennaturecalls pic.twitter.com/YC9OcJuRod

— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) August 5, 2014

The images portray Olivia as a multifaceted woman in her new role as a mother. She told Glamour: “Breastfeeding is the most natural thing…. You can be someone who is at once maternal and professional and sexy and self-possessed. [But] I mean, I certainly don’t really look like that when I’m [typically] breast-feeding. And there’s usually a diaper involved.”

The fashion industry has always loved to push the boundaries and break taboos, and with this wave of glamorous breastfeeding imagery in the media, it’s fantastic to see them leading the way towards normalising this most natural of mother child bonds.

Watch the video for a little nursing style inspiration.

Here at Seraphine we are passionate believers that breastfeeding should not hold you back! And that is why we have created our beautiful range of fashion forward nursing clothes, to help you feel like your regular stylish self while feeding your baby. All of our nursing styles are designed with discreet opening systems such as poppers, zips, secret layers and integrated covers to help make nursing quick, simple and discreet, but that’s just the starting point as far as we’re concerned. Our gorgeous range of nursing bras are made in pretty lacy styles to help you feel feminine and sexy, and our stylish nursing tops, jumpers and dresses offer fabulous outfit options for any occasion.

But of course bottle-feeding is great too!

This funny video breaks breast vs bottle taboos left, right & center

In the end it all comes down to what feels right for you and your baby. We hope that you feel inspired by these beautiful breastfeeding images, and feel happy and confident to feed your baby in style this summer!

What to Read When You’re Expecting – Summer Pregnancy Reads

Whether you’re jetting off for a touch of sun, sea and sand, Losing yourself in a new city, or escaping to the country, a good book is a must have for your summer holiday suitcase! Here are a few of our top summer pregnancy reading suggestions, and few gorgeous summer maternity outfits to enjoy them in!

The Chilled Beach Holiday

To read: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy – Helen Fielding

Everyone’s favourite lovable London singleton is back! She’s now 51, widowed with 2 kids, and struggling to negotiate her re-entry into the dating game. It may all sound a little heavy, but if you know and love Bridget like we do, you’ll know there’s never a dull moment!

To wear: Lounge on the beach and indulge the chick lit lover in you in our glamorous Black Halterneck Maternity Swimsuit.

Also try:

Little Earthquakes – Jennifer Weiner

Shopaholic & Baby – Sophie Kinsella

The Exotic Cultural Excursion

To read: The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul – Deborah Rodriguez

In a little coffee shop in one of the most dangerous places on earth, 5 women come together to find friendship and fight for freedom. Immerse yourself in this Afghan tale and get yourself in the mood to explore and experience new things – You will laugh, cry and learn with these women, and at the end of the book they will leave you with a burning desire for a catch up with your best friends.

To wear: Discover distant lands and explore in our Sleeveless Printed Maternity Tunic with our White Cropped Bamboo Leggings.

Also try:

And the Mountains Echoed – Khaled Hosseini

The Exciting City Break

To read: The Circle – Dave Eggers

Ever think the internet might know a little too much about your life? Enter The Circle by Dave Eggers – this brilliant social satire channels Huxley’s A Brave New World with a dash of 1984 along with a healthy dose of today’s social media obsession, all written with a fabulously cutting wit. This book is un-put-down-able, and the fast pace is perfect for the cityscape.

To wear: Loose yourself in the city in our Navy Cotton Crochet Maternity Skirt with a plain white tee and our Navy Tie Maternity Cardigan.

Also try:

The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays & Stories – Marina Keegan

The Pregnancy Guides

To read: Do chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? – Jena Pincott

A relaxing holiday can be a great time to swot up on your pregnancy knowledge, but this is not your average boring pregnancy book. Written by pregnant science writer Jena Pincott, this book aims to answer all those weird and wonderful questions about just how a baby might tinker with your body and vice versa – Questions like: Do foetuses dream? Will what we eat now affect baby’s tastes later? And, do fidgety foetuses become feisty kids? Read it cover to cover or dip in and out as you please!

To wear: Kick back and relax wherever in the world you are! Pair our Nautical Top with Poppers with our Blue Denim Maternity Mini Shorts.

