Dressing well during pregnancy is a lot easier now than it was when I had my first child 10 years ago. The options are so numerous at different price points that it's easy to be stylish and comfortable without spending a fortune, and with careful planning you can find clothes that you can actually modify and continue to wear once you've had the baby.

Maternity clothes aren't really needed during the first trimester, although in your excitement about the baby you're likely to want to run out and buy them the moment the little line appears on the stick. Wait a while, really, because by the third trimester you'll be sick of the sight of them, and by the second kid you won't be willing to put maternity pants on until you're ready to pack your bags for the hospital.

Here are a few tips to make dressing during pregnancy easier:
During the first trimester, you almost certainly can get away with wearing regular clothes in styles that accommodate changes to your figure, such as the Empire-waist blouses that are so popular right now. Your breasts will be larger than usual due to hormones, so purchase a well-made supportive bra. A nursing bra is a good investment even this early, as it will be one of the few items you'll be able to continue to use for months or even years after the baby is born.

Feet will swell over the course of the pregnancy too, so if you buy shoes at this time, go for a half-size larger.

The second trimester is when maternity clothes become appropriate. Dresses are a great option for work, although some upscale lines such do also make maternity suits. For casual wear, tops and maternity pants are probably the easiest choice. Maternity pants come in two basic styles: elastic-waist, which expand to fit your belly, and under-the-belly waists, which just hang below the baby bump. Try both kinds on to see which is more comfortable for you, but remember that how you feel the first week of the second trimester compared to the end of the pregnancy may be very different.

Liz Lange has also come up with a line called The Fourth Trimester that is intended for transitional wear after the baby is born, although most of us are resigned to the fact that you may need to keep wearing maternity clothes for a couple of months postpartum. Just make sure you're not still doing it when the "baby" turns six!

One of the things that's most unfair about pregnancy is how hard it is
to sleep. You're supposed to be getting your rest and saving up your
energy for having a newborn on your hands, but hormones give you weird
dreams and make you feel nauseated, too hot, or too cold. The doctors
and the What To Expect When You're Expecting book make you feel that
the only safe way to sleep is on your side, your chest is tender,
you're getting pounded by feet from the inside out, and more often than
not, you're in pain from sciatica or some other nerve that's not used
to being pinched. Here are a few suggestions to make sleeping easier during pregnancy:

1. A Body Pillow

Body pillows are long cylindrical pillows that you can wrap your limbs
around like a sleeping partner, but they're lighter so your arms don't
fall asleep, and they don't wriggle and squirm. They help take pressure
off of overtaxed nerves and can really make the difference between a
good night's sleep and misery. You can get a utilitarian version at any
store that sells maternity clothes, or Ralph Lauren makes a decorator
version for more upscale new moms.

2. Recliners

If you have access to a recliner, sleeping partially reclined -- feet
up, back just slightly back -- can be the most comfortable position for
women in their third trimester. If not, get someone to take you for a
long car ride and duplicate it as best as possible for a long nap.

3. A Supportive Bra

Don't underestimate the pain that a tender chest can cause you during
pregnancy. A good supportive bra will help immeasurably with this
problem. There are many styles you can find that are adaptable as
nursing bras after you have the baby.

4. Comfortable Maternity Clothes

Temperature control during pregnancy is difficult due to hormonal
changes. The best way to handle the roller coaster of being hot and
cold is with layers. Get a long-sleeved tee shirt and put it over a
camisole. If you wake up hot in the middle of the night, it's easier to
go back to sleep if you just have to pull a light layer off in the dark
than doing a full change.