I have always been a very active person, and when I fell pregnant really missed participating in my much loved sports so I decided to look for something else to help me stay fit through my pregnancy. A friend suggested aqua natal classes. Fantastic, I thought, and looked out my trusty tankini. There I hit a major problem. My body shape had completely changed and my lovely costume no longer fitted! I thought I would be able to just get a normal costume in a bigger size, but I couldn't get a good fit, my growing bump needed more room! I finally decided I would have to get a maternity costume, so off to the shops I went!

I found it quite hard to find shops that stocked maternity swimwear. I tried our local H&M, Dorothy Perkins, Peacock, Debenhams and Next but they didn't stock any at all. Mothercare was the only store in my area I able to find any, although many stores do have them online. (Not idea when you have left it to the last minute to purchase one!)

I chose to get a tankini as I find them more comfortable than full swimsuits. The one I chose was cream and black with flower detailing. The top has spaghetti straps with a scoop neck. It supports well around the bust area (it has a 'hidden support' panel made out of a breathable mesh material) and has extra material at the front to house a growing bump! The briefs are mainly black with a strip of the cream and black flower detail around the top. It is made of 82% nylon and 18% Lycra and comes in a variety of sizes (8-20). It cost £22. Mothercare have a variety of swimwear available in store and online, including bikinis, tankinis and swimming costumes, and prices ranging from £15 to £22.

In all I found it very comfortable to wear, and flattering to my new shape. It was pretty, something I found important during pregnancy when I didn't feel at my most attractive and not something all maternity wear provides! It fitted well, and continued to do so as I progressed into my pregnancy. It definitely gave me the confidence to keep swimming, even when I was quite big as it completely covered my bump, hiding any stretch marks I didn't want the world to see! The only problem I had with it was the top kept flapping up when I was jumping in my aqua natal class, but that was just due to the extra material covering my tummy! And my tummy was underwater at that point so I didn't mind too much; it was just annoying having to constantly pull it down.

In all I would say my maternity tankini was an essential buy for my pregnancy. Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise for everyone, including pregnant woman. It was wonderful to have my bump supported and have a break from carrying the weight of my baby for a while. I definitely appreciated having a costume that had been specifically designed for use during pregnancy as it fitted very well and didn't constantly expose my tummy. I have now packed mine away safely and will definitely be getting it out again when we decide our son needs a little brother or sister!