Also try:

The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy – Vicki Iovine

What to Expect When You’re Expecting – Heidi Murkoff

Whether you’re heading off on a glamorous babymoon, or staycationing by the sea, make sure you have something sensational to read and something fabulous to wear, and enjoy a relaxing break – you deserve it!

Other Articles You May Like:

Our favourite apps to take you through pregnancy and beyond
What’s on your pregnancy reading list?
Arianna Huffington – How to juggle motherhood and carreer

Victoria’s Secret Angel Doutzen’s Pregnancy Story

Stunning Dutch super model Doutzen Kroes, who has been a huge fan of Seraphine throughout her pregnancy, welcomed a beautiful baby daughter – Myllena Mae – into the world this week!

The proud parents took to Instagram to announce the arrival of their little bundle of joy, posting this gorgeous family snap.

“A miracle saw the light of day this morning. Welcome Myllena Mae❤️ Mommy, Daddy and big brother Phyllon are super proud!”

As a super model, Doutzen has a natural flare for fashion and photography, and has documented her stylish pregnancy on Instagram from the very beginning – including some gorgeous Seraphine looks!

She announced her pregnancy back in February with this stunning nude portrait.

The perfect pregnant poise: Not long after, she posted this beautiful picture of one of her prenatal ballet classes wearing our Grey Bamboo Maternity Leggings.

Then on Mother’s Day, we saw this gorgeous shot of her in our Crochet Back Maternity Maxi Dress with none other than Anna Wintour – the legendary trend spotter and editor in chief of American Vogue!

Family focus: Doutzen made sure to spend plenty of time with her son Phyllon through her pregnancy, having fun and preparing him to become the best big brother Myllena Mae could ask for. Here she’s wearing our White Maternity Maxi Skirt, pulled up as a chic bandeau dress.

Here she’s looking effortlessly stylish in our Aqua Draped Maternity Maxi Dress for a fun family day out at the park.

DIY dynamos: She posted this fierce pic with the caption “This is how we do ❤️ baby arrival preparations with @sunneryjames“. Looks like even international super models muck in and have fun putting together baby’s crib!

Just a week before the arrival of little Myllena Mae she shared this lovely moment with big brother-in-waiting Phyllon. Here she’s wearing our Sparkly Nautical Striped Maternity & Nursing Tunic.

Waiting, waiting… Doutzen is wearing our Neon Pink Striped Nursing Tank Top, looking relaxed but impatient to meet her little girl.

9 months pregnant, the day before she gave birth, and Doutzen looked completely stunning in this fun bump shot with a friend, wearing our Black Maternity Shift Dress – proving that the style really does grow with your curves to the very end!

Doutzen stayed true to her style throughout her pregnancy and a quick look back through her Instagram feed shows that with a little help from Seraphine, she looked fantastic from start to finish. Now that little Myllena Mae has arrived, we want to wish Doutzen all the best for the amazing road ahead!

Other Articles You May Like:

Super model Doutzen loves Seraphine maternity maxi dresses
Stunning celeb mamas Christina Aguilera & Doutzen Kroes in Seraphine
Super model Doutzen Kroes and BBC newsreader Kate Silverton in Seraphine

Glamour Magazine’s Victoria Ibbetson shares her pregnancy style

Victoria Ibbetson is the lead tablet designer for Glamour magazine, after starting her career at Marie Claire magazine. She has worked in the extremely busy and creative art department of the country’s leading women’s magazine for 6 years, and loved every second of it. She lives in southeast London with her husband and very spoilt cat and is expecting her first baby in August.

1) Describe your pregnancy style? Has it changed from your regular style or mostly stayed the same?

For my pregnancy style I have tried to stay as true to my regular style as possible. I haven’t wanted to spend a huge amount of money on clothing but I invested early on in some skinny grey maternity jeans which I could team with my regular Breton tops and ballet shoes. These days (7+ months) in the heat of the summer I am living in maternity dresses and flat sandals, which allow me to look stylish and keep cool!

2) What is your go-to outfit? Any fashion staples?

My go to outfit is a navy blue pleated maternity dress that keeps on growing with me. It is smart enough for work or drinks in the evening but very comfy too.

