This is a review of a bump band I bought from New Look's Maternity range. I have still been able to wear some of my normal linen trousers (a bit lower down) with the help of a bump band and the ones I had from last time were starting to get a bit tired so I decided to treat myself to a new one.

The purchase
I chose black as it goes with most jeans and trousers I own and even on white they just look like an extra layer of clothing.

Description
A few people reading this may wonder what on earth a bump band is! It's a tube of stretchy material that you wear around your waist when pregnant to keep a bit of support and help stop you flashing acres of flesh off by accident. It also keeps you warm in winter and provides a bit of extra support towards the end of the pregnancy when you can feel a bit heavy on your tum. This one is seam free and 89% nylon and 11% elastane.

Price and size
The bump band is priced £3.99 which I have found to be an average price for this item of maternity clothing. Only available in black from New Look and you can get two sizes s/m or m/l (I opted for the latter). They are really stretchy so it is almost a one size fits all type of garment.

In use
I wear these under and over trousers, depending on the style. The fact that this one is seam free means it is extra comfy with no bits digging in to my body. The bump bands need to be washed often but have a high elastane count in the material so they do easily spring back into place. I also like to use the bump band to protect my clothing when I have been using stretch mark cream or oil before dressing. I don't mind if it soaks in to this layer a bit but I don't want it on my other clothes.

Afterwards
I find the bump bands useful after giving birth for a number of reasons, firstly they can still be worn with maternity clothing whilst you wait to get back to your normal shape and clothes. I also like using them as a breast feeding aid, wearing them higher up the body and they are flexible enough to cover your modesty whilst feeding if you're not wearing a specialised feeding top or one with straps that hooks down.

My thoughts
These are a really useful piece of kit when pregnant. Some people manage well without them, others couldn't live without them. I find that whilst I don't wear them every day they are useful to have with certain types of clothing like trousers. I probably wouldn't bother under a dress. They can roll up sometimes and turn themselves inside out so a bit of adjustment can be necessary but generally they are quite comfortable to wear and certainly when the weather gets cold, provide a lovely layer of warmth over your back and tummy.

Final word
For the price, you can't go wrong with these bump bands and whilst it may be useful for New Look to sell them in different colours, the black one would probably still be a best seller. Even if the band does go on show, it just looks like you are wearing another layer of clothing like a vest or longer tshirt. These could make a nice 'thinking of you' present if you have a friend who is pregnant that you would like to buy for as everyone buys for the baby but sometimes forget mum (to be).