Maternity Clothing 101

Today's pregnant woman leads an active lifestyle and wants to wear hip, trendy maternity clothes that not only look good, but provide comfort and support. Bright, fun colors such as purple, stripes, and plaids have replaced the old, drab black. Fabrics are made of cooler, breathable material such as cotton and linen.

It's hard to be active and in fashion when your legs and feet are swollen, and your back hurts. We'll look at some ways to purchase maternity clothes and accessories that not only support and comfort you, but make also make you feel cute and sexy.

Maternity Support hose come in varying degrees of compression, allowing them to treat mild to severe leg problems. In order to ensure a proper fit, take an obstetrician's prescription to a medical supply store. Hose are also available individually for single leg problems.

The Enell Sports Bra was designed to allow the larger woman to play sports and exercise comfortably. The wide non-elastic straps and full back give you comfortable support. Fun colors like pink, purple, and navy blue are available. If they don't have your size, they will custom make it.

Designed for larger cup sizes, minimizer bras can reduce the size of your bust by over an inch. Spandex gives you that comfortable stretch and lightly cushioned straps alleviate shoulder pressure. Clothes have a more streamlined appearance with no gaps. Go down one band size from what you usually wear.

Designed with the average figure in mind, Warner Bra's light, airy material keeps you cool. The stretch micro filter stretches with your body. The Plushline lining provides comfort and support. Colors available include black, white, sand, crme, butterscotch, and white.

Designed for the more active woman, the Champion Jogbra has stretch non-slip straps for maximum comfort. Cool Lycra spandex and cotton wick moisture away from your body. The polyester, cotton cups are soft against the skin. A fully constructed inner bra gives you all the support you need.

The Le Mystere Florence Maternity/ Nursing Bra has excellent support and has adjustable, close set straps that won't fall off your shoulders, Unsnap clip with one hand for breastfeeding while still holding the baby with the other. A wide range of sizes up to a 40G are available.

The Playtex Maternity Underwire Alternative Bra has roomy cups that allow for expanding breast size. The soft absorbent fabric feels soothing against the skin. Convenient cup attachment allows easy breastfeeding access. This bra features multiple back settings for a comfortable fit as your body changes.

Maternity clothing can include everything from cute denim overalls to elegant evening gowns. Pants with hidden panels make you look slimmer, and with super stretchy cotton, you can even wear tank or tube tops. Dresses with wide banded empire waists are comfortable enough to wear all day.

An important item in any maternity wear collection is several pair of maternity tummy control briefs in cool cotton and spandex. Make a fashion statement with matching nursing gowns for you and baby. To carry all your maternity supplies, try Double Handled Hobo Bags from Wal-Mart in many cute colors.