3) Fitted or flowing for your bump?

I spent the first few months drowning myself in baggy shirts until a good friend advised me to ‘embrace the bump’. Since then I have been all about showing off the bump. I have really struggled with not having a waist but I figure that I won’t look like this forever (even though sometimes it feels that way) so I might as well proudly show off those curves whilst I can!

4) What’s your favourite Seraphine piece in the collection and why?

I have struggled to find any maternity skirts so it was love at first sight when I saw the Grey Marl Maternity maxi Skirt! It is made out of the softest tshirt material and looks really fab teamed with a vest top and leather sandals. I’m going to be very sad when the baby arrives and I can’t wear this anymore!

5) Do you have any top tips to share with other pregnant mums?

Comfort is key but that doesn’t mean that you can’t look like ‘you’ anymore. I think a happy mum means a happy baby so it is really important to do some things for yourself whilst pregnant, and if that means spending some money on a few key pieces that will see you stylishly through the 9 months then there is no need to feel guilty. Build up a wardrobe of key pieces that you can mix and match with your existing clothes (baggier) and you won’t feel limited by your maternity wardrobe.

6) What’s your favourite maternity accessory?

A big glitzy jcrew necklace! It can take some of the attention away from my ever expanding bump. I love high heels so not being able to wear them has meant that I have over compensated in the bags and jewelry departments.

7) What has been your favourite moment during pregnancy so far?

Telling my friends was a very special moment. There were a lot of tears involved. I am the first one in my group to have gone through this so seeing them being so excited and fascinated with my changing body has helped me come to terms with the fact that when I look in the mirror I look so radically different.

Other Articles You May Like:

The Gadget Show’s Pollyanna Woodward shares her top 3 baby buys
Create a capsule wardrobe for a long weekend in St Tropez
Pep up your pregnancy diet and indulge in delicious summer smoothies

Celebrate Prince George’s Birthday & win a £200 Seraphine voucher

Can you believe that gorgeous little Prince George is almost a year old? That’s right – the royal baby is now practically a royal toddler! The year seems to have flown by, and yet His Little Royal Highness has already posed for his first official photographs, been around the world on his first royal tour to Australia and New Zealand and taken his first steps!

Just a month after he was born, his father the Duke of Cambridge described George as ‘a bit of a rascal’, and now that he is up and toddling about like a pro (with a little help from mum) we can only imagine the mischief he’ll be getting up to!

But of course we all know that baby George isn’t the only little rascal who made his debut in the last year…. So in honour of George’s birthday, we’re asking you to upload a picture of your little prince or princess to our gorgeous online gallery.

When you upload your picture, you’ll be entered into a random prize draw to be in with the chance to win a £200 voucher to spend on Seraphine maternity clothes! *Competition now closed*

And that’s not all… For every picture you upload, Seraphine will donate $1 to the charity Baby2Baby – so one picture of your little one could help other babies in need.

There’s no word yet from the Palace on how the little prince will be celebrating his 1st birthday, but we’d guess that it will be a fun filled day spent with close family and friends – maybe even some playtime with his younger cousin Mia Tindall! However he spends the day, we’ll be raising a toast to him on the 22nd, so join us and share a picture of your own royal baby for your chance to win, and to help babies in need!

Check out our gorgeous baby Pinterest board for a little inspiration, and get uploading! #MyRoyalBaby

*Competition now closed*

Other Articles You May Like:

Prince George’s christening has us thinking maternity occasion wear
Zara Phillips wears a Seraphine maternity evening gown to the ball
The Duchess wears a Seraphine maternity dress in the first family photos

Claire Sweeney steals the show in Seraphine on the red carpet

The lovely Claire Sweeney looked stunning in a Seraphine maternity maxi dress at a star studded film premier over the weekend!

The stylish mum-to-be simply glowed in our Grey Space Dye Maternity Maxi Dress at the Pudsey the Dog film premier in London’s Leicester Square. The Britain’s Got Talent winning Dog’s first feature film was heralded in with a fashionable red carpet event and a fun family atmosphere – TV presenter Konnie Huq and pop star Michelle Heaton even brought along their kiddies to join in the fun! (Scroll down to see the talented pup in action)

Claire styled her sparkling silver look with a chic white blazer, a long pendant necklace and statement white wedges – enhancing her natural glow with a little extra dazzle. And when she stepped out on that red carpet she really stole the show!

