It's getting hot, hot, hot...

I’ve done pregnancy before, and you’d think I would be a dab hand at it with all the experience I’ve been lucky enough to have. But I have never lived through being heavily pregnant in the summer. My past third trimesters were spent gearing up for Christmas and enjoying my tummy rounding out like Santa’s, then relishing the January lull knowing that a new arrival was just around the corner.

My summer pregnancy isn’t quite like that. It’s hot and there are less clothes for a start, meaning my usual layered maternity look simply doesn’t work – not unless I want to sweat buckets in the sweltering heat. And so I’ve talked to lots of other mums, because it really is wonderful to take advice from those who’ve gone through the whole swollen, clammy ordeal before, rather than trying to cluelessly waddle my
way through it. And these are the best tips I’ve gathered…

Bring on the flip-flops
I must say, this is a major perk, as I can remember the challenge of putting on boots in the winter. In fact, Tom has photos of me struggling to put on wellies (yes, he thought taking a photo was a better use of his time rather than actually helping). This whole sliding-your-foot-into-a shoe thing sounds much more graceful and effortless. So, yes, your feet might swell in the heat, but I feel we’re the people wide Birkenstocks were designed for. HURRAH!

Get out the paddling pool
It’s amazing what dipping your feet into an inch of cold water can do. If you have children already, they’ll love having a splash while you cool off, meaning you can keep an eye on them and rest your feet at the same time. Embrace all the water flying everywhere and being a part of the fun.

Grab a glass of something refreshing
To be honest, I’m not missing having a cold Pimm’s or glass of vino in the sunshine – I actually think resisting my red wine, Baileys and Amaretto during the merry festivities in December was far harder. But one of my friends brought over some non-alcoholic shandy, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it. It does make us chuckle, though, as a shandy has never been my first choice of summer drink!

Use your freezer
Anyone who follows me on social media knows that one of my highlights of a trip to Disney was a frozen banana covered in chocolate and sprinkled with chopped roasted hazelnuts. Well, I’ve been making them at home. It’s so simple – pop your banana on a stick, cover in melted dark chocolate, and spoon on the nuts so they stick to the chocolate, before popping them in the freezer on a tray. Honestly, they’re absolutely amazing.

Let’s talk short underwear
My thighs have always been pretty fond of each other, and I can categorically state that I have never experienced what it’s like to have a thigh gap. In summers past this has been problematic and sweaty at times, leading me to wear shorts or sometimes leggings under dresses – but pregnancy is a hot business, and sometimes shorts can get uncomfortable, and layers just aren’t practical. So… I found some short undies to wear on Amazon (they actually look like shapewear, but don’t feel like it at all, mercifully). I am now much cooler.

I hope these suggestions help if you’re having a summer pregnancy, too. Now, I’m off to eat a frozen banana and dip my feet
in that paddling pool!

Big love

Read more by me: Mother and Baby