Claire is a red carpet regular, and this isn’t the first time she’s chosen a Seraphine dress to dazzle the crowds in. Back in June, she wore our Emerald Silk Multiway Maternity Gown to walk the red carpet at The Jersey Boys premier. And since then she’s loved our maternity maxi dresses – they’ve been her go-to style for everything from celebrity cricket matches, to magazine photo shoots and of course, film premiers!

Claire, who split from her partner just a month before she discovered she was pregnant, is expecting her first baby – a little boy – later on this year, and is planning to call him Gabriel because as she says: “he’s my little gift sent from heaven.” She and her ex-fiancé Daniel Riley are on very good terms and have both said that they are surprised and delighted by their unexpected impending arrival.

Check out Pudsey the talented pup

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Claire Sweeney in Seraphine gown at red carpet premier
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The Gadget Show’s Pollyanna Woodward Shares Her Top 3 Baby Buys

Pollyanna is a television presenter, most recently on The Gadget Show. She and golfer fiancé Paul Casey are currently expecting their first child and have been busy preparing for their new arrival.

A post shared by Pollyanna Woodward (@pollyannawoodward) on Mar 12, 2017 at 2:24pm PDT

So the swollen feet have just kicked in….. It started after a day of tottering around Wimbledon on 2 inch heels – my feet showed their thorough disapproval and not discreetly. They looked like they’d gone 3 rounds with a swarm of bees! On the plus side, it lead to some TLC and a foot massage off the other half which was an absolute treat! I decided to wear my Seraphine long maternity maxi dress in purple for the event as purple and Green are Wimbledon’s official colours so it matched the occasion perfectly and most importantly I felt glam. And to be honest I haven’t had the opportunity to feel like that through most of my pregnancy.

Tiredness is starting to take hold again now so I’m trying to get as much organised and arranged as I can – it would be nice for the last few weeks to be able to just relax a bit more and wait for our new arrival. However, I am more than aware that the next time I’ll get to completely relax after the birth will be a long way away!!

I haven’t gone too crazy with things for the little one. In fact if anything I’ve gone for just the basics and necessities, as once it arrives If I find I need something I can always get it then – otherwise the costs spiral out of control. I had no idea how expensive it would be just to prepare! However there are a few really useful Gadgets I’ve come across during my prep for the arrival that I wanted to share, as you may also find them useful.

1) The Magic Mitten

One of my earlier purchases was the Magic mitten – I demonstrated this on “This Morning” a few months back and it worked brilliantly – it’s to assist with relaxing and calming your baby if they are upset or distressed for no apparent reason. It emits white noise (the kind of noise they’d have heard in the womb) and a few other sounds on a frequency for baby. You hold it against their free ear while you hold them against you and it helps calm them! And it’s on a 10 minute timer so you don’t have to worry about switching it off.

2) The Snuza Go Baby Breathing Monitor

Another one was the Snuza Go baby breathing monitor. I first discovered this in the US and then looked for it in the UK as this could genuinely be a life saver! It’s a clip-on baby breathing monitor (it has no wires and is portable) which is going to be perfect for travelling or visiting people, and it connects to your Smartphone. It clips onto baby’s nappy with a rubber end touching their tummy, and it monitors their breathing. If they stop for over 10/15 seconds it vibrates to try and shock baby into breathing and if that doesn’t work it’ll send an alarm to your smartphone so you can quickly check on them. Ideally this will never have to be kicked into action, but even so I consider it to be my most invaluable buy.

3) The Keep-it Kleen Dummy

And lastly dummies that close by Keep-it-Kleen – Not the cheapest dummies out there but these are super smart. As an auntie to 13 nieces and nephews I have seen on so many occasions my brothers and sisters having to suck and wipe clean dummies that have fallen on the floor. So when I discovered these, it was a necessity as a soon-to-be-mum – the less dirt I have to clean off the better! They have a built-in case around the teat that opens widely like a normal dummy but once dropped, it snaps shut before it hits the floor, protecting the teat from it’s surrounding environment – clever little device!

Watch Pollyanna demonstate the Keep-it-Kleen dummy on This Morning

I hope you find some of that useful! They are definitely a few of my must have discoveries.

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Maternity style and pregnancy yoga – by Pollyanna Woodward
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Kimberley Walsh & Holly Willoughby’s Boho Style in Seraphine

Two lovely celeb ladies have been spotted working a chic summer boho style in Seraphine this week – former Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh and This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby!

Kimberley Walsh

Early on in the week the glamorous Kimberley was spotted out and about rocking the urban safari trend in a pair of our Tribal Print Summer Slouchy Maternity Trousers.

After performing at the Tour de France opening ceremony last week, the seven month pregnant star spent a more relaxed day around London. Kimberley styled the monochrome boho look with a plain white maternity tee, a classic black cardigan and flat black sandals, completing the urban safari inspired outfit with an across body Mulberry bag in a chic sandy shade, dark sunglasses and adding a glam flash of colour with statement red nails.

Kim is expecting her first baby with partner of 10 years Justin Scott and we’ve loved watching the singer’s maternity style develop. Just a few weeks ago, we spotted her in the stands at Wimbledon rocking our Black Knot Front Maternity Maxi Dress. She has truly mastered the art of monochrome, pulling together boho-influences and chic shapes with just a glamorous flash of red – whether it’s her impressively manicured nails, or a sexy slick of lipstick!

Holly Willoughby

The lovely Holly looked cool in every sense of the word in our White Lace Trim Maternity Maxi Dress – perfecting her summer bohemian style!

Perhaps inspired by her best friend Fearne Cotton’s wedding dress, The TV star wore our white tiered maxi to run errands around town through the week. She styled the look with flip flops, a gold chain, a statement black handbag, and a pair of shades that are simply too cool for school! The look was relaxed, and the black and white pallette added a chic edge to the style.

This will be Holly’s third baby – a little brother or sister for 5 year old Harry and 3 year old Belle, and so far she’s nailing her maternity style. Appearing on TV every morning looking polished to perfection, she’s also been spotted wearing Seraphine on the show, including our Blue Colour Block Maternity Dress and our Blue Knot Front Maternity Dress!

Now heading into the final stages of their pregnancies, Kimberley and Holly are both looking fabulously stylish, and we want to wish them both the best of luck for the road ahead!

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Pregnancy goes Couture: Power to the Pregnant Lady

Wow! Did you see Karl Lagerfeld’s beautiful pregnant bride close the Chanel Couture show this week? The German designer wowed the crowds by sending 7 months pregnant model Ashleigh Good down the catwalk in a stunning couture bridal gown!

The dazzling white design was stylishly structured in silk crepe de chine with glamorous gold detailing at the front, and came complete with a Pre-Raphaelite inspired gold brocade cap and cape. It was a sensational finale to a fantastic fashion show.

Watch the Beautiful Pregnant Bride Rule the Runway

And this certainly isn’t the first time that a mum-to-be model has stolen the show….

In fact we think we spot a trend here – it seems to be that whenever a blossoming expectant mother graces the catwalk, the crowds and critics alike go wild! We think this is no coincidence – the fashion industry are finally beginning to cotton on to what we’ve been saying for years – the pregnant body is beautiful!

And the revolution is not just confined to the catwalks… Since a very pregnant Demi Moore bared her bump on the cover of Vanity Fair back in the early 90’s, some of the biggest and best Fashion magazines around have featured expectant women in full bloom on their coveted covers.

Gorgeous celebrity mums-to-be have led the way, embracing their curves and flaunting their blossoming figures from international super models to A-lister actresses and chart topping stars!

As women, we are now more empowered than ever to celebrate our changing bodies, so enjoy this time! We’re not saying that you have to strip off for a nude photo shoot, but we are saying that you could do if you wanted to! As a less extreme empowering option, why not try a sexy bodycon style maternity dress for your next big event – you can flaunt your new figure and feel fantastic doing it! Or if you’re hitting the beach this summer, be brave and choose a gorgeous maternity bikini! Remember, your body is beautiful – so stand tall and celebrate your curves!

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